hitting the beach

[navrep]

I have a lifting keel with two 0.7m stubs, having looked at various other threads on here I have decided to dry out as I need to change the anode and scrub my hull.

I am on the Blackwater - Bradwell - I was thinking Weymarks Beach or as on another thread by the power station "using the Western wall as a transit".

What I am not entirely sure about is should I go in just a couple of hrs after HW drop the anchor and wait to touch the bottom, or should I drive in very slowly deliberately putting her aground?

Option two seems like the wrong thing to do in many ways but it would mean I could do it by myself - anchor in the shallows solo would probably end up with me going aground anyway!

Thoughts much appreciated - and ideas of better places to do it to also welcome.

 

[Lucky Duck]

I have always gone with the second option but that is no guarantee that it's the best way of doing things

 

[PeterWright]

Close to HW, the tide is falling very slowly, so option 1 means a lomgtime bumping on the bottom until she settles. Driving gently aground should see you firmly ashore after 2 or 3 bumps in a slight sea (the only conditions for deliberate grounding) Also anchoring and waiting for her to ground wiil leave her facing upriver, roughly parallel to the beach whereas driving square onto the beach leaves you in a position where it's easy to depart astern as the tide rises.

It's good practice to drop a kedge just before you get to the beach - this will help you keep her stern to the waves as she settles and can be used to help you off if he next HW is not so high. If you do this, take care to keep the kedge rode clear of the prop........

Do it in fair weather and it's much easier than I make it sound.

Peter

 

[DavidofMersea]

If you come over to Mersea to the end of the beach in the besom, the beach slopes at about 45 degrees and is often used for scrubbing off etc. it would e ideal for what you want to do

 

[navrep]

Apologies for my ignorance - "besom" ? Edit -found it!
But sounds just what I am after.