Legs and drying out alongside

[paddydog63]

Hi Folks
I have a Contest35s and am toying with the idea of fitting yacht legs. How can I find out if this would be feasible for my boat. Also I haven't yet had the courage to dry out alongside a wall. Again how could I find out if this manoevre is safe for my boat

 

[Tranona]

You don't say whether it has the wing keel. If it does then drying out alongside may be tricky as you won't be able to get it to lean against the wall.

Fitting legs should be straightforward using the Yachtlegs type www.yachtlegs.co.uk

 

[Twister_Ken]

Longish thread on legs last week.

Scrolling back should uncover.

 

[paddydog63]

No It has the standard keel 1.8metresdraught

 

[rickym]

I have a Sadler 32 and regularly dry out alongside to scrub off or against a drying wall. I believe the Contest has a fin & skeg configuration with a fairly substantial keel so should be fine alongside.
Most walls meant for drying alongside lean away from the water by a few degrees to make it easier to ensure you don't fall the wrong way! You will need a fender board to bridge the gaps between your fenders and the wall piles, some kind HM's will provide them. Lead your bow and stern well forward and aft to allow for the fall, when you touch bottom adjust you brest ropes to pull you in tight and you can use a halliard from the top of the mast to give you a positive lean to the wall. If you think you are going to settle bow's down take some weight out of the bow (anchor and chain) and put it on the deck to balance the boat (highly unlikely with a contest). Conversely if you are stern down.
A bit scary the 1st time but you get to go places the less adventurous stay away from. Just don't get neaped!

 

[ebbtide]

I started cruising out of Salcombe on yachts that were dried out alongside when we arrived. Not surprisingly I thought that was normal!
If you'd like an account of subsequent misadventures - with some recommendations of course - then do PM me for more.
(Ken, you too if you haven't read that account.)
Cheers.

 

[Tranona]

As others say - should be straightforward although the first time can be a bit scary until you realise that the boat is actually very stable. You have a long keel base and draft is not too extreme. Suggest you find a place where drying out against a wall or piles is common and watch a couple of others do it. This should give you confidence to do it yourself

 

[dovekie]

One small point. We use yacht legs from yacht-leg-co. If you dry out alongside using the legs aswell as resting on your keel, the quayside leg can foul the quay. If your boat sits OK on it's keel alone, then just lean into the quay as described by others, without the yacht legs.

 

[whiteoaks7]

We had legs on our Sabre and they worked really well. The only mistake we made was positioning them too far forward resulting in a nose down in one location where the sand under the front of the keel was soft. Just a point to bear in mind if you go down that route.

 

[vyv_cox]

This is the legs thread mentioned by Twister Ken.

So far as your boat either drying or lying on legs is concerned, if your keel is flat on the bottom it will usually do either without any major problem. Some boats tend to dry with their bows down, so this could be a problem. Is there an owners' club, or are you in contact with other owners who might know this? For the absolute answer ring Yacht Legs and ask their experience with this marque. They will almost certainly give you the definitive answer.