Nicholson 38 in a drying mud berth?

[Ross D]

Hi Everyone,

Thinking of maybe upgrading to a Nicholson 38, does anyone know if they will sit in an alongside drying mud berth, and sit happily on the keel on a permanent basis?

They look like great boats, but there is a lot of yacht in front of the keel. I'm guessing that the weight aft would prevent it "falling on to it's nose" but if anyone has done it before, I'd appreciate some advice.

Many thanks

Ross

 

[prv]

It will depend partly on the quality of the mud. If soft, even an extreme fin keel will sink in and sit stably alongside a pontoon or jetty. Lots of fin keels in the mud at our drying yard (including ours at low springs).

Are there any similar boats at the moorings you have in mind?

Pete

 

[Ross D]

Yes the mooring is fine, I've been keeping my Vega there for the last 5 years without a problem. There's a hard bottom under soft mud and the yacht leans against a solid wall or jetty, there was a 41' wooden one off design there for about 4 years previously and there are quite a few other yachts in mud berths in that stretch of the Tamar.

My real concern is if there are any problems with a Nic 38 taking the ground twice a day.

Ross

 

[doug748]

You may not have seen this in your investigations:

http://www.manualslib.com/manual/821203/Camper-And-Nicholson-Nicholson-38.html?page=21#manual

Not that it helps much but it mentions drying out at one point. I am sure more would be made of it if it was a particular concern.

 

[johnalison]

Any half decent cruising boat will dry out happily, and older boats are usually better. Your weight on the foredeck of a Nic 38 is going to be nothing compared to what is in the keel. My only concern would be mud getting into hull apertures such as the engine cooling inlet and the possibility of damage to an encapsulated keel if stones or hard objects are likely to be hit. A local sailor kept a Dufour 40 in our river mud for a year and I think the only problem was mud in the cooling system.

 

[clyst]

Yes the mooring is fine, I've been keeping my Vega there for the last 5 years without a problem. There's a hard bottom under soft mud and the yacht leans against a solid wall or jetty, there was a 41' wooden one off design there for about 4 years previously and there are quite a few other yachts in mud berths in that stretch of the Tamar.

My real concern is if there are any problems with a Nic 38 taking the ground twice a day.

Ross

Ross Iv have sent you a PM.

 

[seumask]

A friend bought a Nicholson 38 from Scotland some years ago where it had been kept on a drying mooring with legs for many years and did not seem to have been effected. So I suspect they can take the ground relatively easily.