Using beaching legs

[vyv_cox]

Ken's drawing shows the arrangement that I have. The socket is permanently bolted to the topsides. There are two bolts per socket and as far as I remember the bolt diameter is 12 or 14 mm. The socket is bedded in Sikaflex. I fitted mine many years ago and neither of them has ever moved or required any attention. I used heavy backing pads, about 6 x 8 x 1 inch Tufnol, also Sikaflex bedded.

The pin is part of the leg, it engages with the socket and the U-bolt drops down in two holes to keep it in place. The U-bolt is attached with a line, so there is nothing to drop. Some of the posts further up are describing DIY systems where the leg bolts to the hull, with a nut that has to be tightened to hold the leg on. The Yacht-legs system is far better than this.

As Ken says, there is little weight on the legs. It is quite easy to straighten the boat up using the adjustment wheel, the load required to do so is quite small.

 

[fisherman]

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So a large part of the weight of the boat is on a bolt? How big is the bolt?

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This is a worry. If the leg has too big a footplate will too much weight fall on it as the boat's keel sinks in softer ground? If too small a footplate, the leg can be driven into softer ground. This happened to a fishing boat, it listed, was held down on the flood tide and sunk.

 

[JerryHawkins]

Vyv,

Makes me feel much better. I got a set of legs like yours at the Southampton show last year and have yet to fit them. Interested to know how you approach your proposed drying out spot. Do you deploy an anchor from the stern as you head in then drop your bower so that you are held in place whilst the water drops?

 

[vyv_cox]

Yes, or variations on that. On a falling tide and known beach in quiet conditions I often motor in with the legs down until the keel touches. It only takes 10 minutes for the boat to be firmly in. Then a stern anchor can be laid later on to haul off when the tide returns.

This one

is outside the clubhouse at Beaumaris. I would normally motor in upwind, drop the kedge, just nudge the bottom until the tide drops enough, then take a line ashore and tie it off.

In some locations the bower is enough, if the tidal flow and/or wind are constant. The trick is to be ready for what will happen when the water comes back, but so long as both legs are not fully wound down there is rarely a problem.

 

[sighmoon]

So you put the legs down once the keel has already grounded? You don't float with both legs in place waiting for the tide to leave?

I imagine getting the boat vertical is vital. Is possible, to lift the boat to the vertical by cranking up the downhill leg?

This thread is fantastic, I've been trying to decide between a bilge keeler and a centreboarder for our next boat, and see problems with both.

 

[vyv_cox]

Have used both methods. Provided the legs are ready on deck there is normally plenty of time to install them after the keel has grounded.

Don't tell anyone, but we ran aground in the Mobihan. Stuck fast on a gravel bank with the tide rushing out fast. We were able to get the legs out of the stern locker, where they were under all sorts of other cruising gear, assemble them, get them over the side and get the boat upright before there was any likelihood of our lying on our side.

The loads on the leg are remarkably low. They are not taking any boat weight, simply stopping it from tipping over. So yes, it is perfectly possible to level up using the adjusting wheels. As I have written earlier, in flowing water it is best to leave a clearance between keel and one leg of about 8 inches to avoid 'tripping' the legs. Once the boat is dry it is easy to level up for comfort on board, or don't bother if the boat is unoccupied.