Will I sink?

ricky_s

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Thinking of getting some waders to allow me to clean boat etc. on its mooring in Chichester Marina as the boat always seems to be in about two feet of water.

If I step in, will I get stuck in the mud or will I still be able to move around my boat?
 
You could put a boot on a pole and push down, it might give you an idea of how soft it is. If you do get in I suggest having a rope tied to the cleats, so you can stop from falling over and can pull yourself up if stuck.

Good luck
 
Taking the piss now! :-)

O.K., I was a bit. But it could be worth having a couple of plywood panels on board to chuck on the mud first. Then, if you're careful, you should just have the panels to clean rather than your nether regions. Secure 'em to the boat with a line and they'll get washed as the tide returns. ;)
 
O.K., I was a bit. But it could be worth having a couple of plywood panels on board to chuck on the mud first. Then, if you're careful, you should just have the panels to clean rather than your nether regions. Secure 'em to the boat with a line and they'll get washed as the tide returns. ;)

I've seen the plywood tied to Wellies trick done a few times and have actually tried it myself as well. The mud has to be proper East Coast gloop for it to work, none of your namby-pamby South Coast stuff with sand in. It does just about work but you have to slide each foot along and it's absolutely totally bloody knackering - you'll manage to shuffle about 20 yards and, if you're seventeen and stupid, you'll then realise you've got to get back as well. Recovery time is measured in days or weeks, not hours and minutes.

Don't even think about trying to lift your foot up. You get an almost perfect seal on the wet mud and my physics teacher took great delight in pointing out that, at 14 lbs/sq in on a foot square board, I was trying to lift about one ton.

All the yards and quite a few boats used to carry planks or boards to allow them to stand on the mud when I sailed from Burnham. Maldon had a couple of guys who used mud-horses to go out bait-digging.
 
Don't even think about trying to lift your foot up. You get an almost perfect seal on the wet mud and my physics teacher took great delight in pointing out that, at 14 lbs/sq in on a foot square board, I was trying to lift about one ton.

What you needed was a small compressor, and a couple of valves, and some pipe down through centre of each board. Then when you want to slide your foot or lift it, you squirt some air down to break the seal, and if you have enough compressed air, create a hovercraft effect! :D
 
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