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Beaching question...

Adam2012

Adam2012

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Bethel, CT
Hi all,

Last year was my first in my Bennington and all went well- One thing I never did was to pull the boat up to a beach area. I was always too nervous about the depth. I really want to do that this coming year. Any suggestions or advice? What is the best way to secure the boat when beached?  Thanks fellow owners!!!
 
As we're pulling up to the beach area I bring the motor up as I'm approaching and shut it down before it comes out of the water and coast in. If we have a bunch of people I get them to the rear so I get up on the beach further. The boat usually stays where it lands.
 
If it's windy, we tie up to a tree and put an anchor off of the stern to keep it from swaying.
 
We've used an anchor in the front in about a foot of water and another in the rear.........remember Carl?????????
 
We have sandy islands in or lake so we trim up, kill the motor and slide in. I then get some weight in the back and drag it up a little more.
 
Pretty much same as others ..... Sandy beach, run her up on as our shoreline drops off pretty quick, so I don't have to bring motor up. If it's rocky, well I jump in and throw anchors off bow & stern and keep it off shore. I cringe when I HEAR the new owners running theirs onto the shoreline onto the rocks ...... We have a lot of quartz chunks around the edges of our lake and it's dangerously sharp. I don't chance it.
 
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Same as everyone else - raise motor and coast in. Only on sand though...
 
Beaching:

  • Know the lake bottom where you are going to beach! 
  • The first time at any landing, jump out early and walk/pull your boat in by hand.  Feel the bottom with your feet.  If there are ANY rocks, I would NEVER beach there. 
  • Take note of the slope of the bottom.  Our beach has a VERY gradual slope, so I come in at 6 MPH on the GPS (which is pretty fast since I have to coast quite a distance before I run up on the sand). 
  • Like Carl said, shift people toward the back.  Not a huge deal, but it does help a lot.
  • As you start to come in, trim up so your prop is just under water and not sucking air.  This will help make sure you don't suck any sand/mud into your motor.
  • Using the depth finder and past experience walking the beach, cut the engine when you are in about a foot of water. 
  • Immediately after you cut the engine, trim up so the prop is totally out of the water (it won't hit anything that way).
  • Coast in until you feel it beach.  Make sure people are sitting down.
  • I will jump off the front pretty quickly in case something isn't right or it is crowded and that way I am ready, if needed, to move the boat by hand.
  • If it's not windy, not wavy, and you are far from another boat, and you plan to stand next to the boat the whole time while beached, there is no need to tie off.  You can grab the boat by hand and move it if you need to.  In case you didn't know, it takes very little effort to move a floating boat by hand.
  • If it's windy, or there are boats nearby, or you plan to walk away (to use the restroom, for example), dig a 6-inch hole 20 feet off the bow and throw a small anchor in, then bury it some.  I use a mushroom.
  • Next, tie the anchor line off to a cleat.  Pull hard to test that the anchor will hold.  Tie it off so the line is taught.
People normally use the front gate to get off the front, but I ask them to board using the ladder in the back if it's shallow enough.  Helps keep sand off the boat. 

When Leaving:

  • Move people toward the back as much as reasonable
  • I push off from the bow to get some momentum and then jump up on the bow.  If I have time (not crowded or windy) I dangle my feet to get the sand off.  Then trim down, start the motor and back up.

One dangerous thing I did one time that I swear I will never ever do again was pull up to a beach while kids were still on the tube.  Had I had to abort the landing and back up, best case I would have gotten the rope caught in the prop. Worst case, hit the kids. Did it once, thought about it afterwards, decided to never do that again.
 
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kaydano said:
Beaching:

  • Know the lake bottom where you are going to beach! 
  • The first time at any landing, jump out early and walk/pull your boat in by hand.  Feel the bottom with your feet.  If there are ANY rocks, I would NEVER beach there. 
  • Take note of the slope of the bottom.  Our beach has a VERY gradual slope, so I come in at 6 MPH on the GPS (which is pretty fast since I have to coast quite a distance before I run up on the sand). 
  • Like Carl said, shift people toward the back.  Not a huge deal, but it does help a lot.
  • As you start to come in, trim up so your prop is just under water and not sucking air.  This we help make sure you don't suck any sand/mud into your motor.
  • Using the depth finder and past experience walking the beach, cut the engine when you are in about a foot of water. 
  • Immediately after you cut the engine, trim up so the prop is totally out of the water (it won't hit anything that way).
  • Coast in until you feel it beach.  Make sure people are sitting down.
  • I will jump off the front pretty quickly in case something isn't right or it is crowded and that way I am ready, if needed, to move the boat by hand.
  • If it's not windy, not wavy, and you are far from another boat, and you plan to stand next to the boat the whole time while beached, there is no need to tie off.  You can grab the boat by hand and move it if you need to.  In case you didn't know, it takes very little effort to move a floating boat by hand.
  • If it's windy, or there are boats nearby, or you plan to walk away (to use the restroom, for example), dig a 6-inch hole 20 feet off the bow and throw a small anchor in, then bury it some.  I use a mushroom.
  • Next, tie the anchor line off to a cleat.  Pull hard to test that the anchor will hold.  Tie it off so the line is taught.
People normally use the front gate to get off the front, but I ask them to board using the ladder in the back if it's shallow enough.  Helps keep sand off the boat. 

When Leaving:

  • Move people toward the back as much as reasonable
  • I push off from the bow to get some momentum and then jump up on the bow.  If I have time (not crowded or windy) I dangle my feet to get the sand off.  Then trim down, start the motor and back up.

One dangerous thing I did one time that I swear I will never ever do again was pull up to a beach while kids were still on the tube.  Had I had to abort the landing and back up, best case I would have gotten the rope caught in the prop. Worst case, hit the kids. Did it once, thought about it afterwards, decided to never do that again.
Click to expand...
Some excellent advise.  Thanks for the refresher.  This one should be a 'sticky' I think.
 
Thanks for the complement.  I remember being pretty apprehensive before beaching the first time, which is why I took extra time to write out my experience with it.  I remember asking about it here on this forum.  Lots of people insist you should never beach a pontoon, and I believe they are generally correct.  If you have a very soft beach (no rocks) and take it slow, you should be fine.  By "rocks" I mean there's nothing over 1/2 inch in diameter.  Pure sand or silt, or anchor off shore a little ways like Jared said.
 
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just a side note....I see a few mention that they jump off the boat....

Last year me and 2 other friend tore open a foot by stepping on a sharp stick...one stepped on a fishing hook.

I now ALWAYS use water shoes.......not worth having to head in for stitches for something that is avoidable
 
Yeah, water shoes is a must for us. The rocks are sharp, and I can go through 2 pairs a season. Last year was only one pair cause it never really warmed up so not a lot of water activity. I think I only got in a couple times, mainly to clean toons.
 
I don't wear water shoes. I walk on water...

HA ha ha ha ha just kidding! Water shoes are a must!
 
I walk on water, when it is frozen! Glad our beach area and lake hangouts are sand. Sounds like some of you have it rough with rock lined shores.
 
With my new boat as with my old boat I would throw the bungee anchor out about 15 feet or so then a rope to the front pull the boat in when you need it if there are other boaters passing by it saves your boat being sloshed around on the shore.
 
I have stopped wearing water shoes in favor of hard soled sandals I jumped right onto a sharp rock went right through my deck shoes ended up at the hospital
 
OUCH!
 
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