Hurricane Mathew put my boat on the hard.. What do I do?
- Thread starter End80
- Start date
Feasible, as long as the boat is on a sled, and it's firmly attach the boat. How deep is the mud? Can a high clearance 4WD truck drive on it?
Hey. Moving it 4ft was huge! If you can go 4ft you can go 400ft with patience..
- Don't think in terms of getting all the way in one go. Think in terms of 4ft and then another 4ft.
- Based on the pictures, the high tide isn't going to do you any good until you get the boat another 10ft closer to the water - maybe 20ft -- until the high tide level is about 12" deep to start floating the boat a bit. Until you get that far, it's probably easier to work at low tide.
- The people who keep saying sleds probably haven't tried it. Mud and sand is not very slippery if a lot of weight is on it. And the plywood will tend to dig in at the front and even create a suction. Think "tracks" not "sled". Get some 2x6's (2x10's would be better but probably expensive). Grease them really well with trailer bearing grease that won't wash off. Jack up the boat and put a board under the boat topsides and one under the keel. Line up another two boards straight ahead. Pull the boat onto the 2nd set of boards, then pick up the ones behind and put them in front. Just keep swapping the boards forward as you go. If you are using 2x6's you may want to screw two together to make a 4x6 so it doesn't flex too much - or screw together four 2x4'. If the boards flex, then you will be pulling the boat "uphill". Have some cinder blocks or flat rocks to hold the boards under the water when the boat isn't on it.
If it still doesn't move because the curve of the boat puts the weight on only a few inches of track, grease a 3ft piece of board. Sand a curve into the front of the board so that it won't dig into the track. Put that between the track and the boat. Then attach the come-along to the 3ft board and pull that with the boat sitting on top. Use more grease than you think you need
- Get a 4 ton come-along. They're only about $50. If the anchors are gone just try banging a metal bar into the mud with a sledge. Do it at an angle like a tent stake. Depending on the mud this may not hold - you may need to get an anchor - but it's worth a try and is cheap. You might find someone who will loan you their anchor.
- More weight on the mast would eventually get the keel up but that is an old boat and old rigging. When it was new, you could have put a thousand pounds on it, but it's probably not worth the risk. Just put the track under the keel. But once you get the boat partly floating, it will take much less weight to hold her over. The keel will then become a real problem because it needs 5ft deep water. So hold onto that trash can for the 2nd part of the trip.
- Don't think in terms of getting all the way in one go. Think in terms of 4ft and then another 4ft.
- Based on the pictures, the high tide isn't going to do you any good until you get the boat another 10ft closer to the water - maybe 20ft -- until the high tide level is about 12" deep to start floating the boat a bit. Until you get that far, it's probably easier to work at low tide.
- The people who keep saying sleds probably haven't tried it. Mud and sand is not very slippery if a lot of weight is on it. And the plywood will tend to dig in at the front and even create a suction. Think "tracks" not "sled". Get some 2x6's (2x10's would be better but probably expensive). Grease them really well with trailer bearing grease that won't wash off. Jack up the boat and put a board under the boat topsides and one under the keel. Line up another two boards straight ahead. Pull the boat onto the 2nd set of boards, then pick up the ones behind and put them in front. Just keep swapping the boards forward as you go. If you are using 2x6's you may want to screw two together to make a 4x6 so it doesn't flex too much - or screw together four 2x4'. If the boards flex, then you will be pulling the boat "uphill". Have some cinder blocks or flat rocks to hold the boards under the water when the boat isn't on it.
If it still doesn't move because the curve of the boat puts the weight on only a few inches of track, grease a 3ft piece of board. Sand a curve into the front of the board so that it won't dig into the track. Put that between the track and the boat. Then attach the come-along to the 3ft board and pull that with the boat sitting on top. Use more grease than you think you need
- Get a 4 ton come-along. They're only about $50. If the anchors are gone just try banging a metal bar into the mud with a sledge. Do it at an angle like a tent stake. Depending on the mud this may not hold - you may need to get an anchor - but it's worth a try and is cheap. You might find someone who will loan you their anchor.
- More weight on the mast would eventually get the keel up but that is an old boat and old rigging. When it was new, you could have put a thousand pounds on it, but it's probably not worth the risk. Just put the track under the keel. But once you get the boat partly floating, it will take much less weight to hold her over. The keel will then become a real problem because it needs 5ft deep water. So hold onto that trash can for the 2nd part of the trip.
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- Get a 4 ton come-along. They're only about $50. If the anchors are gone just try banging a metal bar into the mud with a sledge. Do it at an angle like a tent stake. Depending on the mud this may not hold - you may need to get an anchor - but it's worth a try and is cheap. You might find someone who will loan you their anchor.
A better choice than a metal bar is a helical anchor. These have tremendous holding power. Here's one example 5/8" x 48", Eye Ground Anchor Not sure if this is the "correct" one for your application, but it is a starting point. Drive it in at an angle, connect a come along, use cable or chain not nylon rope. As you have learned nylon will stretch and when it releases it lets go with tremendous energy.
The big tow boats all use dynema for tow ropes, stronger than steel and virtually no stretch.
A better choice than a metal bar is a helical anchor. These have tremendous holding power. Here's one example 5/8" x 48", Eye Ground Anchor Not sure if this is the "correct" one for your application, but it is a starting point. Drive it in at an angle, connect a come along, use cable or chain not nylon rope. As you have learned nylon will stretch and when it releases it lets go with tremendous energy.
The big tow boats all use dynema for tow ropes, stronger than steel and virtually no stretch.
Keep in mind that when rope breaks, it travels in line with the direction of the forces (the line the rope was stretched).
Chain on the other hand usually swings. The swing radius depends on which link breaks, with a max radius of the chain length minus one link.
Net, bystanders are more likely to get hurt by the swinging chain than the snapping rope because they think they are a safe distance away or in a safe zone.
Chain on the other hand usually swings. The swing radius depends on which link breaks, with a max radius of the chain length minus one link.
Net, bystanders are more likely to get hurt by the swinging chain than the snapping rope because they think they are a safe distance away or in a safe zone.
The helical anchor is a great idea - also because he can get it out by twisting the other way..
There are lots of ways to get hurt dragging boats around. Work slowly and carefully. Keep bystanders at a safe distance. But if you grease the tracks well enough this isn't going to require that much pulling force. I'd be surprised if it was more than 1000 lbs. Using a come-along also let's you put the force on more slowly and carefully than just yanking with a big powerboat.
There are lots of ways to get hurt dragging boats around. Work slowly and carefully. Keep bystanders at a safe distance. But if you grease the tracks well enough this isn't going to require that much pulling force. I'd be surprised if it was more than 1000 lbs. Using a come-along also let's you put the force on more slowly and carefully than just yanking with a big powerboat.
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Geez, this is quite awful. After reading 7 pages and 131 posts, the boat has been moved only 4 feet? What would it cost to get a professional tow boat and rigger to haul it off the marsh? If all the contributors to this post simple put just $10.00 in, instead of a boat load of advice, we could get this thing floated by Christmas. C'mon Man...let's put some money where our mouths are. End80 even has a magazine covering his story, and he gets a free subscription for a year...really...that's it? How expensive is this move...seriously? SBO could become Santa Boat Owners? How about we start a unique forum for shared charity cases like this. Truly vetted cases where the situation is documented as devastating and proven insurmountable for one captain to deal with. Put yourself in End80's shoes...I can't even imagine what that would be like.
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Maybe, but the last time an OP tried that he was suspended from the SBO forum for advertising his needs. I felt bad for that incredibly knowledgeable contributor, even sent money to his GoFundMe site, but alas the whole thing fell apart and the contributor rarely visits, even after his suspension terminated. This is really not the place to ask for financial assistance, but I really feel bad for this particular circumstance with End80. Help me help him. How can we do this?
I like the anchor + come along idea. Here is one that has a 20ft chain.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/3-4-Ton-Lev...-Along-Puller-20FT-Chain-Lifter-/231175453449
After the boat is on a sled or plywood platform, dig a hole every 20 feet, place a CQR anchor in, attach the chain (to the plywood) and move the boat 20 feet at a time. There should be plenty of leverage to pull the boat horizontally.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/3-4-Ton-Lev...-Along-Puller-20FT-Chain-Lifter-/231175453449
After the boat is on a sled or plywood platform, dig a hole every 20 feet, place a CQR anchor in, attach the chain (to the plywood) and move the boat 20 feet at a time. There should be plenty of leverage to pull the boat horizontally.
There has been considerable discussion of a sled, but actually the side of the hull more or less serves that purpose. You still have to deal with the suction from the mud.
Has anyone had thoughts about some sort of an inflatable "roller" system?
3 or 4 cylindrical tubes might work. getting the hull up on them one at a time and as slow forward progress is made, transfer the aft most roller forward each time the boat comes off it.
Has anyone had thoughts about some sort of an inflatable "roller" system?
3 or 4 cylindrical tubes might work. getting the hull up on them one at a time and as slow forward progress is made, transfer the aft most roller forward each time the boat comes off it.
Geez; I share your frustration. After keeping up with this post from the beginning, I think that the recommendations to get the boat onto some greased skids (4"x6") is the way to go. May have to put the skids on top of some plywood to keep the skids from sinking in the mud. Try to get the boat to the area of marsh that will be flooded by next months highest tide using helical or conventional anchors & 2 comealongs. Hopefully, once you get to the area that will be flooded by a couple feet of water, your friends can pull you out to the river. 3/4" lines stretched over that very long distance will hopefully be adequate once you are in some water to reduce the stress on the line.
The side of the boat (gelcoat) will be scratched and damaged, the keel (bolted to the hull) will be flexed and compromised as the boat is bumped being pulled. It will just dig further into the mud. Most likely, the hull and keel are not damaged that bad because the boat floated to where is it now. The reason for the plywood (besides protecting the boat) is to spread out the load over a wider area to decrease the pounds/square inch, and minimize sinking into the mud. Using a 2" x 8' sled will do little to decrease the pounds/square inch, and will dig into the mud after a few feet. It has to be a large area (8' x 8') to minimize digging into the mud.
I've been following this sad saga and I'm sure this has been mentioned in one of the previous 138 posts but, would it be feasible to use 4x8 or 8x8 sheets of plywood to spread the load then, when you get enough water to start moving the boat, pull her onto several 6 inch PVC pipes to roll her. After she comes off the aft board and onto the next board and rollers, just move the board and pipes to the front and continue. Seems doable in my 'alleged' mind but then I am not there. Best of luck to you.