ok for 22 sport to sit in the sand at low tide?

[OneDrop]

Attempted to search prior threads but everything in this area just devolves into a question of salt, corrosion, and which kind of keel is better.

I'm headed to Cape Cod for a week and am renting a beachfront house. Where we stay, the tide goes out for about a half mile, revealing rolling sand bars and tide pools. We can dig a mooring with a permit from the local harbormaster, and many people keep their wing and fin keels on these moorings that dry out.

My question is solely if the hull/trunk and keel can withstand the weight of the boat for the 6 hours it will be on the sand over the 5 or 6 days we'll be there. I assume that most of the keel will be buried in sand as the water slowly ebbs away, proving a fair amount of support for the keel and hull, however I also have to imagine the boat will be partly on its side for a few of the low tides.

Moving the boat to a deeper anchorage is not an option due to how far out the tide goes. (google earth search Wellfleet MA if you want to see some cool satellite shots.)

 

[greg_m]

Rather on the sand than on the rocks is what I reckon!

 

[rpludwig]

my guess is a non-issue. Sailing buddy spent some time in the UK last year, not uncommon in some of the higher latitude locations. He took a pic of an entire mooring field of boats of all sizes and all sorts of keels on the ground daily at low tide, must have been a hundred of 'em.

We suffered no damage, nor did any others (200 boats) at the club here after an unusual wind tide drained the Neuse River a few months ago, but that was only for a day...ours is a swing keel, the C22 to the right is a wing.

 

[Gene Neill]

All I know for certain is, I wouldn't do it to my boat. Not out on an exposed beach like that.

 

[OneDrop]

Much appreciation for the feedback, prior to the Sport, I had a nice little C420 that didn't care where it went or sat. There are a large number of fixed keels that sit out all summer, day after day, year after year without any issue up there, but the swing keel does give me pause.

There are marinas in the area but transient slips are all but impossible to get due to tourist season, and the marinas suffer the same low tide restrictions and while they're dredged and stay wet, if you don't make it back in time, you're anchoring outside for the next 6-7. Time and tide and all that lol

Anyone actually moored this way on more than a one-off occasion?

Thanks again!

 

[w4swk]

I'm in the same boat as Gene (Pun intended!). I would be hesitant...my fear would be the transition to low tide...surely the boat would "bounce" some as the tide falls off.

Ken

 

[Hardhead]

I'm in the same boat as Gene (Pun intended!). I would be hesitant...my fear would be the transition to low tide...surely the boat would "bounce" some as the tide falls off.

Ken

That would be my big concern as well. The pounding on the keel as the boat is only half floating. Then again, it might not be a problem, as at least some other non-swing keels do not seem to have a problem with the possible pounding. If it's not too big of a hassle, I'd probably bring the boat, see how it does, and then pull it out after a day or 2 if it seems rough on the boat. Hopefully, the boat is pointing into the waves while half floating. You might try a 2nd stern anchor, to keep it pointed into any waves at half tide.


Great place to be, with or without, the boat.

 

[OneDrop]

I think I'll see how the first dry out goes and see if my constitution will allow the $13K gamble, luckily the tide comes in/out very slowly due to crossing the flats for half a mile before it gets to you. Unless there's a storm, the "waves" are fairly muted even when the water is 20 inches deep, due to running over the outer sand bars.

I will certainly update in a few weeks after the trip for any one else looking for an answer. I sent the question directly to Catalina as well, we'll see if there's any response over the next 2 weeks.

 

[jviss]

I don't have a Catalina 22 Sport, but viewing the hull profile online, I can't say that I'd worry about it. I don't get the "pounding" comments; I think the water goes out there pretty calmly. I also would let the boat point the way it wants, no second anchor. But what do I know?

 

[All U Get]

Easy to clean the bottom. Seen it done several times.