Beaching

[mkinnane]

I just purchased a Hunter 260. I have a McGregor 22 and have always moored it in a tidal area( water goes out and it sits on the beach twice a day) I would like opinions on doing the same with the Hunter. My area harbors have a ten + year waiting list for slips or moorings. Help
Thanks Mark

 

[jtm]

sounds like you should have a bilge keel boat - like in Ireland and UK if you are tidal aground that much. Its gotta be rough on the antifouling and then, you don't know what rocks may impacting under the boat.

 

[George H260]

Others have moored their water ballast boats in tidal areas, but the caution about rocks and sand damaging the hull and paint are worth considering. With the centerboard fully retracted the boat should settle on the mud with no problem. You could have problems over time with crud jamming up the centerboard slot. Also you want to avoid anything that results in flexing of the hull - you could compromise the ballast tank seal.

All in all, I'd look for another solution. After all, this is a trailerable boat. I dry slipped my boat with the mast up for a couple of years and it was very easy to launch and retrieve. The boat stayed very clean and I saved a lot of money that way.

 

[mkinnane]

Thanks for the response. One more opinion needed now that you mention the water balast. Would that be better left open to drain and re-fill or closed?? The beach is very sandy and there are no rocks

Mark

 

[George H260]

I guess you could go either way.

If it was me I'd leave the valve closed. These valves leak quite a bit so you'll lose some water but you won't get crud in the tank or worry about the valve getting damaged.

As the tide comes back my guess is the tank will fill back up. Just make sure you check the tank before sailing.

My tank has a pretty good seal but I've forgotten to open it in the past after a launch and when I remembered to open it the tank was full.

Here's a pic of a H26 at low tide. Don't remember where I got it but it looks pretty happy to me....