Big boys try THIS!

[dscribner]

We took the in-laws out on our Lancer 25 for the first time. Light air for most of the morning and it was HOT! So, my lovely bride decides that we should go to the beach at Richmond Island. Great idea . . . but no dinghy. So, I said we'd just sail in close and anchor. We have a shoal keel. We got within 100 yards of the power boats, struck the sails and motored the rest of the way in. As we approached, the heads started turning. You could almost hear the "What does that idiot think he's doing?" thoughts wafting over the small crowd. At 4 feet of water, mothers started to cover the eyes of their children, hoping to spare them the carnage that would doubtless follow. At three feet, my son set the anchor, we swung around in the stiff breeze and the keel lightly touched sand. I jumped off into hip deep water.

When we left, we motored until we just cleared the stink-potters and rolled out the genny. We instantly heeled 20 degrees and dashed (hah) out of the cove. What fun!

Let those who are long in the keel do THAT!

 

[ChuckThomas]

I have done something simliar. I have a 5.5 ft keel. Sailed in, hit bottom, heeled twenty degrees, fell off of boat into hip dip water. (just kidding).

 

[Benny]

Don't need to I carry a dingui and can step on shore without getting wet if I so choose.

 

[Joe11688]

We took the in-laws out on our Lancer 25 for the first time. Light air for most of the morning and it was HOT! So, my lovely bride decides that we should go to the beach at Richmond Island. Great idea . . . but no dinghy. So, I said we'd just sail in close and anchor. We have a shoal keel. We got within 100 yards of the power boats, struck the sails and motored the rest of the way in. As we approached, the heads started turning. You could almost hear the "What does that idiot think he's doing?" thoughts wafting over the small crowd. At 4 feet of water, mothers started to cover the eyes of their children, hoping to spare them the carnage that would doubtless follow. At three feet, my son set the anchor, we swung around in the stiff breeze and the keel lightly touched sand. I jumped off into hip deep water.

When we left, we motored until we just cleared the stink-potters and rolled out the genny. We instantly heeled 20 degrees and dashed (hah) out of the cove. What fun!

Let those who are long in the keel do THAT!

You're a man after my own heart! I've done that a few times in spite of the fact that I always have a kayak in tow to get myself and Penelope Pitbull to shore, but there was no way to get my wife and two little grand daughters to shore one day without doing what you did. This is exactly what I love about shoal draft keels. You're not confined to deep water.

 

[BobM]

Yes but I know that you can't pee standing up without out opening the forward hatch! I had a friend sail by me when my crew flipped open the forward hatch to do just that and my friend yelled "Hey Bob...who is the forward gunner!"

 

[Alan]

Very true, but when you're trying to climb off a lee shore in a big wind that damn 6' keel comes in to its own. Leeway is almost non-existent with a deep draft while the shallow keel will be slipping sideways.
Hey each has its good and bad points, that's what choice is all about. Freedom of choice, it's what this country is all about! ...no?

 

[Joe11688]

Yes but I know that you can't pee standing up without out opening the forward hatch! I had a friend sail by me when my crew flipped open the forward hatch to do just that and my friend yelled "Hey Bob...who is the forward gunner!"

I got you covered on that one Bob. I keep a one quart plastic waste bottle just inside the cabin near the companionway step and when I want to use it, I set my Autohelm and stand inside the cabin. I won't tell anyone where I empty it though. :naughty:

 

[Joe11688]

Very true, but when you're trying to climb off a lee shore in a big wind that damn 6' keel comes in to its own. Leeway is almost non-existent with a deep draft while the shallow keel will be slipping sideways.
Hey each has its good and bad points, that's what choice is all about. Freedom of choice, it's what this country is all about! ...no?

You're right about the side slipping Alan. My boat actually will sail around in a circle when I let go of the tiller. Hey,--it's just the nature of the beast. What can I say? I always tell people with keel/centerboard sloops that if you anchor under sail, make sure that you pull your board up first because your anchor line could get caught on your centerboard. Then you've got a problem.

 

[kenn]

Yes but I know that you can't pee standing up without out opening the forward hatch! I had a friend sail by me when my crew flipped open the forward hatch to do just that and my friend yelled "Hey Bob...who is the forward gunner!"

I call that position "the tank commander"

One of our planned mods is to relocate the head to the side, for the above reason, and because I hate having to wake up and unmake the vee-berth when a certain someone needs to pee at 3 AM...

With regards to the starting post, we can crank our keel right up and beach her when the mood strikes. We can also moor in 16" of water.

 

[oldiesrocker2001]

We bring the boat into shore nearly every time we sail just for a break. Easy with a swing keel as we crank it up on the approach to maintain steerage whether under sail or power.
Great sailing today even though the water level is getting low already(the Macgregor "bump" didn't work on my rig though, and the bow eye is still a couple of inches from the V on the trailer) and making it tough to back in far enough to recover.