I just purchased a 1990 Beneteau 34' with a 4'2" draft. My employer has a small boat harbor where I'm keeping my boat. The price is fantastic ($100/yr), but the depth is not. It turns out that at the very lowest tide I only have 2-3 feet of water under the boat. I always knew the harbor entrace was too shallow to cross at low tide, but didn't realize the docks were shallow too. The bottom is soft mud so the boat settles into the mud and only sits above it's normal waterline by a few inches. There are several other boats in the harbor of similar size and one Catalina 42 that have all been there awhile and don't seem to concerned. My question is if this is something that should concern me enough to give up my $100/yr berth for a $300/month one with more water. I would think that the rudder and propeller are settling into the mud too so should I be concerned about propeller shaft or rudder post damage? Thanks! Bob
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Can't be good
Bob One of my greatest fears with my C380 is hitting the bottom. Your boat would weigh around 7 to 8 Tonne and that cannot be good for the keel and rudder. I don't believe your Prop would be affected because its protected by the length of the rudder and keel. I think the biggest worry would be the weight on the Rudder shaft. Why don't you all put in and pay the have the harbour dredged deeper? Failing that I would be moving. Good Luck.
Bob One of my greatest fears with my C380 is hitting the bottom. Your boat would weigh around 7 to 8 Tonne and that cannot be good for the keel and rudder. I don't believe your Prop would be affected because its protected by the length of the rudder and keel. I think the biggest worry would be the weight on the Rudder shaft. Why don't you all put in and pay the have the harbour dredged deeper? Failing that I would be moving. Good Luck.
The decision is yours.
Sailboats sit on their keels all the time. Some sailboats have bilge keels and rudders built just for that purpose. My concern would be...will the engine suck mud rather than water in it's intake? Is mud running throught the cutlass bearing? Can the rudder withstand the weight of the boat resting on it, is it a foam cored rudder? Can you possibly have a hole dredged or blown out for you boat to sit in?
Sailboats sit on their keels all the time. Some sailboats have bilge keels and rudders built just for that purpose. My concern would be...will the engine suck mud rather than water in it's intake? Is mud running throught the cutlass bearing? Can the rudder withstand the weight of the boat resting on it, is it a foam cored rudder? Can you possibly have a hole dredged or blown out for you boat to sit in?
Happens all the time here
The harbor at Stockon Sailing Club varies in depth (and is scheduled to be dredged in te next year or so), but has some areas that are less than 5 ft. Bottom is soft Delta mud. We have a bunch of boats that touch bottom twice a day at the low tides, and as long as the boat isn't then laying weight onto the rudder the only problem I see is the fact that your bottom paint is abraded. I dodn't know the difference in the depth of the rudder compared to the keel of a Ben. 34, I gotta believe if you settle in so you're only a few inches higher than normal waterline, you should be fine. At 4ft and $100/mo., where are you Point San Pablo, or Alviso?
The harbor at Stockon Sailing Club varies in depth (and is scheduled to be dredged in te next year or so), but has some areas that are less than 5 ft. Bottom is soft Delta mud. We have a bunch of boats that touch bottom twice a day at the low tides, and as long as the boat isn't then laying weight onto the rudder the only problem I see is the fact that your bottom paint is abraded. I dodn't know the difference in the depth of the rudder compared to the keel of a Ben. 34, I gotta believe if you settle in so you're only a few inches higher than normal waterline, you should be fine. At 4ft and $100/mo., where are you Point San Pablo, or Alviso?
Stuck in Mud
I don't think you have a thing to worry about From what you describe, the keel eventually comes to rest when it reaches denser mud that supports the boat. The shaft and propeller will at worst reach realatively liquid mud, if at all, which cannot cause bending etc. I agree that the main concern would be on the rudder post, but unless you try to move the boat, the force would be inline with the shaft. Even then, the rudder is probably not as deep as the keel, so it probably does not get stuck in the denser part of the mud. Just don't try to move the boat--I think.
I don't think you have a thing to worry about From what you describe, the keel eventually comes to rest when it reaches denser mud that supports the boat. The shaft and propeller will at worst reach realatively liquid mud, if at all, which cannot cause bending etc. I agree that the main concern would be on the rudder post, but unless you try to move the boat, the force would be inline with the shaft. Even then, the rudder is probably not as deep as the keel, so it probably does not get stuck in the denser part of the mud. Just don't try to move the boat--I think.
Mudder - Rudder
Bob, these guys are right, my friends boat is hard in the mud on every spring low, bout twice a month or more. No worrys on keel nor rudder, this happens all over ther world BTW, but trash in the raw water intake is bad, never seen it from lyin a-hull in mud, but heerd tell of such a thing...
Bob, these guys are right, my friends boat is hard in the mud on every spring low, bout twice a month or more. No worrys on keel nor rudder, this happens all over ther world BTW, but trash in the raw water intake is bad, never seen it from lyin a-hull in mud, but heerd tell of such a thing...
Pay for what you get...
I was at Paradise Cay and was paying $160 per/mo. But I finally said adios when I hauled and painted the bottom and also put on a folding prop. The harbor was in such dis-repair too. Now I pay 217 per/mo. and I have a well cared for harbor with nice new docks, working secure gates, a paved parking lot and nice people in the office. Oh, and my keel, rudder and folding prop never come in contact with the mud when in the slip ;-) Well worth the difference. I think the real kicker is when it is a nice day and I want to go sailing - I can now go sailing. No more waiting for the tide, this is a big deal when coming in and not making it in time and having to wait 6+ hours or find a temp spot for the night. That is rediculous and I would not go back for even 100 per/year. Try it for a while but I bet you bail out after the first spring/summer season.
I was at Paradise Cay and was paying $160 per/mo. But I finally said adios when I hauled and painted the bottom and also put on a folding prop. The harbor was in such dis-repair too. Now I pay 217 per/mo. and I have a well cared for harbor with nice new docks, working secure gates, a paved parking lot and nice people in the office. Oh, and my keel, rudder and folding prop never come in contact with the mud when in the slip ;-) Well worth the difference. I think the real kicker is when it is a nice day and I want to go sailing - I can now go sailing. No more waiting for the tide, this is a big deal when coming in and not making it in time and having to wait 6+ hours or find a temp spot for the night. That is rediculous and I would not go back for even 100 per/year. Try it for a while but I bet you bail out after the first spring/summer season.
How high is the tide?
In areas where the tidfal range is in excess of twenty feet all boats sit on the bottom for part of the tide cycle. This makes an ugly stain on your keel. It also causes you to have to plan your commings and goings with the tide in mind. 100 dollars per year provide a large incentive to plan carefully. In our marina the slip fee is the same without regard for the depth at low water. so I requested and got a slip with seven feet at low tide.
In areas where the tidfal range is in excess of twenty feet all boats sit on the bottom for part of the tide cycle. This makes an ugly stain on your keel. It also causes you to have to plan your commings and goings with the tide in mind. 100 dollars per year provide a large incentive to plan carefully. In our marina the slip fee is the same without regard for the depth at low water. so I requested and got a slip with seven feet at low tide.
Fine
Bob - you are probally OK. Boats on the hard have a decent % of weight on the keel. The majority of your hull is still taking a decent % of the load. I would just make sure the prop and rudder are clear. My boat settles in the Mud 2x a day. Rob
Bob - you are probally OK. Boats on the hard have a decent % of weight on the keel. The majority of your hull is still taking a decent % of the load. I would just make sure the prop and rudder are clear. My boat settles in the Mud 2x a day. Rob
Voice of experience says BAD IDEA
Our boat used to sit in the mud, One day after a blow we decided to go out for a sail, Tried to turn the wheel but the rudder would not go past amidship. After a dive under the boat I discovered that the rudder post had been bent during that storm. 8 weeks later the new rudder arrived, but it was already late October and the season would be long over before the yard could complete the repair. Pay the extra money, you can sail whenever you want not when ever the tide wants you to.
Our boat used to sit in the mud, One day after a blow we decided to go out for a sail, Tried to turn the wheel but the rudder would not go past amidship. After a dive under the boat I discovered that the rudder post had been bent during that storm. 8 weeks later the new rudder arrived, but it was already late October and the season would be long over before the yard could complete the repair. Pay the extra money, you can sail whenever you want not when ever the tide wants you to.
You gotta see this!
A few months ago, hurricane Dennis came ashore several miles fom here, and we got a small gale and six feet or so of storm surge. A nice, racy, newish looking boat of about 30' came loose from its mooring and fetched up lying on its bilges in the shallows near my slip. Between hurricanes, our tides average about a foot, but recently they reached over 2' and the boat was lifted almost upright. Now we are back to normal, tidewise, and the waif (as far as any one here knows it has not been visited since Dennis) has its keel buried a few feet in the mud, heeling slightly, with its entire hull clear of the water at all tides. Never seen anything like it. I'll take some snaps and send them to anyone interested.
A few months ago, hurricane Dennis came ashore several miles fom here, and we got a small gale and six feet or so of storm surge. A nice, racy, newish looking boat of about 30' came loose from its mooring and fetched up lying on its bilges in the shallows near my slip. Between hurricanes, our tides average about a foot, but recently they reached over 2' and the boat was lifted almost upright. Now we are back to normal, tidewise, and the waif (as far as any one here knows it has not been visited since Dennis) has its keel buried a few feet in the mud, heeling slightly, with its entire hull clear of the water at all tides. Never seen anything like it. I'll take some snaps and send them to anyone interested.
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