Beaching a Wakeboard Boat

I recently went to a local wakeboard competition and noticed that many of the viewers drove their boats up and beached them at the shore of the lake. Obviously, this is a normal thing to do, but I have never tried it. Our '04 Mobius LSV has three skegs that protrude from the bottom and I am assuming most wakeboard boats likewise have skegs. Doesn't beaching the boat create a problem with the skegs (and vice versa)? I can see a v or flat hull beaching, but how do you prevent the skegs from breaking off?? What is the procedure to safely and correctly beach a wakeboard boat??

(Message edited by wakeshoe on August 04, 2004)

Most people will tell you not to. I think it depends on the drop off the shore.

I've been doing it for a few years , and it hasn't damaged anything. Just be careful of what kind of sand the beach is made of. If the fins get dug in and waves start breaking and rocking the boat you might have problems, but those fins are strong

Beaching your boat, regardless of the dropoff & type of sand, is like taking sandpaper to the hull where it comes in contact. If you don't care & figure "Hey, it's on the bottom of the boat, nobody will see it", then by all means. But I think you'll find that most of us think it's at best not a good idea.

The Anchor Buddy is your friend.

It's definately a matter of convenience versus gel goat condition. I've been beaching mine when there are good conditions but the gel coat is suffering from being "sanded".

I been thinking about getting one of these.

http://www.bartswatersports.com/catalog.asp?C=165&category=Dock+Accessories+%26+%2 6nbsp%3B%3Cbr%3E%26nbsp%3B+Hardware&P=6571&product =HullSavr+Portable+Dock+and+Securing+System

What an ironic post. This topic has been a hot topic between a few of my friends recently. We have always used a boat buddy until this past weekend. We beached our boat on some very soft sand (checked for rocks first and found none). At the end of the weekend we found what appeared to be "sandpaper scratches" up and down the hull of the boat. These scratches were not there the weekend before. They are not horrible (yet) and will not effect the integrity of the boat, however, we don't want anymore of them. We won't be beaching it from this point forward.

I use a bunji that you tie to your anchor and the stern of the boat. Then you tie the bow to a rope and tie the other end to a sand spike. Basically you anchor your boat so that the bow is 10 feet from the shore. When you want to get in you just pull your boat in, get in, let go and the bunji pulls you back into deep water. No scratches, no getting wet, no hassle.

http://www.bartswatersports.com/catalog.asp?C=164&category=Anchors+and+Lines&P=718 2&product=Mini+Anchor+Buddy+Rope

If the bottom is soft, either sand or mud, and the boat doesn't pound against the shore from wakes, then you can usually get away with it.

If the shore is rocky and passing boats throw wakes then your boat will bang against the rocks and really mess up the bottom.

If you are not sure, it is better to anchor it out a ways....

Rod

You just get used to regelling the boat every 5 or so years.

I do exactly what Porter does except that it is a little difficult if the dropoff is steep to get the anchor line the correct length so that the boat doesn't go all the way to shore. When it works perfectly...it works perfectly.

I just went to Lowe's and bought about 6 feet of bungee without the hooks, tied loops in each end and use that on the end of my anchor line. Cheaper than 19.95 at Bart's.

A couple weeks ago I accidentally hit an oyster bed. When I hopped out to push it off, it sliced up my feet pretty bad. When I got back in the boat all I could think about was how this must be destroying the hull and the gelcoat. When I finally got it back on the trailer I noticed it didn't do anything to the hull. And this is on a "poor" quality boat like Bayliner.

Point is, I would expect a better, more durable finish on a 40k boat.

My boat is solid red on the bottom, and I beach it pretty often. However, our area is pretty low traffic, and we are usually beached for just a short time. There are no noticeable marks on the bottom of the hull.

Soft, rock-free sand is a must though.

I've beached it a couple times in the Havasu Channel. Not a lot of waves there and the dropoff's pretty steep. At first I was all, "there's no way I'm beaching this thing", but it's changed a little.

I still don't beach, but the reason is not so much about keel scratches, it's the boat access thing. Whenever we hit the beach, I spin the boat, drop the anchor over the bow and then *** the stern up to a stake on the beach. This way, getting in and out and in and out and in and out is easier on everybody. It also gets the bow towards the waves.

I'll still beach it in the Channel, but I do it by hand now (the one time I let it drift onto the sand, it put some long, seemingly deep scratches in there).

Don't even think about it!!! What kind of idiot pulls a high dollar boat up on a beach??

hey america, get yourself an anchor and stop being so damm lazy.

Don't even think about it!!! What kind of idiot pulls a high dollar boat up on a beach??

The type that realizes nothing is going to happen to the boat.

Are you one of those people that won't use the teak deck to strap on your board?

I've actually damaged a shaft pulling my boat on the beach. I didn't run it up there but just walked it up and about an hour later I had my shaft out of alignment. So things can happen

it's your boat, do wtf you want. years of trailering will leave scratches too...should we all stop trailering?

only beach in the right conditions and you'll be fine. beach in places you know are ok, or jump out and make sure the sand is soft and no rocks. don't beach in tidal areas that could leave you high and dry if the tide goes out. the more trafic there is, the more care you have to take, it may not be worth it then. just judge the conditions.

as mentioned above, don't float or motor in or you're asking for trouble. jump out and pull the boat in by hand. you don't need to be in any further than that or the conditions aren't good.

I beached my Nautique on the rocky shore of Shasta all the time without any damage what so ever, not even a scratch. This was accomplished by using an old tire to protect the bow, then having three lines holding the boat in place. Much more secure than a bungee line, and yes I had one.

Toys are meant to be played with. It's like the people that own lifted trucks that never see a dirt road are the same people that will never fully use their toys for fear of damage. I had my truck in the mud at 500 miles and by 20,000 miles it is plenty scratched up from brush, but when I go to sell it the truck will polish up just fine. If I loose a little on resale...well you gotta pay to play.

To each their own

I'm not a fan of this at all. Despite "checking" for rocks etc. It only takes one that you don't find or is buried in the sand/mud. Not to mention when you put your boat in that shallow of water, you run the risk of sucking something up into your engine and clogging or griming up your cooling system. If you make this a practice I would make sure and flush the system frequently.

Sure seems to me that there are more cons to doing this that out weigh the convenience factor.
-sanding the hull or gouging by unseen rock...
-damage to skeggs, shaft, rudder, or prop
-damage/clogging water cooling system

Anchor buddy and some rope - safe.

i've beached every boat i've owned, never had a problem. as long as it's not rocky or really flat, i would much rather beach than anchor or dock, if we're getting out on shore. my keel just looks sorta dull with a couple longer scratches that aren't thru the gel. it really doesn't bother me at all. if i had exposed glass, i'd regel & not worry about it.

then again, i've always owned used boats (and cars/trucks too, for the most part). this is partially because i don't want to be concerned with avoiding that first little scratch in the paint/gel.

i never enjoy going out with those ppl that are totally anal about their rig. it takes some of the fun & relaxation out of boating, which is why i do it in the first place.

The Boat Buddy System is so easy that most any retard could do it. Not only do you keep it off the ground but with the bow facing the waves you can pull it right to you & load stuff onto the swimstep & up on the boat. There is no reason to beach it, it's not any easier & it's not made for it. I know it can be done but I personally feel that there is no reason. I mean, I wanna have my speakers facing me as I'm chilling on the beach.

I have beached my boat, and there are no major scratches in the gell. I do have an area that has gone from very shinny, to kinda dull where the boat is beached, but IMHO I don't really give a rat's about the dullness. It is after all a boat, and i want to enjoy the time on the boat, on the beach, and in the water. For those that back in the boat, and "pull it into shore" would you rather scratch your gel-coat or bend a prop and shaft when it does beach. With the bow towards the beach you have about 20' of water that helps keep the prop that much higher than the bottom of the lake. If backed in, you would not be able to get the prop that much closer before beaching the running gear.

To each their own.

easy there Stephen, no need for name calling.

if you anchor nose-out (which is obviously preferable in rough water), how do you get on the shore in the first place? get out and swim with a rope? reverse towards the shore? neither one sounds good, and that's definitely not easier than coasting up onto the beach and stepping right off the bow.

but, as it's been said a few times now... to each their own.

I haven't called anyone a name. I made a statement proclaiming how easy the Boat Buddy sytem is. You drop the anchor and yes slowly back the boat towards shore where you can step off & find a rock/stake to tie to. How is swimming or putting a boat in reverse bad? Even if you floored it, it would get going very fast. It is a one man operation & I've done it solo dozens of times. The key is to not allow it to reach shore, you only pull it in to about 4 feet of water & stop pulling, after you have un/loaded just let go & she chills off of everything except water which is gentler than sand. Your legs must get wet but if that's an issue you might need to consider a new hobby.

stephan
That is the way we do it as well. This was also the way the dealer suggested doing since it is really the safest and really convienct.

actually it's called an Anchor Buddy, Boat Buddy goes on a trailer. i've seen them & i'm sure it's easy to use.

but i digress... like i said, to each their own, i just prefer to beach if it's not rocky. note i also said it WILL dull the keel, so if you have a problem with that, use an Anchor Buddy. still, it would kinda freak me out backing towards the shore.

peace-

what exactly is this anchor buddy everybody is arguing about using or not

shifty-an anchor buddy is when you drop an anchor 25 yards +/- offshore with a bungy attached which then clips to the bow of the boat. You then tie a regular rope to the back of your boat. Then you pull your boat to the shore allowing the bungy to stretch. At this point you tie your boat off with that rope to a stake that you have put on the shore. This keeps your boat nice and snug and allows people to load cleaning and conviently.

I actually have beached as well with no problems. However I like this because when your boat is beached there is always someone (usually kids but not always) who come climbing on in with dirty feet. With the boat already backed in its much cleaner IMO.

Anchor Buddy:

http://www.bartswatersports.com/catalog.asp?C=164&category=Anchors+and+Lines&P=282 &product=Anchor+Buddy

Here's maybe our first two purchases after buying the boat:



and...



Both found at www.slideanchor.com The anchor's sweet cuz it can be dropped really close to the boat and folds nice and flat (fits under the front seat). The spike means we've got a great tie spot anywhere.

I don't use Anchor Buddy (yet) because I like to bring the stern up as close as possible to the beach - if there was give in the anchor line, I'd be afraid that wind or wave action might push the boat into shallower water (and onto the running gear).

Derek, Thats the great thing about the anchor buddy You can have the boat well off shore and then pull it up close when boarding. I have had the boat swing from side to side but never back at the beach.

Thanks Walt. Might have to try.

So, a combination of the box anchor with the Anchor Buddy would provide a good nearshore anchor, then tie off the stern to something on the shore (like a tree). Is that right?

Folks,
I wanted to thank you all for responding to my query. All the responses have been very helpful. I am leaning towards doing an anchor-type thing, but I think an occasional beaching, carefully, might be OK. I do know that at the local wakeboard competition, the beached boats were getting pretty well rocked around by the rollers from the competition.

Joe, Something is happening every time!! It's impossible for it not to. Yes I do care for my stuff.

Wakeshoe, if you spend the duckets on that spike, you don't have to find a tree or some rock - the spike's got a built-in pyle driver dealie that allows you to pound the thing into the shore without using a hammer. It sticks really good, too.

Haven't used the Anchor buddy, but instead of using reverse to pull the boat in shallow (once your anchor's in and set), I'd probably just pull it back by hand. Kinda do that anyway: spin the boat, drop the anchor, give her a pop in reverse then shut down, tie one end of the stern line onto the transom, grab the other end and the spike and head onto the beach. Set the spike and start pulling the stern line until the slack's out. I usually will make a final adjustment to boat depth by walking back out to the boat and tightening up the stern line there. With normal anchor rope, I'm normally comfortable bringing the stern in towards the beach until the prop's only got about two feet of clearance. Boat'll chill like that all day without issue.

I think many of you may be overlooking one important benefit to beaching your boat.....

Comfortable seating!




Seriously though, in this picture, the bow is beached while the water directly under the ski deck is over 7 feet deep. River beaches are different than Lake beaches.