I have always been able to wrestle my H16 onto the beach and above the tide line. My G-Cat 5.7 seems to not be as easy. Anybody have any tricks? Thinking maybe a block and tackle to good wide danforth anchor buried in the sand?
Beach wheels. Put them on while the boat is floating. Makes it alot easier.
Edited by presto13031 on May 14, 2013 - 12:45 PM.
jalex wrote: Anybody have any tricks?
Don't be bashful, anyone within shouting distance of your boat is fair game (men, women, and children). With a big smile and a "mind helping me up the beach?" you can usually round up a work party. Actually makes their day and gives them a story to tell.
Remember, you are a celebrity by virtue of arriving at at a beach on a sailboat, it's really cool.
Short of that, learn to use beach wheels, coming from the 16 you might never have used any, and you still might need help if the beach is steep, but much much easier. Bite the bullet and get a real set of Cat Trax.
PVC pipe, 10 ft sections with a 4 a 3 and two 1 sections, they all fit in the 4 on the trailer. The boat will slide up them and if you need to go further get more PVC. JMHO, YMMV, Ricardo.
Sail Faster.
Two guys can pull a G-Cat 5.7 out of the surf. Besides, you don't want to scrape those hulls any real distance on the sand anyway - you're sanding away your 'glass. Once not at risk of floating away, it goes up on beach wheels (the kind with cradles, not just the bar) fine and you can pull it anywhere you want then. Next season we might try two sets of beach wheels - with 1/4 the weight on each wheel, that will be really nice.
We have a set of fairly standard (although 12' wide) beach wheels for under the main beam op the ARC 22, and two individual cradles that strap to the hulls just aft of the rear beam, each of which has a pair of pneumatic lawnmower tires. We use an atv 12v winch($69 at Harbor Freight) that's bolted to an aluminum plate 12" square, with a hole in each corner, with 4 pcs of rebar that are pounded into the ground at a bit of an angle. Works great on a fairly steep slope.
I agree with Damon about asking for help if anyone's around. They always seem thrilled to be able to help.
Pete Begle suggested to me a while back to use plastic lattice, Works great to slide the cat and keeps it from grating on the sand. We use cat trax to move the boat way up the beach,but when coming and going from the beach all day the lattice works great.
What sort of plastic lattice? Any examples?
The stuff you get at Lowes that they use at the bottom of raised decks. I bought the 4X8 ft stuff and cut it in half the long way.
great idea!
I was thinking of the second set of beach wheels, then the club I keep my boat someone mentioned for an extra $200 a year they will put it in/out (on your trailer) with their tractor. I had planned on not dunking my trailer but after 5 hours of sailing single hand, SCREW the trailer I upgraded. 👿
We've used the lattice for several years here . Only thing different is to put an old sun worn tarp down first to keep sand & pebbles from coming thru the holes in lattice. Pete
27fountain wrote: I was thinking of the second set of beach wheels, then the club I keep my boat someone mentioned for an extra $200 a year they will put it in/out (on your trailer) with their tractor. I had planned on not dunking my trailer but after 5 hours of sailing single hand, SCREW the trailer I upgraded. 👿
That's the best idea yet!
Save your strength for :prost:
At low tide we have about 150ft of beach. I sail the boat to the sand if the surf is up.. If the surf is small I will spin the boat into the wind while still in the water. Get the tracks under the boat but keep it bow heavy. Adjust the sails and sail the boat up the beach leading the boat by the bows. When you get to where you want the boat spin the boat into the wind and it will settle right down on the strearns. I usually furl the jib or leave it very loose. Trim the main just enough to keep the boat moving. Just like being on the water adjusting course up the beach you can power and depower. Flying a wheel can be done but not recommended.
If the beach is steep it is easier to make two diagonal passes vs going straight up the beach.
Thanks for all the quick responses, This Forum is truly a blessing. I have wheels for my H16 and they seem to fit the G-Cat fine, but I have not actually rolled it with them yet. It is the straight bar with the hard plastic wheels, came with H16 otherwise I probably would not own them. Worth the investment for rubber wheels and cradles? If it makes a big difference I am all ears. I am in the scrap metal business in the Florida panhandle if I can ever help somebody out with a piece of scrap stainless or alumium for a mod or repair.
Short distance or hard packed sand(think daytona beach) the hard wheel will do. Soft sand or a long trek the soft wheels are a 100% improvment. You can make a set of cradles but not required for a H16 or Gcat because of the hull shape youi do not have to worry about creating dents in the hulls. The cradles will help the trax stay in place after they are under the boat, but make it harder to get the trax under the boat.
I would make some cradles for your beach wheels and glue some carpet to cradles. Actually at one point to get up and over some beach I was considering adding a electric winch to my truck/trailer. And remove cable and add halyard line and use that to help up beach. Thinner line so more could fit on winch. 😎