My in-laws are renting a house next week 2.5 miles from Fort Morgan (the end of the island) on the bay side. I am bringing my H14T, but I am no sure what is the best place to launch, sail, and have fun.
Options
1. Launch at the house. This will may require family to help lift my boat 30ft to the sand. The water is less than 3ft deep in that area. I can store the boat on shore for the week. Makes for a trip to get to the Gulf.
2. Go to the public launch at the end of the island. This will shorten the sailing distance to the gulf side beach. But I will have to un-rig to get home with trailer.
3. Use my buddies beach wheels (lawn mower tires) and haul the boat to the gulf side 100 yards through soft sand. I have never used beach wheels. I made a 55gal barrel version for my G-cat 5.0 and I had a very difficult time getting the boat to sit right and roll on hard grass. I don't know the best way to hook up wheels to the cat and loading/unloading the cat to the trailer.
My family/ wife are not into sailing. I don't expect enthusiasm and lots of help for any option. Thoughts & ideas? Thanks
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FYC, Nacra 5.2 "Chris's Flyer" & Nacra Playcat & Farrier Tramp
Previously owned: Trac 14, H14, H16, H18, N5.0, G-cat 5.0
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Gulf Shores sailing tips?
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Posted: Jun 30, 2014 - 09:10 AM
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Posted: Jun 30, 2014 - 11:26 AM
Borrow or rent a real set of beach wheels, preferably with cradles. 100 yards to the beach doesn't sound too bad with a H14 if you've got a hand or two to help push, having an iced down 6 pack in advance will go a long way too ;)
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Tim Grover
1996 Hobie Miracle 20
Two Hobie 14's
1983 G-Cat Restored
Memphis TN / North Mississippi
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Posted: Jun 30, 2014 - 11:34 AM
Once you get the boat to the sand, will you be able to leave it rigged there the rest of the week? And what is the 30 feet like? Really rough or just brush?
If you can get the boat mast up withing site of your house that is ideal. Just make sure you can pull it absolutely above the highest possible tide line and don't take chances overnight with the boat too close to the water, a rouge wave in the bay can wash it off the beach in a flash.
Second best alternative (if you really want to sail on the Gulf side) is to use the public access on the other side of the road, walk over and find some friendly folks who have a house on the beach for the week, ask them if it would be ok to leave the beautiful boat in their front yard each night. Maybe offer rides in exchange.
Then just launch from wherever and sail around to that spot.
Home made beach wheels generally don't work at all on the soft sand in that area. Can work great on hard pack, asphalt, or grass.
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Damon Linkous
1992 Hobie 18
Memphis, TN
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Posted: Jun 30, 2014 - 12:02 PM
Thanks for the advice. The sand will be soft in high traffic areas, but that far out on the island will be a bit harder. I will just leave the boat on the beach next to the our house rigged. I will try the wheels out for getting the boat away from shore a bit farther. No rouge waves in the bay. They never get above three feet. If the wind is good it wont take long to sail around the island. The current in the mouth of the bay is about 1mph. I sailed my G-cat out and lost wind once. Had to get a tow back to Dauphin Island. Those stupid motorboaters can be handy.
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FYC, Nacra 5.2 "Chris's Flyer" & Nacra Playcat & Farrier Tramp
Previously owned: Trac 14, H14, H16, H18, N5.0, G-cat 5.0
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Posted: Jun 30, 2014 - 12:42 PM
Rob, u gotta invest in a set of beach-wheels, we stayed at a resort in Panama City Beach, on the beach, and thanks to the beachcat community, was able to get my hands on a set of beach-wheels for just $250 in PCB while I was staying there. Man what a difference, being an inland lake sailor, never needed to haul the cat anywhere, just loaded it into the water, but when u hit the beach, beach-wheels are almost a required piece of equipment, was able to haul my P16 down to the water early each morning, and stake a primo piece of real estate at the same time for the rest of the family, in the evenings, haul cat up-hill some 80 yards and store it mast-up, on the beach in front of the resort. Could not have done it without beach-wheels....
Edited by the-renovator on Jun 30, 2014 - 12:43 PM.
