Mooring just off beach - technique?

blimp · 14 February 2007, 05:59

Mornin' All,

I've noticed on a few of the gallery pics, that people here often moor just off beaches when they're spending a couple of hours relaxing on the sand - so how's it done? Apols on the ignorance, previous boat was a hardboat with an inboard so I was reluctant to get too close too land. I'm assuming that stage 1 is to come right in, to offload passengers, and it would then seem that you go slightly out and drop the anchor. But ... do you then just lay out a little more anchor chain than the depth you're in, or use normal anchoring technique? I fancy trying this over the coming months, but would rather find out how to do it correctly here, rather than expensively experimenting on me own.

Nos4r2 · 14 February 2007, 07:30

I stop the engine and tilt it as I coast in. I then jump out and hold the boat for passengers to get off in as shallow water as possible without grounding hard.
Then I walk the boat out into deep enough water that there's no risk of a swell banging the hull on the bottom and anchor with the normal amount of warp.

Mollers · 14 February 2007, 07:52

You 'Trip' it.

blimp · 14 February 2007, 08:24

'trip it' - whazzat?

Mouldy · 14 February 2007, 10:11

Anyone use these?

http://www.anchorbuddy.com/

pop · 14 February 2007, 10:34

just get the wife to hold your rib out in deep water while you have a beer and play with the kids.

AndrewH · 14 February 2007, 11:25

I use exactly the same technique as Nos and it works well. Also worth remembering though that not all beaches are the same.

If you're on a beach with breaking surf (no matter how small) or a strong on-shore breeze this will serve to push you onto the beach. This should be approached with real caution (if at all) since with the engine up you've got much less torque to get you back out of trouble. Also if the waves start turning you broadside on, its also harder to get back to deeper waters

I'd recommend that the first time you attempt a beach approach you choose a nice sheltered bay with no rolling breakers !

That said, Ribs are perfect for beach hopping, and we spend a large number of weekends every year doing exactly that

Andrew

Biggles · 14 February 2007, 11:49

What I've started to do recently is throw the anchor out somewhere off the beach and then reverse in and coast for the last bit with the engine raised, paying out the anchor warp. You can then let your passengers off at the very last moment. Pull your self back out on the anchor warp until your happy to leave the boat.

Ian M · 14 February 2007, 12:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by Biggles

What I've started to do recently is throw the anchor out somewhere off the beach and then reverse in and coast for the last bit with the engine raised, paying out the anchor warp. You can then let your passengers off at the very last moment. Pull your self back out on the anchor warp until your happy to leave the boat.

Me too, and it seems to work well.

blimp · 14 February 2007, 14:05

Thanks for the tips so far ... but ... what length of warp are you anchoring width? 3 x depth? More? If quite a lot, then aren't you leaving yourself with a heck of a swim if tide's coming in gently and an offshore wind is having a greater affect on the rib, thereby pushing rib away from beach?

AndrewH · 14 February 2007, 14:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by blimp

Thanks for the tips so far ... but ... what length of warp are you anchoring width? 3 x depth? More? If quite a lot, then aren't you leaving yourself with a heck of a swim if tide's coming in gently and an offshore wind is having a greater affect on the rib, thereby pushing rib away from beach?

Very much depends on your local conditions. There's a heck of a lot of shallow water here in Poole and so the approach to some beaches has between 0.5 and 1.5m of water underneath it for a distance of some 200m away from shore. Clearly in this case 10m of rope with 2m of chain is way more than enough, but I could quite imagine that this would be no-where near enough for many locations.

I guess the important thing is making sure that the anchor rode is running at a shallow angle to the sea bottom. As long as you're doing that your anchor will hold and then everything else can vary to make life easier for yourself

Andrew

Mollers · 14 February 2007, 16:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by blimp

'trip it' - whazzat?

Sit the anchor + chain + sufficient anchor line on the very nose of the boat. Attach a light (5/6mm), strong 'trip line' to the blade end of the shaft of the anchor(opposite end of anchor shaft to where the chain eye is, there's usually another eye). Keep hold of the other end of the trip line and shove the boat out to sea. When the boat is as offshore as you want it, yank the trip line and the anchor drops off of the nose into the sea. Tie the shore end of the trip line to a stone or another small anchor if very keen and break open the beers. When home time, yank on the trip line to break the anchor out of the sand, pull the boat into shore.

Douglas · 14 February 2007, 16:49

I use a 100m line which runs from the bow through a shackle on the end of a length of chain on the anchor. Drop the anchor, reverse into beach, get off holding free end of line, then pull the line to take the boat off the beach. You either need another line to pull the boat in again, or tie the loose end back to the transom and put a big rock on the loop. Simple really!

Doug.

Mollers · 14 February 2007, 17:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by Douglas

I use a 100m line which runs from the bow through a shackle on the end of a length of chain on the anchor. Drop the anchor, reverse into beach, get off holding free end of line, then pull the line to take the boat off the beach. You either need another line to pull the boat in again, or tie the loose end back to the transom and put a big rock on the loop. Simple really!

Doug.

OK in Scotland, you'd be a bit of an 'obstacle' down here where the best beaches get a bit busy. 30 boats off of one small beach is not uncommon.

Biggles · 14 February 2007, 17:15

To get this little bit of hassle with boating I'm looking at getting a small tender that I can store deflated in the front of the boat and carry an electric pump to blow it up when I get to the beach.

rbw156 · 14 February 2007, 17:33

I use a technique which has already been covered. I've a picture on my website that illustrates the how.

http://www.solentribster.com/Hints_Tips.htm

M Humphray · 14 February 2007, 18:17

What I have set up , is a running loop system, before you throw out the anchor, tie a line to the for deck cleat, run it through the anchor shackle or a ring, then tie this to the stern of the boat, reverse into shore or you can drive in, take the loop to the beach and pull the boat out make fast on the beach, and reverse the the action to bring the boat to shore

Just Looking · 14 February 2007, 18:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by rbw156

I use a technique which has already been covered. I've a picture on my website that illustrates the how.

http://www.solentribster.com/Hints_Tips.htm

I got to this website ok by just going to www.solentribster.com first then clicking on tips and hints; seems an excellent site with lots of tips and hints, however:

Didn't understand what was described for the beach mooring

. Call me Mr thiccky I know.

Don't see how you can push Rib offshore then apply anchor; where exactly is the anchor relative to the shore? I assume the Bow faces the shore with this technique?

Also, some are describing reversing into shore. How do you achieve that with the engine down (even if tilted up); wouldn't fancy hitting the bottom with the prop. Or are you using an Aux? or just getting off when mid depth?

All techniques seem to be different than described in my RYA Powerboat book, but I bow to experience.

I do like Biggles idea of taking a miniboat with you; I might use my 2 man towable toy ring (flat version) and paddle in.

Mollers · 14 February 2007, 18:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by Just Looking

Don't see how you can push Rib offshore then apply anchor; where exactly is the anchor relative to the shore? I assume the Bow faces the shore with this technique?

Also, some are describing reversing into shore. How do you achieve that with the engine down (even if tilted up); wouldn't fancy hitting the bottom with the prop. Or are you using an Aux? or just getting off when mid depth?

Trot is what we call a 'Trip' down yer. The pic describes it perfectly. Your not reading and digesting.

That line in the pic is the 'Trip line' not the anchor line. The anchor line goes from the anchor to the boat, the trip line goes from the front of the anchor to the shore. Pull the trip line and first is dislodges the anchor from the sand, keep pulling and you'll pull the anchor along with the boat ashore. Any clearer?

Neil Harvey · 14 February 2007, 19:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mollers

Sit the anchor + chain + sufficient anchor line on the very nose of the boat. Attach a light (5/6mm), strong 'trip line' to the blade end of the shaft of the anchor(opposite end of anchor shaft to where the chain eye is, there's usually another eye). Keep hold of the other end of the trip line and shove the boat out to sea. When the boat is as offshore as you want it, yank the trip line and the anchor drops off of the nose into the sea. Tie the shore end of the trip line to a stone or another small anchor if very keen and break open the beers. When home time, yank on the trip line to break the anchor out of the sand, pull the boat into shore.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Just Looking

Don't see how you can push Rib offshore then apply anchor

I don't get it either. Recovering the boat when you want to leave, I understand. But, how do you shove the boat out to sea far enough against breaking waves (howwever small) to deploy the anchor in water deep enough?