HELP needed

gaborkis · #1 03-29-2002

I have a Hunter 25 w/3.3 draft at my house in a wet slip.I just moved in, and realized that when there is an extreme low tide, like at full moon, my boat is sitting on the keel, sometimes even leaning to the side. I am worried that this gonne hurt or break the keel. Could anybody advise on this ? Can I keep the boat or have to sell it ?

Peter_pan · #2 03-29-2002

Hi
I''m not too sure but i''ve heard of many people intentually mooring in areas with really big tide swings like over 15 feet with no ill effects. Of coarse they were on soft sandy bottom.
If you inquire around New England you may see harbors with grounded boats at low tide.
It''s common in Alaska where the tides swing 25 feet and more. You can see Salmon boats aground on several beaches.
Ole Pete

masslobsterguy · #3 04-03-2002

In theory, and sometimes practice, the boat can sit on it''s keel. Sometimes people will tie up to a dock with the goal of having her sit on her keel so that they can perform repairs etc. during a moon tide. First time I saw it done I couldn''t believe it. But, most boats are designed to handle it.

Hunters are not near the top of the list as far as workmanship but she should be fine. You might see stress cracks in the gelcoat (near bulkheads) if there is a problem.

Use some BIG honking fenders and keep gear to a minimum.

Wega24 · #4 04-03-2002

I might be totally out of line, But what about grabbing a shovel and make the slip a little deeper. If she has 3 foot draft and she is on ground than its only 2 feet or so deep. Should be possible...

Unless you have a concrete bottom, than I would move the boat. In soft sand it should be fine ( not desirable with your boat, I would guess, but... )

get out there and dig a little bit :-)
Thorsten

jhanay · #5 04-04-2002

Hello
This is a common problem in England and France. One of the solutions is to have side legs; i.e. Something like 2x4 boards, one on each side amidships to maintain the vessel in an upright position. The majority let matters stand as they are.It doesn''t seem to harm the vessels.
Joe

davidk · #6 04-04-2002

Going back at least 30 years I sailed out of Bridlington Harbour, Yorkshire, UK with the RYYC, the Royal Yorkshire Yacht Club. All the racing yachts (cruiser/racers) sat on drying mud berths, which meant they laid right over at every low tide. They simply came back up again each time with the flood, except very ocassionally one would ''stick'' and get half flooded before she came up (I''d guess at one boat out of 30 every 2 or 3 years). Infact all these boats tended to work their own holes to lye in and so would lye over less than you would think . These days the club provides each mooring with a timber frame that they sail in and out of and therefiore the boat is held up when the tide is out by sitting effectively on a cradle. I don''t sail there any more but wonder if the hassle of getting in and out of the cradles is worth it. In fact the biggest problem with the old system was probably that with a lot of boats close together in trots not too far apart was when one decided to lye over the other way from all the others, then it was rigging/spar tangle time ... I think that was where most of the damage was done. Basically I''d say don''t worry about a fin keeler taking the ground, given enough space and the right bottom conditions.

Sailmc · #7 04-04-2002

You shouldn''t have a problem unless your boat lists so far that it is being held upright solely by your moorin lines.

Irwin32 · #8 04-05-2002

Boats are stored with the weight of the boat on the keel. If your keel is supporting the weight of your boat, I would think it should be OK especially for a short period of time. If the boat is leaning at an angle, I suppose this might put some stress on the keel joint, but keep in mind that the water is supporting a lot of the weight of the hull while 30% or more of the weight of your boat is sitting on the bottom anyways. I would write Hunter.

aroundtheworld · #9 04-13-2002

Your boat should be fine, but how about dredging the slip. It can even be done practicly for free. Find someone with a powerboat. Tigh the boat in the slip. Now put the boat in gear and let it run, sweeping the boat from side to side. You will be amazed at how deep a hole you can dig. There may be local restrictions to this practice, so be careful.

aroundtheworld · #10 04-13-2002

Someone help me... I can''t seem to join the Southern Cross Message board . I''ve followed all of the printed procedures..and still can''t get in.