Should I be concerned?

[bestfriend]

We are having very low tides and my boat is resting on her keel. I didn't get a chance to look up close as I am at work, but driving by on a run I saw her listing. Looks like she is down a foot.

[Faster]

CS 34, right? Should be ok unless the bottom is rocky or really irregular. If it's soft sand or mud that's better. Hopefully there's not a lot a traffic/wash nearby.

A bigger worry is that your boat may end up supporting the float... that's hard on cleats.

[bestfriend]

Soft mud underneath and very little traffic or wash, very sheltered slip. Not much I can do anyway. Thanks faster.

[SEMIJim]

Originally Posted by bestfriend

Soft mud underneath and very little traffic or wash, very sheltered slip.

Not a problem unless the water goes down so far she's litterally hanging by her cleats. That would be cause for concern.

As for resting on the keel: No problem. Consider: We just hauled 32 boats yesterday. All of the boats on jackstands and many of those in cradles sit on their keels. The pads on the sides are just to keep her from tipping over .

One of the books we read on sailing showed a method for doing bottom repairs w/o hauling that involved hooking up to a spot with a seawall, deploying bumpers on the seawall side, paying-out line as the tide went out, keeping the boat just far enough off the seawall so she'd reliably lean up against it once her keel was grounded, and wait for the tide to run out until the bottom was exposed.

Jim

[Valiente]

That technique is very common in Europe where the tides allow it. It's not unheard of today in some remote spots to careen boats to do bottom work.

[bestfriend]

Originally Posted by SEMIJim

The pads on the sides are just to keep her from tipping over .


Jim

I did not realize that! I just figured that they all took a little bit of the weight.

I knew about beaching your boat to work on the bottom with the tides, so I guessed that it wouldn't hurt too much.

[Giulietta]

I don't like my boat laid on the keel. But my boat's diferent I guess...

I rather not stress the keel box, with vertical forces, because its stiffened up for lateral forces and swings, that's why.

So when dry, my boat's on a craddle and the keel is suspended. Another problem is if we laid her on the keel, the side stands would have to be 10 foot long, and little stability would be provided by them.

Also there is almost no vertical surfaces under water, so the stands have nothing to support, and would in fact support some weight.

I need a cradle, no matter what.

My boat touched the bootom this year when we were anchored in Culatra, and listed 4 inches, but it was OK. No problem..it was still floating...

[bestfriend]

Plus, you would scratch your shark painting!

[sailingdog]

Giu-

I think there is big difference between your boat and a CS34... and you can't scratch the shark....you'd lose all your boat's speed advantages...

[bestfriend]

Yeah, mines faster.