Beaching MFG Caprice

[U.S.S. Too Tall]

I have a 1979 Caprice. I am looking to go camping on the AuSable River soon. When I went with my brother, we would beach the aluminum boat right at the campsite. Everyone there does it, with every type of boat. I know that its not the best for the hull, but its pretty much the best option. The shore line at the campsite is not all sand, it has some small pebbles and some rocks in it. I would like to know, Will this "F" my boat? I dont mind surface scratches, I just dont wanna ruin the boat. Thoughts?

 

[reddogg]

Re: Beaching MFG Caprice

Don't beach it. Use a bow and stern anchor. Drop your bow anchor a suitable distance off shore and back down to set it than pay out line as you back towards the shore. Keep tide in mind (if that river has tides) so you dont't bottom but when it's getting shallow raise the engine and have a "voluenteer" walk the stern anchor to the beach and set it. Once the stern anchor is set, bring in line from it untill your anchored at the depth you want. I usualy bring mine in to about 2 ft under the hull. When it's time to leave, retrive your stern anchor and pull the boat out deap enough (with the bow line) to lower the motor, retrive the bow anchor, and off you go. Now I boat in salt so I have to deal with waves (don't like waves breaking over the transom) which is why I anchor bow out, but if the river is calm and waves not an issue than just do it bow in.
Hope this helps, or you could always buy one of those goofy (personal opinion) lookin keel guards.

Red

 

[U.S.S. Too Tall]

Re: Beaching MFG Caprice

Thats funny, I think they look dorky too, but I understand the purpose. I guess I would not be completely opposed to one thou. The thing that I am concerned with is trees under water. Yes, trees. The shore area at campground is some where around 2-4 feet out, with slow slope. Then around 5-8 feet, the drop off increases, and then after that, there are scattered trees. When coming in to go to camp, you have to go parallel to shore, to find your gap. Then turn out, and get your distance to turn back in, and "shoot the gap". Long story short, I worry more about hot rod wake hitting anchored boat into tree, more then scratches on the hull. Of course I will check out my campsite "driveway" before I can make any good call on shore sand or rocks.....

 

[Mark_VTfisherman]

Re: Beaching MFG Caprice

In another thread here somewhere I posted some details about *MY* beaching solution; I merely gave up on annual or twice-annual repairs and epoxied a 1-1/4" x 40' long piece of 3/16" aluminum to my keel starting from about 6" below the bow eye. I discovered that merely fairing this install with epoxy made the hull spray on entering waves or wakes at nything over 9mph so had to grind a rounded shape to the more vertical section and fair it round, but other than that I have had no keel repairs in over two years.

Yes, beaching may scratch a little, but the keel is what I was wearing out on my Niagara. Plus an occasional chip from missing the roller on the trailer- that is no longer an issue as well.

Bow-anchoring and a line running aft to tie-off on shore is probably *best* but beaching keeps feet dry and I have never stopped this practice. No probs since the aluminum wear strip was applied- no pricey keel-guard.

 

[U.S.S. Too Tall]

Re: Beaching MFG Caprice

I like that idea Mark. Now the question is, how much did the aluminum and epoxy cost? Also I would have to get the boat off the trailer too, which I have no idea how to do so safely...

 

[Mark_VTfisherman]

Re: Beaching MFG Caprice

Epoxy is cheap - used PC7 but make sure you do it at recommended temps or it won't cure hard like it should and can. (Don't ask, but I will say I have pushed the limit with the product a few times which has always resulted in a do-over.) Anyway PC-7 "kit" is about $8-$12 at my last few purchases. Aluminum was like $5, and one stainless screw like 50 cents.

I actually did the install with the boat right on the trailer. My bow stop at the winch tower is just below the eye. The metal starts about 6" below that. To fair it in I levered the boat back on the trailer about a foot to give clearance for the sander and let me manipulate the plastic spreader more easily as well.

I bent the aluminum strip and held it in place and got it just about right. Then I held it in place with one screw in the front and wedged blocks of wood over the length while the epoxy cured.

I would make sure to round the top with a grinder as well as fair and ease all the edges until you get down to nearly horizontal BEFORE installing with the epoxy. I had to shape mine because it sprayed a lot of water over the bow and the aluminum transferred heat and released from the epoxy necessitating a repair.

I sealed the edges before painting with 5200. Probably not necessary but redundant security.

 

[U.S.S. Too Tall]

Re: Beaching MFG Caprice

WOW! That is way cheaper then the guard! I will probably be looking into doing something similar to this, most likely next year, when the money is flowing better. Thank you for all of your input. Very helpful!!!

 

[Mark_VTfisherman]

Re: Beaching MFG Caprice

WOW! That is way cheaper then the guard!

I *do* have a Dutch name after all...