Is it hard to pull through sand

[rooooney]

I recently rented a place in the outerbanks that is 8 miles north of where the road ends. There are canals to put boats in the water but I am concerned about twoing my 18foot pontoon through the sand. Does anyone have any experience with this. i have a 4x4 jeep commander but I don't want to get stuck.

 

[JB]

Re: Is it hard to pull through sand

If you have lockers on both diffs you will probably be okay. If not you may be there a while.

 

[rbh]

Re: Is it hard to pull through sand

There is two thing about sand you should know, the first is if you start to sink, floor it or your a goner.
The second is if your already stuck and no ones around to pull you out, dig your trench/ramp or jack and block to get out and let out 50% +- of your tires air for better traction.

 

[woosterken]

Re: Is it hard to pull through sand

do you have skinny tires on your trailer or the fat ones like i have (20.5 x 8.0 ) i think when the fat ones are on a lawn tractor they are called turff savers
or can you pull it right at the waters edge? where the sand is wet it would be more ferm than higher up the bank where it is dry.

woosterken

 

[roscoe]

Re: Is it hard to pull through sand

I recently rented a place in the outerbanks that is 8 miles north of where the road ends. There are canals to put boats in the water but I am concerned about twoing my 18foot pontoon through the sand. Does anyone have any experience with this. i have a 4x4 jeep commander but I don't want to get stuck.

You want to pull your pontoon 8 miles on the sand/beach?

Wouldn't it be easier to launch it and motor up the 8 miles?

 

[F14CRAZY]

Re: Is it hard to pull through sand

yeah it depends on the sand. Like the typical sandy beaches in Michigan, forget it, but like where my uncle in Texas takes us to the Gulf he's able to drive his motor home on the beach without having to worry about getting stuck

 

[96 Wellcraft]

Re: Is it hard to pull through sand

I think it would be very tough to tow a boat that far north to Carova. The sand there is deep, soft and heavily rutted. You have to hit the beach hard right off the pavement, that's where the softest sand is in the beginning and to get off the waters edge, you have about a 15 foot tall soft sand dune to get over, again difficult. Once you get back off the ocean to the house location, the sand is mostly hard pack and somewhat easy to drive on. There are many tight loose deep sand streets back there, also a lot of deep holes to navigate around. I would call some of the outfitters and local towing companies in Corolla,NC. They can give the best advise. I've been up there several times and I've never seen a boat on that section of beach.

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Is it hard to pull through sand

There is two thing about sand you should know, the first is if you start to sink, floor it or your a goner.

depends on your sand... on hard wet sand that is about the worst advice. ANY wheelspin at all will get you stuck instantly. You have to be EXTREMELY careful with the throttle. slow and steady is about the only way to go, even just a slight tap on the throttle will break traction and down you go.

 

[funk6294]

Re: Is it hard to pull through sand

Having spent some time playing in dunes I can say when driving on the sand, think floation... You want your tires to float on the sand, not dig in. One of the single best things you can do if you are going through the sand is air down. Take your tire pressure down to around 15-20 psi on all tires including your trailer, this will increase you foot print in the sand and give you better floation. Second tow in 4 low this will lock the front and rear diffs together and give you the best traction, also speed is your friend. If you the sand is thick and it looks like you will be going through a rutted or deep area, dont try and creep through it, hit it with some speed and stay in the gas. Likely you will not have any problem, but probably one of the best things you can bring with you if dont already have one is a good tow strap. If you get stuck you can probably find someone to help pull you out. Outside of that have fun...

 

[rooooney]

Re: Is it hard to pull through sand

I think it would be very tough to tow a boat that far north to Carova. I've been up there several times and I've never seen a boat on that section of beach.

I was hoping to hear from someone that has been up there- Almost all of the beach houses have canal access for boats. Check out this ariel shot These places seem made for boaters, perhaps I will just drive the boat up in the water and pull the empty trailer up the beach. I just learned that they have a ramp at the end of the pavement but also up near the canals.

 

[rentprop1]

Re: Is it hard to pull through sand

this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lqu67-Iyems&feature=related

part 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRr_r1eUyGU&feature=related

 

[rexmitchell]

Re: Is it hard to pull through sand

Fellow I watched one day strapped a couple 55 gal. barrels under his trailer and then towed it behind his boat several miles. Didn't look to be all that hard to do. He pointed the trailer down the ramp, tied off to it and his boat and simply pulled it down the ramp into the water and away he went, slowly. I imagine he did the reverse with his tow vehicle on the other end, I didn't see it.

I'm sorry but could you elaborate more on what exactly he did?

 

[dingbat]

Re: Is it hard to pull through sand

I?m an avid Surf fisherman and member of the North Carolina Beach Buggy Association. Been roaming up and down the beaches of the Outer Banks for over 30 years. It would be a CDIH before I would try to pull a boat and trailer up the beach.

Figure $500 min. for someone to come and pull you out. If you want to take the boat out there leave from Knots Island

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Is it hard to pull through sand

Compare how it would be for you to walk in the same sand conditions.

 

[Stachi]

Re: Is it hard to pull through sand

this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lqu67-Iyems&feature=related

part 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRr_r1eUyGU&feature=related

looks to me like a FINE way to sandblast your hull !!

 

[Topol_86]

Re: Is it hard to pull through sand

I've heard of guys that just leave the boat strapped to the trailer to move it across the water...as in launch the boat, submerge the trailer, unhook the trailer and use the boat to float it.

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Is it hard to pull through sand

I've heard of guys that just leave the boat strapped to the trailer to move it across the water...as in launch the boat, submerge the trailer, unhook the trailer and use the boat to float it.

i've seen this done numerous times, you can always do the math to doublecheck, but most boats have no problems carrying the extra weight of their trailer and still maintain a safe margin in the capacity.

 

[ddaigle]

Re: Is it hard to pull through sand

I work for the South Padre Island Beach patrol and we pull a jet ski on a trailer all day in the sand. The trailer has wide tires and we pull it with a jeep with oversize tires and the jet ski will bring the jeep to a tire spinning stop if the sand is soft and dry. Its like dragging an anchor. The wheels on the trailer just push sand in front of them. Your only hope of pulling a large boat is to wait for low tide and drive on the hard wet sand by the water.

 

[Topol_86]

Re: Is it hard to pull through sand

Maybe in calm water but man, if you hit rough water or have anything go wrong there is no way to shed the trailer and it could take you down with it. I would much rather use floatation and a tow line I can cut if forced to.

I agree 100%, I've never done it personally, and if I recall all the boat on trailer through the water moves were done on inland lakes to an island not far off in near perfect weather conditions.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Is it hard to pull through sand

launch at Williams or Cason's on Knott's Island then motor across. You might be able to then tow your empty trailer up the beach. Go on a weekday when you can drive on the hard sand.

Or ask the locals!