Parking boat on the beach?

[familylaw]

I am going to the lake this weekend and would like to know how people park their boat near the beach without the boat touching the sand. Basically, how do you park your boat so that it is floating on the water, the bow is facing away from the beach and the transom is facing towards the beach. I have always park my boat right on the beach, and it is very difficult to push the boat back out because the outdrive is wedged into the sand. <br /><br />Thanks,<br />Quinn

 

[Mark42]

Re: Parking boat on the beach?

Drop anchor about 80 to 100 ft from shore. Idle toward beach letting out the line. When you get where you want the boat to be, then adjust the anchor line so it is not slack. Next tie a line from the eye bolt on transom or other hard point, and bring it on the beach, take up the slack and tie off to a stake you put in the sand.<br /><br />I find the hard part is keeping it between the parking lines....

 

[familylaw]

Re: Parking boat on the beach?

Thanks, do i need a buoy to park it like this?

 

[Link]

Re: Parking boat on the beach?

Try one of these Anchor Buddys<br />Been using one for the last 12 years when camping.<br />Click on movie. Might have to turn the audio up as it was low. <br /><br /> http://www.anchorbuddy.com/

 

[RubberFrog]

Re: Parking boat on the beach?

That would work great on flat water.

 

[Mark42]

Re: Parking boat on the beach?

Originally posted by familylaw:<br /> Thanks, do i need a buoy to park it like this?

Nope!

 

[QC]

Re: Parking boat on the beach?

Quinn,<br /><br />It's back to the deal we talked about at the lake . . . You could use a little float (extra fender works, some guys even use an empty bleach bottle) if you want to leave the anchor down and then return to the same spot, but if you only have the one, then you'll need to take it with you . . . .<br /><br />Are you going back to Havasu? If you are talking about the Sandbar, go slightly upriver and throw your hook, then let the current drift her back to the sandbar, you don't need the stern line and stake then. Without current, follow Mark's advice. The upriver (north) end is VERY shallow, so be careful if you plan this, nice and soft, but shallow for a ways up. This is what I do on that spot, I don't like asking 10 guys to come help me get her off the beach either Also the Arizona channel side of the Sandbar is nice and deep and there is less traffic to keep pushing the boat onto the beach . . .

 

[familylaw]

Re: Parking boat on the beach?

Thanks for the advice.. QC, I am going to Parker this weekend. BTW, QC, What do you mean by "returning to the same spot"? If I don't have a float, will the anchor move away from the original drop-off area? I am going to try to use a bleach bottle, I just finished a bottle of bleach with my last load of laundry. lol..

 

[QC]

Re: Parking boat on the beach?

Well you tie the float to your anchor line that you leave behind, right? If you don't they're harder to find . . . If you are going with that kind of setup, then I use two different anchor lines. I have a short one for just off the beach like you describe with a shackle at the end, this one is the one that I tie the float to. If I am out with the anchor on-board I attach the longer line which also has a shackle on the end.

 

[PW2]

Re: Parking boat on the beach?

I do this all the time on the St Mary's river when we are goofing off on the beach.<br /><br />Common sense will dictate most of it, but in a spot that has minimal wave action, drop the bow anchor where you can wade to it, and shorten the line to where the stern can't reach the shore.