Safe to beach a boat???

[USA_boater]

In sandy areas of a particular lake I go to, I have beached my JetSki a time or two. I figure it is light enough and narrow enough that I could do it safely without hitting any hidden rocks or scratching much. I anchor mostly though with this craft.

On my Four Winns Horizon run about, I have not had it long (used boat) and have only anchored it; but from the looks of the hull, I'd say never beached. I see other nicer boats beached all the time at my lake but I probably would not beech the Four Winns unless someone convinced me the sand isn't that rough on the hull? I also worry about hidden rocks which do exist on the approach at some of the popular spots I see people beaching.

BUT although I am interested in commentary & opinions on the above craft, the main beach case I have is my new Tracker Pro 170 aluminum boat. it would be very nice if I was going to fish by myself if I could beach it while I parked/retrieved the truck & trailer. I wonder how much the sand would scratch the factory coating on the aluminum? But I think I am worried more because it is the first new boat I've ever bought (just got it). Is beaching it a better option than risking scuffs on the dock with nobody tending it while I am getting the trailer?

Educate me!

 

[TyeeMan]

Is there a courtesy dock at the landing you use? You could park at the courtesy dock when you go get your truck and trailer. Back in and run over to the courtesy dock to get your boat. Get some good fenders to put out between your dock and the boat. I found some in the iboats store that I like, , just haven't purchased them yet. It's almost like a bumper sheet that you put between the dock and your boat.

Otherwise I would think you could beach it with no problem, , as long as there's no big rocks. I bought my Lund used but the painted hull is almost perfect. I beached a couple times but I new where I was beaching was very soft with no rocks and sharp stuff.

 

[USA_boater]

There is a courtesy dock..that is what I've been using for my bigger boat and the one time so far I had the new Tracker out. But longer walk and more work involved, not to mention if the dock/ramp is busy...I just wondered if sand was hard on them? I see real nice fiberglass boats beached all the time....must not be too bad if people are doing it to 100k boats? This is at a lake in Oklahoma and not 100% tan sand like say an ocean beach., It is a reddish brown mud/sand with various areas containing submerged stump and rocks...the hidden rocks you can't see are biggest threat to beaching here but again, people do it all the time.

 

[wahlejim]

As long as you know whats there and what to avoid, shouldn't be a problem. Biggest thing would be beaching enough so the boat doesn't move around on you. Surges in the water moving the boat would be more harmful than the beaching process IMHO

 

[TyeeMan]

If you can find a tree or something to tie up to, or throw an anchor when you beach you won't have to run the boat up on land so far.

 

[Tassie 1]

Those other folk who beach their boats may have been going to that spot for decades,
may have removed most of the rocks over time,

 

[southkogs]

I've seen people beach a boat (run the tilt up, goose the throttle a little and ram the bow into the sand) and then I've seen people beach a boat (tilt the drive up, drift in to the sand climb out and lift the bow and drag the boat up a little bit). I tend to beach a boat the second way.

Depends on your bottom make up too. There's a very subtle difference between beaching and running aground

 

[KJM]

i'd beach her, shes going to get scratched sooner or later anyway....so then you can stop worrying about it and get more enjoyment out of her.

 

[Scott Danforth]

you need a keel guard or keel shield if you beach

 

[JASinIL2006]

you need a keel guard or keel shield if you beach

Get one of these and beach away! I am not a fan of powering onto shore, but unless it’s really rocky, you will bo OK. Just learn which areas are soft stuff and beach there.

 

[ahicks]

Know where you are going, or get out and pull it up after checking it out. Gouging a boat's bottom is not cool. Don't be lazy. And as far as beaching a jet of any kind, sand and jet pumps don't play well together. Make sure that engine is not running when the water gets shallow....

 

[wahlejim]

Know where you are going, or get out and pull it up after checking it out. Gouging a boat's bottom is not cool. Don't be lazy. And as far as beaching a jet of any kind, sand and jet pumps don't play well together. Make sure that engine is not running when the water gets shallow....

+1 on the jet pumps. I saw a you tube video of a guy complaining about constantly having to change out the wear ring on his sea doo spark. Went through 4 or 5 at $70 a pop within 60 days of owning it. Turns out he was beaching it, catching a rock, and those cheap sparks have plastic wear rings. The comment section was entertaining.

 

[TyeeMan]

Do they make Keel Guards for aluminum boats? The OP's main concern is beaching his brand new Tracker aluminum boat.

I've seen Keel Guards on glass boats, haven't seen on a tin boat yet.

 

[capecodtodd]

I have beached before on sand bars and I would never motor up onto it. I usually get close and drift in to a spot where I can lift the engine and walk it the rest of the way to the shore. Boaters do this at the local lake boat ramp that doesn't have a dock. This is gentle on the hull but watch out for waves that can lift the boat and drop it on the bottom or push it in further that makes it harder to push it back out.

On a new boat a keel guard is a good idea but otherwise just take it slow, walk it in and watch out for the waves.

 

[jkust]

At the main sand bar on our lake, it doesn't matter the boat or how expensive....everyone beaches. Most of the people are property owners at the sand bar and you get to the point where you want to live and not care so much about the little stuff and the mind set of if not now then when kicks in. That said, as I'm sure you see as well, tritoons and pontoons are killing off the bowriders and fishing boats too so many are beaching the toons for which nobody cares if they get scratched. I get it is a new boat and the hesitation.

 

[USA_boater]

Do they make Keel Guards for aluminum boats? The OP's main concern is beaching his brand new Tracker aluminum boat.

I've seen Keel Guards on glass boats, haven't seen on a tin boat yet.

Thanks for pointing this out

I would add to it whether aluminum or glass, does the keel guard affect the ride, speed or handling?

 

[JASinIL2006]

No effect on handling. Don’t know about use on aluminum boats, though.

 

[82rude]

Keel guards are applied with 3m tape which doesn't care what the boats made out of.Normally you don't see adverts for aluminum because 99.5 percent of al boats don't use them.I totally understand where your coming from though as I bought a new to me suv recently and ive been totally anal about its appearance etc ,lol.Trust me it will fade to normal with time.

 

[Scott Danforth]

they come in different colors

get a silver keel guard on an aluminum boat and you wont notice it there.

you can only drag aluminum across rocks a few dozen times until you wear thru the keel. about twice as many times as a fiberglass boat.

because of the beach I frequented with the sea ray was one that was common to beach the boats, I went with a longer keel guard than recommended to protect the keel because most of the boat would be on the beach until high tide.

 

[Cortes100]

No help to the OP, but I'm not one for beaching my boat. Doesn't make sense to me, taking my expensive toy and scratching up the bottom, when a guy can anchor just off shore in a couple feet of water. My '08 Searay had no marks on the hull after 8 years of boating.
I guess each to your own, but when I see a $100k+ wake board boat sitting on a trailer with the hull all scratched up, it makes me cringe.