First sea trip fiasco , or teething problems ?

TIMO · 05 June 2011, 18:59

Well!! I got to the beach at brean sands an hour before high tide ,, the beach was almost empty all but a couple of cars , set up my boat in tyhe usual way with an airbed pump running off my vans 240v inverter, it only took 15 minutes,,
I waited a while for the tide to come closer and started pulling the boat tward it .
Once in the sea and upto my waste i lifted the wheels and hopped on to start the motor and she started first time , but as soon i i chucked it into forward gear id got swept back to beach again and again , (it waas also a very windy day) after trying for half an hour to get out i gave in ,, i could not get forward enough to get weight onto the front and just kept getting washed ashore ,
Now for my first time at sea i found this very disheartening and damned hard work, i ached like a biatch the next day i can tell you .
As i said there was the odd person here and there and im sure i provided a lot of entertainment , so here i am feeling daft as a brush and a little wounded , i caught the flu too as i took as much water on as the boat .

hobnob · 05 June 2011, 19:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by TIMO

Well!! I got to the beach at brean sands an hour before high tide ,, the beach was almost empty all but a couple of cars , set up my boat in tyhe usual way with an airbed pump running off my vans 240v inverter, it only took 15 minutes,,
I waited a while for the tide to come closer and started pulling the boat tward it .
Once in the sea and upto my waste i lifted the wheels and hopped on to start the motor and she started first time , but as soon i i chucked it into forward gear id got swept back to beach again and again , (it waas also a very windy day) after trying for half an hour to get out i gave in ,, i could not get forward enough to get weight onto the front and just kept getting washed ashore ,
Now for my first time at sea i found this very disheartening and damned hard work, i ached like a biatch the next day i can tell you .
As i said there was the odd person here and there and im sure i provided a lot of entertainment , so here i am feeling daft as a brush and a little wounded , i caught the flu too as i took as much water on as the boat .

Others will question your decision to go out in the weather you describe - I wasn't there so won't judge.

However, if the lowered wheels are below the prop, as in my sib, I am quite happy to keep the wheels down until well under way. Obviously they drag a lot, but they add to your launching options.

I have just bought a 30l fuel tank to keep the nose down at when its just me. This is for an 8hp engine!

TIMO · 05 June 2011, 19:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by hobnob

Others will question your decision to go out in the weather you describe - I wasn't there so won't judge.

However, if the lowered wheels are below the prop, as in my sib, I am quite happy to keep the wheels down until well under way. Obviously they drag a lot, but they add to your launching options.

I have just bought a 30l fuel tank to keep the nose down at when its just me. This is for an 8hp engine!

Cheers mate.. the beach warden said i would be ok to launch, i did get local knowledge as i was advised on here ,, so i tried and failed ,, i had all my gear up front too ,, no way could i keep the front down , next time (if there is one ,, maybe not ) i`ll leave the launch wheels down longer .

MustRib · 05 June 2011, 19:19

hi Timo...
every bad boat experience I have had so far has involved a beach and a swell.
I filled my SR4 to the tube tops on the beach at Bigbury on sea trying to get ashore, I have been well and truly soaked trying to launch from several beaches when I had the Honwave. Unless there are a few of you to help, you could end up with the SIB sideways on top of you. I dont know if you have the possibility to launch somewhere sheltered, but its a much more rewarding start to the boating day getting afloat without being tired, cold and soaked before you even get anywhere. Beach launching in even moderate swell usually requires three people.
Take it easier on yourself and drop it in somewhere sheltered.
Not surprised you had a difficult day considering, don't be down-hearted, just try for something a little easier.

TIMO · 05 June 2011, 19:26

Cheers for that M/R
I`m not sure there was anywhere in that area more sheltered TBH . we were there for the week anyway with our caravan,, sadly i spent 3 days in bed with a bout of flu after that sh1tty day

But i still had a brill time a couple of weeks ago on the river Avon in gloucester

might just stay with the river,,, seems a waste of 40 hosse`s though

Searider · 05 June 2011, 19:38

Hi Timo

Looks like some experience gained that day.

I would echo what others have said - if you can find somewhere sheltered to launch - even if it's a couple of miles from where you want to be it's worth the extra trek and expense of a slipway fee if it means you have a day boating rather than a bout of flu.

I stay away from beaches. The boat always ends up full of water and bounced around sideways even if it doesn't look rough.

Keep at it.

In answer to your title - I'll go for "teething trouble" :-)

Poly · 05 June 2011, 19:48

So with 40 horses you couldn't get enough oomph to get away from the beach? that seems surprising unless it was really bad. When you say you couldn't your weight far enough forward - was this worse than in "shelter". In my experience if you suddenly can't get the bow down when before you could it is one of two things (or both). (i) the boat is full of water (so when you accelerate it all shoots to the stern) or (ii) the engine is not fully down/trimmed right (I guess you may have been in "shallow drive" if you were on the beach?).

TIMO · 05 June 2011, 20:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by Polwart

So with 40 horses you couldn't get enough oomph to get away from the beach? that seems surprising unless it was really bad. When you say you couldn't your weight far enough forward - was this worse than in "shelter". In my experience if you suddenly can't get the bow down when before you could it is one of two things (or both). (i) the boat is full of water (so when you accelerate it all shoots to the stern) or (ii) the engine is not fully down/trimmed right (I guess you may have been in "shallow drive" if you were on the beach?).

Hi, thats what i couldnt get either , the motor was trimmed right in , each wave that came at me almost made the boat seem almost vertical . i was only using the revs at the other side of the wave , the boat wasnt full of water at this stage if any there at all , perhaps as been mentioned, i may have done a bit better with help,

iceland · 05 June 2011, 22:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by TIMO

Hi, thats what i couldnt get either , the motor was trimmed right in , each wave that came at me almost made the boat seem almost vertical . i was only using the revs at the other side of the wave , the boat wasnt full of water at this stage if any there at all , perhaps as been mentioned, i may have done a bit better with help,

so you couldnt get out to try reversing in the waves was it very windy daniel

TIMO · 05 June 2011, 22:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by iceland

so you couldnt get out to try reversing in the waves was it very windy daniel

I remember you... lol you commented on another thread of mine ,, NOT to try reversing into the waves because i will end up having a salty bath

i DIDNT REVERSE INTO THE SEA

It was quite windy Daniel

iceland · 05 June 2011, 22:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by TIMO

I remember you... lol you commented on another thread of mine ,, NOT to try reversing into the waves because i will end up having a salty bath

i DIDNT REVERSE INTO THE SEA

It was quite windy Daniel

glad you had fun we usually fill 2 or 3 ...25 ltr plastic containers with water tied up front to keep the front down when alone in the boat but i use a crane to lift the zodiac off the trailer straight into the sea down the harbour here glad i dont have to fight on the beach the cranes 3 of them are used to unload fish off the small boats bit like the cranes you see on the back of trucks lift boat off trailer lower straight into the sea climb down the ladder tie the boat unhook the crane and away we go nice daniel

Fenlander · 05 June 2011, 22:47

All good experience Timo if the outcome is just the frustration on not getting out... flipping and dunking the motor though would have messed up the day.

I've been about boats and the sea for near on 50yrs and I would never try and beach launch for pleasure boating unless it was a settled dead calm wind free day. Even then it can turn when you're out and the return trip might be hairy. As others have said to get your sea legs (I think you're new to the sea?) find another more sheltered place to launch. Challenging seas are best faced with a calm helmsman and warm engine.... not the situation when you leap in from waist high water with a split second to get going before you're blown aground.

TIMO · 05 June 2011, 22:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by iceland

glad you had fun we usually fill 2 or 3 ...25 ltr plastic containers with water tied up front to keep the front down when alone in the boat but i use a crane to lift the zodiac off the trailer straight into the sea down the harbour here glad i dont have to fight on the beach the cranes 3 of them are used to unload fish off the small boats bit like the cranes you see on the back of trucks lift boat off trailer lower straight into the sea climb down the ladder tie the boat unhook the crane and away we go nice daniel

Good advice Daniel .. Thanks

Next time i`ll be using a more sheltered launch ,,, The place i used was free,,, but was obviously free for a reason ... someone once told me "beware of free cheese " I see what he means now

iceland · 05 June 2011, 23:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by TIMO

Good advice Daniel .. Thanks

Next time i`ll be using a more sheltered launch ,,, The place i used was free,,, but was obviously free for a reason ... someone once told me "beware of free cheese " I see what he means now

yes timo as fenlander said it has to be calm the sea that is allso if things get rough keep your cool.... think.. its even ok to talk to yourself if your out there and it gets choppy when people panick thats when things dont go the way they should as i said your main enemy is wind hope you get out next try and dont forget keep calm i think its better to get yourself a 100 kg mate like i have i tell him to move up front if need be he he ..daniel

TIMO · 05 June 2011, 23:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by iceland

yes timo as fenlander said it has to be calm the sea that is allso if things get rough keep your cool.... think.. its even ok to talk to yourself if your out there and it gets choppy when people panick thats when things dont go the way they should as i said your main enemy is wind hope you get out next try and dont forget keep calm i think its better to get yourself a 100 kg mate like i have i tell him to move up front if need be he he ..daniel

Yup ... perhaps i`m tryin to run before i learned to walk mate ,, steady as she blows

Pikey Dave · 06 June 2011, 05:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by MustRib

hi Timo...
every bad boat experience I have had so far has involved a beach and a swell.

Over 20 years ago, first time out in my first RIB, launching from a beach with a tractor (Hornsea East Yorkshire Coast) Onshore wind, swell = £1500 quids worth of damage. Never beach launched since

simsy · 06 June 2011, 08:50

To cheer your self up look at the daft ozzy beach rescue racing on youtube, where 2 men crews launch sibs from a beach (30 - 50 boats racing), massive swells.. They start their engines (guarded) and in gear there are pumping sand even before they reach water and forcing the sibs out into the waves... it would kill a non 'ocha' type......

You tried the 'for expert TEAMS only' manuver on your sea trip... I am sure the frustration was cutting.... find an easier place or wait for the weather. Even if you get out, returning will be tricky if the waves change.....

Channel Ribs · 06 June 2011, 12:52

I might have imagined it, but isn't there a course for handling small craft in surf conditions?

martini · 06 June 2011, 13:55

You could always build yourself a DODO trailer

roody262 · 06 June 2011, 22:56

We always keep out sib at the beach (Hope Cove near bigbury) and launch from there as well. I guess it benefits from a breakwater so it's too bad but we have have some fun lauching into the surf and getting back on the beach with some large waves and people in the water is a challenge.

I was on a sib one year with some friends (not my boat) and he managed to get caught side on to a wave a flipped it! Luckily no one was hurt and the engine was fine.

Launching from a beach can be hit and miss, I think it's best to throw yourself head on at the waves. And a huge benefit having others around to help you.