touching sand in a slip ?

[Kd9truck]

Hi all, my vessel will be touching soft unconsolidated sand in a slip that it will be in for the next season for about 2 hours a tide cycle, the tide swing is 4 foot average. I have a 45 ft sloop with a 7.5 ft draft on a fin keel with a 1.5 ft x 6 ft flat bottom keel and a single blade 6.5 ft rudder.

should I be trying to dig/dredge it out?

[sailingunity]

How low will low tide be for you? 7 feet deep? 6 feet deep?

Considering when you're hauled out the boat sits on the keel, probably not? Depends I suppose if you'll see any wave action that might cause the boat to bounce on the keel.

I spent 2 weeks in Spanish Wells in the same conditions, the slip was deep enough at high tide, but at low tide the water was 4-6 inches too shallow and the boat would lean over some.

[valhalla360]

It shouldn't cause structural damage if the boat is properly designed but....

It will likely sand the paint off the bottom of the keel.
You should be careful how you tie off. During a more extreme low tide, the boat may fall over hitting the dock.
Is the rudder protected if it will hit bottom?

[Bill O]

If you do dredge it, do it quietly/not too visible as I'm doubting it is legal (need a permit) to do so.

Doubt it will do much physical damage to the keel except remove your bottom paint. Would try to protect the rudder by bringing the boat bow in the slip leaving the rudder in presumably deeper water.

The biggest pain will be timing your departures/arrivals to be able to get out/in of the slip.

[sailingunity]

Originally Posted by Bill O

If you do dredge it, do it quietly/not too visible as I'm doubting it is legal (need a permit) to do so.

This is a good point. My dad works for Florida environmental protection and all dredging requires an environmental review, with soil samples, to make sure you won't be stirring up some chemicals that are trapped in the soil into the water.

[Bill O]

I'm also assuming you are renting the slip from someone else, who is inevitably legally responsible for your actions if you decide to dredge the slip.

I believe slips are difficult to obtain in LI and if you rub the owner/marina the wrong way, they could ask you to leave.

[Kd9truck]

I draw 7.5 ft the average low will be at 6 ft, that number was taken in about the area the rudder would be I’d I was stern too.
It’s a town dock, the dock master told Me it would be deep enough, I went over at low tide and took an old school sounding, (because I am from NY and we trust nobody)with a 10 ft pvc pipe and a weighted rope, it showed bottom at 6 feet

I think I will be fine with the bow to the dock, as the keel is about 18 ft away from the anchor roller.

[JPA Cate]

If it is really very loose sand, the boat may wallow out a hole in the sand, but I'm feeling pretty concerned about the rudder, because it will also be contacting the sand, and is more vulnerable.

I think you should find somewhere else for the boat. We once had a berth for about 3 months, where she worked her keel about 14" into the mud and sand. It ate all the bottom paint off. That boat was sturdier than most modern boats. With your Jeanneau, I would avoid it, even if you have to move it to another State to do so.

Ann

[Kd9truck]

Agreed, if I can not move the sand so that it is not making contact with the keel and yes more importantly the rudder I will go back to the previous years arrangements. The sand is very loose, but I will not know until I get the boat there unfortunately. That’s the end of next month.

[Scubaseas]

When you get to almost low tide stand on the rail and make like you were on a swing. The keel will dig a hole for you. Or hire a diver and give him a bucket. I used to be on the North Shore LI in Mt, Sinai and we had 4' to 4'6" tides but as much as close to 7' on full moons. Is this on the South Shore?

I'm now in Texas and with a North wind of two or more days my slip has no water but it's all soft mud so the boat doesn't even lean but there were a couple of day last Winter where I had about 2' higher in the water and the top of my prop was exposed. Sand might not be as kind to your rudder.

[Kd9truck]

Originally Posted by Scubaseas

When you get to almost low tide stand on the rail and make like you were on a swing. The keel will dig a hole for you. Or hire a diver and give him a bucket. I used to be on the North Shore LI in Mt, Sinai and we had 4' to 4'6" tides but as much as close to 7' on full moons. Is this on the South Shore?
.

Yes on the south shore, about 2 nm from the inlet, I dive, I have a submersible sewage pump on order, my plan is to put the bow to the dock and run the pump with the discharge to the bulkhead and pilings. I will get a hole dug for the rudder large enough to park a car before a test run

[CaptNemoO2]

Are you going into Point Lookout? Just heard we're getting a new boat neighbor with a 46' sailboat.

[MicHughV]

You could....er....do an engine test at low tide, point the stern out towards the butt end of the slip, make sure the dock lines are tight, put boat in forward gear and give the engine some rpm...preferably done during a low outgoing tide in the early morning or evening hours. Turn the rudder from side to side, while the boat is in gear to agitate the bottom.

[Kd9truck]

Originally Posted by CaptNemoO2

Are you going into Point Lookout? Just heard we're getting a new boat neighbor with a 46' sailboat.

Yes, what slip are you in? I was up in Oyster Bay for 7 years, should I be worried about the depth?

[Kd9truck]

Originally Posted by MicHughV

You could....er....do an engine test at low tide, point the stern out towards the butt end of the slip, make sure the dock lines are tight, put boat in forward gear and give the engine some rpm...preferably done during a low outgoing tide in the early morning or evening hours. Turn the rudder from side to side, while the boat is in gear to agitate the bottom.

Hydraulic overhaul in fire service terms, great idea yes i was working the details out in my head.