Running Aground on a Falling Tide

[markpierce]

If there was a possibility for current and/or winds pushing the boat towards higher ground when the flood tide returns, I'd set out a kedge to hold the boat's position until afloat and capable of moving to deeper waters as PeteZ seems to have done (anchor line deployed in photo.).

[Jacana]

Buy a catamaran.

[markpierce]

Hopefully, our boats have keel(s) and/or skeg(s) to protect the rudder(s), propeller(s) and shaft(s) while grounding/aground.

[DeepFrz]

Close all holes in the hull - using your seacocks which should be fitted to all holes! If you haven't got them then use bungs or whatever measure you have. Don't rely on duct tape!

Indeed, yes, bung up around the lid on the cockpit locker and the engine room air intakes (if you have them) or even the companionway. Bungs, seacocks, etc should be available but sometimes there are openings that can't be bunged. Like vents and locker lids. Are all your vents equipped with a seacock? Every boat will be different and probably different depending on which side lies down. Will your engine flood if the exhaust outlet goes underwater and the boat is lying down?

[theonecalledtom]

Originally Posted by Pete7

Yacht legs, very popular this side of the pond with our huge tidal ranges.

Yacht Legs - Yacht Cradles - Boat Stands - For Sale - The Yacht Leg & Cradle Company

Yeah I just spent a few months in the UK (I hail from Wales) and saw a lot of this sort of use. Would prefer not to engineer the devices into my boat I think as in theory they are seldom needed.

In Aberaron harbour I saw a guy deliberately ground his twin keel in the entrance channel (the water didn't make it into the harbour). He then got someone to jam a large inflatable under the downward side and went ashore, later I checked the tide tables, this happened at midday and it would have been 7 hours before he could get his boat into the harbour, imagine he needed a beer before then...

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by Jacana

Buy a catamaran.

Or some more keels



The extra keels are in fact for cheap moorings over here - not about coping with our large tidal ranges (leaving aside that in the Photo she is in the harbour entrance ).

As much of what dries are rocks the principal way of dealing with running aground (falling tide or not) is the same as for a fin keeler - avoiding it. And that not meant to be a smug comment at OP - just how it is with most things boats, prevention better (and usually easier) than cure.

Ironically because more possible in these parts perhaps more aware of the doing so (especially when taking shortcuts / in areas that do dry out) and therefore less likely to do so accidently.........unless you know you can get away with it / it doesn't greatly matter (see photo above ).

But back to OP's scenario..........

On a fin keeler I wouldn't try and jury rig a leg to keep her upright (even in the unlikely event you could rig something strong enough you don't know what the seabed is or how she will lie or even pivot wen drying / refloating - really don't want her crashing over).

If possible I would want her to drop onto an inflatable dink, if nothing else to help protect the topsides.

Get an anchor out to sea (might have dropped it aleady - but odds on will need to be reset further out. it's easy when you can walk ) as you don't want to be bouncing up the beach when the tide returns will also mean that she will likely pivot into the incoming tide - not so good for the topsides, but good if the tide accompanied by waves / swell until she starts to refloat as won't be pummelling straight into the cockpit / down the hatches.

I would expect water into the cockpit (even if hoping / a good chance not) and therefore would be shutting the main hatch if not adding some additional waterproofing.

[GordMay]

OOPS ! Newbies to the Bahamas, we originally anchored at High Tide, South of Chubb Cay (Berry Islands).

[Ex-Calif]

Don't know if it would have been effective if the water got real low but this fellow, a friend of mine, ran the anchor out with the dinghy.

A very, very experienced sailor - It happens to the best...

[AnsleyS]

Tom,

I reply as one who has run aground in many places and have spent time on my side. Some of these groundings were accidental and some were done on purpose. Last year we grounded out in Nova Scotia to work on a rudder that was coming loose. Here in Maine we have nine to twelve foot tides so grounding can get you to the point that you can walk all the way around your boat.

As long as you close seacocks to keep out mud, secure your batteries so they do not spill acid and pick a spot that does not have big rocks under the boat, she will do fine. She will lay over and then come up again. Close hatches and ports and the water will probably just get over the rail a bit before she stands back up.

I would not do the stilts thing with the spinnaker pole because it will put a large stress on the stantions or other gear to which they are lashed and you may have a fracture of the pole that could hole the boat.

[MichaelC]

Like Ansley, I live in a tidal range of 9 to 12 feet. Back a few years ago, when it was less illegal, I used to ground my schooner on purpose to clean - and occasionally repaint - the bottom. I have run aground twice by accident. Once was when I was demoing the boat to a buyer, who jumped off and pushed the boat off the mud bank. He bought the boat. Once in the middle of the night on a falling tide. In that instance, I was able to get the boat beam to the breeze, sheet all sails flat and scud off. If you act quickly enough on an accidental grounding, you should be able to take out a kedge anchor [the only reason I know of for using a Danforth] with the dink, hang some weight from your [peak] halyard to heel the boat, and pull yourself off. With a fin keel you would be in deep trouble, I suppose. If your attempts to haul off fail, then pay attention to what all have said about thru hulls [I don't have them, except for a sink drain]. Oh, and if you are for sure going to ground out on the beam, and if it is rocky, then stick a few life jackets [or whatever] under the turn of the bilge where she will lie. Grounding out in a full keel boat should not be a panic situation. Embarrassing, perhaps, when done unintentionally, but certainly not a disaster, unless you are keel uphill. If you are definitely not going to get off, then hang weights from your masthead to heel her in the right direction [usually, shoreward]. then get out your bucket and brush and scrub her bottom when it is exposed. Look nonchalant. Chuckle and wave when folks come by to look. Only call them bad names under your breath. Isn't sailing fun?

[Capt Phil]

One of my early sailing (?) experiences in my old Ingrid 38 occurred in the 60's behind an island in Barclay Sound on the west coast of Vancouver Island during an early circumnavigation of VI. Found a beautiful sandy bay, great holding ground in about 15-20 feet of water. Dropped the hook and broke out the dingy to go ashore but within 30 minutes of setting the anchor, the keel was brushing the bottom. I rushed below to check the tide tables and to my dismay realized we had anchored at near high water on a falling tide. I dove under the boat to check the bottom which was clear and sandy under the boat. Nearest tide station was Bamfield which was about 20 km away. As we settled in the sand, I had the guests aboard stand on the toe rail holding on to the lifelines to heel the boat towards the beach. The tide fell so quickly, it was almost visible in its drop rate. We settled on the keel and the belly of the hull and just stayed there. No sea was running and surface was very calm. We walked ashore and found the clams were so plentiful, we filled a bucket within 5 minutes. Explored the island and returned to the boat just as water was beginning to reach the keel. We sat in the dinghy while the water rose to the point where she began to float on her own. I went aboard to make sure there was no water coming on board. She began to fully float on her own within the hour so we filled the bucket with salt water to let the clams spit and broke out the wine. It wasn't the last time I 'put her on the putty' but it was an early lesson to the check the tides before anchoring anywhere. Embarrassing, but a great learning experience... Capt Phil

[roverhi]

Maytrix reminds me of a guy another boat owner friend and I met in Norfolk, VA on his way down south via the ICW. He was a pompous ass bragging about how he'd never run aground and anyone who did was a cretin. My friend ran into him later in Florida. He wasn't bragging about never having run aground anymore though he was still a pompous ass and a self proclaimed cretin.

I ran aground in Charleston Harbor once. Ran anchors out to each side of the boat attached to halyards from the mast head. Kept the boat upright. Felt really weird hiking around the boat when the tide was fully out.

The best remedy for running aground is having your ground tackle and dinghy ready for instant deployment. On a falling tide, you have to get a kedge anchor real quick if you are to have a chance of pulling yourself off. After that Charleston incident, we kept the Avon inflated and ready with the a Danforth 20H and rope rode in it. Had a couple more opportunities to use it in the ICW. FWIW, don't try and do the ICW at night, you are almost guaranteed a meeting with Mother Earth.

[markpierce]

Originally Posted by roverhi

Maytrix reminds me of a guy another boat owner friend and I met in Norfolk, VA on his way down south via the ICW. He was a pompous ass bragging about how he'd never run aground and anyone who did was a cretin. ...

Guess that makes me a cretin to the fifth order.

I've run aground five times, all on rising tides, however. The first three times was one night single-handedly motoring my father's 4-foot-draft sailboat through the poorly marked San Rafael channel. (Unfortunately, the boat wasn't equipped with a searchlight to spot the unlighted channel markers.) At each grounding, the boat spun. The water was calm and each time floated off within five minutes and then continued until the next grounding or entrance to the shipping channel.

The other two instances were in the Middle Ground waters of Suisun Bay in broad daylight in my two-foot-draft pocket cutter. The first time the conditions were near calm, so resumed sailing after a few minutes wait for the rising waters. The second time the wind and current would have driven the boat further onto shallower water toward shore; so the anchor was deployed, and within 5 to 10 minutes, lifted off, then rehoisted sails and brought in anchor to proceed. A nearby sailboat grounded earlier and was closer to the shipping channel and with an estimated five-foot draft. It still had sails flailing when I left.

[theonecalledtom]

Thanks for all the input guys, I've enjoyed your stories and think I've managed to glean some useful info...

There seems to be several common points here:
1) Its not too bad, sailboats are fairly well designed to take it, especially those built for cruising
2) Propping up without specialized equipment carries risk
3) There are a few steps you need to take for sanity
3.a) Make sure you drop towards the high side, use anchors, weights etc as needed
3.b) Close seacocks, bung up / tape over suspect openings
3.c) Set an anchor to prevent unwanted movement when re-floating
3.d) Consider protecting the hull from the ground; inflatable, fenders and cushions can work here
3.e) Carry out bottom work or collect sea creatures for sustenance, at all costs appear nonchalant and happy.

[rgscpat]

And also act nonchalant with passengers...
"I know every shoal in this bay."
Bump!
"See, there's another one!"