Beaching Catamarans

[Fasttimes]

Hi all,,now and then I see a nice cat beached...but if i look at rudders they seem very exposed ..ive spent so many nights mono anchored behind island i was wandering if it really is easy to beach and recover cats..i am looking to buy 38footer prob Fp...any body any experience of this thanks in advance...

[imagine2frolic]

Depends on which cat, and which beach, and what weather......i2f

[sandy daugherty]

Among other frequently relevant variables are:
1. Level of beer supply.
2. Absence of dinghy
3. Need to replace thru-hull
4. Magnitude of visual distraction aboard neighboring boat or on the beach.
5. Number of wraps around drive shaft.
6. Date of last survey on chart.

[anjou]

Originally Posted by Fasttimes

Hi all,,now and then I see a nice cat beached...but if i look at rudders they seem very exposed ..ive spent so many nights mono anchored behind island i was wandering if it really is easy to beach and recover cats..i am looking to buy 38footer prob Fp...any body any experience of this thanks in advance...

Chose one with skegs which protect the rudders.Its certainy cheaper to gunkhole and live out than in the marina.Where i grew up, James Wharram was living aboard and building his first cats in our creek wwhich dried out twice a day. Very cheap living and more options

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by Fasttimes

Hi all,,now and then I see a nice cat beached...but if i look at rudders they seem very exposed ..ive spent so many nights mono anchored behind island i was wandering if it really is easy to beach and recover cats..i am looking to buy 38footer prob Fp...any body any experience of this thanks in advance...

* The tide goes out, and you beached on a spring tide.
* A big wake comes by and pounds you.
* The bottom is not flat, is very soft, or something.

Really, with carefully chosen exceptions by experienced sailors, something only charter folks do to drop of passengers. Much better to anchor out just a little. A lot if there is wave action.

[catty]

Originally Posted by anjou

Chose one with skegs which protect the rudders.Its certainy cheaper to gunkhole and live out than in the marina.Where i grew up, James Wharram was living aboard and building his first cats in our creek wwhich dried out twice a day. Very cheap living and more options

Great advice. Attach sacrificial shoes to keel base. ie hardwood or whatever. Certainly wouldn't recommend beaching too centreboard boat owners. Be careful in suburbia, some locals may take offence and call the EPA if it looks like your about to anti-foul. The ability to take the bottom without fear of damage certainly multiplies the number of available anchorages ten fold.

[beau]

We beach our 40 ft aluminium trimaran all the time.
I installed two outboards so I can lift them clear.
You need to be sure you don't have a change of wave direction and get caught on a lee shore when the tide comes in. It hasn't happened to us yet, and we only have a 9inch draft.
I make sure I use a stern anchor and point the bow out to sea.I also place the bow anchor as far out as possible so I can use the anchor winch to pull us off when we have sufficient water under us.
In future I plan to carry rollers and use a heavy winch to pull us up stern first above the high tide mark.

[Roy M]

Years ago, I used to anchor my Searunner tri in Glorietta Bay, near the Del Coronado Hotel in San Diego Bay. Norm Cross would side tie to me in his beautiful CROSSFIRE. Because we could anchor close in, practically on the green of the golfcourse, we never lacked for a place to anchor in this popular spot. When the tide went out, we weren't crowded, and could inspect our bottoms and reset the anchors even further toward the sand traps. Lots of folks in "leaners" were insulted that we had such choice options to spend the weekend.

[Palarran]

The only production cat I've heard of that has skeg mounted rudders is Voyage. Does anybody know of other manufactures?

[ub1]

robertson caine's are skeg mounted, but I still would not beach it. Boats are made to float.

[nautical62]

If you are worried about the damage that might be caused by beaching or letting a cat dry out, maybe you should consider one of these. Much cheaper too:


I love bilge keel boats. They really should make more of them.

[Catalysis]

Antares 44 cats have rudders which are skeg mounted.

[catty]

Originally Posted by ub1

Boats are made to float.

Are you sure?

[anjou]

Originally Posted by rigamarole

The only production cat I've heard of that has skeg mounted rudders is Voyage. Does anybody know of other manufactures?

Ive seen a few Catalacs with a modified skeg to bottom hinge the rudders

[Talbot]

Originally Posted by anjou

Ive seen a few Catalacs with a modified skeg to bottom hinge the rudders

8 and 9m Catalacs were available either with or without skegs on their rudder. This is because drying out on a mud mooring with skegs was considered likely to damage those skegs. The boats without the skegs, were built with a rudder that lifted up. This designed was the favourite version for Christchurch where a lot dried out.

Personally I prefered the skeg version, and you definitely had to be a bit more carefull drying out. However, it was still feasible, and provided a base for the boat to dry out on when the bottom was solid enough.

Done this lots of times in the Solent