Beaching a Multihull

[KyleYankan]

Hey Folks,
I'm looking into a catamaran as a cruising boat and the idea of beaching it really appeals to me. While I've beached boats before, it was always a dinghy sized vessel, and as part of a hunting/camping/fishing trip in backwaters. What are the regulations of beaching a 30-40' Catamaran on a Beach in say, NJ or MD? Obviously, if there's swimmers I'd never consider it, but I know there's several "no swimming zones" by the cape may and brigantine area that I'd love to drop the boat onto for a tide cycle and maybe enjoy a campfire. (Cape May does not allow that part I believe). Can any insight be given here?

[belizesailor]

Nothing in COLREGS pertaining to this so would be local regs only. Probably only an issue in park/wildlife areas.

Also practical considerations..these have been discussed extensively here already...just search the forums.

[denverd0n]

In the United States, each state is free to make its own laws about how the beaches are used. In some places the beaches are private and beaching your boat there could get you a trespassing charge. In others the beaches are public. Even there, though, there might be local regulations against beaching a boat and sleeping on it overnight.

Bottom line, if you want to remain legal, then every place you stop--not just every state, but each little town along the way--you will have to check the local laws. Or you could just beach it and hope for the best. There's a good chance that no one would even notice you, and if they did you would just be told to move along.

There is, however, the possibility that you might get fined or even arrested. Probably a very small possibility, but something to at least be aware of.