Sand bar capabilities.....

[Jgren]

I'm a noob to this forum so please forgive any ignorance I might have. The admiral and I are ready to move up in size to something in the 30ish range. We both like the 280 sundancer and even more so the 290 amberjack for it's semi-fishability. The boat's we are looking at are in the years ranging from 2004-2008 and all have twin motors and are I/O's. We just sold our 22' walkaround which we loved but was getting to small for us and not enough amenities for weekend trips. The walkaround had a single outboard and it was nice and easy to backup to the beach for our sandbar days. The question I have is do either of the sea rays we like have the ability to have the outdrives trimmed all the way up clearing the lowest point of the hull and be able to slowly reverse towards a beach until the hull bottoms out in sand and not the outdrives? We love the layout of the amberjack but if it isn't capable of getting us out to our favorite sandbar we will be forced to look at something more along the lines of a wellcraft coastal 290 with outboards. I did own a 17' bowrider previously that was an I/O Volvo Pentax and I was able to beach that boat no problem.

 

[Tonka Boater]

I'm not aware of any I/O's that will raise higher than the lowest part of the hull. I just looked at pictures of my last 4 boats and even in trailer position, the lowest part of the drive was still below the lowest part of the hull....this is on Sea Ray's and Cobalt's.

 

[Madifonzo]

I have a 280 Sundancer and I bring it to the beach all the time. Generally, I find that the boat floats in knee high water. I back down on the beach and toss stern anchor then pay out line. Then drop bow anchor and get a good hold. Once both anchors are holding tight I reel the boat into shore letting out more bow while taking up stern line. My point is a 280 will float in very little water but you will get a little wet getting it set up for the day.

 

[Woody]

I'm not aware of any I/O's that will raise higher than the lowest part of the hull. I just looked at pictures of my last 4 boats and even in trailer position, the lowest part of the drive was still below the lowest part of the hull....this is on Sea Ray's and Cobalt's.

My 280 with twins b3 would raise higher than the bottom.

 

[LiL Nauti]

So, what's the proper way to beach the boat? Back in and then raise outdrives with trailer switch?

Kevin

 

[Tonka Boater]

So, what's the proper way to beach the boat? Back in and then raise outdrives with trailer switch?

Kevin

There isn't a proper, one-size-fits all way to beach a boat. It depends on the boat, steepness of the drop off to the beach, bottom conditions, tide, current, how crowded the beach is with other boats, the local unwritten rules, etc. There are too many variables and everyone has a method that works for them.

The problem that I see with backing all the way in with the drives in trailer position is that you need to get out at some point. If you're beached with the drives up you can't engage the drives in trailer position to get our without causing damage to the drive. You need to somehow get the boat off the beach and into deep enough water to lower the drives to a safe driving position.

My method is to NOT beach. I drop anchor a short distance off the beach and back in to about 2-3 ft of water. If everyone else is swinging then I swing too, if everyone else has a stern anchor or is tied off to shore then I do the same thing.

 

[Woody]

I do pretty much what Madifonzo does. I'd drop anchor and back in. When water got too shallow 'for me' I'd shut down and trailer up the drives. Then I'd let out more rode and let the boat drift into shallower water. I'd use the windlass when it was time to leave to get back out into deep enough water to put the drives down and start up. The beaches we go to are usually not crowded so I can let the boat drift around, rarely do I have to anchor the stern, sometimes when it has swung into deep enough water I can drop the drives right away when I want to leave.

 

[dpmulvey]

Not enough information for me. Fresh water? Salt water? Tidal water? Plymouth where? Do you want to continue fishing or go to cruising? The Dancer, Amberjack and 290 Coastal are 3 very different boats. What amenities are must haves vs. nice to have vs. who cares?

I'm not trying to be a dick here. I'm trying to keep you from making a very expensive mistake. Take this from someone who has made damn near every mistake there is to be made in the book when it comes to boating.

 

[Tonka Boater]

My 280 with twins b3 would raise higher than the bottom.

All of my single screws are obviously on the center so raising to trailer still puts the drive a little lower than the keel.

 

[fwebster]

I think you are looking at the wrong boat. The 290AJ came with an inboard option and after owning inboards for 25 years, I'll never own another i/o if I can avoid it. I have no idea which Plymouth you live in*, but if it is a salt water one, a 290AJ with twin i/o's is going to $$ you to death.

As far as anchoring on a beach or sand bar goes, I do it nearly every day we are out......in a 450DA that draws almost 4ft of water. I approach the beach bow first, find the drop off, back away from the beach, then spin the boat 180˚ and anchor with the props over deep water. My props are about 6 ft from the back of the swim platform so I am usually in about knee deep water when I go set the rear anchor.





*Nobody here is going to stalk you, guys, so please give us complete information so we can get your questions answered quicker and more completely.

 

[Bt Doctur]

but you will get a little wet getting it set up for the day.

You own a boat and are afraid to jump in the water and get wet??????????

So, what's the proper way to beach the boat? Back in and then raise outdrives with trailer switch?
Doing about 30 Kts would do nicely

Guess it depends on how big your wallet is. Measure from your waterline to the bottom of the skeg and add 1 foot. This should be your minimum depth. Anything less can put you at financial risk of damaging the running gear

 

[Bucit]

We do sand bars all the time. I drop my front anchor while backing up towards the sandbar. When I'm close I have a friend toss out the rear anchor. At that point I'll trim my motors all the way up (trailer mode). Someone will jump in, grab the rear anchor and walk us back to the shallowest point. I like waist deep water at the swim platform but we have to deal with tides so it's easier that way. I do believe you can run the motors with the drives up but not past 1000rpms without doing damage.

 

[Tonka Boater]

I do believe you can run the motors with the drives up but not past 1000rpms without doing damage.

You are correct, up 1200 rpm -- but I wouldn't do it. Here's an excerpt from the Merc manual for the BIII...

 

[Jgren]

I appreciate all the responses. We are in Plymouth MA, and yes this is going to be a boat living in saltwater while being moored. I do understand all that comes with the I/O setup including maintenance. The reason I'm on here is to avoid a costly mistake of a wrong decision. My concern is that the water in these parts is frigid until mid season and cold at best mid-late season in our area, so typically we like to be able to set-up for the day in without having freeze to death doing so. So as long as we can trim-up and get in close to beach in waist-deep or less we should be good. It's sounds like the trailer button causes death to the u-joints and bearings even though the manual say's it's capable . We are in the process of looking more closely at the 290 amberjack than the 280 sun dancer because i like to fish. I typically fish one-two days a week and any other time on the boat is cruising with the admiral and friends. Must haves for us are simple:Heat/AC, Fridge, births(one for us and one for a child), head with shower and hot water system, and capable of running in 3ft+/- seas. Deck space is nice for fishing with friends and for people hanging out. Figuring out what is the right boat is a pain in the ass.

 

[Z-Worthy]

I'll throw another idea out there; what about some of the newer center-consoles from Scout, Grady, Regulator? They're starting to put impressive cabins inside those consoles. We have lots of friends transitioning from "express cruisers" to luxury center consoles and they all claim they'll never go back.

 

[dpmulvey]

Based on what you have just posted.... I would look to the Coastal with the outboards. In the long run, you will be way ahead. The O/Bs should have flushing attachments and if not, there is an easy workaround. The OBs will lift out of the water at berth, eliminating corrosion issues. The OBs will trim much higher for beaching without damage.

Beyond the stupid price, the fact that the 370 SR Venture did not go gangbusters still has me scratching my head. The rest of the world is going big boat outboards. We are not. In boating......we aren't that smart....

 

[Billfletcher]

I always thought I pushed it in regards to shallow water anchoring, but looks like I am not alone. I still get a bit nervous when in water less than 5 ft though. Came close to grounding once with a wind change and gusts. Plus we get some fairly significant tidal changes, plus or minus 6 to 7 ft. if the moon is just right.