Sitting in the muck...

[jcollins]

This is a question I asked on another board before I purchased my boat. And, before this board existed. Since I'm considering leaving the boat in the water longer, let me have your opinions please.

My creek has a muck/silt bottom. No rocks to speak of. Mostly muck and shells. During the winter it''s not unusual for the wind to blow most of the water out. Leaving 1' of water where the boat is docked.

What are you opinions about your boat sitting on the bottom during a low-low tide? NOT starting the engine is a given. What about muck and the intakes? Should I worry?

[Denis]

John, two things I would worry about.

1. Is the keel, rudder, prop. made to take that kind of weight and what harm will it do to the steering and drive train?

2. Is there wave action that will rock the boat when it is high and dry?

Im not sure I would do that to my boat, just my opinion.

[Elizabeth Ann]

I wouldn't do it.

[Tuxedo]

I would worry about the raw water intake. The muck can get forced into the water intake even if you don't run the engine.

[chiefrcd]

If you're drawing 38" as I am....and you're setting in 12" of water...thats an awful lot of weight sitting on just the keel/rudder shoe. I've seen sail boats that draw 48" setting in 2 feet of water and it's really hard on the steering gear. Also, they usually are layed over either against the dock or against a piling. How are you going to keep the boat upright? I'd look to either dredge out a spot for your boat to sit in or put in a lift. Seen plenty of boats that have wallowed out their spots for low tide...with some help.

[DougSea]

I'd want to know more about just how thick this mud is. From the other guys responses they're thinking you'd be sitting up on your skeg. That may not be the case if the bottom is really soft.

How much tidal flow do you get where the boat is docked? If it's decent you could move the boat a few feet forward, make her fast to the dock and 'blow out' a hole for the skeg and rudder to sit in.

All in all though I'm not sure I'd let my boat sit in a third of the water she needs on a regular basis. Once or twice in a pinch...JMHO

[jcollins]

Thanks for all your comments. The muck is easily 4' before you can touch anything solid. When sitting in the much it doesn't list to one side or the other. Just settles down into it. The raw water intake is my main concern. I know it's hitting the bottom.
Yesterday was the opposite. The wind was from the south-east which blew water into the creek. These shots were taken about 2 hrs. past high tide. When I first got there, the water was just touching the bottom of the pier.

[gerygarcia]

I would be hesitant.
Even in the best case scenario, over time, even with a soft mud bottom, your rudder shaft will get bent up and/or warped leading to costly repairs later on.

[Veebyes2]

I'm not 100% familiar with the underwater gear of a 28 other than a quick look at one at the plant this month. I am very familiar with the 27 & 32. I would not let any weight be applied to the shoe of either of these for fear of breaking the shoe from the end of the keel.

I believe the 28 is a bit different, not having a full keel but a substantial hollow fin of sorts which the shaft runs through. In a boatyard I would not hesitate in blocking under this fin. It is, after all, there in part to protect the protect the prop & rudder from hitting obstructions. As such, it must be solidly atacthed to the hull.

It is preferable to have the boat floating at all times but I would do a little engine 'tuning' which will require it to be put in gear &, if the muck is so soft around the dock, blow a hole for the boat to float in.

Got fresh water (hose) at the end of the dock? Use that for your intake so you won't suck up muck while you do it. Depending on dredging ordinances in your area these engine 'maintenance' procedures may best be carried out nocturnaly.

I didn't say a word.

[TonyAmalfitano]

I think you guys jinxed me! We had exceptionally low tides today. Where I normally have 6 feet under me, I had 2 feet today. It would have been easyer to step up onto the pilot house roof, then it was to jump down 4 feet to the deck from my finger pier. My friend and boat neighbor is sitting on the bottom. Several boats are resting on their outdrives. I owned a sailboat, and had my slip blown out to clear the keel, or I'd be sitting in the MUCK myself.

[DougSea]

I think you guys jinxed me! We had exceptionally low tides today. Where I normally have 6 feet under me, I had 2 feet today. It would have been easyer to step up onto the pilot house roof, then it was to jump down 4 feet to the deck from my finger pier. My friend and boat neighbor is sitting on the bottom. Several boats are resting on their outdrives. I owned a sailboat, and had my slip blown out to clear the keel, or I'd be sitting in the MUCK myself.

Those non-stop west winds were something weren't they! I had the weather (WX) on the VHF on last night, they were saying that the whole northeast would be seeing tides that were 2-3 feet lower than predicted.

I took a drive down to our club last night and walked out to the end of the pier about 30 minutes before low tide. The club is on an Island, last night it was a peninsula! Haven't seen it that low in ages!

John - I have to admit that the more I think about it I'd be tempted to keep my boat in. Veebyes 'hole suggestion' is much like my earlier one, which would take care of the skeg. As for the water intake - I was thinking about Tomcat's fresh water flush system. If you hook up a garden hose fitting you could back-flush any muck out of the raw water intake before starting the engine.

[Mariner]

If you want to do it, you can. It is very common practice here to let a boat go dry at low tide, as we have 15' of tide change every day.

However, given your unique situation, there are a few things that would need to happen. First, you would want to lay railroad ties down under the keel and any contact points to prevent the boat from sinking too far into the mud. Second, you need to have some pilings driven so that the boat can be secured to them so it won't fall over. Unless you want to be out there every day to ensure it leans the right way, you need a set of four, two on each side.

If you notice that the boat sinks into the mud, you will need to backflush any sumberged through-hulls when it floats again. If it sinks REALLY deep into the mud, you could be in deep trouble, because the suction could prevent the boat from re-floating and the water could come pouring in over the gunnels as the tide comes in. This is really going to depend on just how soft the mud is.

This is an odd problem that we don't face here, so good luck.

[DBM]

What we used to do for our boat we used to keep in parish creek off the west river on the bay, was during a normal or low tide we would secure the boat into the slip and let it run in gear for 10-15 min to basically blow out the slip. Then during the fall and winter blows that would basically empty the creek, we would be floating in our own little hole.

Also, it's really common for downeast hulls to sit on their keels and i've had my shamrock sit on it's keel, but the shamrock has a full solid keel, and i don't know enough about the albin's keel to make a recomentation.

Blow your self a whole and don't worry about it.

David
Liberty
Oxford MD

[jcollins]

It's never (never say never) been less than 1' so I don't worry about the suction or a list. But the through hulls do bother me. Don't have fresh water on the pier or I would back flush. Your suggestions to blow a hole seem to be the answer. Looks like I'll be doing some "engine tuning" this weekend. By the way, the pics I posted above are VERY unusual. That was 6' when taken. Prior to that it was 6.5'. Normal high tide at the pier is 4'. Low tide is 2 1/2 - 3'. I already have somewhat of a hole. About 1 foot.
It is beautiful where I keep the boat and have the weekend house. The only downside is the shallow water. That first 1/4 mile makes it impossible to go out on a low tide. Coming in? We don't. Anchor out or pull into a neighbors pier.

[tomcat rio]

just sounds like an unnatural act to me.