Careen a CD36 ?

[David L]

All:

I'm not likely to do this but recent (video) viewing of a Westsail 28 careened on a beach stimulated this thought.

Has anyone careened a CD36? - successfully?

David

[Jim Walsh]

They used to have removeable ballast when this was routine. I wonder if internal ballast would put too much stress on a modern rig. I'd be very wary for this reason.

[Steve Laume]

I posted this question in regards to a CD-30 a couple of years ago. As I recall no one had much experience in the matter. I truly believe it would work fine. The problem is finding the right spot.

I believe you would want very smooth sand, lacking shells and rocks. A fairly steep sloping bottom would be helpful in keeping the boat more upright. A sheltered location without waves or wakes would be good. A large tidal range would be essential. The greater the tide the better as you would spend less time tending and have more time to work.

I wonder how far the water would come up the topsides or deck as she was settling, Steve.

[Amgine]

In some of the out-of-the-way places you'll find they have a tidal grid, which is a platform for doing exactly this. You tie up alongside, the keel settles onto the grid, and you get to work immediately.

I 'accidentally' careened a boat once, only I called it running aground on a falling tide. If I'd needed bottom work I'd have had a great opportunity... gravel bar though. The boat floated off without problems with the next tide, and a tug from a friendly fishing boat. If there'd been an onshore breeze/waves things might have been rather more dicey. Nothing injured but the boot top paint and pride.

[Steve Laume]

In our world of mechanical everything, with machines that will do almost any thing, we lose track of the simple ways. Things that served those before us very well for hundreds of years are no longer used. There are now more Bobcats on a construction site than there are wheelbarrows.

The more I think about it, the better careening sounds. When you consider the stresses and the potential for disaster when using a Travel lift, careening is far more gentle and safer.

The Travel Lift puts all the stress on two points. The boat is tilted in various directions and moved around. There is a chance of an operator damaging the rig or the rudder. There is a very real danger of dropping the entire boat onto a hard paved surface. Then when the boat is set in stands for you to work, it is again only supported by a few blocks and stands. When they power wash there are always those strap areas they miss.

Careening would support the full length of the keel. The boat is fully supported by the water and very gently lowered onto her side at the turn of the hull where she is layed up very strong. There is no way to drop her and nothing for the rig to crash into.

Wooden boats that had lose ballast could put a tremendous strain on the planking fasteners once the support of the water was gone. Our boats with encapsulated lead ballast do not share this trait.

I kind of gave up on the careening idea because of the two to four foot tides we generally have in this area. If the boat were to rest at all it wouldn't give you much time to work before floating again, Steve.

[David L]

Thanks to every one of you for your thoughtful and philosphical replies.

I know I'd be nervous as a kitten with careening, mostly b/c there's no way to stop the process once it starts. I'm also worried about how far the water would rise on the side deck as she settles and then refloats.

Other posts on this board recommend emptying water tanks to avoid spillage. Emptying the holding tank would be a good idea, too! Other than the tank vent, the diesel is in a closed system, so it'd probably be OK.

While close to US shores I'm inclined to stick with travel lifts, but my dreams of global travel involve very tight budgets and out of the way places where lifts might not be available.

I know in places with extreme tides that tying up alongside a quay with the boat vertical is possible. In her book "Taking On The World", Ellen MacArthur does this but the keel of the boat slipped away from the wall on the mud and the rig hit the dock as it tilted.

Many thanks,
David

[Kittiwake]

Well, it wasn't planned, but I can give you my experience with Kittiwake. After a year and a half of not going aground, 3rd trip through GA, I decided to go up a small creek off the Brickhill River to anchor, about noon. Long story shorter, about 1/2 mi in, went aground pretty much middle of the creek, about an hour after high tide. Kittiwake was on her starboard side in the mud, pretty close to flat, with no water within about 10 ft of her, for a couple of hours. Floated off without problems, I think about 9 PM that night. Did not take on any water, did lose some from fresh water tanks (not all), but didn't take advantage of the event to try cleaning the bottom, or wandering around in the cabin, either. Didn't shut-off anything or close seacocks before it all happened, was talking to TowboatUS in Fernindina when I started "over", that was their suggestion. Stayed up on the high side, took a nap, and read some. So, the 28 can do it, though I can tell you I was pretty curious about whether I would start taking on water over the side as the tide started back in..

[Neil Gordon]

... though I can tell you I was pretty curious about whether I would start taking on water over the side as the tide started back in..

If you're on a flat, it doesn't matter much. If you're on a slope, it's important that as the tide goes out, you settle into the hill and not away from it.

[Markst95]

I've wondered about the pronunciation of "Kittiwake". Is it Kitti wake as in a wake from a boat or is is Kitti wakE with a pronounced "e".

[Kittiwake]

As far as I remember, the e is silent (like the wake from a boat) - there are red and black kittiwakes, one in the No Atlantic, I think the other is maybe Bering Sea - see the Kittiwake region of Newfoundland...

[Paul D.]

Years ago, I carreened an old Atkins Ingrid in New Zealand. It worked well and somehow looked right for that style boat. Now I wouldn't try it with a C&C. Our boats would careen nicely and I would not hesitate to do it with our CD 33 with the right set up. Of course, we got a bigger problem if I ever can do that up here on Lake Superior. Anyway, I would keep these things in mind.

1) Always point the boat bow towards the beach if at a pier.
2) Lash the mast base at the deck to a stout fitting on the pier in addition to any dock lines as a method to keep the boat from slipping over
3) Fenders, fenders, fenders everywhere.
4) Double check the tide cycle to make sure you can get off without any drama!

All the best,
Paul