Beaching, and getting dogs in and out of the boat

[SaltH2OHokie]

Words of advice, cautionary tales, tips, tricks, etc so far as beaching the 19-6 is concerned?  Previous house we occasionally beached our boats, but more often the depth change was so gradual that we anchored in water deep enough to float the boat at low tide and waded to our destination.  When we did beach, it was often more mud than sand, so I never much worried about the boat...

New house, lots of great little sand bars, barrier islands, etc. that are washed out on the backsides with enough depth that when the keel hits sand, the water in the stern is still deep enough to dive in...so the anchoring out and wading in days are behind us I believe.

I know it ain't rocket science, but I want to make sure I'm not committing some major faux pas by easing her up onto the sand every weekend.

Second question: 290 had a tuna door (doggie door) that worked great for my two hounds...19-6 has no such contraption.

Anyone have any brilliant ramp solutions they've used for getting dogs on and off the boat?  My male dog weighs 100+ lbs and has claws that could probably gouge fiberglass 1/4" deep without blinking, so the "heft him over the transom" method is definitely not my favorite idea.

I'm thinking build something that could go from the bow into the water and be buoy'd by a few fenders or something lashed to it.  Part I'm not sure on is how I would secure it on the "boat" side.

Thanks in advance.

[Georgie]

Ryan,

I'm confused a bit...the 196 is not that big of a boat and doesn't have a elevated cap like a CCP so the gunwales are pretty low.  Can your dogs not just climb/jump over the gunwale into the sand or shallows when you beach the boat?  

Not trying to sound stoopid, but just having trouble grasping your specific situation/scenario.

Regarding the beaching, I don't think you'd ever do any major damage other than gelcoat abrasion/wear from the sand unless you accidentally found a large rock.  Just ease her up to the sand, give her a nudge with the throttle if you have enough water depth, and then bed your anchor a bit further up the beach and tie her off tight o make sure she doesn't go anywhere.  The only common problem with beaching is not taking tides into account; especially getting caught high and dry by a rapidly descending tide and being forced to wait 6 hours before you can go home.

[flounderpounder225]

2 anchors, toss the bow anchor, back down until your stern is in shallow enough to step over in, jump out set the stern anchor in the sand and tighten up the bow.  Boat will ride nicely in the waves created by the dumb-a$$s who cant idle along, and its easy in and out of the boat.. I never bow up on the beach, of course my Osprey gunwale at the bow sitting on the beach is almost head height for me at 6-2".

[Group W Bench]

Check out Paws Aboard. It is a foldable dog ramp. We had one for our 15 year old mutt that was given to us and it worked very well. We gave it to another buddy with an old mutt a few years ago and he still uses it. You could build something comparable for short change.

[GoneFission]

X2 on Paws Aboard - and the price is right on Amazon now:

http://www.amazon.com/Paws-Aboard-Doggy ... t+boarding

[gran398]

Ditto what Marc said

Stern-to with two anchors....set it and forget it.

[SaltH2OHokie]

Ryan,

I'm confused a bit...the 196 is not that big of a boat and doesn't have a elevated cap like a CCP so the gunwales are pretty low.  Can your dogs not just climb/jump over the gunwale into the sand or shallows when you beach the boat?  

Not trying to sound stoopid, but just having trouble grasping your specific situation/scenario.

Female, yes...will jump out of anything...sometimes while we're still moving.

Male...he's big and slow.  He gets scared, and right about when you go to help drag him over, he freaks out and you either get to wrestle him in, or he gets away, and then is so traumatized it takes treats/coaxing to get him back close enough to try again.  He's an odd bird.  He needs a red carpet thrown out so as to minimize the effort on my part and his.

Clicked submit too soon...

Paws aboard: We'd waffled about trying it, and that's the basis of what I'd like to build...the price just seemed steep for what it was...especially since I neither have a ladder, nor plan to add a ladder, so I'd have to modify it right off the bat.  Might try to build something this weekend, and if it fails, I'll buy the real thing.  Glad to hear it has worked for y'all...at least that confirms that its not just marketing videos, but that it has real-life value.  Thanks.  Either of y'alls dogs hefty size?

Stern to:  I need stern cleats for that     Plus, easing up with the bow and jumping off with an anchor in hand is so much easier.  And, if the tide leaves me high and dry, that just provides the excuse I needed to stay another 6 hours on the sandbar.  If y'all talk me into anchoring out, I'll lose that excuse right off the bat!

[gran398]

Ry, took a look at that paws aboard and got to thinking.....how about an old kiddie sliding board, and put wooden treads on it??

[SaltH2OHokie]

Ry, took a look at that paws aboard and got to thinking.....how about an old kiddie sliding board, and put wooden treads on it??

I like it...I just ordered 2 round fenders (to get my Jamestown order of barrel bolts up to $50 for free shipping) figuring they could serve as buoys/floats for the "water" end of whatever I built...now I'll just have to find some unsuspecting swing-set that could do without their slide    then all that's left is securing it on the "boat" side...which ought not be too terribly difficult to figure out.

[gran398]

Sweet! Those things are everywhere....until you need one

You'll find it...maybe check with the school system...or post up on Craig's.

[Aswaff400]

mine will try to climb up in the boat herself and if i pull the transom shallow enough, she'll climb on the swim platform and in the boat herself no problem. but if its slightly too deep she wont get in the boat. 85 lb lab-mix.