Beaching an Epic

[slowyota]

Quick question, as this is the 1st DD I've owned. Can you beach these boats or how do you do it? The other boat we owned was an outboard so you could just raise it and you were good to go. Can't do that with a DD.

Thanks!

[HCollado]

Very, very carefully.

The boat, depending on the amount of stuff you have in it, will only need about 20 inches of water. But since the prop is underneath the boat, it will churn up the bottom of the lake as you approach the shore, thus sand and dirt will be getting into your strainer.

So, approach slowly the minute it touches on the front, shut her down and then finish by hand.

[slowyota]

Hector thanks to the info. I was just afraid that beaching it migh break the fins that are in the front of the hull too. Good to hear that pulling it won't hurt them.
Thanks.

[brad]

I would never intentionally "beach" my Epic.  This is probably just personal preference but I don't want to scratch the hull or run the risk of bending/breaking the fins.

I carry 2 anchors and set the boat off shore with the swim deck closest to shore for easy loading and unloading.

My 2 cents.

[Ktown]

I would recommend a bungee anchor (Anchor Buddy).  I bought one last year to help keep me anchored in a cove where we all were boarding (combats the big wakes).  It was designed to allow you to anchor your boat off the shore but pull it in to let everyone off the boat.  I think you can either anchor and drive to the shore or anchor and swim with a seperate line to pull it to the shore.  Link is below.

http://www.waterskiworld.com/boataccessories/Anchors/AnchorBuddy/anchorbuddy.html

[flyn2001]

I second K-town.  I got an anchor buddy rope a few months back and it is S-W-E-E-T.  I also decided to get a Richter Anchor.  Combined they work really, really good. 


ANCHOR BUDDY
http://www.overtons.com/modperl/product/details.cgi?i=33367&pdesc=Anchor_Buddy_Anchor_Line_Stretches_14_50&aID=25D&merchID=1009&r=view

RICHTER ANCHOR
http://www.overtons.com/modperl/product/details.cgi?i=76821&pdesc=Greenfield_Richter_18_lb_Anchor_For_Boats_Up_22&str=richter&merchID=1008&r=view

[AlrightGuy]

A 'third' from me on the Anchor Buddy.  It works great!

[slowyota]

Thanks guys. I was worried about the fins, so it looks like the anchor's the way to go.