Can you beach our boats on sandy or small gravel beaches?

[SoCalAngler]

Going on a trip to a lake that has sandy and small gravel beaches. Common sense tells me it would be OK if beach is fine sand and NO gravel whatsoever.

I wanted to know if beaching your pontoon is practiced by any of you here on our forum? Has it dented, scratched, or damaged your pontoons? Is this beaching practice acceptable or ill advised? What would be considered to large a gravel for beaching?

Thanks

[smoker62]

I beach mine on sandbars all the time. I have pulled up on a flat sand stone covered beach as well. Mine has welded on keel guards and on flat sand stone thats all that really touches. I am not that OCD that I worry about it. Jagged stone or uneven stone bottom that could puncture , then yes , Id anchor out. I have two Stick It Anchor Pins so I can usually peg it floating and still be shallow enough to walk in if I happen on a rocky beach. But thats just me .

[Mosnowman]

Never if any gravel is present....small gravel can be very sharp. I would love to beach it because of ease but I am definitely not comfortable with it....my two cents...

[OK Toon]

If I just need to beach it on gravel for a few minutes to load or unload from the trailer, I will since it's just me on the boat. But I wouldn't beach it on any gravel if we are out for a joy ride and want to stop for awhile when there are extra people on board. The added weight and passing boat waves will make the toon grind down into the gravel which could lead to a puncture. Luckily most of the places we stop to hang out on our lake are all really nice sand or mud (not bad for the toons, but horrible on the carpet).

[Bryden24shp]

I'll beach on sand as long as the stern of the boat is deep enough to not suck sand into the L/U. I beach in an old sand pit, which does have some pebbles and very small rocks in it. Its rubbed the sharkhide off the lower portions of the nosecones, but has done no damage. If you talking like road rock sized rocks....Ain't no way, I could see that causing some damage. Guess I would say use your best judgement, if you look at it and wonder about it being safe.... Don't do it... And don't do it because other people do, there are a lot of people that don't give a damn about their boats, just wanna find a spot and get hammered!

[Texoma Toon]

I beach mine on sand beaches at Texoma. Never on a rocky beach or one that is pebbles only. I do push it out to deeper water when leaving a beach.
Always raise the motor up when the toon is on the beach. You don't want wave action rocking the motor up and down in the sand.

[STEVEBRENDA]

We beach on gravel bars all of the time. Our nose cones are reinforced.

The reason I bought a pontoon was so I could pull up on shore. If I have to anchor out all of the time, I probably would have bought a faster more efficient fiberglass deck boat.

[RcgTexas]

I have touched in on all sorts of bottoms. Key word is "touch". I have nosed in on a concrete ramp to board someone handicapped. I have "V" rails on the bottom of my toons so I don't worry about it too much. You just have to be careful, and if there are wakes from boats you might not want to stay beached on gravel very long.

[dockside]

If your toon will puncture that easily, I would be scared to drive it.

[curtiscapk]

depending on lake level we could be in mud one week or pebbles\small rocks the next... We never hesitate just go in super slow with everyone to the back and once beached stick the motor and she never moves!

[tcpip95]

I used to do it frequently with my boat - which is bottom-painted. After wearing of the bottom-paint the first time, I don't do it anymore. I'll leave the boat in 2-3' of water. If people want to go on the beach they can walk.

[redbeard]

Just have to add if I want to stop at a place I do it. Had alum boats my whole life never had a hole it one yet knock on wood. Just keep the motor off the bottom and enjoy your boat.