to beach...or not to beach...that is my question

[badmoonrising]

I don't beach, always anchor out. Mostly because we raft up with large cruisers. And yeah, that expensive anti fouling paint will not last long if you beach.

[goldnrod24]

Fortunately unless we are in the middle of season (spring break) the beach we go to is pretty much deserted and the sand bars where we drop off Mr Ed always are.

We just land "Higgins boat" style like D Day most of the time, coming in hot, stuffing it in the sand and bailing out. Usually this is just a quick run for Ed and we get back in the boat and go.

Is dropping Mr. Ed off the same as "dropping the Cosby kids off at the pool?"

[GregF]

Pretty much

[curtiscapk]

Beach but its gravel or mud on our lake.

[Buccaneer]

99% of the time I beach it. [At the island between Betty's and Becky's creek for you SML'ers.]

I'm not sure how - or even if - they would work on a pontoon, but I installed a Keel Guard on my bowrider and it works like a charm. It was easy to apply, and protects the gelcoat / paint from sand, gravel, nicks, dings. etc etc. I've had it on now for 4 summers and it still looks new. And btw, I ended up buying mine off eBay at about 1/2 the retail price.

Just my 2 cents .. =)

[spurhunter]

Hell I beach mine on sand, gravel, rocks, concrete. I went to an aluminum boat so I didn thave to worry about wrecking the hull. My .02

[sprintfan]

will he be the next poster to ask if jb weld works on pontoons?

[spurhunter]

Oh, it does.

[badmoonrising]

Welders hate that stuff though. It's a temporary fix and it makes their job harder.

[pelicantooner]

When we beach the toon, i go in slow, cut the motor and jump off the front and unload everyone. we pickup the front and set it up on the beach. Seems to work for me.

[WaltF]

We do both.
Have no problem beaching.
Toss an anchor off the back about 50 foot from the shore, drive in, tie off back, tie off the front to a tree or something, crank tunes, crack open beer.

Were in fresh water with no tide worries...

[Ron Burgundy]

Were in fresh water with no tide worries...

That's one of my concerns about beaching in the Gulf....but if I bring enough beer I can just wait 8 hours for the tide to come in...

[Ron Burgundy]

Resluts: 68% beach 32% anchor

Maybe I'll give beaching a try until I get my new bottom paint. It might even help scrape off some of the barnacles.

[timmac]

You guys are just to gentle on your boats, hell I just drive mine straight into the beach as far as possible without getting stuck, thats why I prefer not the painted toons, I sometimes think my toon is part amphibious ?? [ hey now thats a project, what would it take ]

[GregF]

Bottom paint is really pretty easy to damage but if you use a polyurethane enamel it is tough enough to put up with a lot of beaching.