Launching at cullercoats

[jonny2012]

Hi all,im looking to get my boat out this season, im considering using the slip at cullercoats.Ive never launched on the beach before and previously had my boat at seaton sluice so launching on the beach is all new to me.

I dont have a 4x4 but have been told i should manage with my vectra diesel? What are your thoughts and general rules of thumb regarding launching specifically at cullercoats.

The boat is a 16ft wilson flyer type.

any help is appreciated.

[canman]

Hi jonny2012, I launch from Cullercoats all the time. My advice would be to launch 3 hours each side of low water, as then you will be on hard sand with a sloping beach and enough room to take a run at the soft sand and onto the ramp after recovery of your boat. Unless you have a trailer with wobble rollers or brake back trailer, you will struggle to launch or recover once the water is onto the flat soft sand up to the high water mark.
When you have the boat back on the trailer, attach a rope to the trailer from the tow hitch, as long as you have a wheel at the front of your trailer, but don't try to pull straight up the slope of the beach, pull it out at an angle so that it breaks one wheel out of the sand at a time. Same method if you have backed the trailer into the water with your car and winched the boat on, reverse a little then quickly into first gear, pulling the trailer out at an angle.
If you are struggling to move it, don't rev away or you will be well and truly stuck. Just use common sense and you'll be fine, good luck.

[jonny2012]

Thankyou canman, i cant wait to give it a go now.

[Kev1n]

Good advice from Canman, he knows the beach there very well. I’ve launched from there in the past and the biggest problem was the trailer tyres sinking into the sand during recovery. A couple of boards under the wheels could help, or let a lot of air out of the tyres until they’re almost flat. This spreads the weight out over a larger area; you’ll need to pump them up again once you’re on the concrete slip.
The slip is accessed through a locked gate out of hours. The beach lifeguard sell a season pass or day ticket to launch, the season pass comes with a key for the gate giving you much more flexibility over when to launch and recover. You’ll need proof of insurance before they let you launch or give you a key.