Using crutches
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Posts
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Hello,
I have a Pogo 36 and am tempted by beaching. Does anyone who has used crutches with a lifting keel Pogo have any feedback to share?
Best regards,
Lionel
I didn’t have a crutch on my 30, but I landed along a dock without difficulty.
You just have to accept that the leading edge is potentially a little marked until the next fairing.
Thanks for the feedback, Benoît!
I was, however, looking for feedback on beaching in anchorage areas and, more specifically, information on the use of crutches.
Hello Lionel
I have crutches on my P10.50 and sometimes I fail. What would you like to know?
Claude (Balou)
Hello Claude,
The basic question I have is whether it’s worth investing in crutches.
So I’m wondering if they’re relatively easy to put in place and if, having crutches, you use them regularly.
Lionel
Bruno, owner of a 36, sent us the following reply:
“Beaching on the 36 is not easy. The leading edge of the keel is very thin. The keel generally sinks 15 to 20 cm on a sandy bottom. You have to adjust the height of the crutches accordingly, but it’s impossible to know in advance how much the keel will sink. You also need to make sure that there are no stones to damage it.
You also need to lengthen the crutches if you run aground on concrete.
In short, when I took the crutches, I thought that given the length of the keel, it would have been done without a problem, but that’s not the case..
Malango’s owners have the same problem. The shipyard (IDB Marine) has designed a part to be inserted under the keel before beaching… I bought this part, but the boat sits too flat on its ass!
Best regards
Bruno”
Being able to rest on beaches was one of my criteria for choosing a sailboat. It gives access to great places and makes great memories.
On the other hand, beaching is a delicate operation and you have to take precautions. You have to make sure you don’t land on a rock. You have to make sure there’s no chop so you don’t hit the bottom. There has to be no sea wind to blow the boat ashore when it’s time to refloat. You need to be sure that you’ll be able to leave safely when the boat is afloat. You also need to anticipate and have your crutches in place before you run aground. The keel sinks into the sand, but so do the crutches. Unlike Bruno, I don’t change the crutch length setting. At worst, the pogo will lean a little to one side if the crutches are too short.
The maneuver is a bit painful. No pain, no gain! Even light-alloy stands are heavy and cumbersome. I have to take them out of the trunk (they’re under the dinghy), assemble them, lower them down the sides of the pogo and moor them. All this before the water level has gone down.
In short: beaching in a pogo,
, has to be earned!
Claude
Good evening,
Many thanks to you, Bruno and Claude, for your feedback and for the photos!
It gives me an idea. I didn’t really imagine that beaching was easy. You’ve confirmed it.
The pleasure of beaching in a nice spot seems very tempting to me though. To be seen…
See you later, Lionel
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