Spending the day at a local sandbar can be a lot of fun—but it’s important to bring everything you need and that know how to secure your boat safely. While a day out with family and friends is great fun, it’s even better when things go smoothly. Here’s what to know before you go.
The Day Before
Start checking the weather. If the forecast calls for afternoon storms, you may want to plan to be back at the dock before bad weather sets in.
Know the Tide Schedule
When you’re beaching or anchoring your boat in a location that is affected by the changing tides, you’ll need to know the times for high and low tide so you can properly prepare. Click here for our handy tides charts, which cover Anna Maria tides, Sarasota Bay tides, Cortez and Longboat Key tides, Tampa Bay tides and Venice inlet tides.
Review These Anchoring Essentials
Be sure you have the right equipment to properly anchor your boat, which could mean more than one anchor and plenty of anchor rode. If you’re using a power pole or your windlass, be sure you’re familiar with the operation of the equipment before you get to where you’re going.
How to: Anchoring Basics
How-to: Windlass Operation for Easy Anchoring
Beach Your Boat Confidently
Follow these steps to properly and safely beach your boat.
- Remove your anchor from the bow locker and carry it to the stern of the boat, making sure you pass the rode outside the stanchions and under the bow rail before heading to the back of the boat. Keep the other end of the rode attached to the boat.
- Set your anchor with enough scope to hold, but not so much that the boat swings into very shallow water. It may take a few tries to find the sweet spot at a particular beach.
- With the engine in neutral, have a crew member lower the anchor over the side at the stern. When it has touched bottom, motor extremely slowly toward the beach as your crew pays the anchor rode out carefully, keeping it away from the prop(s).
- Continue very slowly into shore as you would normally, cutting the engine and trimming up in plenty of time before the bow nuzzles gently into the sand, where you’ll stay temporarily. (See Figure 2.)
- Unload your crew and gear over the bow. This includes a second stern anchor or sand spike for the beach and line. After securing that second line to an aft cleat, have a crew member walk that second anchor (or spike) toward the beach and set it securely.
- With your crew ashore and the engine(s) remaining trimmed up, pull the boat back into deeper water using the bow anchor rode until you’re satisfied that the stern is well clear of the bottom. (It may help to get a little shove off the sand from someone ashore.) If using a stern anchor, be sure the line is flaked out to run free.
- When you’re a short distance off the beach, snub off your anchor rode at the bow, and pull your stern line so that you get enough tension to hold the boat in place. We suggest that the water be at least waist-deep at the stern. That way, when you put out the boarding ladder, you don’t have to worry about it striking bottom if a big wake comes ashore.
- When it’s time to leave, go out to the boat, climb aboard, pay out a little more scope on the bow anchor rode, pull in some of the stern anchor rode, then have the rest of your crew wade out to the boat and climb aboard. One of your crew can pick up the stern anchor or spike. Next, bring all the stern rode back into the boat and make sure it’s coiled and secured in the cockpit. Don’t forget to pull up the boarding ladder. Then, with your bow anchor rode, pull the boat back to deeper water until it’s safe to lower your engines and fire them up. With the engines in neutral or in idle forward, if needed, pull in the rode and bow anchor, and you’re away.
Tips courtesy of BoatU.S.
Remember the Following Essentials:
- Sunscreen
- Water
- Snacks
- Towels
- Shoes
- Hats
- Sunshirt
- Sunglasses
- Portable grill (optional)
- Beach chairs
- Beach toys
For our list of favorite local sandbars from Anna Maria Island to Venice, click here. Happy boating!
Photo by Everett Dennison