Would you be concerned if your boat sat in mud at low tide?

[roguewave]

New boat owner question...

I'm here in Portland Maine, got in a few days ago. The marina (slip) where I'm staying until October or so is very nice, quiet and has a beautiful view of the Portland skyline.
When we came in for the first time a few days ago at low tide we went aground as we were pulling into the slip. Since then I have noticed at max low tide I only have about 2 ft at the bow and 3.5 ft at the stern so that means at every low tide she will be sitting on bottom. I have not noticed it leaning at all and the bottom is soft mud. I know not to fire the engines at low tide. I draw 4ft 2 inch.
Thoughts

 

[Old deckhand]

Depends, we have a single screw with a full shoe and it should not be a problem. Even with this configuration I much prefer to never ground out. Twins are a much different issue.

 

[Moonstruck]

New boat owner question...

I'm here in Portland Maine, got in a few days ago. The marina (slip) where I'm staying until October or so is very nice, quiet and has a beautiful view of the Portland skyline.
When we came in for the first time a few days ago at low tide we went aground as we were pulling into the slip. Since then I have noticed at max low tide I only have about 2 ft at the bow and 3.5 ft at the stern so that means at every low tide she will be sitting on bottom. I have not noticed it leaning at all and the bottom is soft mud. I know not to fire the engines at low tide. I draw 4ft 2 inch.
Thoughts

I would be concerned if using any below waterline intakes. That would include head flushing, running reverse cycle heat pumps, and anything else. Also, clogging those intakes if not being used.

 

[roguewave]

That was my thought, clogging thru hulls while sitting. I'm leaving for a couple weeks so I'm going to have to deal with it

I have twins....

 

[AusCan]

I would be concerned. You never know what is sitting in the "soft" mud.

Even if there was no damage being done to the hull or prop(s), it would obviously limit the times of day when you can come & go.

 

[psneeld]

many boats dry out at low tide...saves on antifouling...

just a lowering tide wont do damage to a well found boat...as long as the bottom is sand or gravel...larger rocks and boulders are a different tune.

it wont do damage if the boat is in a well protected spot...chop beyond what will rock or lift and slam a boat is a different tune also.

your call ...but the knowledgeable locals are often the best source for an opinion.

 

[Ski in NC]

I've seen some bizarre corrosion issues on props and struts that sat in the mud. Galvanic things change in there.

 

[Codger2]

....... I much prefer to never ground out.

Yeh, so do I! Just kidding....I'd get another slip, if possible.
That sitting on the "Mud" thing can't be good for the boat.

 

[Marin]

One of our boats is designed to sit on the bottom when the tide goes out--- it has twin keels that act as a stand. Our PNW boat, on the other hand, is a conventional twin-screw boat with dual rudders and while it has a keel we would not want it sitting on the bottom at low tide. This design of this particular boat is such that even if the water went all the way out and the boat ended up sitting on the keel and a chine the prop and rudder on the low side would not contact the bottom. But as others have said, you never know what's on the bottom and some of the raw water intakes on our boat are in positions that they would be liable to clogging or sucking in mud and muck if we started the engines or generator.

So we would not want this boat sitting on the bottom periodically at low tide.

 

[Heron]

...I'd get another slip

Ditto...

 

[Drake]

There is a profoundly easy solution that you seem to have missed.

BRING THE BOAT HOME TO TEXAS!!!!!'

 

[roguewave]

There is a profoundly easy solution that you seem to have missed.

BRING THE BOAT HOME TO TEXAS!!!!!'

Muuust.....explore......Maine....first

 

[markpierce]

In my first berth the boat was on mud the second day. (Parts of the marina had silted in and the documented berth depths were out-of-date.) Changed berths the next day. Thankfully, there were vacancies.

 

[Sailor of Fortune]

Management should be willing to work with you on changing slips.

 

[BruceK]

It could accelerate hull fouling too. I hope you get a move.

 

[dwhatty]

Muuust.....explore......Maine....first

Just watch out for the fog, ledges and lobster buoys on your exploration.

 

[ulysses]

Double up your lines, start the engines and idle ahead or back depending on which way you want the mud to run and dig yourself a shallow hole to sit in.

 

[Capecodder]

On Cape Cod the town of Mashpee has/had a marina named Half Tide Marina for years, (no one could move if less than half tide). New fancy owner changed the name but not the depth. Personal dredging was done when no one was looking. Running in gear tied to dock.

 

[N4712]

Seems common for trawlers. Note: this is not my picture, this was off the trawler photos page on FB.

 

[roguewave]

Talked to one of the owners today, they are gonna drag the slip and see how that does. At least he's willing to try. The spot is great for a new guy and the view is fantastic so I'm gonna see. The winter was brutal for marinas

 

[Codger2]

Double up your lines, start the engines and idle ahead or back depending on which way you want the mud to run and dig yourself a shallow hole to sit in.

It could work! I love it!

 

[Peter B]

Ironically, I have the opposite situation. Where I am in our marina, the depth is 7 metres under the boat - they dredged our section out really well - other areas not so deep, but deep enough. Actually, Moreton Bay being what it is, on a common trip out, unless we head up to the more northern and open parts of the bay, our berth is the deepest sounding we see.

At least if you drop something valuable overboard at the berth, you have a reasonable chance of recovery. When I dropped my bow roller assembly, (yeah….forgot to tie a line to it - I was "just seeing how it looked" - it slipped, bounced off the dock, and you guessed it), it cost me two cartons of beer to a nearby berth-holder with scuba gear to retrieve it.

 

[FF]

"Double up your lines, start the engines and idle ahead or back depending on which way you want the mud to run and dig yourself a shallow hole to sit in."

This just moves the mud to another slip or into the channel.

If the slip was deep last year and its just mud , no problem , you will soon push a hole bigger than the boat .

Olnu operate the engine when fully afloat , and check the strainers as a precaution when you leave.

Sometimes the best slips have a minor hassle , mud is one.