Winching an H-18 Up the Beach

I am tired of busting my b*lls pulling the H-18 50 feet up the 10-15 degree sand beach we have.

We want to know who has figured out how to winch an H-18 up the beach ....on a wheel-set...single handlely?

I think attaching the cable to the dolphin stricker...having the cat wheels loose under the shrouds...and somehow controlling the winch while balancing the hulls on the cat wheels would work.

Who has done this already??? What do I need to know??? Thanks.

Yes, I have done this!

-Ok, bear with me here, I am a beginner and won't have all the correct names for things here-

In fact, after the first time out on my Hobie 18, (Humping the beast up and down the beach on a pair or beach wheels) I knew I HAD to come up with a better solution.

So, I looked around and saw what I had. I had a trailer with a winch sitting near the brush and about 50 yards of beach at low tide between it and the water. Hmmmm.

Here is what I did. I got three 10 foot sections of 4 inch PVC pipe, about 75 yards of steel cable and a cabeener type clasp for the end of the cable (with the doodads to anchor it on - can get all this at Home Depot) and a lot of rope.

I tied the rope off to a tree in the brush and then to the trailer (because the boat would pull the trailer down the beach and not the other way around if it wasn't anchored in somewhere). I then pulled the cable down the beach and secured it to the cross bar under the mast. I then put a section of PVC pipe at the water's edge, one a couple of feet back and then another a few more feet back. I then backed the beached boat by hand into the water - making sure the rudders were up. I lined it up with PVC pipe on the beach and then pushed until bow was on the first set of pipe and then slipped up onto the second two. Ideally, I tired to get all three equidistant under the boat.

Now, here is where it is easier to do with two people but I have done it many times with one. You go up to the trailer and stand on it and reel like heck. When the stern comes off the back PVC pipe, you have to stop reeling and go back and put it under the front and repeat. Like I said, it's easier with two people but it beats pushing the beast up a sandy beach when you're alone.

When you get to the trailer, you have to go slow and lift the bow and make sure it is correctly aligned with the trailer. Go a foot or so at a time to make sure you all lined up.

The cool thing about the PVC pipe is that I lash it off to my wings and carry them when I sail. When I get to a beach I want to explore, I push the boat up on the beach and totally out of the water with ease.

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BrooklynSailor
Brooklyn, NY

I have the same dilemma. I use the beach wheels, and have to get help to push my H-18 up the beach. I also need to climb a 10 degree slope and go for about 30 ft. It's impossible if I don't have 2 guys to help, and even then it's a lot of work to get her up the beach.

I was thinking of cementing a 4x4 green post into the ground and attaching an electric winch to that....?

My question, same as above, is where to attach the cable to the front of the boat? Will the dolphin striker bend?

DO NOT attach the cable to the dolphin striker.

It has no real support for lateral stresses, and is very easily broken when stressed in that direction.

if you must attach to the dolphin striker, be absolutely sure that it stays as close as possible to the beam itself to reduce the leverage on the post.

The best way would be to wrap the strap around the front cross bar itself, right near the base of the mast, threading your cable/strap down thru the lacing between the tramp sections.

one other better idea than attaching to the Dolphin striker would be to make some sort of a "bridle" with a line threaded around the front crossbar between the tramp and the inside edge of the hull in that opening between the front cross bar and where the outer edge of the tramp actually enters the track and goes back towards the rear cross bar.

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If the grass is greener on the other side of the fence, maybe it is time to water your own lawn.

I think that would work as long as the post is cemented deep enough.

I wrap the cable around the cross bar under the mast on both sides then clip it back to itself. You could also make a sort or harness with lines of rope and tie the to the cross bar at multiple points. You could then attached all the loose end of those lines to a metal ring and then attach cable to that ring. This would distribute the force evenly across the bar.

I would definately NOT attach it to the dolphin striker or the mast.

I would also get plastic coated cable as it will avoid scratching the cross bar and keep it from rusting.

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BrooklynSailor
Brooklyn, NY