beach launching / capture

[bentgixxer]

New to ski's, and curious about beach / shore launching and capture.

YES, i tried to search 1st, but every time i click in the search box, the page refreshes itself.

What is an optimum way to launch from the beach? I live 2 blocks from the water, and there are several ramps, but i would like to be able to launch from the beach.

I drive a 97 Mazda B2300, and my trailer is a shorelander. I am afraid of getting it stuck / flooding my truck getting too close to the water. I have seen people unhook the trailer and walk it into the water, my concern is if I am by myself, I wont be able to drag the ski / trailer to and from the water.

I've considered buying a larger trailer, like a 14-16' jon boat trailer, or using those slick bunk slides and extending or adding an angle to the bunks on the back and mounting a temp winch site in the bed of my truck and winching the ski onto the trailer.

Any thoughts? info is appreciated!!

 

[Dr Honda]

Generally... it's not allowed. But... what kind of beach? Is it rocky/gravel... or is it "Beach" sand?

 

[bentgixxer]

loose beach sand, I'm unsure of the legality here in Texas, or the city regulations. I see people all the time doing it. ( doesn't make it right, of course )


My concern about the winch setup, is i wouldn't want to stress the latch point on the ski.

 

[Hghgrad]

We have one paved launch at our normal lake, but we launch the skis right next to that on the beach. Even with the empty trailer, and 4wd, It can get a bit hairy getting the truck back out of there. This of course is a designated launch area. I've pulled half a dozen trucks out of there this year, mostly because it's pretty shallow and we're putting the trucks halfway into the water...and getting buried trying to get back out.

Probably best to just use the paved launch and keep yourself from getting towed out.

 

[Seadoobuddy]

Don't remember where I saw it, maybe it was home made.....but a cradle to hold the ski with huge balloon tires. It's something that would take a few people to move it. but it worked well on the beach in the video....

mmmm maybe rampage (forum member) had it??? Maybe it was one of the jetski Junkies that had it.....sorry but can't recall.....but it's a starting point.

 

[Dr Honda]

Well..............


Since it's a true "Beach".... I would NOT take a truck and trailer down there. UNLESS you are properly equipped. Basically you need wide "Flotation" type tires on the truck, and the trailer. If you have the standard 4.80 or 5.20 tires on the trailer... it's going to sink to the axle. At the minimum... you will want to put on the wide "Golf Cart" style tires on the trailer. BUT... even better will be automotive sized tires, and you will want them to be 6" to 10" wide.

That also goes for the truck. 31x10.50 tires minimum. If the truck is 2wd... don't even consider it.


In my younger days... I grew up in SoCal... and I had A LOT of experience with driving in sand. We would ride in Glamis, and Pismo Beach all the time. There was several times when we got trailers stuck, and needed 2 or 3 other 4wd vehicles to get out. Remember... once you start to dig in the sand... you are DONE!!.

 

[socalsavage]

I live in San Diego and we have a place called fiesta island that has jet ski only area we launch from the beach. Yes 4x4 is very much needed in these conditions. I have a 4x4 we use to launch from with a triple ski trailer. A couple weeks ago I had to pull someone out in a lifted 2 wheel drive that was buried to the axles and the tide was coming up. Water to the doors and rear dick cepek tires completely under water. It took about and hour and 10 guys to pull him out with my Titan 4x4 but we did it. I would not beach launch without 4 wheel drive because you never know if someone will be around to pull you out.

 

[Spimothy Leary]

you can throw one of these in the truck bed.