Shallow slip - ok or not?

[britinusa]

(We're a Tall Rig Fin Keel with a 5' 7" draft.)

I checked out a shallow slip today, it's about 4'4" at low tide (not quite spring tide) but is in a great location for us for a whole bunch of reasons.

But the 4'4" depth below the mast means the boat will be in the mud by over a foot, twice a day! It also means we would not be able to get into or out of the slip for a at least 2 hours either side of low tide.

The low tide restraint is not so great as we already have a 1.5 hour restriction in our current slip, I could live with the extra half hour limitation.

There's a C36 a couple of slips down, and it was stuck in the mud when I took soundings today at low tide, to my knowledge, the C36 has used that slip for well over a year.

So, my questions. Anyone currently or previously experiencing a similar situation? Any chance of keel damage? Is this a 'Don't do it' or 'You'll be ok' situation?

Thanks.

Paul

[Ron Hill]

Paul : Too bad you don't have a wing!! 

I "dredged out" a friends slip with my "wing Keel".  Let the boat go down into the mud at low tide.  Then took the boat slowly out of the slip at hi tide.  Then sped up well out of the slip and let the water wash all the mud off the wings!!  Did that a couple of times!!

A thought

[britinusa]

From what I have read, in SoFla, there's legislation that forbids dredging below 5' below MLW although no permit is required to 'Maintain' an existing dock/slip in an existing waterway.
However, the cost of dredging is huge! and doesn't alter the access/egress tide limitation.

Still wondering (hopefully) if anyone is slipped in similar depths and can report directly on the consequences.

(Of course, Hurricanes with both Surge and Splurg are another impact, but the benefit of the slip is being able to increase the use of the boat.)



Paul

[Stu Jackson]

I would find another slip.  Being in the mud half of the day means the bottom paint on your keel isn't going to last long.

[Noah]

Boats are intended to float in the water and when out of the water, they should be properly supported/blocked. IMO sitting on the keel stuck in the mud...doesn't fit either case.

[britinusa]

We declined the slip. Ideal as the location is, I couldn't sleep thinking of Eximius scratching up and down in the mud.

Moving on.

Paul