CP-19 sitting on her keel

[Ted]

This past year we up and moved onto a lake here in Central Florida. My 19 is tied up in front of our house and it's mighty convenient. About two weeks ago I went on an extended trip and upon my return, the lake level had dropped about a foot. The old girl is sitting up high in the water and I can't budge her. I could potentially knock her over and drag her out to deeper water with my bass boat, but I am not sure that is a good idea. I am sure she will drag a bit on the way out.

Anybody have a similar experience?

So long as there are no hurricanes I suppose it doesn't hurt anything except my ability to sail her. I could just wait it out. We have been really dry here and should be getting some rain soon.

[Ted]

Well, I know this was a hot topic... but I got her out. I just used the masthead halyard and pulled her over on her side. She would float a bit and I horsed her forward a few feet, took a breather and then then repeated this a couple times. When I was almost in the clear, a guy with a bass boat pulled me the rest of the way. I sailed her across Alligator Lake and took her out at a boat ramp down a canal.

So, for future reference, just "keel haul" her a bit and you can move her if there is still some water. I figured it was 18 to 19 inches for about 100 feet.

I have learned that each May they drop down the water levels in this lake so people can repair docks and seawalls before hurricane season hits.

[MacGyver]

Wow,

Either way buddy she can sit on her keel. the boat was made to do so.

And your retrieval methods were common even on the up to 40 foot boats we used to have to save from being grounded when I was in that business........ hair raising when doing it on boats that size let me tell you!

Mac

[Chris D]

Way to go Ted!

[wes]

I recently witnessed a brave and skillful solo sailor get his 28' sailboat off a hard grounding near Ocracoke Island NC. He kept all sails hoisted and trimmed so the wind would heel him over, then walked an anchor out on the leeward side, set it by hand and winched the anchor rode until he hauled himself off. Had the aid of a few power boat wakes, always helpful in this situation. Boats can take a lot of stress - more than most humans.

Wes