Beaching a Nordic Tug
Hello to the group,
I own 32-116 now called HAMLET.
While on an RV trip to Nova Scotia, I saw trawlers beached at their dock after the enormous tides in the bay of fundy receded. It got me wondering if a Nordic Tug hull was robust enough to beach and let her come on her side and keel in a soft sand. Has anyone in the group done this before. Obviously shitting down all on board equipment is a key part of such an evolution.
It seems a much easier and cheaper way to change a transom zinc than having the boat hauled out of the water or getting a diver, with added bonus to scrub marine growth from the hull one side at a time.
Let me know your experiences in this regard.
Thanks,
Tracy Burke, K4EIX
Amateur Radio Operator
Sent from my iPhone
Its really the same thing as hauling out as the boat sits on its own keel and the jack stands are just there to keep the boat from falling over… so yes its built to be ok with that just like most sailboats. Obviously you don’t want the boat leaned over to much or it might cause havoc with your storage lockers and possibly some fluids. Friends of ours got their sailboat stuck on a sandbar and much of their holding tanks leaked out on to the floor.
--Dave
~ ~̃ ~ _/) ~~̃ ☼
On Aug 19, 2026, at 8:46 PM, Tracy Burke via Sentoa sentoa@lists.sentoa.org wrote:
Hello to the group,
I own 32-116 now called HAMLET.
While on an RV trip to Nova Scotia, I saw trawlers beached at their dock after the enormous tides in the bay of fundy receded. It got me wondering if a Nordic Tug hull was robust enough to beach and let her come on her side and keel in a soft sand. Has anyone in the group done this before. Obviously shitting down all on board equipment is a key part of such an evolution.
It seems a much easier and cheaper way to change a transom zinc than having the boat hauled out of the water or getting a diver, with added bonus to scrub marine growth from the hull one side at a time.
Let me know your experiences in this regard.
Thanks,
Tracy Burke, K4EIX
Amateur Radio Operator
Sent from my iPhone
Sentoa mailing list -- sentoa@lists.sentoa.org
To unsubscribe send an email to sentoa-leave@lists.sentoa.org
Yes, Greta Marie was on a sand bar on the ICW for a few hours one day. She sunk down into the sand/mud. As the tide rose Seatow pulled us out. There was no damage, we continued on to FLA. I wouldn't do this intentionally, but it might be ok.
Paul
Greta Marie (32-248) Portsmouth, NH
On Aug 19, 2026, at 9:57 PM, Dave Wright via Sentoa sentoa@lists.sentoa.org wrote:
Its really the same thing as hauling out as the boat sits on its own keel and the jack stands are just there to keep the boat from falling over… so yes its built to be ok with that just like most sailboats. Obviously you don’t want the boat leaned over to much or it might cause havoc with your storage lockers and possibly some fluids. Friends of ours got their sailboat stuck on a sandbar and much of their holding tanks leaked out on to the floor.
--Dave
~ ~̃ ~ _/) ~~̃ ☼
On Aug 19, 2026, at 8:46 PM, Tracy Burke via Sentoa sentoa@lists.sentoa.org wrote:
Hello to the group,
I own 32-116 now called HAMLET.
While on an RV trip to Nova Scotia, I saw trawlers beached at their dock after the enormous tides in the bay of fundy receded. It got me wondering if a Nordic Tug hull was robust enough to beach and let her come on her side and keel in a soft sand. Has anyone in the group done this before. Obviously shitting down all on board equipment is a key part of such an evolution.
It seems a much easier and cheaper way to change a transom zinc than having the boat hauled out of the water or getting a diver, with added bonus to scrub marine growth from the hull one side at a time.
Let me know your experiences in this regard.
Thanks,
Tracy Burke, K4EIX
Amateur Radio Operator
Sent from my iPhone
Sentoa mailing list -- sentoa@lists.sentoa.org
To unsubscribe send an email to sentoa-leave@lists.sentoa.org
Sentoa mailing list -- sentoa@lists.sentoa.org
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Personally, I wouldn’t risk it. There are too many ways that could go sideways & all that just to save a few bucks on a proper boat lift?
In Alaska, there are boat cradles built to allow this sort of maintenance at low tide.
-evan
TUGAWAY
NT-37-148
Sent from my iPhone
(please excuse the typos...)
On Aug 19, 2026, at 19:26, Paul Tangen via Sentoa sentoa@lists.sentoa.org wrote:
<image0.jpeg>
Yes, Greta Marie was on a sand bar on the ICW for a few hours one day. She sunk down into the sand/mud. As the tide rose Seatow pulled us out. There was no damage, we continued on to FLA. I wouldn't do this intentionally, but it might be ok.
Paul
Greta Marie (32-248) Portsmouth, NH
On Aug 19, 2026, at 9:57 PM, Dave Wright via Sentoa sentoa@lists.sentoa.org wrote:
Its really the same thing as hauling out as the boat sits on its own keel and the jack stands are just there to keep the boat from falling over… so yes its built to be ok with that just like most sailboats. Obviously you don’t want the boat leaned over to much or it might cause havoc with your storage lockers and possibly some fluids. Friends of ours got their sailboat stuck on a sandbar and much of their holding tanks leaked out on to the floor.
--Dave
~ ~̃ ~ _/) ~~̃ ☼
On Aug 19, 2026, at 8:46 PM, Tracy Burke via Sentoa sentoa@lists.sentoa.org wrote:
Hello to the group,
I own 32-116 now called HAMLET.
While on an RV trip to Nova Scotia, I saw trawlers beached at their dock after the enormous tides in the bay of fundy receded. It got me wondering if a Nordic Tug hull was robust enough to beach and let her come on her side and keel in a soft sand. Has anyone in the group done this before. Obviously shitting down all on board equipment is a key part of such an evolution.
It seems a much easier and cheaper way to change a transom zinc than having the boat hauled out of the water or getting a diver, with added bonus to scrub marine growth from the hull one side at a time.
Let me know your experiences in this regard.
Thanks,
Tracy Burke, K4EIX
Amateur Radio Operator
Sent from my iPhone
Sentoa mailing list -- sentoa@lists.sentoa.org
To unsubscribe send an email to sentoa-leave@lists.sentoa.org
Sentoa mailing list -- sentoa@lists.sentoa.org
To unsubscribe send an email to sentoa-leave@lists.sentoa.org
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Several years back I had a Mainship 1 with a similar hull design. but 10" or so less draft that was docked on a tidal creek behind our house. It was left high and dry in soft mud twice a day while I rebuilt her with no ill effect other than fresh water flushing the raw water system before starting.
I regularly beached her to clean/repair, using two methods;
For more exposed time, I would go on a carefully selected clear beach area (no rocks, debris), with some incline and leaned the boat to the uphill side, parallel to the beach as the keel touched bottom. I would turn the boat 180 on another tide for the other side. I would be VERY cautious doing this with my tug, given the deeper draft.
More often, I would anchor fore and aft where the ebb would leave her keel slightly in soft sand to stabilize her while cleaning. I think this would work fine with a NT if the right beach with clear, calm water and nice sand were available. Alas, the murky, muddy Neuse river does not make that option attractive, I like my diver, and am a good bit less energetic these days!
Eric
NT 32 258
Gone Remote
From: Evan Effa via Sentoa sentoa@lists.sentoa.org
Sent: Wednesday, August 19, 2026 11:23 PM
To: sentoa@lists.sentoa.org sentoa@lists.sentoa.org
Cc: Tracy Burke beeman64@icloud.com; Dave Wright iamdave57@gmail.com; Paul Tangen ptangen@ptangen.com; sentoa@lists.sentoa.org sentoa@lists.sentoa.org; Evan Effa eheffa@gmail.com
Subject: [Sentoa] Re: Beaching a Nordic Tug
Personally, I wouldn’t risk it. There are too many ways that could go sideways & all that just to save a few bucks on a proper boat lift?
In Alaska, there are boat cradles built to allow this sort of maintenance at low tide.
-evan
TUGAWAY
NT-37-148
Sent from my iPhone
(please excuse the typos...)
On Aug 19, 2026, at 19:26, Paul Tangen via Sentoa sentoa@lists.sentoa.org wrote:
<image0.jpeg>
Yes, Greta Marie was on a sand bar on the ICW for a few hours one day. She sunk down into the sand/mud. As the tide rose Seatow pulled us out. There was no damage, we continued on to FLA. I wouldn't do this intentionally, but it might be ok.
Paul
Greta Marie (32-248) Portsmouth, NH
On Aug 19, 2026, at 9:57 PM, Dave Wright via Sentoa sentoa@lists.sentoa.org wrote:
Its really the same thing as hauling out as the boat sits on its own keel and the jack stands are just there to keep the boat from falling over… so yes its built to be ok with that just like most sailboats. Obviously you don’t want the boat leaned over to much or it might cause havoc with your storage lockers and possibly some fluids. Friends of ours got their sailboat stuck on a sandbar and much of their holding tanks leaked out on to the floor.
--Dave
~ ~̃ ~ _/) ~~̃ ☼
On Aug 19, 2026, at 8:46 PM, Tracy Burke via Sentoa sentoa@lists.sentoa.org wrote:
Hello to the group,
I own 32-116 now called HAMLET.
While on an RV trip to Nova Scotia, I saw trawlers beached at their dock after the enormous tides in the bay of fundy receded. It got me wondering if a Nordic Tug hull was robust enough to beach and let her come on her side and keel in a soft sand. Has anyone in the group done this before. Obviously shitting down all on board equipment is a key part of such an evolution.
It seems a much easier and cheaper way to change a transom zinc than having the boat hauled out of the water or getting a diver, with added bonus to scrub marine growth from the hull one side at a time.
Let me know your experiences in this regard.
Thanks,
Tracy Burke, K4EIX
Amateur Radio Operator
Sent from my iPhone
Sentoa mailing list -- sentoa@lists.sentoa.org
To unsubscribe send an email to sentoa-leave@lists.sentoa.org
Sentoa mailing list -- sentoa@lists.sentoa.org
To unsubscribe send an email to sentoa-leave@lists.sentoa.org
Sentoa mailing list -- sentoa@lists.sentoa.org
To unsubscribe send an email to sentoa-leave@lists.sentoa.org