Trailer Getaway on Beach? Outer Banks NC Launch?

Bob-

Good choice! Great vacation spot, great sailing! Broke in my Wave there in 2006 for two weeks, did the same in 2007 and 2008, and already waiting for next summer. I loved every minute!

My experience for OBX has been Hatteras Island, ocean side from Cape Point down to Hatteras Inlet. Haven't done the soundside yet or beyond the inlet to Ocracoke Island, but it's just a matter of time. Can't speak for the northern beaches.

Re: Beach driving, you'll find a lot of opinions, so I'd recommend you do your research, listen to the opinions, and make your call. I've towed my trailer onto the beach once with my 4x4 pickup, off of Ramp 55, but I've got relatively zero beach driving experience and found it easier and quicker to use the cattrax and roll her over the beach vice driving on the beach with the trailer. Also didn't want to chance impacting my time sailing (I'll correct that when I move there and refine my beach driving skills and add wider profile tires for the trailer). Not sure how a Getaway would compare to Wave. I've done the drill singlehanded and with the wife, but there always seemed to be volunteers to willing to help.

I've launched from several locations (ocean side) where the beach roll is ~50-200 yards, relatively level, in moderate to soft sand. Some examples:
-Parking lot near beach access ramp immediately north of Cape Point (Ramp 43 I think),
-Frisco Pier parking lot (shortest thus far),
-Top of Ramp 55 access road
-Haven't used any yet, but there are several soundside access points too.

We rented an oceanside house, launched from one of those sites on our first day, and sailed to the beach near the house. Sailed the dogcrap out of her during the day and left her on the beach overnight (less sail, rudders, and gear) and had no issues, save some sandy footprints on the tramp. Great place to watch the stars at night, and possibly other nocturnal activity. Keep in mind high tide, high wind, and plan appropriately. Watch the forecast as departure day approaches (no wind mean no sail).

If you decide to launch and recover daily, there will be some days when the sound will be better (good winds, less waves).

Use Google earth and the Dare County GIS site to scope out in advance, then follow up with some with recon, while you're down there on vacation.

You'll find a lot of good gouge on the following sites:

http://daregis.darenc.com/website/dare/viewer.htm

http://www.nps.gov/caha/planyourvisit/o ... le-use.htm

http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=41025

http://www.obxconnection.com/outer-banks-message-board/

http://www.outer-banks.com/publicboatramps.asp

http://thecoastalexplorer.com/Avonsound ... tAdID=2552

Good luck!
John

I appreciate your helpful information John!

Our family is planning an AVON/SALVO area NC vacation next year (possibly a beachfront home- if we can enough people to help defray the $$$). I called the Hatteras National Park people- they said that a boat cannot be left on the beach overnight, however, it can be left adjacent to a beachfront home. We can use the cat-trax to take the Getaway to the beach, providing their is a wide enough/level enough path to the beach.

Thanks!
Bob

Just one comment to add to the previous post. The problem with trailering on the beach is not the Subaru it is the trailer. There is enough soft sand around that the usual small trailer wheels can get really stuck.

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Bob

Bob,

We just pulled the boat up to the dune line and had no issues with the NPS rangers that patrolled the beach, day or night. They had more issue with some folks who left their beach canopies, chairs, or frames up overnight in the middle of the beach.

I mainly use beach launchings to sail my getaway. Its alot easier to launch from the beach because otherwise I have to navagate through a channel. I have a Jeep Cherokee, and while I have never got stuck, the getaway has made me come close. The problem is sand is very deep, and without speed, I would never make it though.

Take a look at the beach you are thinking of driving on. Usually, the first 10-20 feet of beach up from the water is darker colored, because it is partually wet, making it harder. Usually, the farther away from the water you get, the dryer and softer the sand is. If possible, try and stay on the dark stuff as long as you can. If you can punch it through the soft stuff and make it close to the water, you should be fine. Remember, make sure the area is clear, and floor it. Also, keep in mind there could be barried rocks or drift wood just under the surface.

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Sail.fast

470, 08 Getaway

Be sure to check with the NPS about beach closings due to nesting sites for birds and turtles. The Pea Island National Seashore was closed to vehicles on the beach when I was there in July. It caused an uproar among the fishing industry and campgrounds. Sorry, I don't have any experience with sailing on the southern beaches or Pamlico Sound or Albamarle Sound.
There are a couple of rental places around Avon and Rodanthe that allow owners to launch their boats on Pamlico.
I always go north to Duck. There is beach access at the extreme northern part at Corolla but there's little access between there and Southern Shores. The road ends at Corolla so 4WD is necessary if renting a house beyond the road.
We sail on Currituck Sound which at that point is 3-4 miles wide. Our development has it's own launch ramp on Currituck.

Fair Winds,

Barry Martin