Can others dig out and wiggle and pull from mud their Ericson, like my Ericson 25?

[alexwilliamrussell]

I went from a full keel Ahlberg that is so wide a keel its hard to dig a path in mud once its stuck, to Ericson 25 normal keel which is annoyingly deep like 3 feet but which is so narrow I can wiggle and scoop a bit and dig it out backward when I ground in mudbank. Maybe I can't in 10 years but at age 40 I can wiggle and move it at 5000 lbs which surprised me but am glad. I am guessing the bigger Ericsons of 10,000 pounds CANT BE WIGGLED AND PULLED FROM PERSON IN WATER OR CAN EVEN BIG BOATS BE PULLED OUT??? I am on shallow end of Clear Lake a bay north of Galveston TX, it is still tidal here so waiting is my other plan B for water to rise.

 

[Loren Beach]

Most of the later fin keel Ericson's draw about 6', altho the 38 draws a half a foot more.
I do not understand the question regarding pulling big boats out.
I have been "ungrounded" once by a BoatUS tow boat when we drove into a sandbank at over 6 kts. We buried our fin keel a foot into the bottom. He pulled us out with relative ease... but he did have lots of HP. We weigh close to 11K, when cruising. We were under sail, and having a bit too much fun... ! Depth changes real fast in that part of the river.

 

[alexwilliamrussell]

I know it sounds unlikely but in 4 foot of water I can wade to bow and wiggle Ericson 25 2 foot left then 2 foot right and then push and gain 1/2 foot backward, so can wiggle and push to reverse out of a mud bank. I am wondering IF PEOPLE TRIED AND WERE PERSISTENT THEY TOO COULD DO THIS, even with a 10,000 lb bigger Ericson. It is amazing how constant hand force can move big boats, a bit, past a bit the boat won't wiggle more so just repeat... You don't know till you try, and its good exercise.

2. Plus can swim down and by hand scoop a path thru the mud or sand, being careful to not cut self on barnacles on the keel haha. It aint rocket science, the mud and sand is in the way of this keel 4 inches wide so just make a path. I thinkn this is harder in Windy conditions since boat wanders more from the path being cleared...

3. If 1 person can wiggle and move Ericson 25 of 5000 lbs, can not 2 people wiggle and move bigger Ericson of 10,000??? 4 people makes even easier.... I don't know.

If others tried maybe they would learn they could do it. Try! - - Alex

 

[Christian Williams]

Might be better to learn how to kedge off--and to study other proven techniques of seamanship developed over the past 5,000 years.

 

[bgary]

Might be better to learn how to kedge off--and to study other proven techniques of seamanship developed over the past 5,000 years.

...or, stay in the deep-enough water. Also a technique of seamanship.

 

[Alan Gomes]

...or, stay in the deep-enough water. Also a technique of seamanship.

That one is comprehended under the 5000 year time frame.

 

[Prairie Schooner]

@alexwilliamrussell Alas, when our six foot draft grounded out the water was too deep to get out and push. Kedging, however, did the trick. That twenty-five pound Bruce was a beast to throw. I since found a smaller used Danforth which I purchased specifically for kedging.

 

[Tin Kicker]

...or, stay in the deep-enough water. Also a technique of seamanship.

It sure is easier with modern electronics. Just set the safe depth X ft beneath the keel and don't go there.
Especially if there is an associated loud alarm.

 

[alexwilliamrussell]

Might be better to learn how to kedge off--and to study other proven techniques of seamanship developed over the past 5,000 years.

... To all who suggest just avoid the shallow areas, some of us live in shallow areas. And if can wade adn pull boat out then there is little to fear. Kedging takes 10 minutes to set up and I would bet is less effective since it is unidirectional or at least less energetic wiggling. Pro sailers sometimes skip simple effective options like as I suggest wading and wiggling left-right and scooping and pulling. We are usually taking about a 1ft x 10 ft path we need to back out of if one shut off motor quick so it is a narrow solvable issue of man vs mud. Someday Im gonna jump in water next to a 20,000 lb boat and see if I can wiggle it by hand, ha, is there a size limit is my last mystery to answer. Ha.

 

[alexwilliamrussell]

It sure is easier with modern electronics. Just set the safe depth X ft beneath the keel and don't go there.
Especially if there is an associated loud alarm.

charts are not exact or precise, here in Texas we are dealing with 6 foot in the channel. Mud is not that risky to be sooooo afraid of grounding is half my point. And after hurricane for year the charts are quarter incorrect due to moved mud.

 

[Tin Kicker]

charts are not exact or precise, here in Texas we are dealing with 6 foot in the channel. Mud is not that risky to be sooooo afraid of grounding is half my point. And after hurricane for year the charts are quarter incorrect due to moved mud.

The average depth of the Chesapeake Bay is 5 feet. We understand occasionally bottoming and shifting shoals, even though I've been fortunate with the new boat so far. The 38 Morgan was a bitch and I defy you to think you could hop in the water to move it. You have no purchase on the bottom and would either slip or your feet would sink in.

However, two nice aspects to a 4 ft wide flat bottom wing are (1) it sits on the mud rather than cutting or sinking in, and (2) owners have found that with left-right ruder and power the boat can be turned around and "walked" off. (ODay 322 w/4'3" draft)

But you do you.

 

[peaman]

Pro sailers sometimes skip simple effective options like as I suggest wading and wiggling left-right and scooping and pulling.

Good point, in that I do not recall ever seeing an article in any major sailing publication expounding on "pro" ways of wading, wiggling, and scooping one's way out of mud. If my normal sailing grounds involved lots of skinny water over mud or sand, I would want a boat with a shallow-draft, flat-bottom hull and a center board or lee boards, either of which would provide early warning as the bottom comes up. Examples would include boats like New England cat boats, Chesapeake Bay skip jacks and bugeyes, and sharpies designed for the sand flats of the Florida Keys. There are boat designs for a huge range of uses and operating conditions, and no boat ever designed is good in all conditions. For the best sailing experience, it makes sense to have a boat that best fits the conditions, and the "mission". Ericson boats are well regarded, but maybe a different type of boat would be best for your uses.