Stradbroke Beach Launch

[samsteele115]

Hey all,

I'm hoping someone could help me out here. I will be staying on north Stradbroke island like usual this Christmas time and taking my boat over. In previous years I have been towing with a carolla so I have stuck to launching at the ramps and fishing the bay. I now have a 2009 rav4 4x4 and want to fish offshore...

I know people launch their tinnies at Home Beach to avoid crossing the SPB, I was just wondering if you think I am dreaming to beach launch with the Rav? I understand it isn't a proper fourbie. I think launch and retrieve should be ok as my boat is only a 4.2 (although a heavy one at that being around 800kg loaded up including trailer), I think my main concerns is the soft sand between launching.

Does anyone have any experience with this?

[ellicat]

Max trax as a minimum ! They should see you safe, along with a light foot.

Depending on the dates you are going I may be able to lend you my set.

[samsteele115]

24 December - 1 January. Legend! I'll keep in touch

[demarc]

40 minutes ago, samsteele115 said:

Hey all,

I'm hoping someone could help me out here. I will be staying on north Stradbroke island like usual this Christmas time and taking my boat over. In previous years I have been towing with a carolla so I have stuck to launching at the ramps and fishing the bay. I now have a 2009 rav4 4x4 and want to fish offshore...

I know people launch their tinnies at Home Beach to avoid crossing the SPB, I was just wondering if you think I am dreaming to beach launch with the Rav? I understand it isn't a proper fourbie. I think launch and retrieve should be ok as my boat is only a 4.2 (although a heavy one at that being around 800kg loaded up including trailer), I think my main concerns is the soft sand between launching.

Does anyone have any experience with this?

If the swells are low enough for beach launching mate, they'll be perfect for you to tackle SPB. If it were I, I'd go SPB over beach launching.

[fifis101]

I agree with demarc, I'd rather tackle a bar over beach launching. You generally need certain conditions for beach launching to work.

[Doyley]

Ive only been to North Straddy once, but didn't think you could drive on Home Beach,  only Flinders and Main?

The first step is to make sure you have suitable recovery gear to get yourself out.  You never want to rely on someone else and their old snatch strap! Maxxtrax are a must and maybe a suitably rated snatch strap as backup.  lower tyres on your vehicle and trailer to get a similar 'footprint'.  Also, if your trailer doesn't track the same as your car, its going to be a lot harder to tow and may even fishtail up the beach.

As you probably already know beach driving conditions are always changing.  Over the xmas break there will be a lot of traffic cutting the beach and access points up.  Rain or lack of it during this period will also change sand conditions.   my biggest concern would be the launching not the driving.  a bit of momentum down through the cutting will most likely get down onto the harder sand. 

The problem with beach launching into waves (even small) is that you need to get the trailer far enough back into the water that when the wave recedes there is still water at the trailer.  This usually mean water up around the wheels of your vehicle.  I would only attempt this with a 4x4 with low range. With water moving around your wheels they sink fast.  Your trailer also sinks in the sand which then requires a lot more from your tow vehicle.  You may get lucky at low tide and launch into a gutter, but then the conditions are going to be totally different later when retrieving. 

Seen guys up north shore push a jetski trailer out into the waves, load the ski and then snatch the trailer back to shore.  Good to watch but would never want to try that myself 

[samsteele115]

Hmmm lots to consider. Thanks @Doyley , yes I meant flinders not home beach. I always get those two mixed up

Sounds very difficult especially for someone like me with no beach driving experience or appropriate gear. I would back my boat driving skills over my car driving skills so maybe the bar is the way to go.

@demarc @tugger Mind if I follow you out if you are heading over the bar during those dates in suitable conditions?

[Doyley]

The benefits of xmas holidays is that there are so many 4x4s around.  if you got into trouble there will be guys who could help you out.

[tugger]

Can't help over xmas i am down the gold coast camping

[Luvit]

Great advice from members.  Especially from Doyley, somethings you raise I  would not have even considered. 

[kmcrosby78]

Excellent topic Sam - I was only thinking recently that it's something I'd look into down the track once I've got two teenage boys. If you are over there in the interim it would be a good idea to go down there and see if you are lucky enough to see people doing it.

[samsteele115]

Yes some great points raised, highly appreciated. To be honest I think I would only attempt it given my limited knowledge about cars and this topic in general if I got responses like "it will be easy mate" or "she'll be right mate" but all this talk about maxxtrax and recovery kits and snatch straps etc has made me think it should not be attempted with what I currently have, without spending money on these things I'll rarely use on a car that I should be driving for Uber  

I have seen people launch there with tractors so maybe I'll have to investigate further...

[Doyley]

11 hours ago, samsteele115 said:

all this talk about maxxtrax and recovery kits and snatch straps etc has made me think it should not be attempted with what I currently have, without spending money on these things I'll rarely use on a car that I should be driving for Uber

@samsteele115, mate that car would eat up the beach at low tide.  You may get stuck occasionally getting off the beach, but driving on a beach at mid-low tide can be like a highway.   Momentum through the soft stuff will be the key with your RAV.   Don't let my comment put you off beach driving, its just the extra weight towing that could give you a bit if a headache.  It is rare I ever go into low on the beach unless climbing over rocks like at Yidney Rock on Fraser.  If conditions are good I even go back to 2wd to save a bit of fuel.

We could do a AFO Noosa North Shore run.  Early morning run up the beach, fishing Double Island and a few gutters on the way back.  There are a lot of 4X4 owners on here and it will allow people to learn from them and gain a bit of knowledge and confidence on the sand.  Could also do demos around gathering pipis and beach worms and maybe bog a 4X4 and show how easy it is to recover with maxxtrax.

 

[timtam_]

2 hours ago, Doyley said:

We could do a AFO Noosa North Shore run.  Early morning run up the beach, fishing Double Island and a few gutters on the way back.  

110% all over this idea! 
 

Sam, I did the same at Double Island with my mates 5m platey CC. The only issue really is not the driving or recovery, but the launch and retrieve. Custom surf trailers have huge drawbars which allow the boat to get the depth. The best best is to launch as soon as you can get your car onto the hard sand, as the launch is easier when the tide fills up the micro-gutters in front of the surf. You can actually launch the boat in one of these (depending on how committed you are). It wasnt hard to drop the boat in a foot and a half of water and walk it out to waist depth with the motor trimmed up and out of the water. 

I wouldn't do it if you don't have a front recovery point. Rav4's don't come stock with them on, so if something bad did happen, you need to ensure that someone can pull you out. I launched he big boat with my suzuki Jimny and got stuck because the water movement eroded the sand around the wheels, just like it does around your feet if you're standing in the shallows. Luckily I had my recovery strap attached and it was easy to slowly roll out with a tow vehicle. Seconding what Doyley said, don't even worry about the beach driving as long as you wont be there at high tide. Hard sand is like bitumen. Regardless of that though,  assuming you have stock tires, I would let them down to 15psi and you can always go down further than that if you are struggling. Feel free to swing me a message if you need anything, I've got all the gear for it and won't be needing it over the Christmas period.

[demarc]

23 hours ago, samsteele115 said:

Hmmm lots to consider. Thanks @Doyley , yes I meant flinders not home beach. I always get those two mixed up

Sounds very difficult especially for someone like me with no beach driving experience or appropriate gear. I would back my boat driving skills over my car driving skills so maybe the bar is the way to go.

@demarc @tugger Mind if I follow you out if you are heading over the bar during those dates in suitable conditions?

Mate, you have my number. Sing out. I'll always show you the safe way out, bait grounds and general hot spots out of SPB reachable in your size boat. There are lots of them, and lots of good fish, all within 4kms of the bar.

[tugger]

A point to remember when beach driving always be carefull on an incoming tide as the sand is being undermined by the water just like when you dug holes as a kid near the water on the beach the water is very close to the surface of the sand even a couple of meters from the actual surface water. This will make it very soft under tyres and has been said before long draw bars on the trailer are better when beach launching and having a mates car on stby for helping you out of any bogged situation you don't  want to be bogged with the tide coming in around you vehicle. 

[samsteele115]

20 hours ago, demarc said:

Mate, you have my number. Sing out. I'll always show you the safe way out, bait grounds and general hot spots out of SPB reachable in your size boat. There are lots of them, and lots of good fish, all within 4kms of the bar.

Thanks mate!! I'll take you up on that. However I would be prepared to do a 200km day if need be, fuel is not a problem I just wont go ages offshore for safety reasons. Would think about fishing the point area and surrounding rocks and just do a sound around in general. Any marks would be appreciated as a starting point so I will be in contact closer to Christmas. Thanks heaps  

[samsteele115]

22 hours ago, timtam_ said:

110% all over this idea! 
 

Sam, I did the same at Double Island with my mates 5m platey CC. The only issue really is not the driving or recovery, but the launch and retrieve. Custom surf trailers have huge drawbars which allow the boat to get the depth. The best best is to launch as soon as you can get your car onto the hard sand, as the launch is easier when the tide fills up the micro-gutters in front of the surf. You can actually launch the boat in one of these (depending on how committed you are). It wasnt hard to drop the boat in a foot and a half of water and walk it out to waist depth with the motor trimmed up and out of the water. 

I wouldn't do it if you don't have a front recovery point. Rav4's don't come stock with them on, so if something bad did happen, you need to ensure that someone can pull you out. I launched he big boat with my suzuki Jimny and got stuck because the water movement eroded the sand around the wheels, just like it does around your feet if you're standing in the shallows. Luckily I had my recovery strap attached and it was easy to slowly roll out with a tow vehicle. Seconding what Doyley said, don't even worry about the beach driving as long as you wont be there at high tide. Hard sand is like bitumen. Regardless of that though,  assuming you have stock tires, I would let them down to 15psi and you can always go down further than that if you are struggling. Feel free to swing me a message if you need anything, I've got all the gear for it and won't be needing it over the Christmas period.

Thanks for the advice mate. I'll let you know if I need anything. At this stage I'm thinking of tackling the bar at this stage if the swell is down

Ive driven on the beach before which wasn't too difficult, just haven't towed on the beach

[demarc]

37 minutes ago, samsteele115 said:

Thanks mate!! I'll take you up on that. However I would be prepared to do a 200km day if need be, fuel is not a problem I just wont go ages offshore for safety reasons. Would think about fishing the point area and surrounding rocks and just do a sound around in general. Any marks would be appreciated as a starting point so I will be in contact closer to Christmas. Thanks heaps  

200kms.... lol Launching from Amity, you won't be doing many k's at all. Maybe 30 - 40kms...

[samsteele115]

Yeah was just making a point that fuel consumption isn't a restrictive factor in my tinny

Would have thought I would do 50-70 in a day out there so that's not too bad.