If you love sailing, you know that running aground is one of the most common and frustrating mishaps that can happen on the water. Whether you hit a sandbar, a reef, or a rock, getting your boat stuck on the bottom can ruin your day and damage your vessel.
But don’t panic! There are ways to get your boat off the ground safely and quickly if you know what to do and what to avoid.
The first thing you should do if your boat runs aground is turn off the engine and check for injuries and leaks. Don’t try to reverse or force your way out, as this can cause more damage to your boat and the environment.
In this article, we’ll show you how to handle this situation like a pro and get back to sailing in no time.
Key Takeaways
- Running aground can happen to anyone, even experienced sailors. It’s important to stay calm and assess the situation before taking any action.
- Some of the methods to get your boat off the ground are shifting weight, pushing off, spinning the bow, kedging, or using a tow line.
- If none of these methods work, or if you are in danger of sinking or capsizing, you should call for professional help or emergency services. A good towing service contract, such as TowBoatUS, can save you a lot of hassle and money in case of a grounding.
- To prevent running aground in the future, avoid sailing in unfamiliar or shallow waters without a local guide or pilot.
Step 1: Stay Calm and Assess the Situation
The first thing you should do if your boat runs aground is to stay calm and assess the situation. Don’t panic or act impulsively, as this may cause more damage or injury. Instead, follow these steps:
- Turn off the engine and lift the outdrive or outboard motor. This will prevent further damage to your propeller, rudder, or hull from the bottom or debris. It will also reduce the risk of fire or explosion from a leaking fuel tank or line.
- Put on your life jacket and make sure everyone on board is wearing one. Check for injuries and provide first aid if needed. If anyone is seriously hurt, call for help immediately using your VHF radio or cell phone.
- Inspect your boat for damage and leaks. Look at the hull, engine, steering system, and bilge pump. If you are taking on water, try to plug the leak with whatever you have on hand, such as rags, duct tape, or wooden plugs. Activate your bilge pump or use a bucket to bail out the water.
- Determine what type of bottom you hit and how hard you are stuck. Look at your chart or GPS to see where you are and what kind of bottom you are dealing with. Is it soft mud, hard sand, rock, coral, or something else? Use an anchor or a pole to scoop up some bottom material if you are not sure. The type of bottom will affect how easy or difficult it will be to get off.
- Check the tide and weather conditions. Is the tide rising or falling? How much time do you have before it changes? Is the wind or current pushing you further aground or helping you get off? Is there a storm coming or any other hazard nearby? These factors will influence your strategy and urgency.
Step 2: Try to Get Off by Yourself
If your boat is not seriously damaged and you have enough time and favorable conditions, you may be able to get off by yourself using one or more of these methods:
- Shift the weight to the opposite side of the impact. This will lift the boat slightly and reduce the draft. You can move people, gear, fuel tanks, water jugs, or anything heavy to the other side of the boat. Be careful not to overload or capsize the boat.
- Push off with a paddle or a pole. If you have a paddle, an oar, a boathook, or any long stick on board, you can use it to push off from the bottom or a nearby object. You may need more than one person to do this effectively. Be gentle and avoid breaking your paddle or pole.
- Reverse slowly and carefully. If your engine is still working and your propeller is not damaged, you can try to reverse slowly and carefully in the direction you came from. Don’t rev up the engine too much or you may suck up sand or silt into your cooling system or damage your propeller further. You may also create a suction effect that pulls you deeper into the bottom.
- Spin the bow around. If reversing doesn’t work, you can try to spin the bow around by turning the wheel hard to one side and giving short bursts of forward power. This may help you pivot around a shallow spot and point your boat toward deeper water.
- Kedge off with an anchor. If none of the above methods work, you can try to kedge off with an anchor. This involves setting an anchor in deeper water behind your boat and using a line or a winch to pull yourself off. You may need more than one anchor depending on the size and weight of your boat.
Step 3: Call for Help if Needed
If all else fails or if you are in danger of sinking, capsizing, or being stranded by a falling tide, you should call for help as soon as possible.
You can use your VHF radio (channel 16), cell phone (911), flares, horn, whistle, flashlight, or any other signaling device to attract attention and request assistance. You should also contact your insurance company and towing service if you have them.
Some tips for calling for help are:
- Give your exact location using coordinates, landmarks, buoys, or channel markers.
- Describe your boat type, size, color, name, registration number, and number of people on board.
- Explain what happened and what kind of help you need.
- Stay on the line until help arrives or until instructed otherwise.
Step 4: Prevent Future Groundings
Once you are safely back in deeper water and on your way to shore or a repair facility, you should take some time to reflect on what caused your grounding and how to prevent it from happening again. Some common causes of groundings are:
- Lack of attention or distraction
- Poor navigation skills or equipment
- Inaccurate charts or markers
- Low visibility or bad weather
- Speeding or taking shortcuts
- Mechanical failure
To avoid these pitfalls, you should always:
- Pay attention to where you are going and what is around you
- Use reliable navigation tools such as charts, GPS, depth sounders, compass, etc.
- Update your charts regularly and check for local notices to mariners
- Slow down and proceed with caution in unfamiliar or shallow waters
- Follow marked channels and avoid obstructions such as rocks, reefs, sandbars, etc.
- Maintain your boat regularly and check for any problems before leaving
What Causes Boats to Run Aground?
Running aground means that your boat has hit something on the bottom of the water and is unable to move freely. This can happen for various reasons, such as:
- Navigational errors: You may have strayed from the marked channel, misread the charts or buoys, or failed to notice shallow areas or hazards on the water.
- Mechanical failures: Your engine may have stopped working, your steering may have malfunctioned, or your depth sounder may have given inaccurate readings.
- Environmental factors: You may have encountered unexpected changes in water level due to tides, currents, storms, or waves. You may have also been affected by poor visibility due to fog, rain, or darkness.
- Human factors: You may have been distracted, tired, intoxicated, or inexperienced.
Whatever the cause, running aground can have serious consequences for your boat and your safety. Depending on the speed and angle of impact, you may damage your hull, propeller, rudder, keel, or engine.
You may also cause harm to the marine life and habitat that you hit. And in some cases, you may risk sinking or capsizing if your boat takes on water or gets pushed further onto the shore.
That’s why it’s crucial to know how to react if you find yourself in this situation.
I hope this article was helpful and informative for you whether you are new to boating or an experienced sailor. If you have any questions or comments about this topic please feel free to leave them below.
Happy boating! ⛵️
