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Friday, September 21, 2007
The perils of driving a motorhome on the beach
If you have ever thought about driving a motorhome on a beach. . . then you should watch this 90 second video first. Maybe it's not such a great idea.
Lived near the beach on big Padre Island in Corpus Christi. This kind of thing happened often. Funny how "smart" people don't seem to be able to read the warning signs.
Have been told that if you dig a gently sloping trench down to wheel level and then water the sand in the trench it will support the wheels and allow you to drive out with digging yourself deeper. Don't know personally and have no intention of getting in the situation to find out firsthand.
Not available, even searching for "driving a motorhome on the beach." Did find one about a motorhome being pulled off a beach by a 4x4 truck. I don't want to be in that situation.
I can't get it to come up either. I would like to see it, if anyone can find a valid link.
If you're driving a vehicle on the beach or in other sandy areas, carry several large pieces of 3/4 inch plywood, and a "hi-lift" type jack. Using a piece of plywood under the jack as well, jack the vehicle up until the wheels are above the level of the sand. Then put the plywood pieces under the wheels, jack the vehicle back down, and drive away. It helps if the plywood pieces are several feet long, so you can get up some speed and get out of the soft section before the wheels run off the pieces.
Make sure ahead of time, (preferably back home in your driveway, the week before leaving) that the jack and your vehicle's bumpers (or other jacking points) will support the vehicle being lifted all the way off the ground; and you have jacking points that can be reached with the vehicle buried partway into the sand. Be careful, the "Hi-Lift" type jacks are notorious for suddenly kicking out sideways; it helps to have a jacking point that holds the jack's tip in place. (A hitch receiver is fairly good for this, but check to make sure the jack's tip will fit into it.)
This works quite well with a conventional vehicle; and we also used it several times (I never learn...) to free our 20-foot class C,(about 8000 lb weight) with good success. However, if you're a 40-foot class A - this probably won't work unless you have a really mammoth jack, that has been carefully set up with jacking points ahead of time. (I wonder though... maybe you could use the levelers in an emergency?)
With a larger motorhome, it's probably better just to stay off the beach, or at least be very careful where you're going. Depending on how bad you're stuck and how remote the location is, it can be over a thousand dollars to have a wrecker pull you out.
What a moron!
ReplyDeleteLived near the beach on big Padre Island in Corpus Christi. This kind of thing happened often. Funny how "smart" people don't seem to be able to read the warning signs.
ReplyDeleteHave been told that if you dig a gently sloping trench down to wheel level and then water the sand in the trench it will support the wheels and allow you to drive out with digging yourself deeper. Don't know personally and have no intention of getting in the situation to find out firsthand.
ReplyDeleteThis will not allow viewing. I don't know how to find it on You Tube.
ReplyDeletePhooey!
Well I found it on youtube,
ReplyDeletesearch on 'driving a motorhome on the beach', but it won't display there either.
The owner of the video has apparently made it "private by invitation only"....could not view it.
ReplyDeleteNot available, even searching for "driving a motorhome on the beach." Did find one about a motorhome being pulled off a beach by a 4x4 truck. I don't want to be in that situation.
ReplyDeleteI can't get it to come up either. I would like to see it, if anyone can find a valid link.
ReplyDeleteIf you're driving a vehicle on the beach or in other sandy areas, carry several large pieces of 3/4 inch plywood, and a "hi-lift" type jack. Using a piece of plywood under the jack as well, jack the vehicle up until the wheels are above the level of the sand. Then put the plywood pieces under the wheels, jack the vehicle back down, and drive away. It helps if the plywood pieces are several feet long, so you can get up some speed and get out of the soft section before the wheels run off the pieces.
Make sure ahead of time, (preferably back home in your driveway, the week before leaving) that the jack and your vehicle's bumpers (or other jacking points) will support the vehicle being lifted all the way off the ground; and you have jacking points that can be reached with the vehicle buried partway into the sand. Be careful, the "Hi-Lift" type jacks are notorious for suddenly kicking out sideways; it helps to have a jacking point that holds the jack's tip in place. (A hitch receiver is fairly good for this, but check to make sure the jack's tip will fit into it.)
This works quite well with a conventional vehicle; and we also used it several times (I never learn...) to free our 20-foot class C,(about 8000 lb weight) with good success. However, if you're a 40-foot class A - this probably won't work unless you have a really mammoth jack, that has been carefully set up with jacking points ahead of time. (I wonder though... maybe you could use the levelers in an emergency?)
With a larger motorhome, it's probably better just to stay off the beach, or at least be very careful where you're going. Depending on how bad you're stuck and how remote the location is, it can be over a thousand dollars to have a wrecker pull you out.
It's working again.
ReplyDelete"With a larger motorhome, it's probably better just to stay off the beach, or at least be very careful where you're going."
ReplyDeleteDING! DING! WE have a winner for today's Understatement Award.
Saw a jeep stuck, 4wd and everything. Went back a couple hours later, tide brought water over the taillights, they were still blinking underwater.
ReplyDeletePretty funny to everyone but the owner.
oh, come now. Where's everyones spirit of adventure? What if Ponce DeLeon had thought that way?
ReplyDelete