BajaNomad

How to cross mud or tidal flats in six easy steps

chavycha - 3-8-2015 at 10:09 PM

Brought to you by your experienced Australian friends.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8trkgFX6wI&feature=iv&a...

David K - 3-9-2015 at 07:40 AM

Almost exactly what the lagoon looks like and tide speed along Shell Island, but no trees to winch out with. Never short-cut across empty lagoons at low tide, because they don't stay empty!



Ken Cooke has some photos of Lt. Miranda's Cherokee that we (Hotschott's Chevy and a Jeep) pulled out just as the tide was nearing to doorway... from back in 2002 or so.

Barry A. - 3-9-2015 at 09:33 AM

This post makes me shiver with dread!!!

I partially buried my very competent and well equipped F-250 at innocent-looking BOCA GRANDE at the north end of Bahia San Rafael (S. of Animas Bay) once upon a time. That experience prompted me to soon buy a Warn 12,000 winch and a "pull-pal" (land anchor) which of course I have never used since, but love the peace-of-mind of having them.

It was a mind-altering experience being so far from any help.

Barry

pull pal

J.P. - 3-9-2015 at 09:47 AM

I spent a lot of time on the Gulf Coast of Texas working in the Oil Exploration Field miles and miles of flat sandy beaches, all of our Equipment had Winches and we carried small Boat Anchors. the 15lb drag type they worked Quite well as there was nothing to tie off too.

David K - 3-9-2015 at 09:57 AM

If you don't have an anchor or Pull Pall for your winch, the next best thing is to bury your spare tire (like an anchor) in the sand.

I have never owned a winch or had anyone winch me... in sand, let out more air... in mud, like the video above, pray!

LOL... when I stuck my little Subaru in the mud going to Shell Island about 1980, I found a plank of wood on the beach, jacked up the car, and put the wood under the little 13" tire... and drove back onto the firm track. I had driven in at night, and the tide was in, covering the road. If you stay right in the track, the mud is firm... but if you get off the track, the mud is like oatmeal.

Barry A. - 3-9-2015 at 10:14 AM

Addendum to my post above----------------Tho I have never needed my winch for survival since the Boca Grande incident, I have winched many many other folks out of precarious situations over the years, both in the USA and in Mexico. For me (again) the peace-of-mind I get from my winch and pull-pal is beyond explanation. :light:

In my case, both the winch and the pull-pal can be used on multiple vehicles as all 3 of my 4x4 vehicles have receivers fore and aft for the winch.

After Boca Grande, I am VERY careful where I drive, and what I drive into. :o

Barry

motoged - 3-9-2015 at 10:22 AM

Quote: Originally posted by chavycha  
Brought to you by your experienced Australian friends.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8trkgFX6wI&feature=iv&a...



"Roight, mate.....'old my beer and wotch this....." ....boys and their toys :biggrin:

Pacifico - 3-9-2015 at 10:30 AM

Quote: Originally posted by J.P.  
I spent a lot of time on the Gulf Coast of Texas working in the Oil Exploration Field miles and miles of flat sandy beaches, all of our Equipment had Winches and we carried small Boat Anchors. the 15lb drag type they worked Quite well as there was nothing to tie off too.


Great idea!

Loved my Subaru!

AKgringo - 3-9-2015 at 10:36 AM

I had an 82 GL wagon with 4wd and low range. What a wonderful, simple little car that was! I figured out that the 4 lug bolt pattern was the same spread as the standard six lug wheels, so I drilled two more holes in some 14 inch Chevy Luv rims and ran Mickey Thompson Baja Belted tires on it. Both the rear swing arm, and front struts had a little adjustment ability, so that and a single jack hammer to the inner fender wells gave me the clearance for the tires.
What fun! I surprised a lot of off road folks with where that Subie would go, hell, it would almost float it weighed so little!

Edit, sorry for the hijack, I forgot where this thread started.

[Edited on 3-9-2015 by AKgringo]

David K - 3-9-2015 at 11:01 AM

Quote: Originally posted by AKgringo  
I had an 82 GL wagon with 4wd and low range. What a wonderful, simple little car that was! I figured out that the 4 lug bolt pattern was the same spread as the standard six lug wheels, so I drilled two more holes in some 14 inch Chevy Luv rims and ran Mickey Thompson Baja Belted tires on it. Both the rear swing arm, and front struts had a little adjustment ability, so that and a single jack hammer to the inner fender wells gave me the clearance for the tires.
What fun! I surprised a lot of off road folks with where that Subie would go, hell, it would almost float it weighed so little!

Edit, sorry for the hijack, I forgot where this thread started.

[Edited on 3-9-2015 by AKgringo]


Yup... the suspension could be adjusted with the center bolt in back to raise it up and the struts on the front were adjustable too. I forgot if that was on my '80 or just the '87 GL Wagon. My first Subaru 4WD Wagon was a '78 ('77.5 actually), 1.6 liter and single speed transfer case... '80 was a 1.8... and my '87 had low range (I had been writing to Subaru for years to give us low range. Was really disappointed when Subaru left the 4WD marketplace and only made AWD vehicles after that... no low range! Those were my next three cars after the '75.5 Jeep Cherokee Chief that I got rid of after just two expensive years to keep it driving (was great when it wasn't broken)!

Finchaser2020 - 3-9-2015 at 11:06 AM

I resemble that entire situation....

DanO - 3-9-2015 at 01:35 PM

Reminds me of some of the stupid human tricks I've witnessed at the beach at La Bocana de Santo Tomas. One time a guy in Ford Ranger pickup got stuck up to the frame in the swash zone at low tide. He got out and left the driver's side door, which was facing the water, wide open. While he was trying to get winched out by a Jeep Cherokee (which also ended up getting stuck), a huge wave came in and broke right into the open cab, momentarily filling it with water. The guy's girlfriend sitting in the passenger seat was none to happy about the dunking and punched him after she got out of the truck, sopping wet. By the time they managed to get it out (they rounded up about 20 guys to help), the water was level with the dash and the larger waves were breaking over the top of the cab. Amazingly, the thing started right up after they got it up onto dry sand.

AKgringo - 3-9-2015 at 05:02 PM

I was camped on the beach six miles south of Deep Creek on the Kenai Peninsula (AK). The onshore wind and resulting breakers was far too heavy to even think about launching a Zodiac, so we decided to head to Ninnilchick for a dinner and re-supply run.
About half way down the beach there was a bueaty of a restored, early 70s, short bed Chevy, with an aluminum camper shell painted to match. It wasn't stuck, it was parked on the beach facing the inlet, ready to drive away, but there was no one around. The tide that evening was going to be about 22 feet and coming in fast, and there was not much we could do, so I headed to town hoping the guy knew what he was doing.
He didn't, the truck wouldn't start so he locked it up and walked out to get help! Even if I was not able to jump start him, I believe I could have dragged him above the high water line with my beach rig, or got some more help from our camp.
By the time they got back, all he could do was watch the surf pound his truck as it was completely submerged. The grill was pushed into the radiator, the hood crumpled, all glass shattered or pushed out, the camper was shredded and stung out along the high water line, even the tailgate was torn off. What a waste of a nice ride!

dtbushpilot - 3-9-2015 at 11:25 PM

When I was watching the video I expected the guy with the unstuck vehicle, when he found that he couldn't winch the stuck vehicle out to tie himself to the tree to winch the stuck vehicle out....

I give them a big "attaboy" for getting them both out, I've done some stupid chit too when the tide was rising but I just gotta say "really dudes, was that the best you could do"?