Driving your motorhome on the beach

[OTHG 21s]

I'm not sure if this is just related to Pismo Beach, Ca or not. My question is has anyone camped on the beach before and had to be towed in or out. I was there camping with my Prowler trailer once and saw a nice Monaco coach being towed out with a tractor. Needless to say the damage to the front of his coach was extensive.  I am thinking about adding a hitch to the front of my coach in case that comes up in my travels. It would be hidden enough and have a cap on it so it looks pleasing to the eye. Must keep the motorhome fashion police happy. If I needed a tow out with a 4x4 I can hook a strap to a pintle hitch.  Also I thought about hooking up to my boat that way and driving forward to the ramp and using the backup camera to get out.  Again, could just be ideas swimming in my head for now.  Greg

 

[Ian H]

Hi Greg
My Revolution was three weeks old when i was told to back in the given site,i was told its all new hardcore.
Well the site manager was right it was all new hardcore ,only 1 inch thick and the rest sugar sand.
It took 5 hours and 2 trucks to get me out with chains around the axle,there was no damage but the biggest
problem was not creasing the generator exhaust.The idea of a solid place to be towed if needed seems a good idea
to me

 

[Tom]

Greg

I used to know someone who camped in his coach on the beach at Pismo. At the end of the weekend he'd hook up a long snatch-em strap between the coach and his Jeep (CJ5?). He'd start with the Jeep very close to the coach and the strap folded in a pile. He'd then step hard on the gas and, when the Jeep reached the end of the strap, it would inch the coach out a little. He'd continue this process until the coach eventually got to a hard enough surface to be able to drive it out.

Not sure what damage this might have been doing to either the Jeep or the coach.

 

[chris]

Hi Greg,

We frequently in my "young" years spend time on the beach in Pismo coast. Biggest problem was depending on the the time of the year to cross the "river" . The last time with our motorhome on the beach was 1996. My son took the motorhome ( Dolphin) on the beach, the MH got buried in the sand and could not get out. Several of his friends with 4 x 4 trucks pulled him out, but since he was buried so deep in the sand the whole back panel, bumper scooped in the sand and completely ripped of the lower portion of the rear cap. I told him that was it dear son no more on the beach with my motorhome, if you want to take your own MH fine go ahead. Since that time and 3 motorhomes later he has  not taken the Monaco on the beach. He now has his 24 ft. trailer loaded with 6 quads towed in and out by a truck.
At one occasion with high tide with the river running in the ocean and a crowd watching the trucks crossing the river. There were two "chicks" with a brand new Toyota Pick up crossing the river. They got stuck and eventually started to float to wards the ocean. There was always a tow truck  stationed there as a vulgar waiting if somebody that could not make it and for $ 250  would pull you through. You first have to sign the credit card bill before they would make a move. Most people would try to get out by themselves before asking for a tow. Those girls could not  make it and started floating to wards the ocean, the truck was about lost before they asked for help. Funny thing was that a guy from the crowd watching this on the side  turned on his 500 watt speakers with the song " Yesterday all my trouble seems so far away"  The girls had jumped out of the truck signed the contract and the tow truck driver with his help had to dive in the water and attach their tow cable to the front axle.  When the truck got on solid ground and the doors were opened it looked like a tsunami. As far as I could see the truck was wasted.
Best thing to do at that time if you had to cross the river or was not sure if you could make it back was make an arrangement with the tow truck and pay $ 50  up front  to tow you out or pull you through the river if you needed help.

Anyway I have beaten up my body, broken bones  and bruises in the past so no more of that.  I now go 4-wheel driving with framily members and have time to watch the surroundings when we drive.

Be carefull it is a dangerous sport and join us in the future on a 4-wheel drive.

Chris 


Anyway no more ATVs or sandrails for me. I have beaten up my body and bones enough.
Be carefull it can be a dangerous sport despite you take all precautions.

 

[John From Detroit]

I got stuck in sand when I went to turn around (no where near a beach) rescuing my wife who had a flat, thankfully there was a nice hook up point for winching me out, and thankfully I know a thing or three about rigging to tow (More than most tow truck drivers, though I only tell them where to go, never driven one)

I have a recommendation for anyone considering driving their motor home out on beach sand or any other sand lot type surface:

                            DO NOT DO IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Betty Brewer]

My question is has anyone camped on the beach before and had to be towed in or out.

Hi Greg,
We have not and will not ever drive on the beach.  We have however been stuck in the sand.  We were in Anza Borrego desert near Salton Sea in California , leading a group of 4 or 5 Forum Framily members to a "chosen campsite on BLM land."  The desert looked flat and hard packed but whoaaaa these big motorhomes are heavy.  Our back wheels were stuck and spinning so I  immediately got on the radio to warn our Friends "Do Not follow us here!"

Now we have a scene.  All of the guys standing looking at the burial of the rear duallies, kicking sand and muttering a plan.  They decided to use sticks and dry brush to provide traction.  Didn't work. We are deeper.  So now  the guys devise a new plan...Hook  Georges'  tow vehicles, a red Blazer  to the front of our motorhome and place my very nice new rugs under tires .  It worked.. MH just rolled out over the rugs (with the tow)  but I had to give my nice new rugs to George as there was too much sand in them to ever put them in my rig. All this makes me a better navigator.  Don't you just love RVing?
Betty

 

[chris]

Hi Betty,

Was it on a posted picture or on the DVD, that I saw  a familiar C.C. Magna on the beach in Mexico. Did they put a concrete slab down for you ? 
Chris

 

[Betty Brewer]

Was it on a posted picture or on the DVD, that I saw? a familiar C.C. Magna on the beach in Mexico. Did they put a concrete slab down for you ?? ?Chris

Ahhhh, how quickly I forget.  Yes indeed we did have our rig on the sand in Mexico.  However, let me assure you we were not the first rig in to find a place to park.  We hang back to let others test the waters.  The tide did come in at night and put out our camp fire.  Nothing is perfect is it?

BB

 

[OTHG 21s]

Hi Betty, Good story... An addition to my story at Pismo...we had watched this big Monaco trying to get unstuck, they kept trying to dig the tires out but kept going deeper.  Of course this becomes center stage in the three ring circus ...my son-in-law and myself grab our shovels and proceed to dig...when I got the idea to dig underneath the hydraulic jacks enough to where they can operate...then I had the driver extend them until we could fill the sand back in and lay some wood down to get traction...we did that on the back wheels and when they tried again they made it to harder sand.

I'm not saying that I will "never" drive on the beach....but if I do you can bet I'll be prepared!.....I wonder if I can tow my 4x4 powerstroke?...Hmmmm........Greg

 

[Bob Buchanan]

Hi Greg:

>> I'm not sure if this is just related to Pismo Beach, Ca or not. My question is has anyone camped on the beach before and had to be towed in or out.
====
Actually, there is no driving or camping allowed on Pismo Beach -- wouldn't want coastal travelers to get the wrong impression  The only 5 mile stretch of beach in CA that allows RV's, ATV's, Horses, and such is just south of Pismo in Oceana, CA - and the Grover Beach area. I'm certainly not an evironmental wacko by a long shot -- but it sure seems strange that they allow grease dropping vehicles and horses that drop other stuff on an otherwise beautiful California beach area.

Here are some photos I took recently on one of my treks to Pismo -- and as one can see, it's a pretty quiet vehicle free stretch of beach.

www.rvspacemanager.com/pismo.htm

 

[Betty Brewer]

Here are some photos I took recently on one of my treks to Pismo -- and as one can see, it's a pretty quiet vehicle free stretch of beach.www.rvspacemanager.com/pismo.htm

Thanks Bob,
I feel like Ihave been on a mini vacation.  Great shots.  I  must go back there some day!
Betty

 

[Ron]

Bob,

Thanks for sharing the great photos.

 

[Ken & Sheila]

Betty,

I remember that "parking" experience better than most - heck the rest of us had a good time.

Why were we on that side of the road anyway?

As I remember we finally parked in a "circling of the wagons"

btw, i know its a little late, but thanks for the warning not to follow!

ken

 

[Tweedy]

For what it's worth (and not telling where---it is not yet over-run!)-- the Ranger mentioned most of those getting stuck were rigs with tag-axles. The drive wheels would dig in just enough to put the load on the tag wheels and leave the drive wheels un-loaded and spinning.
Regards from Memphis