Charlie,

Some questions:

1) Are you launching a "A-Cat" through the surf?
2) What is the "shingle",ie: the angle/slope of the beach?
3) How big is the surf?

What limited advise I can give on limited knowledge of the conditions.

Make a "friend" on the beach ... ask them if they could deal w/ your beach wheels after you remove them from under the boat in the water (if possible). Give them clear instructions of where you need the wheels placed.(I set-up some beach chairs and a umbrella, usually that is enough to show ownership presence in the area)

Determine the favored direction to launch ....

Study the "Wave Break" ... the wavebreak some times has a hole in it where the waves are not as high or break as violently. And the waves come in at a certain frequency. Try and launch anticipating a lull.

Remember the sail can generate much more power then you so .... hold the boat in shallow water and "power-up" the boat and when you can just barely hold it push off and jump onboard ... get some windward daggerboard down (1/2 a board maybe) and hand hold the windward rudder down if possible ...

Accelerate the boat by footing ... then before the wave head-up into the wave .... just before stalling the boat turn down ... you're trying to show minimal frontage to the wave BUT do not stall the boat, keep it moving. If you stall the boat you will get over the first wave ... but the next wave will eat you for lunch !!!! Keep the boat moving ... speed/velocity/power is life. If you stay in the surf to long standing still you will have nothing left but debris/flotsum.

To return .... determine the direction of the wavebreak ... try and come in 45 degrees (at first) to the wavebreak ... build up speed and turn down riding the back of a wave. Do not come straight downwind ... you are then a sitting duck for a wave coming from behind ... picking up your sterns -- driving your bows down into the bottom ... over you go. I once saw my friend pitchpole his Nacra in a little 12-16" surfbreak ....

Both ways ... SPEED/POWER/VELOCITY is LIFE

Good Luck
Sail Flat, Sail Fast, Sail SAFE
HarryMurphey
H18Mag/#9458, Fleet54/Div11
P19MX/#86, CRAC-Open Class