Pete:

If you have trouble with soft sand, build you some of these. They will cost you less than $100 without cradles. $200 with. Just don;t drill the other extra holes in them. Use butter tops for washers and put some silicone around connectors and washer. You could also use some old carpet are water pipe insulation with wire ties.

Doug

http://www.geocities.com/mec_coleman/tip13.htm