Son of a Beach!

Anybody have any good advice on re-building a beach?

The "Hobie Beach" at my sailing club has eroded badly over the last few years, and we're bringing in a big truckload of sand to replenish it. I'm wondering if I should do anything to keep it from eroding, like terracing with railroad ties or PVC pipes, or just let nature take its course and replenish it every few years. It's on the side of a point, the rest of which is lined with limestone rip-rap, but this area is low and gently sloped.

Unless it is stabalized with grass or other plantings, it will continue to erode. Your local EPC may have something to say about the truckload of sand. Not sure what the reglations are in your area, but where I am, you don't do something like that without permits.

This may not apply to your midwest geology but here in west Florida you must make a distinction between land sand and gulf sand. Sand that comes from a land-based "quarry" is easliy moved around by wind and water. The sand which is dredged up from underwater holds together better and stays put. Land sand is cheap but avoid it.

I can guarantee the only sand available here is "land sand" and it's already been delivered. Brown, smells like dirt. Now we have to transport it by end-loader out to the point, and we're just dumping it by the scoop-full above the waterline, maybe 1-2 foot deep. We figure nature and traffic will spread it out more. I spent about 3 hours driving the tractor last night and hardly made a dent in the big pile. There's no way to get a big dump truck out to the point.

Keep doing what you are doing. The amount of erosion in that area should be as minimal as water can be since there is no fetch to make waves. I think using anything that would float, like RR ties would be very difficult to secure to the ground/bottom. What does erode naurally should not go far and will only end up basically where you want it anyway for beach cat use. You could probably rent a rubber treaded Bobcat that would get the job done quicker for a reasonable price if you do not want to keep doing it the way you described. I am looking forward to using this area for the Wave regatta in May. Thanks for getting it ready for us!

Sorry Mike, wrong lake. The Wave Regatta is across town at Eagle Creek Sailing Club. This Hobie Beach is at Indianapolis Sailing Club on the Geist Reservoir.

We have spread the sand about a foot deep all over the beach area, about 100' by 20', now we're piling up what's left to make a ridge where the beach meets the hill. Thinking that will help block the run-off from washing the beach away; and as the ridge does erode, it will replenish the sand on the beach.

Dry sand weighs 100 # / cubic foot. Wet sand is 120# You described a 2000 cubic foot distribution with sand left over for a ridge. That much sand would weigh well over 200,000# or 100 tons. All that came in ONE TRUCK? WOW! ;-)

Hey, nice work. Sounds like a good plan. Will you come over to Eagle Creek reservoir to race with us in May?

I was told later it was actually 4 double-axle truckloads of sand. They also delivered 4 loads of gravel to our parking lot. I wasn't there when it was delivered, but someone who witnessed the parade of dump trucks said they really feared for our club's pavement and for the masts sticking out beyond the winterized boats!

Yes, I'll definitely be there for the Mayor's Cup Regatta. I hope the weather and water are warmer by then.

I'm sure it will be. They just said the weather in Toledo might get to 80 by Friday! Indy is usually a week or two ahead of us in the spring. Lake Erie is only 40 degrees here at the shalow end but that should change quickly with these higher temps moving in.