Beach driving looks like a lot of fun but for some inexperienced drivers, it can be quite daunting. With summer quickly creeping up on us, there is no doubt that many holidaymakers will be hitting the beach over the festive season. It’s hard to think where else you would love to spend the great Aussie weather than roughing it down the beach for some sun, sand, surf and fishing. Before you quickly decide head off track, we have a few guidelines you should follow to ensure your next driving adventure is a lot smoother.
Prepare your vehicle
The first tip we can offer is ensuring you have enough clearance under your tow car and trailer. Many cars with a plastic undertray or any other overhanging accessories underneath all have a tendency to catch loose sand because they are lower to the ground. So, it’s best to lose the extra weight in your vehicle and trailer load as you don’t want sand to get into your breaks or transmission breather, etc.
Salt Water
It’s quite common knowledge, yet easily forgotten that salt water is very corrosive. If you can, purchase an underbody oil spray to protect your trailer and vehicle from corrosion. It’s always best to go to a car wash that thoroughly cleans your car’s underbody to rid any parts from the saltwater.
Time and Tides
Check the tide times, so you are aware of when the beach is accessible and not. Low tide is the obvious best time to drive with more area of sand to drive on. Early mornings are also a good time because cool, damp sand is denser to drive on as your wheels won’t dig in as much.
Tyre Pressure
The general rule to driving on sand is the more ‘bag’ in your tyres, the easier it is to drive on sand. If you can, buy a portable tyre pressure gauge that allows you to read how much air is in your wheels. Therefore, you can appropriately lower your tyres to the correct PSI level. There are some portable devices on the market that will pump up your tyres for when you leave the beach.
Speed
Be aware of the surrounding speed limits on the beaches you travel to. Driving on the beach can be very unpredictable and most people get into trouble from inexperience and unawareness of surrounding hazards. Stay aware, drive to the conditions, be mindful of other drivers and most importantly drive a safe distance from beachgoers.
Beach Bogged
It happens more often than not, but if you happen to get stuck in the sand do not keep accelerating. The more you dig your wheels into a trench, the harder it is to get out. Ask a fellow vehicle to pull you out with a tow rope. It’s always good to have one in your beach kit!
If another car isn’t around, you’ll have to dig a hole in front of the bogged tyre and drop the pressure to 13-15 PSI. Place something solid in front of the tyre such as rocks, sticks, or your recovery product similar to the ‘Maxtrax.’ Once the tyre has something to grip on to you should be able to move forward and out of the hole. Raise the pressure of your tyre, fill the hole you just created, and you are good to go.
Why not treat yourself this festive season and upgrade your adventure necessities with a little more ruggedness, toughness and terrain? If you’re looking for a loan to help with your car or boat upgrades, give the team at National Finance Solutions a call. We pride ourselves on being one of Australia’s most trusted finance brokers and we will work hard to quickly source the funds you need, at a rate you can afford. Pick up the phone or get an online quote today.
