Beach Vehicle Safety

If you have never driven on a beach then you may be in for more of a surprise than you know. Driving on a beach is often challenging and even the best off road driver occasionally gets stuck. But don't worry, we are here to help you get started and limit the odds of you getting stuck.

• To start, in most states you need a off road vehicle permit (ovp) these are either temporary (7-10 days) or yearly. Check with a local ranger office or go to the website of the beach you plan on driving on. Without a permit, there is a very likly chance you will get ticketed. We are checked nearly every time. ​
• Next you need to ensure you have the proper gear in case you are stuck in the sand. Some basic items you will need is: 1) shovel 2) a few cut pieces of 4x4 or 2x4 to place under the tire 3)shovel 4) tow straps 5) cell phone 6) a tire pressure gauge
• You will need a 4 wheel drive vehicle. THIS IS NOT ALL WHEEL DRIVE!!! There is a massive difference, AWD will kick out of 4 wheel drive if it feels you do not need it anymore, so basically you'll be driving along, all is well.....then you're stuck cause it kicked back into 2 wheel drive. We had to learn this the hard way. So make sure your vehicle is actually 4 wheel drive.
• Last but not least, you need to drop the air pressure in your tires. We suggest to 15 PSI. Some will tell you to go clean down to 5 PSI. You let the air out of your tires because flat tires have more surface space. More surface space means you are much less likely to get stuck. Don't worry, most beaches offer free air pumps at or near the ramps/entrances to reinflate your tires afterwards.
• So what happends when you are stuck? The first thing you want to try to do is rock the truck back and forth. Drive then reverse back to drive ect ect to see if you can rock yourself out. If that fails then it is time to get digging. First dig a short pathway in the sand that is easier and more gradual for your tires to follow. This is time consuming and you can expect at least a hour to accomplish. Once your tires are dugged out and a path created, place the 4x4 or 2x4 boards under the back tires (especially ones that are stuck the most) and slowly try to pull out. At this point, any passengers should be behind the vehicle pushing to help the vehicle get out ( A truck full of fishing buddies are great for this situation). Last but not least, if all else fails, grab your tow straps and ask a fellow beach traveler to tow you out of the rut. PRO TIP: Do not stop while driving in the sand. If you stop you have a high chance of getting stuck, just keep moving until you arrive at your fishing spot.

​This is it, we hope this short article helped you prepare for your drive on the beach. While a little intemidating at first, you will get a much better feel and comfort level after doing it a few times.