One of the joys of a small dinghy for day-cruising is that she can easily be beached and pulled up clear of waves and advancing tide. This allows her crew time for refreshment, be it a picnic, a pint, or a simple ice-cream. But too much dragging will damage the hull. Sand and shingle are bad enough, while the sharp stones on many West Country beaches make you wince with sympathy for the paint or gel-coat.

We have evolved a system to overcome this problem with our Gull - Orca - 11' x 5'. It uses five double-ended PVC fenders tied in a chain and strung around the bow. Either end of this chain is tied permanently to a shroud bolt, while the centre is attached removable by a loop of rope through a spring hook fixed to the bow plate. The fenders have a dual function. Left in place they protect the bow coming up to a pontoon, jetty or quay. Unhooked, they are ready for use as a roller to help the hull over a rough beach.

Bright ideas should never be trusted until they have proved their value with practical use. It speaks for itself that we are still using the system after three seasons and scores, probably hundreds, of landings. Such fenders are available in a range of sizes (ours are 26 x 8 cms), but whether the method can be scaled up successfully for larger dinghies is something for others to discover.

As described, you might think the released chain would end up a hopeless tangle. In fact it cannot, because the ropes (6 mm polyprop plait) are kept short enough that no fender can turn round far enough to tangle. The worst that happens is that repeated rotation of the 'roller' shortens the braided rope by twisting it, so that when the dinghy is refloated the chain must be allowed to untwist itself before being hooked back in place.

This is the sequence of events when we approach the shore, assuming calm water or waves that do not threaten to break green over the transom. Of course landing in surf would need quite different techniques. We would attempt that only in desperation, the priority being to save the whole boat, not to protect its gel-coat. Leaving the jib sheet cleated, Crew climbs onto the foredeck to keep watch for submerged rocks. At a water depth of two feet he jumps into the briny and checks the boat's forward motion. Helm uncleats the jib, drops the main: if running, it will already have been dropped a little distance offshore, and raises the centreboard and rudder.

Vaulting out on the opposite side to Crew, he unhooks the fender chain from the bow. Together they walk the boat forward, taking, advantage of the next big wave surge. The fenders are now floating in a loose semicircle in front of the bow, and it is they that make first contact with the beach. At first the wet hull rides easily over the smooth wet plastic. Then, as more of the boat's weight comes to bear, the friction increases and causes the fenders to rotate together as a roller. Further still, the centre of gravity passes over the roller and she begins to topple forward. At this point the bow is lifted, pivoting the hull on its stern, and the roller is yanked on forward by the side ropes to begin again. In this way progress can be made as far up the beach as is necessary, in steps of about half a boat length. The bow or stern may be rested on the rough beach, but they never need to drag over it. The same stepping motion is possible in reverse, but it is awkward, so departure usually makes use of arising tide or friendly onlookers are co-opted to help lift Orca back to the water.