I flew my seamaster twin from a sandy beach just once (one outing, three flights), and since then I have had problems with sand or grit getting into my carb barrels and cause binding. I flew off the beach about 9 flights ago and then 4 flights ago I had to clean out the carbs because of the grit, then in 4 more flights I had the grit back again. Does anybody have sand problems with thier carbs and what do you do about it or how do you prevent sand from sticking to the barrel of the carb.

How about an air filter? Like what the car guys run?

It will change the needle setting, ie you will run lean if you do not change your needle seettings.

That would help with any ingestion however the sand that is getting into the barrel is comming from the side of the barrel where the control arm attaches. It is the low spot since the engine is 90 degrees and the sand sticks to the oil/ fuel that coating the barrel and works its way up into the carb.

bring a table or a piece of carpeting, fake grass etc.,, in other words stop firing it up down in the sand

I live in Florida, and people in traffic keep yelling something to me about a "Sunny Beach", but that's 30 miles away.....

A lot of folks with heavy accents down there,, huh Jim?

Jim,
I will be down to your April 21 float fly if it is still on.

Back to the original question:
The prop must be kicking up sand.  I like the idea of the piece of carpet, but be sure it is heavy enough not to be picked up by the air-blast from the prop, and large enough to extend past where the sand could be picked up.  Maybe a sheet of plywood?  Some sand has GOT to be getting inside the motor, too and sand in the motor is high on the list of BAD things. 

Another tactic: Carry a squirt bottle filled with alcohol and flush the oily film off the carb before starting.  At least LESS sand will be collected  on it between startup and launch. 

I have only flown at that spot one time and the problems keep coming back. I think that I didn't get all the sand debris off the engine block and it was finding its way to the barrel. I took the carbs off this time again and took the engines outside to the water hose and hosed off the engines real good and then dried them off, cleaned the carbs good and put them back together. I will not fly at that spot again and if I run into sandy beaches, I will try and have something to start up on. The thing that really got it was that the starter was sitting in the sand and I did not see that sand had stuck to the bottom of the starter head and I spun it on the engine and sand went all over. The intake does look like a few grains made it in but I am hoping that it did not do much damage.

I just thought I would pick all of your brains on this seaplane forum to get any ideas of what you all did in sandy situations to keep sand out of the engines.

I bring a folding table and start the planes on that. Then carry them to the water's edge and place them into the water. They never touch the sand and I've never had the problem the op describes.

I have a little camping table that folds up and goes in a bag complete with shoulder strap to carry it weighs only a couple of pounds. Purchased it a Wally World, works great for starting planes on.

A small card table was my next idea. I think I will get one to use. Thank you all.

+ 1 on the aluminum camping table. I have one I paid about $35 for. Worth every nickel.

Always used a couple of old floor mats from a car that went the dump, one for my knees and one for the plane that was being started, used those for years and they laid flat in the back of the car.

I have a canvas tarp about 8 ft by 8 ft that I put down and work from... I have a 1/3 BUSA Cub so I almost need to be on the ground...Sand even finds its way into the crack of my a.... no matter how carefull I am..I happens when sombody else fires up etc.etc. Its just part of the game..When the float fly is over I take my flight box completly apart and clean it along with my planes..I blow them carefully with my air hose and wipe them down with windex..That usually gets rid of most of the stuff that the shower didn't get...I think the only way to prevent sand from sticking to the barrel of your carb is to keep the sand away from the barrel...If there is sand on the ground try watering it. That should help....