Yah, after all the sand gone through there it's not worth trying save $40, a good set of bearings will cost you that much.
The upside is you have a spare carb, back plate, head & crankcase in the parts box once you give them a good cleaning.
That was a lesson I learned from watching somebody else do that exact thing.
"Does that engine sound different to you?" Yup, you better check it. Na, it'll be fine.
We where running in fine dry sand & marl, and he had just topped the tank off.
Killed that P/S, and I learned a lesson without...