Boating 2024

[4aprice]

No thread since 2021. Time to start a new one as we are on the eve of the season.





Looking forward to long lazy days in the cove and evenings at the Tiki Bar and restaurants around the lake (and some water skiing)

 

[deadheadskier]

Ours went in last week. Didn't get out last weekend as the lake was pretty rough and it was low 50s. But we got up to Winni, uncovered our cabana from winter and stained the deck. Might get a ride in on Sunday

 

[BodeMiller1]

Still trying to buy a sailboat. Friends of the family had a place on the Weirs. The mother worked at the pizza place by the hamburger place. Want to ride the train again.

 

[deadheadskier]

My wife and I got married on Weirs Beach. Not intentional, but fitting as a big Deadhead

 

[BodeMiller1]

I grew up on Squam Lake. The channel between big and little. There is Public Access on the channel and to the North. The North a 1/2-mile trek to Golden Pond.

Used to run into Sen. Gregg at the store. Didn't say a word to the guy.

 

[BodeMiller1]

York, Maine
Concord-Ville

 

[BodeMiller1]

The Alosa's Beach House. Painted 90% of this beast.

 

[BodeMiller1]

Sailed the bay with the Golden Rod Guy. Caught everything that moved and I have a record to prove it.

 

[4aprice]

My wife and I got married on Weirs Beach. Not intentional, but fitting as a big Deadhead

What about Bob? Har, har. (little Winnipesaukee humor there).

No great lake, Winnipesaukee. We took our boat there many years ago and loved it. Lake George was nice too.

Enjoy the season

 

[deadheadskier]

What about Bob? Har, har. (little Winnipesaukee humor there).

No great lake, Winnipesaukee. We took our boat there many years ago and loved it. Lake George was nice too.

Enjoy the season

The thing that makes Winnipesaukee great are the five towns all with free town docks. If the weather or water isn't great for tubing or hanging on the sandbars, we just pick a town to cruise to for lunch and to hang out a bit.

Only challenge with Winni is it is loaded with 40' boats and big wakes. My 25' Cobalt can feel like a dingy out there sometimes. Someday I'll probably upgrade to something bigger not because I particularly want to, but because it is becoming needed.

 

[abc]

I’ve paddled my dingy(*) on Winni a few times. I quite like it.

Granted, I was out for a slightly “sporty” run rather than sitting in the water. So the wakes are a welcomed feature rather than a disturbance.

Our records of lunching in the lakeside towns weren’t too good though. In the height of summer, we’ve run into difficulties finding eating opportunities due to the enormous popularity of those places.

(*) 16’ sea kayak

 

[BodeMiller1]

Squam and Winnipesaukee were going to be linked by a canal. Never happened,

 

[BodeMiller1]

My oldest friend's father kept a jugs gun on the Squam connect to stop the boats making too much wave. Meow, he would send videos to the wave police. X-Concord cop then Insurance Adjuster. They're the worst.

 

[deadheadskier]

I’ve paddled my dingy(*) on Winni a few times. I quite like it.

Granted, I was out for a slightly “sporty” run rather than sitting in the water. So the wakes are a welcomed feature rather than a disturbance.

Our records of lunching in the lakeside towns weren’t too good though. In the height of summer, we’ve run into difficulties finding eating opportunities due to the enormous popularity of those places.

(*) 16’ sea kayak

Unless you are in a quiet cove near the shore, you are absolutely foolish to kayak on Winni. This is our 5th season on the lake. We spend at minimum, 30 days on the water a season. I know of at least two instances during the past 4 years of kayakers getting hit by drunken boaters and ending up in the hospital.

Zero chance you'd ever find me in a kayak or canoe on that lake. Plenty of other lakes in the area far more suitable for such boats

 

[abc]

Unless you are in a quiet cove near the shore, you are absolutely foolish to kayak on Winni. This is our 5th season on the lake. We spend at minimum, 30 days on the water a season. I know of at least two instances during the past 4 years of kayakers getting hit by drunken boaters and ending up in the hospital.

Zero chance you'd ever find me in a kayak or canoe on that lake. Plenty of other lakes in the area far more suitable for such boats

What’s “foolish” by the uninitiated are “fun” by those who seek it out. Much like biking! Plenty of people ended up in hospital from getting hit by cars too. Let’s not bike at all!

Kayaks has almost zero draft. So we can stay close to shore where motor boats can‘t even get close. The wake is magnified in shallow water too. And when we do want to have fun surfing the wakes, we can purposely paddle out towards the biggest and fastest oncoming boat for that!

Drunk or not, motor boats tend to travel a straight line. It’s not hard to see where they’re likely be going. It’s not too hard to stay out of their way.

But by and large, kayaks are best for exploring shorelines getting quietly close to where wildlife hang out. That’s not the sort of place motor boats dare to tread.

 

[deadheadskier]

I pretty clearly stated "unless you are in a quiet cove" implying near shore and shallower water. That's fine. Anywhere in the broads, not so much. That's almost as smart as riding a bicycle on a freeway.

And I'm sorry admiral, you're not paddling and dodging a drunk not paying attention to you going 50+ in a speed boat.

 

[abc]

I pretty clearly stated "unless you are in a quiet cove" implying near shore and shallower water. That's fine. Anywhere in the broads, not so much. That's almost as smart as riding a bicycle on a freeway.

And I'm sorry admiral, you're not paddling and dodging a drunk not paying attention to you going 50+ in a speed boat.

I guess I missed the “implication”.

Still, there’s the implicit understanding kayaks are for exploring area deep drafted motor boats can’t. So “quiet” or not, “cove” vs shallow, as long as it’s areas motor boats don’t frequent, there’s little to worry. In a contoured lake like Winni, there’re A LOT of such “coves”! So plenty for kayaks to roam free (and safely!)

Granted, there’s time when crossing the boat channels is necessary, that’s the time to pay attention. But nobody in their right mind should be drifting about in the middle of the boat channel, even if they’re in a bigger and motorized boat. Just like nobody would be driving 50mph in the fast lane of the freeway, even in an SUV. It wouldn’t take too long before someone rear end it!

The beauty of Winni is it’s BIG. For strong kayakers, there’s no worry about running out of “coves” on a long weekend. I know a lot of “kayakers” don’t paddle big lakes, but we call them “people who paddle a kayak”. They would prefer little ponds so they could paddle a few strokes and sip water for 5 minutes! Sure, we’d all prefer Winni without the noise of the motorboats. But what makes it attractive to big boats is also what makes it attractive to sport kayakers: it’s big, almost like the ocean! Without the hassle of salt water. (Lake George is good too. Better still, it’s got island camping)

 

[deadheadskier]

JFC abc. You really are something. I'm on the lake every damn day I'm not working and it's decent weather . I don't need the education. Not trying to pull rank, but my knowledge of those waters is probably a little stronger than yours. Just a little bit

Sorry you can't freaking read when I was pretty clear about labeling where on the lake it's appropriate for kayakers and where it's not. You almost never see them out in the middle. There's a reason for it. Ask the folks mentioned who ended up in the hospital.

Carry on. I've said my piece. You're straight fucking nuts. No point going further

 

[abc]

Sorry you can't freaking read

That makes two of us!

You were the one who came out to say no kayakers should be paddling the lake … except…

”Except” that’s about 80% of the lakes are shore lines and coves! 90% of motor boats only use less than 50% of the lake!

So I was paddling exactly where you’ve now back paddled to include those places to your “exception” part, which is the majority of the lake.

But you can carry on. I’ve heard plenty of motorists who slam cyclists that they should be riding only on bike paths never on roads! You’re the same on waterway.

 

[BodeMiller1]

JFC abc. You really are something. I'm on the lake every damn day I'm not working and it's decent weather . I don't need the education. Not trying to pull rank, but my knowledge of those waters is probably a little stronger than yours. Just a little bit

Sorry you can't freaking read when I was pretty clear about labeling where on the lake it's appropriate for kayakers and where it's not. You almost never see them out in the middle. There's a reason for it. Ask the folks mentioned who ended up in the hospital.

Carry on. I've said my piece. You're straight fucking nuts. No point going further

Don't stand up in canoe. - Old Indian saying