Tell us about where you boat!

[Bilgamesh]

As I read some of the stories about how people grind through weeds and rocks to launch and retrieve, I am reminded how fortunate I am. I live within a couple minutes of one of the boat launches at Ray Roberts Lake and State Park in North Texas. Because it is within a State Park, the facility is well built and well maintained. The water at the launch is deep, and five people can launch and retrieve simultaneously. The only problem I ever have, is that it seems like the area where the launch is is not as sheltered as it could be, and tends to get a lot of chop on windy days. Over all, it is much safer and has less obstacles than many I read about here. How about where you boat?

 

[lprizman]

Re: Tell us about where you boat!

Narragannsett Bay Rhode Island,,,,
Several places to launch, use only 2 depending on fishing reports. One north bay and another mid bay,,,never an issue and at max,,a 10 minute wait that I have experienced.

Nest year I'm going into a slip,,,this trailering thing is getting old

 

[Bilgamesh]

Re: Tell us about where you boat!

a 10 minute wait that I have experienced.

Lucky me again; no waiting! The lake is pretty remote from Dallas/Fort Worth, and is not nearly as busy as Lake Lewisville. It is worth the $65 I pay for my annual State Parks pass.

 

[mike64]

Re: Tell us about where you boat!

I tend to use State Park ramps too, since I have a State Park pass. I used to go to Cass Lake, which is the largest lake in the county, and 10 minutes away. But it's always crowded and the chop is usually pretty bad. Lately I've been going to Pontiac Lake, which has a 4-spot launch in a nice quiet protected cove. It's about 2/3 the size of Cass, but it feels bigger because it has lots of coves and nooks & crannies to cruise around in. Not quite as crowded as Cass. It also has a lot of State Park land around it-- it's a lot nicer to look at forest on the shore than rows of McMansions

 

[mike64]

Re: Tell us about where you boat!

...It is worth the $65 I pay for my annual State Parks pass.

Wow, our State Park passes are only $24 a year. You must have some well-maintained State Parks! What state are you in? I'm guessing a state with year-round nice weather, that would explain the extra $$.

EDIT: ok, I see it's Texas. Gotta learn to read entire posts :redface:

 

[Bilgamesh]

Re: Tell us about where you boat!

it's a lot nicer to look at forest on the shore than rows of McMansions

Here Here! I much prefer the natural beauty. We have 3.5 acres on rolling terrain, surrounded by what is left of the Cross Timbers Region of N. Texas. It is mostly Post Oak forest with Eastern Red Cedar mixed in. The same terrain and trees surrounds the lake. It is Army Corp property, and therefore no McMansions on the waterfront at all.

My parks pass is $65, but I get a second one for an additional $10. I believe our parks are nice, but I have to admit I don't have much of a basis for comparison. Maybe others will chime in with their experience.

 

[IVAZ]

Re: Tell us about where you boat!

Due to the damage hurricane Ike left behind I'm limited to where I can go. My favorite ramp can launch 8 at a time and about 100' away is the old 1 boat ramp. The ramps are in great shape and I have never had to wait. The only problem is all the docks there are also hurricane damaged, but at least they are still usable (sort of). I?m not really sure when the city plans to fix the docks. Hurricane Ike was almost a year ago. Hopefully they fix them over the winter.

 

[Tabes117]

Re: Tell us about where you boat!

Illinois River in the Morris Pool. It has some nice sandy beaches where 15+/- boats can pull up. The kids love to play on the beaches. There are two nice state ramps, Morris and Seneca.

 

[Bilgamesh]

Re: Tell us about where you boat!

nice sandy beaches where 15+/- boats can pull up. The kids love to play on the beaches.

That is nice. We have some sandy coves and beaches too. I need to figure out the beaching thing.

 

[jacknbella]

Re: Tell us about where you boat!

Clinton Lake (central IL). Clinton Lake Marina has a well protected ramp (and deep too) and it can handle gobs of boats easily. People are also very nice and helpful. $5 to launch or $50/season. The lake is deep and there is always a quiet cove somewhere to swim or beach it. Mid-afternoons can fill-up with every boater south of Chicago though

It's also a nuclear power plant run-off lake so water temp is extremely warm year round. We were skiing in April this year (without wet suits) but summer temps are almost unbareably hot. It's cooler OUT of the water this time of year.

 

[LIQUID PROZAC]

Re: Tell us about where you boat!

our favorite place is badin lake nc--about 200 feet deep and most of the coves are 20 t0 25 feet deep--several free launch ramps but our favorite launch site is fish tales marina $3 launch and hot food we can call in from the lake!!

 

[JZammetti]

Re: Tell us about where you boat!

For me it's the Nanticoke River, the river streches from the Chesapeake Bay, Maryland to Seaford, Delaware about 46 miles. I put in at a free public launch, 6 spots and the most I ever wait was 10 minutes. The river is full of expensive homes lining the shore with many docks extending into the river. The river is a narrow in some places and opens up as you get closer to the Chesapeake. There are a few towns along the way with public docks that have access to some good eating places.

 

[Bilgamesh]

Re: Tell us about where you boat!

It's also a nuclear power plant run-off lake...

Yikes, do you carry a geiger counter on board?

 

[snmpgh]

Re: Tell us about where you boat!

We boat on the three rivers area surrounding Pittsburgh. I grew up boating here and it has become more congested with boats and marinas every year.

The Pittsburgh pool is about 20 miles or boating before you need to lock thru to go somewhere else. The avg depth in the channel is about 25ft or so, the bottom is mud and rocks (and cars, grocery carts, HUGE catfish and the occasional body). Few real safe places to beach. There are a few sheltered back channels that are popular for rafting up and swimming. You need to be careful about when you swim. Heavy rains can overflow some of the smaller river munipalities sewage systems and they can flow into the river. the local health department has a warning system that alerts the marinas to fly an orange flag when it is unsafe to swim. happens a few times a season.

Mike

 

[Bilgamesh]

Re: Tell us about where you boat!

We boat on the three rivers area surrounding Pittsburgh. I grew up boating here and it has become more congested with boats and marinas every year.

The Pittsburgh pool is about 20 miles or boating before you need to lock thru to go somewhere else. The avg depth in the channel is about 25ft or so, the bottom is mud and rocks (and cars, grocery carts, HUGE catfish and the occasional body). Few real safe places to beach. There are a few sheltered back channels that are popular for rafting up and swimming. You need to be careful about when you swim. Heavy rains can overflow some of the smaller river munipalities sewage systems and they can flow into the river. the local health department has a warning system that alerts the marinas to fly an orange flag when it is unsafe to swim. happens a few times a season.

Mike

Wow Mike, you paint an ugly picture. It reminds me of that old Pretenders song "Back to Ohio", or even Counting Crows "Big Yellow Taxi".

I really am lucky where I live.

I hope you find happier boating somewhere before you sail off to that Big Marina in the Sky my friend.

 

[RoyR]

Re: Tell us about where you boat!

Guess I need to stop complaining....I go mostly to El Capitan Reservoir. They only allow 120 boats on the lake and it's open to water contact on Sat/Sun.

Used to go to San Vicente Reservoir, but they closed that till 2017 for water works.

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=32.879227,-116.785183&spn=0.027355,0.055747&t=h&z=15

 

[Bilgamesh]

Re: Tell us about where you boat!

....I go mostly to El Capitan Reservoir.

El Capitan Reservoir must be a scenic area. After looking at your map and comparing it to mine below, I don't feel so remote. I wonder how long until I am singing the blues of pollution and crowding...

The flag is where I live:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&sou....43975,-97.04361&spn=0.183927,0.3162&t=h&z=12

 

[grahamh]

Re: Tell us about where you boat!

San Francisco Bay. Specifically, San Pablo Bay, it's calmer there so you can wakeboard/ski/swim.

 

[Bilgamesh]

Re: Tell us about where you boat!

San Francisco Bay. Specifically, San Pablo Bay, it's calmer there so you can wakeboard/ski/swim.

Sharks?

I tried kayaking at Crystal Cove just North of Laguna Beach once, post-JAWS days. I never could shake being freaked out about what hungry animals might be swimming beneath me waiting for me to take a spill.

 

[mike64]

Re: Tell us about where you boat!

Sharks?

I tried kayaking at Crystal Cove just North of Laguna Beach once, post-JAWS days. I never could shake being freaked out about what hungry animals might be swimming beneath me waiting for me to take a spill.

Da dum da dum da dum da dum...