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Conference unifix::sailing

Title:	SAILING
Notice:	Please read Note 2.* before participating in this conference
Moderator:	UNIFIX::BERENS

Created:	Wed Jul 01 1992
Last Modified:	Mon Jun 02 1997
Last Successful Update:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:	2299
Total number of notes:	20724

186.0. "Seeking info on Winnepesaukie" by HYSTER::MAZER () Mon Sep 30 1985 10:19

I wonder how many of you SAILING NOTES readers out there have 
opinions on Lake Winnepesaukie.  I am considering putting a 
sailboat on that lake and my preliminary research has yielded 
some info which may, or may not, be true.

1. THE WIND:  I have heard it said on authority that the wind on 
the lake is reliable and steady throughout the season.  I have 
also heard (on authority) that the wind is pretty wimpy during 
July and August, and especially so in and among the islands, 
which act as windbreaks.  I'd be interested in hearing from those 
of you who have done a bit of sailing here, especially to find 
out if a light responsive boat like a J-22 is needed for a decent 
sail, or would a heavier boat with overnighting potential be OK?

2. THE CROWDS:  I have also heard that on summer weekends, the 
lake is like Fanueil Hall on Memorial Day weekend.  Are crowds a 
problem, or is the lake big enough to accomodate all the boats 
once you get out of wherever you're moored?

3.  ANCHORING/OVERNIGHTING:  I understand you can not just throw 
out an anchor and spend the night off an island because the lake 
patrol will bust you for this.  On the other hand, I hear there 
are a few islands on the lake you can anchor off of, and a few 
public marinas you can sail to and spend the night at for 
variety.  Anybody know what these places are like?  Are they 
quiet or rowdy with stinkpotters who like to carouse and throw beer 
bottles into the lake?

On one level the lake appeals to me because of the fresh water 
which is nice to swim in, and because the scenery is great, and 
it's fun to explore among the islands.  We rented boats twice for 
a day there and had good wind once, but yesterday had just a mild 
breeze which fizzed out repeatedly.

I'd be interested to hear from someone who knows the lake whether 
they feel the lake makes sense, as opposed to the ocean (if we 
moored in the ocean, it would probably be North shore Mass. or 
Portsmouth, NH).  Thanks!

Andy Mazer

T.R	Title	User	Personal Name	Date	Lines
186.1		CASV01::BHOGLUND		`Mon Sep 30 1985 11:56`	22
	I had a Pearson 26 on the lake my first year owning the boat. I have since moved to the ocean for the last 4 years. The first time out with my brand new boat, I was comming out of Smith's Cove heading toward Welch's Island. There was very light wind and we were trying to get as much as we could out of it. As we came out from behind Welch's into the broads the wind gusted and we were almost knocked down. After that surprise we played the gusts and had a good sail. I have also made a 150 degree turn while wing and wing and stayed wing and wing thru the turn. We were going between islands. I found the winds to be tricky, and unpredictable. I also found the traffic to be unbearable. I have found that in the ocean more people are aware of the rules of the road than on the lake. There seemed to me to be more kids on the lake in power boats that weren't responsible than on the ocean. I don't want to mislead anyone that there aren't nuts on the ocean, its just that there's more room to stay away from the crazies. There are places on the lake that you can overnight. I know of a lot of people that would't be anywhere else. Its just not for me.
186.2		AKOV04::KALINOWSKI		`Tue Oct 01 1985 20:33`	14
	i've trailered up there 5 times this year (cats are easy to haul around). i too got messed up sunday with the lack of wind. of the 5 times there, one one day had good winds, (but what a day that one was !!!!!) i agree there are some real turkeys out there with the powerboats. they are very ignorant of wakes and some of those bozos are crusing at speeds that are dangerous when the lake is full of boats. I do like the water as it is so clean compared to say lake champlain. you may wish to look at some of the earlier notes on moorings. There is not very much good news on them. john
186.3		CLOUD9::FRENCH		`Thu Oct 03 1985 09:24`	37
	Most of what you have heard is true. The winds are fickle, the winds are good. The lake is crowed, the lake is not. There are too many ignorant / unsafe powerboats / they are not much of a problem. Remember the story of the 3 blind men each trying to describe an elephant by feel? Lake Winnipesaukee is a big place. 26 miles from end to end, hundreds of islands well over 100 miles of shore line. In '84 we trailered our COM-PAC 16 out of Minge Cove in West Alton. This year we have had the 16 and now a COM-PAC 19-II in a slip at Arey's Marina in Ambrose Cove, just north of Moultonboro Bay. That end of the lake is about 40 minutes further for us but we have found it worth it to be at a very quiet marina with good facilities. Picnic tables under the pines, charcoal grills, showers, toilets, and a key to the gate which is locked from 5pm-9am. This year in the open waters of Moultonboro Bay we have had too much wind more often than not enough. I have seen whitecaps on the bay when the wind was blowing 5-10 back at the marina a mile and a half away. The boat traffic is much less of a problem up there than around The Broads / The Weirs and around Long Island. A couple times we have driven (not boated) down to the Weirs in the evening just to watch the circus of the ignorant boaters on the water. Certainly, the wind is less predictable than the sea breeze of the ocean, but as you note, it is a great place to swim. Often we have anchored off an island for lunch while the kids swam from the boat. When we are overnighting, we bring the canoe for my 8 and 10 year old to paddle around the marina. Traffic has not been a problem in this small cove. It would take many years to get to know all of the lake well. If one looks around, I believe they can find what they are looking for on Winnipesaukee. There is a paperback published in the last year or so, available at a lot of marinas which is an old hands view of the lake, cove by cove. Give the lake a good try. Bill French
186.4		HYSTER::MAZER		`Tue Oct 08 1985 09:56`	8
	Folks, Thanks for your helpful info and insights! At this juncture I'm not certain where I'll put any boat that I eventually might get, but I am glad to have had your comments to peruse. A Mazer
186.5		LYMPH::DICKSON	Network Design tools	`Mon Aug 03 1987 10:53`	3
	So where are places on the lake to rent boats? Preferably 16' day-sailers and up.
186.6	ex	BCSE::FRENCH		`Mon Aug 03 1987 11:26`	16
	There must be lots of places; the two that I am most familiar with are Arey's Marina on Rt. 109 in Moultonboro, which rented Holders and Hobie Cats last year. They are moving twoard power boats this year. Fay's Boatyard, on Varney Point Rd (off Rt 11) in Glendale also rents a variety of sizes from Sunfish to large sailboats. Both are in coves that wequire some work to get onto the main parts of the lake. Lakeshore Farm (West Alton?) on Rt 11 is right on the lake. I'm not sure if they rent or not, but a lot of people keep their trailer boats there. Bill