Is it Just me ?
 

This past Holiday weekend I think I saw more boats in the 3 day span passing on the wrong side of Markers than I have seen collectively all Season !!

To head off the obvious, these were NOT Labor Day rentals and being a veteran I know there are a lot of "local knowledge" markers.

What I witnessed made me cringe. I actually waited and watched most because I figured I would have to lend assistance (happily not). I am talking about some significantly sized vessels (28-34ft).

Given some of the shortcuts taken, if they try that again in about 2 weeks there will be some serious regrets.


Which brings me to a question for the Forum;
I was always under the impression that the entire area to the NW side of Eagle (side opposite the NWZ) is littered with numerous rocks and that the markers form a "perimeter" (similar to the witches) leaving the only "safe passage" being between FL#44 (Red Top) and the adjacent black top on the Pitchwood side. True or untrue ?

In addition to my comments above -This is another area that I consistently see boats "splitting" the markers and cutting Eagle Isl. a little too close in my humble opinion.

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I've seen it often this year as well.

That area by Eagle has plenty of clear paths. Look at google earth and you can see that the rocks are spread out. That said, I wouldn't risk going through there...

Eagle Island is where I saw a nice formula come flying through on Sunday. I was amazed, I don't think he even realized what he had just done.

Looking at the safe "track" on my Bizer, if you are going East..Keep the FL"44" Close on your left.

Heading West, keep FL"44" Close on your right. The black buoy between Pitchwood and Stonedam is not a factor. :look: NB

NoBozo -- We Get where the "safe track" is -- it's a question of whether the REST of the markers form a peripheral boundary (similar to the witches) or that you can actually safely navigate through --- as I have sat and viewed the various paths for the life of me I cannot figure it out as there is 3 Black Tops on the Stonedam side and 1 Red Top on the Wiers side (Excluding the Red topped FL44)

Perhaps the markers are only indicating a single rock near the stick?? And thus if you stay away from the marker - your okay?

Dave R seems to feel it is achievable ...... and clearly from the number of boats that I see go through there it is ! but boats also go through the Witches and over by FL84 Patrician shores .... Those we always call "travel with an Angel"



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Phantom;

Yes those markers, 3 red markers on the northeast and 3 black on the southwest side of Pitchwood, do in fact represent a boundary you should not be entering. Is it achievable to go through there... maybe, depending on the size and draft of your boat but certainly not always... The proper way is to go between Red FL 44 and the black markers to the east in a figure 'S" pattern.

Hope this helps;

Dan

Another place I've seen people go through was between Six Mile Isl and Little Six Mile Isl.

Skipping the Safe Track
 

I guess it all depends: Feeling Lucky Today..?? :D :D NB

Laughing at that one !!

IShoot, our cottage is over near FL#1 and watching this area is routine comedy !

In the 25+ years of boating the Lake we have ALWAYS gone through the FL44 "S" pattern you describe

BUT

We have routinely watched everything from Pleasure boats (bow riders 20-30ft), Go Fasts -- and I mean the BIG BOYS, and even 38 foot cruisers with their tail dragging go through there ......... boggles my mind that there isn't at least one incident per week. But seems 99% make it, thus my questioning of my own understanding of that area.



and I am the loudest preacher of "Don't follow someone you THINK knows what they're doing"




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Didn't mean to make you laugh, just answering your question...what I meant by "not always", is a 38' Rinker or other large cruiser probably would have an issue during draw down in that area. We have had pretty high water most of the summer that is very forgiving, it's certainly not always that way...

Dan

I have also seen more boats go through that area this year than in any other time. Somebody in my association says there is a "safe passage" between 2 of the 3 black buoys. Do they know something we don't? I wonder if Bizer or the MP can chime in and clarify.

ive been going on the stonedam side of eagle for 10 years

all times of the year low /high water all my boats twin sunsation
twin formula now single chaparrel no problems their is a a clear path
every one always watches me go through thier
the first black marker coming back to the weirs before you should turn right
was moved a couple years ago it is way over to the left before u turned right now it is on thre right i go straight
i even called bizer to tell them their is a good clear path
when im coming from the weirs i head to the first black marker and go straight towards the next black marker they bought use to be on my right
now one is on the rigth and the other on the left head directyl for the red one
where you would normayl turn if you whent the proper way

i have allot of friends doing it

my idea was when they put the no wake zone they should of made each side of eagle island one way in/out it would of taken a few years with big one way bouies but would be allot safer

anyways that is my new coures to take do what i did swim around their
if i hit some thing you will all know

its up to anyone to make that decision
ive seen very big criusers go througt their slow bow way up

"big one way bouies"...now that is laughable :laugh:

All I can say is WOW !

You keep one Black top to your right and the next to your left without changing heading !!!

Good LUCK !!

From my experience floating around there on my PWC,The course he is refering to is clear but does get shallower than the 6ft used as a navagation avoidance area.Its a small area and is easier to just show the whole area to avoid.I would however stay south of the red spar by second black.

Bouy positions
 

I always thought my mind was playing tricks on me or the bouys on the lake are moved. I'm glad you noticed the black and white was moved. I never had a problem there. I did have a problem with a red and white between Governors and the Witches. I bent a prop shaft on the west side. And someone else wrote the same on the forum. I called the marine patrol and I don't think it was moved back. I stay way to the west since the mishap last year.

Discretion is the better part of valor. Why tempt fate.

According to my notes, there is one rock about 18" below the surface in this area near the red/white buoy. There are 2 rocks about 24"-30" below the surface. There are several rocks in the 36"-48" range. Keep in mind that (A) those measurements are based on a lake level that is about 8" below the current reading and (B) I might have missed something. So, if your draft is less than three feet (and most boats are), you have, today, about a 99.8% chance of sailing through without incident. I, myself, never go through this area unless the prop is raised, I'm wearing polarized sun glasses (to see the rocks), and going less than 3 mph.

I will continue to make the S turn through this area. And I'll continue to cringe when I see other boats tempt fate. What's the hurry?

Ditto, to what he said !




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irwin Marine
 

So many boaters have passed on the wrong side of the black and white in front of Irwin Marine, someone painted two one gallon jugs with fluorescent orange and anchor them between the buoy and shore.

Reminds me of Webster lake in Mass where they mark their 'sunken islands'. :laugh:

Hey BH, could you SPELL that lake in Webster, Mass.?.:D

Extra points if you can pronounce it.:laugh:

I can't spell it without looking at my souvenier can coozie. But it is pronounced Lake Chargogagoggmanchagoggagoggchabungugoggamogg

You fish on your side and I will fish on mine, and nobody fish in the middle.

Is that the "true" translation, RJ.?. I have heard that phrase before, just not sure of context.

and not to jump the shark, yes.:cool:

Lol!
 

Is this a one upmanship by Massachusetts because we have Lake Winni?

NHBUOY The translation is about as accurate as I remember, maybe a word or two wrong. I learned that when I lived in Southbridge, MA, close to the lake. And it does not compare to Winni in anyway.

No comparison
 

I can attest to that! I boated on Webster Lake for two weekends and called it quits. And.....NOTHING compares to Winni!:)

My friends and I used to test boats on that little "moat".

I have had the opportunity to run some BIIG numbers there in the then new 22 Velocity's (singles & twins:eek:) and a couple incredibly fast Actions.

It always reminded me of a big moat with the island in the middle.:D

I remember a water-front Bar/Restaurant we would visit too. Granny's.?:confused:

Webster Lake.
 

That waterfront bar/grill I believe is a clubhouse for one of the golf courses? They serve pretty strong drinks! :eek:

I think the whole lake is pretty shallow. Every time I tried to quickly plane a deep vee I would be hitting the mud! I ask for a map at a local what looks like a marina, and he drew out the lake and the hazards on a piece of paper!

Even the public ramp was scary. I was so afraid of getting stuck in the sand/mud.

I was up there during one of the Country Western weekends at the Indian Ranch. The ranch owners told me to bring my boat, as the lake is pretty cool! Well they didn't have much of a dock, I pretty much had to beach the boat to use the plank! LOL!

Nevertheless, it was an unforgettable weekend. The young gals along the shore will flash just to get a boat ride! :D

I have witnessed a disregard for proper navigation all over the lake the past two years...

Sometimes it is people with large jet drive boats.. other times it is people with I/O...

I have even been told that I am on the wrong side of a marker once or twice...

of course one of those times I shook my head and pointed out to the guy all the sand he was kicking up as went across the sand bar he was over... he had a oh my god look on his face.

I believe the biggest issue is that people are using the lake, and think they know it all because the past a test which gave them a certificate to boat... because of that certificate, and thinking they know what side of markers to be on they don't pay attention to their maps...

You have seen them do this at speed???

Yes, once. The other time was when someone realized and came off plane and started zig-zagging. Staying on plane may have been better off.

I am amazed they made it. That area is nasty. Lucky (&%*@%)s should have bought a lottery ticket.

My dad used to run his Freedom 21 shoal keel sailboat between 6 Mile and Little 6. I'd be begging him to turn back, and he would go right through.
"There's one", he'd say and a boulder the size of a vw bettle would be right under one side of the boat. Then, "now there's one more over there", and he'd change heading a bit. I always kind of wished he'd get his comeuppance but he never did.
That boat drew 2 or 3 feet of water. He had found his way through years before in a Rebel center board boat that drew at least 3 feet.
I only ever went outside the markers twice. The first time I smashed the family boat lower unit. The 2nd time I just stopped and backed out. Hitting bottom teaches much respect!
Local knowledge does rule though!