Learning Lake Winni

BroadHopper · 05-27-2014, 09:47 AM

Always remember that Red Hill is approximately North of the lake. If you don't have a compass look for Red Hill for North.

Black and white is North or East, Red and white in South or West. Always navigate BETWEEN the solid black and solid red.

If you should lose your bearings, look for a light spar. Look for their number and match it up to the markers on your map. Yes, a map! Don't navigate without it!

The early mornings can be very foggy and moon less nights are scary! In these situations a compass and or GPS is a must! Unless you are VERY familiar with lighted buoys positions. Lately the light pollutions from properties along the shorelines can make it confusing!

Obey what you have learn from the safety course. Navigate DEFENSIVELY, too many Caption Boneheads out there!

Lakegeezer · 05-27-2014, 11:45 AM

If you aren't stopping now and then, you should be. The lake is tricky at first, and even at second. The rules of passage are always valid, but there are some places that 1 degree difference means one red on the left and the next one, seemingly in the same direction, is on the right. Have your passenger do the navigation and always know where you are. Give your self some confidence by going through the Graveyard and up to Lees Mills and back. There are some real "gotchas" along that route.

Striper295 · 05-27-2014, 08:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lakegeezer

If you aren't stopping now and then, you should be. The lake is tricky at first, and even at second. The rules of passage are always valid, but there are some places that 1 degree difference means one red on the left and the next one, seemingly in the same direction, is on the right. Have your passenger do the navigation and always know where you are. Give your self some confidence by going through the Graveyard and up to Lees Mills and back. There are some real "gotchas" along that route.

Perfect, the Graveyard... That sounds inviting.

Striper295 · 05-27-2014, 08:42 PM

I want to thank you all for the valuable information, for a new boater its inspiring to find a community that helps out so much. Hopefully in a couple years I'll be adding some advice to a new boater on this forum. I have the paper map and now I'm looking for an Ipad for the Bizer application.
I hope the boat inspection goes well on the boat we are buying this weekend or I may have some extra time to study my map.

Phantom · 05-28-2014, 07:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Striper295

I have the paper map .

Striper - one HUGE hint for a paper Chart --

Buy a cheapo "Clipboard" and you refold the chart such that you are looking at the 8-1/2 x 11" area of where you are currently boating. This allows you to glance at it while underway and not look like one of those cartoon characters with an open map blown across your face while trying to read or refold

. If you fold it correctly as you leave one section it's a simple "flip" and your looking at the newer area.

This is quite handy if you have a navigator with you and eliminates the need to idle while refolding.

After 25 years, I still, at times, pull ours out and lay it on the floor (able to glance at it) in area's we do not frequent .... in addition to my GPS

.

Happy Gourmand · 05-28-2014, 08:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phantom

Striper - one HUGE hint for a paper Chart --

Buy a cheapo "Clipboard" and you refold the chart such that you are looking at the 8-1/2 x 11" area of where you are currently boating. This allows you to glance at it while underway and not look like one of those cartoon characters with an open map blown across your face while trying to read or refold

. If you fold it correctly as you leave one section it's a simple "flip" and your looking at the newer area.

This is quite handy if you have a navigator with you and eliminates the need to idle while refolding.

After 25 years, I still, at times, pull ours out and lay it on the floor (able to glance at it) in area's we do not frequent .... in addition to my GPS

.

Or, get the laminated Bizer chart. it's easy to refer to and easy to flip and fold.

Water Camper · 05-28-2014, 09:00 AM

Striper295,

You'll like Lakeport Landing. We've been there for 20+ years. The only issue we've ever had is that you have to go thru the channel anytime you want to go outside of Paugus Bay. More of an issue for Sue than myself. She doesn't like playing bumper cars.

Good Luck,
Bill

Greene's Basin Girl · 05-28-2014, 03:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Striper295

Perfect, the Graveyard... That sounds inviting.

When I was growing up we also called the Graveyard Skeleton Pass.

Striper295 · 05-28-2014, 09:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Green's Basin Girl

When I was growing up we also called the Graveyard Skeleton Pass.

Oh Great that makes me wan to put this on the top of my must try list...Have people died there??

upthesaukee · 05-28-2014, 09:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Striper295

Oh My...Have people died there??

Just buried there...after all, it is a "grave yard".

LastonBoard · 05-28-2014, 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Striper295

Oh Great that makes me wan to put this on the top of my must try list...Have people died there??

LOL - just boats and their engines/ props.

However, I've seen more outdrives and prop parts laying in the rocks coming out of Center Harbor than I've seen in the Graveyard.

jrc · 05-28-2014, 09:59 AM

While the Graveyard may sound scary, there really is never a reason to go through it. You an always go east of the little island and miss the entire Graveyard with very little detour.

MikeF-NH · 05-27-2014, 11:51 AM

Three areas you want to know by name and site are:
-The Witches
-The Graveyard
-Middle Ground Shoals
...as they are all "off shore" and all have claimed lots of props. The Witches and MGS are both "shoals" or offshore islands where you simply stay away from the markers. The Graveyard is a bolder field where you have to stay in the channel between the markers and proceed with extreme caution.

Find these areas on a map and go there just to make sure you know them and know how to navigate around them. I would do this early morning before major boat traffic has kicked up and you don't feel pressure.

Also, be well practiced at launching and retrieving your boat at ramps as the ramps can be very busy on weekends. Docking your boat at any public launch can be very busy on weekends especially because you have upgraded from a 17 to a 24 foot boat. Weirs, Merideth and Wolfboro public docks will need some consideration if docking anywhere around lunch time but can be busy all day on a good weather weekend.

Bear Islander · 05-27-2014, 12:20 PM

One thing I don't think was mentioned is you need an anchor.

The rules say you need a paddle in a boat under 25 feet. However if you have engine trouble on a windy day in a boat over 20 feet you will want an anchor, not a paddle.

05-27-2014, 09:47 AM	#1
BroadHopper Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Laconia NH Posts: 5,669 Thanks: 3,285 Thanked 1,132 Times in 814 Posts	From a 60 years veteran. Always remember that Red Hill is approximately North of the lake. If you don't have a compass look for Red Hill for North. Black and white is North or East, Red and white in South or West. Always navigate BETWEEN the solid black and solid red. If you should lose your bearings, look for a light spar. Look for their number and match it up to the markers on your map. Yes, a map! Don't navigate without it! The early mornings can be very foggy and moon less nights are scary! In these situations a compass and or GPS is a must! Unless you are VERY familiar with lighted buoys positions. Lately the light pollutions from properties along the shorelines can make it confusing! Obey what you have learn from the safety course. Navigate DEFENSIVELY, too many Caption Boneheads out there! __________________ Someday may never be an actual day.

05-27-2014, 11:45 AM	#2
Lakegeezer Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Moultonboro, NH Posts: 1,692 Blog Entries: 1 Thanks: 356 Thanked 646 Times in 294 Posts	Practice If you aren't stopping now and then, you should be. The lake is tricky at first, and even at second. The rules of passage are always valid, but there are some places that 1 degree difference means one red on the left and the next one, seemingly in the same direction, is on the right. Have your passenger do the navigation and always know where you are. Give your self some confidence by going through the Graveyard and up to Lees Mills and back. There are some real "gotchas" along that route. __________________ -lg

05-27-2014, 08:42 PM	#4
Striper295 Member Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 34 Thanks: 36 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	Thank you very much!! I want to thank you all for the valuable information, for a new boater its inspiring to find a community that helps out so much. Hopefully in a couple years I'll be adding some advice to a new boater on this forum. I have the paper map and now I'm looking for an Ipad for the Bizer application. I hope the boat inspection goes well on the boat we are buying this weekend or I may have some extra time to study my map.

05-28-2014, 09:00 AM	#7
Water Camper Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Pembroke, NH / Laconia, NH Posts: 451 Thanks: 10 Thanked 207 Times in 89 Posts	Lakeport Landing Striper295, You'll like Lakeport Landing. We've been there for 20+ years. The only issue we've ever had is that you have to go thru the channel anytime you want to go outside of Paugus Bay. More of an issue for Sue than myself. She doesn't like playing bumper cars. Good Luck, Bill

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The Following User Says Thank You to BroadHopper For This Useful Post:
Striper295 (05-27-2014)

The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Happy Gourmand For This Useful Post:
Misha888 (05-28-2014), upthesaukee (05-28-2014)

05-28-2014, 09:59 AM	#12
jrc Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: NH Posts: 2,689 Thanks: 33 Thanked 439 Times in 249 Posts	While the Graveyard may sound scary, there really is never a reason to go through it. You an always go east of the little island and miss the entire Graveyard with very little detour.

05-27-2014, 11:51 AM	#13
MikeF-NH Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 321 Thanks: 2 Thanked 120 Times in 80 Posts	Three areas you want to know by name and site are: -The Witches -The Graveyard -Middle Ground Shoals ...as they are all "off shore" and all have claimed lots of props. The Witches and MGS are both "shoals" or offshore islands where you simply stay away from the markers. The Graveyard is a bolder field where you have to stay in the channel between the markers and proceed with extreme caution. Find these areas on a map and go there just to make sure you know them and know how to navigate around them. I would do this early morning before major boat traffic has kicked up and you don't feel pressure. Also, be well practiced at launching and retrieving your boat at ramps as the ramps can be very busy on weekends. Docking your boat at any public launch can be very busy on weekends especially because you have upgraded from a 17 to a 24 foot boat. Weirs, Merideth and Wolfboro public docks will need some consideration if docking anywhere around lunch time but can be busy all day on a good weather weekend.

05-27-2014, 12:20 PM	#14
Bear Islander Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Bear Island Posts: 1,766 Thanks: 32 Thanked 441 Times in 207 Posts	One thing I don't think was mentioned is you need an anchor. The rules say you need a paddle in a boat under 25 feet. However if you have engine trouble on a windy day in a boat over 20 feet you will want an anchor, not a paddle.

The Following User Says Thank You to Bear Islander For This Useful Post:
Misha888 (05-27-2014)