Navigating from Lee s mill launch in moultonboro.

Cal Coon · 10-22-2018, 06:11 PM

The amount of time it will take is impossible to guesstimate without knowing which way you are going to go, how fast you plan on going, (depending on conditions), but I would definitely plan on 2 or 3 hours to get to Center Harbor, and longer to Meredith Bay. You don't even have to go through the broads to get to either place, so I wouldn't worry about that. I would just fill my gas tank, study the chart for a course, know where you can get gas, (if needed) and set out for an adventure. There are many different ways to go, around many different islands, so it can get a little confusing on that part of the lake, but it is all well marked so if you take your time, you will be fine, especially if you have a gps of the lake which you mentioned. I think the fastest way to Center Harbor would be taking a hard right after going through the graveyard and going by Trexler's marina through Braun Bay, or you could go through the "hole in the wall", all depends on how much time you want to spend on the water, but if you get up on plane and do some easy cruising, (20mph or so), you can go to Center Harbor and Meredith Bay, and back, in one day no problem IMHO. Definitely not a trip you want to do at headway speed, or it will take you a day and a half!! Weekend or week day, I would get an early start and see what happens, you can always turn around and hit it another day if the weather kicks up, or you get lost, or whatever...

thinkxingu · 10-22-2018, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cal Coon

The amount of time it will take is impossible to guesstimate without knowing which way you are going to go, how fast you plan on going, (depending on conditions), but I would definitely plan on 2 or 3 hours to get to Center Harbor, and longer to Meredith Bay. You don't even have to go through the broads to get to either place, so I wouldn't worry about that. I would just fill my gas tank, study the chart for a course, know where you can get gas, (if needed) and set out for an adventure. There are many different ways to go, around many different islands, so it can get a little confusing on that part of the lake, but it is all well marked so if you take your time, you will be fine, especially if you have a gps of the lake which you mentioned. I think the fastest way to Center Harbor would be taking a hard right after going through the graveyard and going by Trexler's marina through Braun Bay, or you could go through the "hole in the wall", all depends on how much time you want to spend on the water, but if you get up on plane and do some easy cruising, (20mph or so), you can go to Center Harbor and Meredith Bay, and back, in one day no problem IMHO. Definitely not a trip you want to do at headway speed the whole way!!

We went from Hanson Cove to Ragged Island to Becky's Garden to Sally's Gut to St. John's for a walk to the church for lunch to Governor's Island sandbar for an hour swim and back in half a day. 2-3 hours from LM to CH is sllooowww.

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Cal Coon · 10-22-2018, 07:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thinkxingu

We went from Hanson Cove to Ragged Island to Becky's Garden to Sally's Gut to St. John's for a walk to the church for lunch to Governor's Island sandbar for an hour swim and back in half a day. 2-3 hours from LM to CH is sllooowww.

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It's a lot faster than a day and a half like you said in your other post!! (He's not rowing!!). And we don't know which way he's going to go, what he has for power, or what the conditions will be at the time, so I tried to allow for "worst case" scenario in a realistic world knowing he's never been on the lake...

thinkxingu · 10-22-2018, 07:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cal Coon

It's a lot faster than a day and a half like you said in your other post!! (He's not rowing!!). And we don't know which way he's going to go, what he has for power, or what the conditions will be at the time, so I tried to allow for "worst case" scenario in a realistic world knowing he's never been on the lake...

It's called "hyperbole." Jeesh.

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MikeF-NH · 10-23-2018, 05:08 AM

The run from Lees Mills through MB and past the Graveyard is probably some of the most challenging waters on the lake to navigate. A good GPS, a copy of the Bizer and common sense will get you through but you have to be careful and watch the hazards. Coming from Squam...you pass through CH so I would just start there.

I know a lot of people discourage travel on the Broads in anything less than a 23 footer but I've done the entire lake in a 16 foot aluminum and now use my 19 footer and can assure that with common sense the entire lake is accessible. Once winds exceed 15 mph...I pick my destinations carefully and know I'm in for a rough ride.

Other than hazards, you will have rough water on the Broads and Moultonboro Bay. Also depending on wind conditions, the stretch from Trexlers all the way to CH can be rough. Then it will be rough coming into the Weirs area with boat traffic and all the way up to Meredith Bay.

Phantom · 10-23-2018, 06:11 AM

Again I ask -- if trailering, why not continue down Rte 25 another 10 minutes and launch in Center Harbor ………….. makes for a much more enjoyable day on the Lake !

Dave R · 10-23-2018, 06:47 AM

Lees Mill to Center Harbor is only about 17 miles and it's one of the prettier and more interesting routes you can take on the entire lake, IMO. It just so happens that I did that route a week and a half ago (when we decided that Lemon Grass would be a great place for lunch, while near Lees Mill at noon) and it took about 40 minutes, by way of Pistol Island and the LI bridge at a cruising speed of 35 MPH. Would have been quicker if not for the two no wake zones (Whaleback and LI bridge). We were seated at Lemon Grass before 1 PM.

The section from Spectacle Island to Dow Island (I call it the "Pistol Island Gauntlet") is a little tough to navigate, but worth doing. I think that if you can figure that route out, you can safely navigate anywhere on the lake. If you are used to Squam Lake, this should not be too challenging.

There is no need to go through the Broads or the Graveyard to get from Lees Mill to Center Harbor.

Greene's Basin Girl · 10-23-2018, 09:02 AM

I live in Green's Basin, which is located right near Lee's Mill. I have been traveling to Center Harbor and Meredith by boat for over 50 years. If you let me let me know when you plan to go I can meet you at Lee's Mill and guide you down the lake. I will even show you how to avoid the Graveyard.

Juiced06GTO · 10-23-2018, 09:22 AM

Its not really too difficult to navigate as long as you have at the least a chart and compass. If you are putting a chart plotter in you will be fine as long as you know how to use it. I made a few similar trips two years ago while staying up at Buzzle's Cove and it was my first time in that part of the lake and I only had a chart to go by. Just take it a little easy in the complicated areas. It is very scenic in that area and a nice cruise, we did it on my 224 funship with three family's on board in a little over an hour.

10-22-2018, 06:11 PM	#1
Cal Coon Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2018 Location: Lakes Region Posts: 475 Thanks: 179 Thanked 158 Times in 100 Posts	The amount of time it will take is impossible to guesstimate without knowing which way you are going to go, how fast you plan on going, (depending on conditions), but I would definitely plan on 2 or 3 hours to get to Center Harbor, and longer to Meredith Bay. You don't even have to go through the broads to get to either place, so I wouldn't worry about that. I would just fill my gas tank, study the chart for a course, know where you can get gas, (if needed) and set out for an adventure. There are many different ways to go, around many different islands, so it can get a little confusing on that part of the lake, but it is all well marked so if you take your time, you will be fine, especially if you have a gps of the lake which you mentioned. I think the fastest way to Center Harbor would be taking a hard right after going through the graveyard and going by Trexler's marina through Braun Bay, or you could go through the "hole in the wall", all depends on how much time you want to spend on the water, but if you get up on plane and do some easy cruising, (20mph or so), you can go to Center Harbor and Meredith Bay, and back, in one day no problem IMHO. Definitely not a trip you want to do at headway speed, or it will take you a day and a half!! Weekend or week day, I would get an early start and see what happens, you can always turn around and hit it another day if the weather kicks up, or you get lost, or whatever... Last edited by Cal Coon; 10-22-2018 at 06:43 PM.

10-23-2018, 06:11 AM	#6
Phantom Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Berlin, Ma / Gilford Posts: 1,934 Thanks: 450 Thanked 605 Times in 341 Posts	Again I ask -- if trailering, why not continue down Rte 25 another 10 minutes and launch in Center Harbor ………….. makes for a much more enjoyable day on the Lake ! __________________ *A bad day on the Big Lake (although I've never had one) - Still beats a day at the office!!*

10-23-2018, 05:08 AM	#5
MikeF-NH Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 318 Thanks: 2 Thanked 120 Times in 80 Posts	The run from Lees Mills through MB and past the Graveyard is probably some of the most challenging waters on the lake to navigate. A good GPS, a copy of the Bizer and common sense will get you through but you have to be careful and watch the hazards. Coming from Squam...you pass through CH so I would just start there. I know a lot of people discourage travel on the Broads in anything less than a 23 footer but I've done the entire lake in a 16 foot aluminum and now use my 19 footer and can assure that with common sense the entire lake is accessible. Once winds exceed 15 mph...I pick my destinations carefully and know I'm in for a rough ride. Other than hazards, you will have rough water on the Broads and Moultonboro Bay. Also depending on wind conditions, the stretch from Trexlers all the way to CH can be rough. Then it will be rough coming into the Weirs area with boat traffic and all the way up to Meredith Bay.

10-23-2018, 06:47 AM	#7
Dave R Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 2,985 Thanks: 246 Thanked 744 Times in 444 Posts	Lees Mill to Center Harbor is only about 17 miles and it's one of the prettier and more interesting routes you can take on the entire lake, IMO. It just so happens that I did that route a week and a half ago (when we decided that Lemon Grass would be a great place for lunch, while near Lees Mill at noon) and it took about 40 minutes, by way of Pistol Island and the LI bridge at a cruising speed of 35 MPH. Would have been quicker if not for the two no wake zones (Whaleback and LI bridge). We were seated at Lemon Grass before 1 PM. The section from Spectacle Island to Dow Island (I call it the "Pistol Island Gauntlet") is a little tough to navigate, but worth doing. I think that if you can figure that route out, you can safely navigate anywhere on the lake. If you are used to Squam Lake, this should not be too challenging. There is no need to go through the Broads or the Graveyard to get from Lees Mill to Center Harbor.

10-23-2018, 09:02 AM	#8
Greene's Basin Girl Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Moultonborough, NH Posts: 1,515 Thanks: 394 Thanked 527 Times in 269 Posts	I live in Green's Basin, which is located right near Lee's Mill. I have been traveling to Center Harbor and Meredith by boat for over 50 years. If you let me let me know when you plan to go I can meet you at Lee's Mill and guide you down the lake. I will even show you how to avoid the Graveyard.

The Following 3 Users Say Thank You to Greene's Basin Girl For This Useful Post:
Dave R (10-23-2018), LIforrelaxin (10-23-2018), ushaggerb (10-29-2018)

10-23-2018, 09:22 AM	#9
Juiced06GTO Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2017 Posts: 213 Thanks: 9 Thanked 84 Times in 49 Posts	Its not really too difficult to navigate as long as you have at the least a chart and compass. If you are putting a chart plotter in you will be fine as long as you know how to use it. I made a few similar trips two years ago while staying up at Buzzle's Cove and it was my first time in that part of the lake and I only had a chart to go by. Just take it a little easy in the complicated areas. It is very scenic in that area and a nice cruise, we did it on my 224 funship with three family's on board in a little over an hour.