www.iFourWinns.com

Okay, so here's the deal. I don't really know any of you guys, but I have noticed that there's a couple of guys here from New England and I have read mention of Lake Winnipesaukee.

I'd like to get the boat in the water this weekend if possible, and am looking at Winnipesaukee as it's the closest good-sized body of water in the area. I'm not big on driving in a body of water I don't know, and I'm looking for some tips.

First of all, do I need any special stickers or anything to use the lake? Are there some weird regulations I don't know about in NH that go above and beyond VT's rules and regs?

Where can I launch the boat? Where is a good place to go? I am looking for an area that will not be crowded. I know this lake is a parking lot in the summer and while it is off-season I'd rather not deal with heavy boat traffic.

Thanks in advance...

This is coming from someone who drives on a lake that has almost no boat traffic even in the peak of summer and has never driven anywhere else in my life except the ocean on someone elses boat.

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1995 Four Winns Freedom 170
4.3-GL, Volvo SX

My favorite Launch site is Ames Farm Inn on Rt 11 in between Alton and Gilford. They will charge $20 a day but they have 2 ramps with a dock between them and parking space for your tow vehicle & trailer at site. I do not have any issue with launching my 26 footer here.

One important thing is making sure you get a NH Safety Certificate before you launch. (Affected last year on and they are enforcing) NH will not recognize other state’s certification unless it has NASBLA approved logo This is not just for NH registered boat but any one who wants to launch at any NH lakes. You can get a temporary 14 days permit from the most of Marina (you have to answer and pass about 20 questions). Check out this link. http://www.nh.gov/safety/divisions/s...ged/index.html

There are so many great place to go and I can not write fast enough but Meredith, Weirs Beach, Center Harbor, Alton Bay and Wolfeboro are major attraction town around the lake (on top of Laconia) and they all have public slip to dock and visit town.

I would recommend getting a Bizer Chart as well since there are many shoals in this lake. I am not going out this weekend but planning to go out there next weekend.

Have a safe trip

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08 H260 VP 8.1Gi DP.....Previous
2013 Crownline E6 Merc 8.2MAG BIIIX, DTS/SC

CChase,
Flying Sushi covered allot in his post. West Alton Marina is off of Rte. 11. The launch fee is $15 it has gas, ice, good parking and a very clean bath house with nice showers if you need it.

I would contact the NH marine patrol, but this link should get you to the Vermont page. It should cover you. I would check though. http://www.boat-ed.com/vt/index.htm

This is a great resource for the lake http://www.winnipesaukee.com/index.php

Places to go. Meredith is a great place to park and go to lunch. Wolfeboro can be fun but crowded at time. It may be better this time of year. The Bizer map is a must. Winni has some great places to cruise or just hang out at the sand bar or cove. If you have any specific questions feel free to PM me.

One thing I would do is go by Bahre’s house (he used to own the Loudon race track) It is at Clay point in Alton. You can’t miss it. It’s the biggest house on the lake.

Let me know if you need more info. Have fun.

Bill

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2001 Sundowner 235

Thanks for the quick replies and helpful links, guys.

Looks like I will have plenty to get figured out before I head out.

How deep is the lake in general? The lake I usually go on doesn't have any shoals... I am assuming Winni has mostly rocky areas...

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1995 Four Winns Freedom 170
4.3-GL, Volvo SX

Winni for the most part is a deep lake. It just has areas that you have to be careful of, and some are not straight forward.

It has areas like the graveyard and the witches that are rocks just below the surface, but they are marked well.

Let me know if I can help.

Bill

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2001 Sundowner 235

It was a beautiful weekend in New Hampshire. We decided change our plan and headed for Winni today. Not may boats on water… No waits at fuel dock in Weirs Beach. Looking good… Few hours later while we were casually cruising shoreline I hit lower unit with unmarked rock… I thought I knew this lake well but I guess I didn’t... .... Chart and GPS did not help… .... Oh well I had a great season. .... Damage is not major but one small bent on rear prop and chewed up skeg and the leading edge of lower unit.. I will likely get a new lower housing… A good thing was this would be my last day for this season so I had no problem with dropping my boat off to my dealer.

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08 H260 VP 8.1Gi DP.....Previous
2013 Crownline E6 Merc 8.2MAG BIIIX, DTS/SC

You def. need a chart of the lake i use the Bizer and even though i know where i'm going it helps with all the markers on the lake which can get confusing. Like the others said Meredith is a good place to go but if you don't like the busy area this is one also weirs beach can get pretty busy and all the boats cause some nasty wakes. i like going to Alton Bay there is a nice restaurant there called Shibley's you can dock right there and across the street is an ice cream stand. There are so many places to go every place that was mentioned are the most popular. Pick up a chart and go exploring its a great lake. The pic in my Sig is actually me docked at Weirs Beach

Flying Sushi

What part of the lake were you on when you hit this rock? Hope everything turn out ok

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2006 Horizon 180 3.0 Volvo SOLD
2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee

Flying Sushi ,
I am curious as well. Where did it happen and how was the ride back to your trailer?

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2001 Sundowner 235

I was at Paugus Bay after bridge and Marina (coming from Weirs Beach) 1/3 into the bay on right side about 300 feet from shoreline before Big Island. I was casually going about 20mph (lucky me) so the damage was not major.
Little bent in the front prop, no vibration and no oil leak. However, port side of lower housing and skeg has decent markings. The depth finder said 8 feet deep even when I hit it so I must be wrong place in wrong timing. I thought I went same route year after year for last 10 years… I have lost Lower Unit completely hitting a shoal in 1000 Islands in upstate New York before (7 years ago) so compare to that experience this was not big deal. I never like to go closed a shore but my wife love to cruise slowly for site seeing…. Oh well…. I had no issue with limping back to the ramp and put it onto my trailer…. I will direct marina to take lower unit all a part and make sure everything would be back to spec.

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08 H260 VP 8.1Gi DP.....Previous
2013 Crownline E6 Merc 8.2MAG BIIIX, DTS/SC

That sounds pretty bad .

You guys actually scared me enough that I ended up going to another lake. This was my first time out in this boat so I wanted to go somewhere I would feel somewhat comfortable.

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1995 Four Winns Freedom 170
4.3-GL, Volvo SX

CChase
sorry to make you nervous of the lake it is really nice once you get out there as long as you have that chart you should be fine. Even when it does get busy and rough my little 180 does great. There is always next year to check it out though.

Flying Sushi
Are you talking about the weirs beach bridge in the channel? and passing by Channel marine? If you are where i think you are your past the small railroad bridge on the right side that leads to the campground, and just past the marker buoy on the left?

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2006 Horizon 180 3.0 Volvo SOLD
2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee

No harm done.

I didn't know about the shoals in the lake though, so I figured if I was going to make a fool of myself maybe I could do it some other way than paddling back after hitting a shoal, hence going to a lake I was previously familiar with!

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1995 Four Winns Freedom 170
4.3-GL, Volvo SX