Petition Against Rafting at Braun Bay

[ishoot308]

Anyone familiar or know about this?

https://mm.nh.gov/files/uploads/dos/...qdk4jcLldwKWGG

Dan

[mhtranger]

I’m guessing the land owners got together to have this changed. Love the way the hearing is on a Wednesday at 9 am. So the working people won’t be able to attend.

[Descant]

I'm all for repealing the petition option and returning this duty to the legislature. Too many special interest groups restricting "their" piece of lake XYZ. At the very least, the hearings (there should be at least two) should be 9 months apart at a location accessible in time and place, by those most subject to new regulation.

[tis]

I thought Braun Bay was already no rafting???? Are they wanting to change the 75' part of it back to 150' from shore as most places are? I think Braun is the only place that is 75' from shore. Maybe I'm remembering wrong?

[Cobaltdeadhead]

I think West Alton is the only one at 150. The rest are at 75. Probably because 150' out at the others would be too deep except for a row or two of boats.

[tis]

Originally Posted by Cobaltdeadhead

I think West Alton is the only one at 150. The rest are at 75. Probably because 150' out at the others would be too deep except for a row or two of boats.

I think all are 150 except Braun Bay. But I could be wrong.

[WinnisquamZ]

Interesting to see a documentary put together about Braun Bay and how it as evolved over the years


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[Cobaltdeadhead]

Originally Posted by tis

I think all are 150 except Braun Bay. But I could be wrong.

I don't go to either very often, but it seems Patrician or Margate are closer than 150. But, I also could be wrong. Haha

[The Real BigGuy]

Originally Posted by mhtranger

I’m guessing the land owners got together to have this changed. Love the way the hearing is on a Wednesday at 9 am. So the working people won’t be able to attend.

I thought they were usually scheduled for a Wednesday in December or January. That way they only had to hear from the petitioner!


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[searay]

The hearing on changing Braun Bay to the 150’ rule needs support from all of us that enjoy anchoring at this sandbar. Let the town know that you want to keep the 75’ existing rule. It is a great place to socialize with other boaters. At 150’ out from shore it would eliminate the nicest anchoring areas. Send an email to Safety-Hearing@DOS.NH.GOV before June 12th.

[thinkxingu]

Originally Posted by searay

The hearing on changing Braun Bay to the 150’ rule needs support from all of us that enjoy anchoring at this sandbar. Let the town know that you want to keep the 75’ existing rule. It is a great place to socialize with other boaters. At 150’ out from shore it would eliminate the nicest anchoring areas. Send an email to Safety-Hearing@DOS.NH.GOV before June 12th.

A note that I just tried to send an email to that address but it was rejected. Can you confirm?

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[ishoot308]

Originally Posted by searay

The hearing on changing Braun Bay to the 150’ rule needs support from all of us that enjoy anchoring at this sandbar. Let the town know that you want to keep the 75’ existing rule. It is a great place to socialize with other boaters. At 150’ out from shore it would eliminate the nicest anchoring areas. Send an email to Safety-Hearing@DOS.NH.GOV before June 12th.

At 150' out from shore there would be NO anchoring areas...

Dan

[tis]

Originally Posted by ishoot308

At 150' out from shore there would be NO anchoring areas...

Dan

Why can't you anchor 150' out from shore?

[Susie Cougar]

I just sent an email and it went through.
If anyone doesn’t know me by now, I voted to eliminate the sandbar in Braun Bay. It’s been long enough. Time to return it back to its original beauty.

[searay]

Watch spaces on hyphen when responding to posted email.

[codeman671]

Originally Posted by tis

Why can't you anchor 150' out from shore?

Probably too deep to wade/hang out in the water? I don't frequent Braun Bay so I am not sure.

[fatlazyless]

Braun Bay rafting: summer rafting Youtube video from 2018 ..... www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCRqS2WNdg4 ....... rafters at Braun Bay drop anchor, and walk about the shallow soft sandy water bottom to meet and greet other rafters ..... to mingle and meet other people ..... .... cheers!

Anchoring 150' out from shoreline will probably make the water too deep for walking the sandy bottom but the boats can still drop anchor and tie up to one another and rafters can walk from boat to boat .... to mingle and meet other people .... .... cheers!

[ishoot308]

Originally Posted by tis

Why can't you anchor 150' out from shore?

You would be off the sandbar. Someone on Facebook drew a map showing the effects of a 150' boundary from shore and it showed most if not ALL anchoring would be off the bar...

Dan

[tis]

Originally Posted by ishoot308

You would be off the sandbar. Someone on Facebook drew a map showing the effects of a 150' boundary from shore and it showed most if not ALL anchoring would be off the bar...

Dan

But they can still anchor, right? You mean they just wouldn't be anchored in the sand?

[ishoot308]

Originally Posted by tis

But they can still anchor, right? You mean they just wouldn't be anchored in the sand?

Yes they could anchor but everyone goes for the sandbar. If this petition passes what would most likely happen is those hundreds of boats that go there on the weekend would move to other places like Johnson’s Cove in winter Harbor, West Alton, etc, etc. it would become a nightmare at other places as the boats are not going to leave the lake…

Dan

[Hillcountry]

This is what happens when the “PHTF” 🤣

[tis]

Originally Posted by ishoot308

Yes they could anchor but everyone goes for the sandbar. If this petition passes what would most likely happen is those hundreds of boats that go there on the weekend would move to other places like Johnson’s Cove in winter Harbor, West Alton, etc, etc. it would become a nightmare at other places as the boats are not going to leave the lake…

Dan

OK, but if they want sand it wouldn't be Winter Harbor. West Alton does have asandbar, doesn't it?

[ishoot308]

Originally Posted by tis

OK, but if they want sand it wouldn't be Winter Harbor. West Alton does have asandbar, doesn't it?

Hi tis;

No sand in winter harbor but boats already anchor there as its calm and out of the wind and water is shallower. I would highly expect it and any place like it would see a larger number of boats anchoring at these locations if Braun Bay is lost.....They wont anchor in the middle of Braun Bay...West Alton is already full on weekends.

I guess what I'm saying is the boats will go somewhere just not away and off the lake like some hope who are pushing this agenda...

Below is a google earth pic depicting what 150' boundary would do...As you can see the entire sandbar is lost...

Dan

[tis]

I was trying to think of where people anchor that has sand besides Braun and West Alton. Margate? Ragged Is? Do you know?

[ishoot308]

Originally Posted by tis

I was trying to think of where people anchor that has sand besides Braun and West Alton. Margate? Ragged Is? Do you know?

None at Ragged, I believe Margate is shallow with some sand areas (never really go there…

[fatlazyless]

The rafting area known as the Margate Resort is more accurately the shoreline shallow water area adjacent to the Bayside Cemetery which is next to the Margate.

Everyone in the Bayside Cemetery is unavailable to contact the Marine Patrol to complain about too many boats, while the Margate with a beach and docks area could make the phone call.

Hellooooo Marine Patrol ....... this is Harold Quimby over in the Bayside Cemetery ...... been here since 1877 .... resting quietly until all these partying rafter boaters done showed up ..... let me tell ya ..... it is very disturbing to everyone here in this cemetery ..... like, where do all these big expensive boats come from and what the heck are they doing here! ......

[ApS]

Originally Posted by fatlazyless

Braun Bay rafting: summer rafting Youtube video from 2018 ..... www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCRqS2WNdg4 ....... rafters at Braun Bay drop anchor, and walk about the shallow soft sandy water bottom to meet and greet other rafters ..... to mingle and meet other people ..... .... cheers!

Anchoring 150' out from shoreline will probably make the water too deep for walking the sandy bottom but the boats can still drop anchor and tie up to one another and rafters can walk from boat to boat .... to mingle and meet other people .... .... cheers!

Ironically, the image in post https://www.winnipesaukee.com/forums...2&postcount=22 shows only six anchored boats in Braun Bay. All are equally spaced from one another, with no attempt at "mingling".

"Mingling" is forced upon them as the numbers increase as morning turns to afternoon.

People used to anchor close to Winter Harbor's shoreline, but the heavy chop from tubing's popularity has discouraged such anchoring. (...and now I don't have to worry about their anchors' dragging across my stainless steel water line).

Some here may recall my admonition to one anchoring pontoon boat, who was tossing their meals' discards overboard.

Now that I think about it, rafters should have Braun Bay's sandbar to congregate.

[LoveLakeLife]

Originally Posted by tis

I was trying to think of where people anchor that has sand besides Braun and West Alton. Margate? Ragged Is? Do you know?

Beyond the ones mentioned, people also anchor in sandbars at Ellacoya Beach (more rocky than sandy); Saunders Bay near the Silver Sands swim area; just south of the Governor’s Island Bridge inside the marker; Blueberry Island (more rocky than sandy); and Patrician Shores.

Any others?


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[Descant]

Originally Posted by LoveLakeLife

Beyond the ones mentioned, people also anchor in sandbars at Ellacoya Beach (more rocky than sandy); Saunders Bay near the Silver Sands swim area; just south of the Governor’s Island Bridge inside the marker; Blueberry Island (more rocky than sandy); and Patrician Shores.

Any others?

I bet you advertise good fishing holes, too. LOL

[LoveLakeLife]

I don’t fish but I take your point. It’s more difficult to keep sandbars secret, though, since a bunch of boats congregating is pretty easy to spot and none of the ones I mentioned are really hidden. I apologize for any perceived breach of etiquette, I was just trying to be nice.


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[tis]

Originally Posted by LoveLakeLife

I don’t fish but I take your point. It’s more difficult to keep sandbars secret, though, since a bunch of boats congregating is pretty easy to spot and none of the ones I mentioned are really hidden. I apologize for any perceived breach of etiquette, I was just trying to be nice.


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I don't think you needed to apologize.

[mofn]

I was told at the meeting it was stated the boats are “scaring the fish”. Anybody that has been there from the point to the sandbar sees the amount of bass boats between 7-9 a.m. the fish are so scared they leap into their boats!
A person living on the other side of the conservation land claiming they have a bear problem due to the boats. You have a bear problem because you are a food source…trash, bird food, gardens etc. 4000 feet away from said lady is Bear’s Pine Woods Campground… dah.
40 years ago I knew someone who did bear hunts w/ dogs. WHERE the Ossipee Mt. range area!
Or a post on this thread proudly saying they are for the changes, but have Florida listed as their residence.
Had legit issues been raised most would be with you:
-Music being blasted…I can off the top of my head think of the same 4(?) that when you see them coming you are going “not today” Or the guy doing cold calls for his business thru the boats speaker system. Enforce the noise ordinance!
-Rafting…get rid of 2-boats tied together and 50-feet. Go with just the 25-feet. Side note…one of the constant 2 boats being tied together is one of the 4 blasters above. They are a floating clown show!
You buy your place on the bay, that’s been on the market for sometime in NOVEMBER, the following boat season you’re on the phone with M.P. complaining about the boats. For you its due diligence.
Prior to Wednesday, it was the Dive.
I had a house on the water (not Winni) a long time ago; I know it can be a pain a times! I have been on the lake all my life, how long… when they were blasting the rock for the “new” Rt.11 and scaring the fish…they told me!

Thank You
Yogi Bear
Jelly Stone Park/Moultonborough

[The Real BigGuy]

Originally Posted by mofn

I was told at the meeting it was stated the boats are “scaring the fish”.

I was wondering why that bass was shaking & hiding under my dock?



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[Livin' life]

Originally Posted by thinkxingu

A note that I just tried to send an email to that address but it was rejected. Can you confirm?

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If you would like to send a letter in response to the Braun Bay petition, the correct email address is as follows:
safety-hearings@dos.nh.gov

There is not much time left. Any comments must be submitted before 4:15pm on June 12, 2024.