building Winni Sailing

[Excalibur]

While in college I was a member of community boating in Boston on the Charles river and I think this is great opportunity for the public to have a greater access to the lake then to just sit on the beach and enjoying only its beauty.

I am sure the newbies may want to take some shelter in Smiths Cove on those big NW Blow days.

http://www.community-boating.org/

[fatlazyless]

For those not too familiar with the sailboat beach area, directly in front of the rv campground's toilet/shower building. It is a sandy beach, about 600' long by maybe 40' deep that tapers down to zero feet deep up by the brook outlet. At the north end immediately abutting the 5' chain link fence that seperates Ellacoya State Beach from www.lakeshorepark.org, there is a very umimproved, sandy beach boat launch. The sailing beach has no dock, no ramps, no rafts, no swim or boat improvement what-so-ever and no boat facilities. It is a very undeveloped natural beach and has probably been like that for many, many years, like maybe 40 to 100-years, since the concrete retainer wall was built, or something.

There's a few picnic tables out front of the toilet/shower building for use by the rv campers. "Registered Campers Only" is what the sign says for anyone who walks across the Poor Farm Brook to walk from the the swimming beach to the rv area - sailing beach.

With what's happening down at Ames Farm Inn, also in Gilford, with regards to the limited use of its' boat launch and parking, maybe the state is considering Ellacoya for a triple play of rv camping-sailing-boat launch. With Ellacoya's 65.5 acres of land in total, it sure looks like the rv campground side of the property has the space for all three uses. The open field of rv campsites www.nhstateparks.com/ellacoya.html has 37 campsites, all with water-sewer-electricity hook-ups and costs $47/night.

As a side note, one can stay at any one of 23 different Forest Service campgrounds in the White Mt Nat'l Forest, New Hampshire & Maine, for just $16/night, but they do not have any hook-ups.

If I were in the public municipal boat launch business, the very first thing I'd do would be to install one of those green steel fee deposit tubes, similar to what the federal government uses in the White Mt Nat'l Forest. Charge a low price, with honor system payments, taking payments 24-7-365 as the pay tube is concreted into the ground, and everyone becomes a winner; the boat launch, the sailboat school, the fishermen, the trailer-boaters, the rv campground and the Lake Shore residential park abutter neighbors; one great big happy boater family!

Hope this helps!
......

Anyone have a link to a website that explores the history and beginnings of Ellacoya as a NH State Beach & RV Campground? How did the state acquire Ellacoya? Did the state buy it from Chief Ellacoya for 10-cigars and a case of Jenkins rye whiskey, or what? Who was Ellacoya? How did the Ellacoya 65.5 acre waterfront property originally come to be a state facility?

[no-engine]

Sailing from childhood to whenever.... such a valuable life experience!

As kids, we were exposed to sailing as a family, individually at lessons, and all the happenings. We are now 60+ in age; when we sail again, even though infrequently now, it has become second nature to take a tiller or wheel under sail, and it was like walking - something one does not forget. In addition to sailing & maintenance, we were taught respect of others on the water. It was on Atlantic Coast.

One sibling is very active & involved on the board of directors of a non-profit corporation whose mission is to make it possible for handicapped to have sailing experiences - the amount of handicap is of no concern to them. They receive donations, maybe of boats, do a little work on them; then sell them which becomes part of their working funds. In summer season, they have staff on payroll.

So therefore, I say go for it! BTW: I have lived in Lakes Region for over 30 years; and sailed on Lake!

[edjr]

Originally Posted by fatlazyless

For those not too familiar with the sailboat beach area, directly in front of the rv campground's toilet/shower building. It is a sandy beach, about 600' long by maybe 40' deep that tapers down to zero feet deep up by the brook outlet. At the north end immediately abutting the 5' chain link fence that seperates Ellacoya State Beach from www.lakeshorepark.org, there is a very umimproved, sandy beach boat launch. The sailing beach has no dock, no ramps, no rafts, no swim or boat improvement what-so-ever and no boat facilities. It is a very undeveloped natural beach and has probably been like that for many, many years, like maybe 40 to 100-years, since the concrete retainer wall was built, or something.

There's a few picnic tables out front of the toilet/shower building for use by the rv campers. "Registered Campers Only" is what the sign says for anyone who walks across the Poor Farm Brook to walk from the the swimming beach to the rv area - sailing beach.

With what's happening down at Ames Farm Inn, also in Gilford, with regards to the limited use of its' boat launch and parking, maybe the state is considering Ellacoya for a triple play of rv camping-sailing-boat launch. With Ellacoya's 65.5 acres of land in total, it sure looks like the rv campground side of the property has the space for all three uses. The open field of rv campsites www.nhstateparks.com/ellacoya.html has 37 campsites, all with water-sewer-electricity hook-ups and costs $47/night.

As a side note, one can stay at any one of 23 different Forest Service campgrounds in the White Mt Nat'l Forest, New Hampshire & Maine, for just $16/night, but they do not have any hook-ups.

If I were in the public municipal boat launch business, the very first thing I'd do would be to install one of those green steel fee deposit tubes, similar to what the federal government uses in the White Mt Nat'l Forest. Charge a low price, with honor system payments, taking payments 24-7-365 as the pay tube is concreted into the ground, and everyone becomes a winner; the boat launch, the sailboat school, the fishermen, the trailer-boaters, the rv campground and the Lake Shore residential park abutter neighbors; one great big happy boater family!

Hope this helps!
......

Anyone have a link to a website that explores the history and beginnings of Ellacoya as a NH State Beach & RV Campground? How did the state acquire Ellacoya? Did the state buy it from Chief Ellacoya for 10-cigars and a case of Jenkins rye whiskey, or what? Who was Ellacoya? How did the Ellacoya 65.5 acre waterfront property originally come to be a state facility?

_______________________________
when i saw your question i figured that i had to register as a new member in order to respond.

back in the 1950's & 1960's my family rented summer cottages on the property. at that time, Ellacoya was actually three properties two of which were owned by the Dugas family. Mrs Dugas lived in a red farmhouse across the road before it was improved/widened and she had a son who was a missionary priest who visited in the summer and said weekday masses at Our Lady of the Lakes in Lakeport and at Saint Helena's on sundays. the first property on the lake shore park side of the creek had log cabin style cottages and was called Minnie Ha Ha [at least that's what we called it]; it was the first property bought by the state. those cottages were brought across the ice and placed adjacent to but set back from other cottages on the second Dugas property called Morril Beach. between the two properties next to the creek was property owned by the Armitage family. until the Armitage family was ready to sell, the Morril beach property continued to be used by families who rented cottages from the Dugas family until the mid to late 1960s. in an attempt to convince the state that the value of the land was more than they wanted to pay, Mrs. Dugas played a number of the rental families by offerring to sell them the individual cottages and lots which they had been renting for years. when the Armitage family finally agreed to sell to the state, Mrs Dugas did as well. she did move a few of her cottages down to a spot in west alton but our family never rented from her at that location unless it was while i was in vietnam.

[lakegirl]

FLL... posted some pics... I will continue to go through my pics and upload.

Rattlesnake Gal.... HI! I'm back.... and on a mission! Is Island Girl still over there!
http://www.winnipesaukee.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=17101

[VtSteve]

Are there any pictures or drafts showing what it's like now, versus the planned model?

It obviously sounds like a great idea from the perspective of the sailing center. I certainly understand the perspective of the abutters as well. I can only imagine that this discussion would be entirely different if someone had proposed a large, multi-purpose marina for use by both powerboats and sailboats

The other issue is that this site is being built upon a state park? Will there be any provisions for other boaters to use the site, or just the sailing center? Tricky ground here. But the facilities seem to be a dramatic improvement for lake access. My question is, lake access for whom?

It would be ideal if many of the positive comments made about this project were similar to comments made about other projects on the lake. Sadly, they aren't. I won't fall into the same bias, simply because this is a sailing center, because I think it's a great idea.

But there are many that have fought marinas, lake usage, powerboats in general, and virtually any lake development that allows access tooth and nail. Everyone's access should be cherished, especially when it's state or town property involved. Abutters should also be respected and heard. They are planning on constructing a breakwater, which used to bring howls of protest.

Anyway, I think it's possibly a good idea. And the same people that have either fought, or even stopped other projects around the lake, should apply the very same consideration to opponents of this project. Maybe a few tweaks could make this workable for all concerned? People need to look in the mirror on this one.

At any rate, I think this proposal could be improved if there was more an element of mixed use, and not one of exclusivity to it. Ames Farm being restored to former use could be a start, one which was needlessly stopped because of a few abutters.

[fatlazyless]

Ever see the one year old State Fish & Game-Winnisquam boat launch, double ramps, dock, parking and toilet that the state shoe-horned into a defunct NH DES water treatment facility by creating it within the limited space between old water treatment cistern-tanks. It is located on the Winnipesaukee River, about 100-yards upstream from Lake Winnisquam, in Laconia, and was first opened in the summer of 2009.

Taking design features that were employed at Winnisquam, it seems pretty obvious that a boat launch could probably be built on the undeveloped launch that currently exists at the Ellacoya rv campground, immediately next to Lake Shore Park.

Is there enough room for both a new public launch ramp & dock, a new public sailing center, and the existing 37-campsites ($47/nite) rv campground? That is a good question?

Reading the newspapers, one reads how the NH State Parks and the NH Fish & Game are low on money needed to fix leaky roofs and pay for search & rescues. Why not do what the federal government does in the White Mt Nat'l Forest, by installing green steel pay deposit tubes at the boat launches. Say...$10-dollars for either a launch or a retrieve.....honor system basis.....with a $75-dollar fine for any launch ramp deadbeats. The Forest Sevice in the WMNF hits you with a 75-dollar fine for evading their 3-dollar parking fee.

Another good question is: Who gets the money, the state park, the sail center, the F&G, or some employee who's stuff'n the cash into his/her pocket? I volunteer myself to collect & count this new source of ten dollar bills and will be happy to do it!

[ApS]

Mr. Mullen,


Do a search on this forum using the word "sailing": You'll shortly discover there is no greater cheerleader for sailing on this Lake Winnipesaukee forum than me!

How does one otherwise describe the closeness to Winnipesaukee's Great Spirit—than in recreational sailing on this great lake?

Sailing, by itself, requires so little: it is quiet, eco-friendly and brings no harmful effects, pollution or any declining resources to this area. New Hampshire's great gift of natural wildlife is far easier to see while sailing—than even by paddling!

A small sailboat is even easy to build! (And not particularly-expensive to purchase). Kids' college grants can be obtained through sailing programs!

There are sunny days when attempting to set sail is unwarranted—and hazardous—even to the experienced skipper. Let's not force this issue on young sailors while stressing to them that on some days you just can't go out there.

A couple of days ago, to aid FLL's request for more data—I did an intensive Google search among the print-media on this subject: Nothing timely whatsoever appeared!

I'd like to see local residents placated by reassuring them of no eye-sores—no local use of air horns—and no loud music or bands: scale-back everything, and there will be more for those whose actual need for sailing beckons!

Any suggested reductions in natural beauty, and any term new to the Lake can raise suspicions: For example, try-better in the explanation of what your engineer is calling "a wave barrier".