Hey rocks!!

[Patofnaud]

Originally Posted by XCR-700

No value added to this thread, just wondering if for the various hot spots around the lake where outdrives get crunched, if those big Yamaha Jet boats would go unscathed or would they drag bottom?

Not looking for a solution, just a question out of curiosity.

Thanks

Anything with a very small draft would be less succeptible. Jet boats more so as all the naughty bits are internal and they do not weigh as much and the weight is fairly midship. Not tail dragging at low speed.

Fwiw: My tritoon when not on plane and with the trim up a tad is only about 1.5ft, makes crawling through unknown areas a lot less stressful.

[XCR-700]

Originally Posted by Patofnaud

Anything with a very small draft would be less succeptible. Jet boats more so as all the naughty bits are internal and they do not weigh as much and the weight is fairly midship. Not tail dragging at low speed.

Fwiw: My tritoon when not on plane and with the trim up a tad is only about 1.5ft, makes crawling through unknown areas a lot less stressful.

WOW, 18" is surprising. My Glastron 23" with Alpha drive was like 30" and our Caravelle with a Bravo 1 drive was 35", and I was surprised to find our Formula w/Bravo 3 is listed as having a 40" draft!

the difference between 18" of draft and 40" is HUGE.

I love our Formula out in the open water, but it worries me in a lot of spots. Took some friends by Ellacoya beach recently and forgot how quickly it gets really shallow there. You feel like you are way off shore, but then look at your depth gauge and it reads 3.5' and you realize you need to trim all the way up AND get out of there,,,

Dont miss getting beat to death in the old CVX 20 in open water, but some things were never a problem (like navigating the sandbars and the Wolfeboro and the Alton Bridges,,,)

[WJT2]

Unfortunately some people do not pay attention when piloting a boat. The Lake is very tricky and being aware of the direction you are traveling is a must. The buoys Do Make Sense if you take the time to understand which way you should go. First you need to know your course North, South, East, West.(get a compass). The markers Black Top Spar: you pass NORTH of it when your course is East/West. you pass EAST of it when your course is North/South. Red Top Spars: you pass SOUTH of it when your course is East/West. you pass WEST of it when your course is North/South. I have a few tricks to help me remember. NEWS: BLACK is alphabetically before RED. BLACK you go NORTH or EAST.
RED you go WEST or SOUTH. Hence NEWS. Also it is always hot (Red) in the South and West, and it is Cold (Black) in the North and East. I am old school and don't have electronic navs available to me. Buy a CHART and study it. It will be your friend and understanding will be easier. Good Luck ALL and don't forget to be aware of the NEWS!!

[Phantom]

Originally Posted by WJT2

The buoys Do Make Sense if you take the time to understand which way you should go. First you need to know your course North, South, East, West.(get a compass).

Although I agree with you in principle, there are about a dozen spots around the Lake that you simply must memorize as they do NOT hold precisely to compass logic.

These spots were all identified in an old thread here which I could not find to reference.

Below is a perfect example -- no one in their right mind should ever split between 2 Black Tops ……. yet it is the proper/safe route.

[Barney Bear]

At the southeast tip of Bear Island, the red top buoy near the black top buoy shown is this section of the Bizer chart is quite close to shore. The sailing line is through this narrow passage. Frequently, boats come through this passage on plane as they are headed around the island tip and continuing on west towards the Weirs.

When we are headed east, and then north on our way to our place on East Bear Island, we stay well south of the island's tip until we can see if any boat is coming south through this narrow passage.

Also, we proceed with caution when we are headed south and west in this location.

Double-flashing lighted buoy #30 (and black top buoy) is so located so it can be seen from several locations as boats head east and west, and north and south. I believe that it also marks a shallow area.

[Descant]

In the same section of chart posted above, note the two red tops at the south end of the channel between Mark and Mink. Go between them.

[rick35]

We see people go between Mark and Bear right through the middle all the time (north of marker 29). People don't realize there are rocks and they don't know to stay between the markers near Mark. I can only remember seeing one boat hit a rock in there but my neighbor said she saw someone hit this week. You better not make that mistake in September-October when the lake is lower.

[ursa minor]

Originally Posted by Phantom

Although I agree with you in principle, there are about a dozen spots around the Lake that you simply must memorize as they do NOT hold precisely to compass logic.

These spots were all identified in an old thread here which I could not find to reference.

Below is a perfect example -- no one in their right mind should ever split between 2 Black Tops ……. yet it is the proper/safe route.

Not to mention going between the red top and the point at Bear Island, that’s a big no no in 99% of other similar situations. (Islands often continue under water out from shore at points.)

[8gv]

If one follows the dotted green lines in the chart posted above the rocks will be safe from the props.

[Phantom]

Originally Posted by 8gv

If one follows the dotted green lines in the chart posted above the rocks will be safe from the props.

Well ………… DUHHHH ….. of course, that's the safe navigation route for the Chart.

[Jdarby]

Originally Posted by 8gv

If one follows the dotted green lines in the chart posted above the rocks will be safe from the props.

But that means you have to have a chart and use it! The attendant at Roberts Cove Marina told me the other day that he had a family staying there and they were headed out in their boat. The gentleman had his son run back to the car to fetch his GPS. The son returned with a car GPS. The dad stuck the suction cup on the windscreen and off they went! The attendant said he tried to sell him a lake chart but the guy had no interest! Hilarious and scary all at the same time!

[Tuckntruck]

Originally Posted by Jdarby

But that means you have to have a chart and use it! The attendant at Roberts Cove Marina told me the other day that he had a family staying there and they were headed out in their boat. The gentleman had his son run back to the car to fetch his GPS. The son returned with a car GPS. The dad stuck the suction cup on the windscreen and off they went! The attendant said he tried to sell him a lake chart but the guy had no interest! Hilarious and scary all at the same time!

A fair number of Garmin "car" units can run all sorts of charts - with Garmin purchasing Navionics, there's a decent chance that they had plugged in a boating card and were ok...

Or not, however, if it's something they do frequently it would save them the purchase of a separate GPS for boating.

[8gv]

I use Navionics to plan my salt water trips.

Using the Active Captain app I can transfer the routes and waypoints to my trailer boat's Garmin gps.

That boat is seldom used in fresh water so I have not purchased the inland waters data card.

If my iPad had a screen that could be read in bright sunlight I would use it on the lake.

For now, the lake boat has no gps so I use the waterproof chart.

[Dave R]

Originally Posted by 8gv

I use Navionics to plan my salt water trips.

Using the Active Captain app I can transfer the routes and waypoints to my trailer boat's Garmin gps.

That boat is seldom used in fresh water so I have not purchased the inland waters data card.

If my iPad had a screen that could be read in bright sunlight I would use it on the lake.

For now, the lake boat has no gps so I use the waterproof chart.

Where do you boat from in salt water?

[rick35]

Originally Posted by ursa minor

Not to mention going between the red top and the point at Bear Island, that’s a big no no in 99% of other similar situations. (Islands often continue under water out from shore at points.)

I had to shared that narrow slot with a boat on plane rounding the corner while I was kayaking. I thought I was going to be run over. He passed me within 50 feet and I thought I would we swamped. Now I'm always right next to shore when I kayak out there.

[Barney Bear]

The east red top buoy at the south end of the channel between Mark and Mink Islands noted in Item #29 above is still missing. I have called Marine Patrol several times concerning this missing navigation marker, but, alas, it continues to be missing. This area south of Mink Island is shallow and should have its buoy back. 🐻

[Descant]

If you are on the chart or GPS, you should know where to go whether the buoy is there or not. Been running around the lake with missing buoys almost every spring for many years. You need to know wheere you are with a compass and chart not electronics.

[LIforrelaxin]

Originally Posted by Phantom

Although I agree with you in principle, there are about a dozen spots around the Lake that you simply must memorize as they do NOT hold precisely to compass logic.

These spots were all identified in an old thread here which I could not find to reference.

Below is a perfect example -- no one in their right mind should ever split between 2 Black Tops ……. yet it is the proper/safe route.

So I was looking at this.... and thought quickly about it... You are not splitting Black markers in that situation.... In fact those markers aren't even pair in any sort of fashion..... In both cases you should be navigating to the north or east side of the marker, but not to the south or west side of the marker..... by going between them you are satisfying those requirements....for each marker independently... which is how they need to be thought about.... The only time Markers are not independant is when they are solid black or solid red, then they are marking a channel...