Strange newbie question - Page 2 - The Hull Truth

MikeAstringer · 03-23-2009, 02:40 PM

I've never heard of Beltsville Lake. Worth taking a trip from Bensalem for a day? The only lake boating I've ever done is on Lake Mead in Nevada and Lake Havasu in Arizona. I realize that no lake is going to match Lake Mead but is it nice enough up there to make the drive?

kone · 03-23-2009, 03:16 PM

I was just in Vegas a few weeks ago and finally got a chance to see Lake Mead after several trips out there. Wow, what a place - it must've been something to boat there. The water was down when i was there but even so, it's awesome.

MikeAstringer · 03-23-2009, 04:03 PM

Years ago Lake Mead was a great place to boat. Unfortunately in the early 2000's they dramatically brought the water level down to increase production at Hoover Dam and the lake became unboatable. I don't know it's current state today. At one point they had even moved Lake Mead Marina (a totally floating marina) to the other side of the lake. If people tell you about feeding popcorn to huge carp who practically would take the popcorn out of your hand that was Lake Mead Marina. I haven't been to Lake Mead since 2003 so again I don't know what it's like today.

Back in the day however it was awesome. There was a years long list for slips so we'd put the boat in the water on Friday morning (the water was so calm in the cove that we'd launch right on the beach rather than waiting in line at the ramp), pay for a slip for the weekend, then take it out on Sunday. The lake itself is so large you almost never have to go to the same place twice and if you were looking for alone time (I had a pretty adventurous girlfriend at the time) there were hundreds of coves to pull into and never see another person. Pre 9/11 you could pull the boat very close to Hoover Dam. Talk about a great view of the dam!

Some weekends we'd run the boat all weekend and other weekends we'd beach the boat in some private cove and let the kids swim and play in the water all day. You never had to worry about low water as parts of Lake Mead are over 1,000 feet deep. Most of the time in the middle of the lake you were in hundreds of feet of water (prior to them bringing the level down in the early 2000's). Jet skis were a problem for awhile but at some point they banned them in most national parks. Tourists in rental boats were also a problem sometimes but they are well marked and you can stay away from them.

Lake Havasu was also a lot of fun. My girlfriend had a timeshare at London Bridge Resort which has a marina. We'd tow the boat down from Vegas and spend a week at a time there. There is actually an indian casino on the lake with boat slips. Lake Havasu is more crowded and the police are much more strict than Lake Mead but still a lot of fun.

I always wanted to take the boat to California - Los Angeles or San Diego - but never got there. We had so much fun on the lakes that I never found myself motivated for a 5+ plus hour drive with the boat.

Out here I grew up boating at the Jersey shore and spent last summer on the Delaware. I'm pretty bored with the Delaware already and look forward to towing the small boat to the shore this summer.

lime4x4 · 03-23-2009, 06:12 PM

http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/statepar...eltzville.aspx

kone · 03-23-2009, 07:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeAstringer

Years ago Lake Mead was a great place to boat. Unfortunately in the early 2000's they dramatically brought the water level down to increase production at Hoover Dam and the lake became unboatable. I don't know it's current state today.

The water was very, very low - I just assumed that was the winter level.

MikeAstringer · 03-24-2009, 04:18 AM

Kone I am going to post a few pictures in the picture section (I can't seem to post them here) that I took at Lake Mead at 2001 after they brought down the water level. The pictures are not great (my digital camera was not great in 2001) but if you look closely at the mountains you'll see the old water lines.

happyjack92 · 03-24-2009, 07:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 240 LTS

1. Go out with experienced boaters that don't mind you asking questions. Maybe they will let you drive when it is safe with no others around.

2. NEVER approach a dock faster then you are willing to hit it.

3. When approaching a dock faster then you would like DO NOT put any body part between your boat and he dock. You or the person "helping" will only do this once.

4. The actual boat ramp is not a place to practice backing the boat up. Do it in an empty parking lot. When you feel comfortable there, practice at the ramp when there is no one there. If some one shows up just pull away from the area till it is clear again. This typically can be done in the off season, or week days, depending where you live.

5. DO NOT scream at the people trying to help you launch. Only you will look like an idiot. Have a plan prior to arriving. Prepare the boat to launch AWAY from the ramp.

6. The #1 rule in launching a boat "Be considerate of others and Do Not hold up others at the ramp". Watch people who know what they are doing and do what they do.

7. When in doubt, go slow. When in doubt, stay far away from others. When in doubt, ask questions.

8. When everything is clear and your passengers are ready (PFD's on) for you to get on plane:

a. Look around
b. Is everything tied down?
c. Is the trim down?
d. Put you beer down
e. Hammer down!
f. If "d" is in the line up, get some one else to drive.

In the beginning go slow, stay clear of others, know "The rules of the road". Don't be a show off or a know it all. I try to learn something every time on the water.

Read THT!

this is a great list!

in particular the one about learning to drive with the boat on the trailer. if you've never done it before, it's not necessarily intuitive. get in an empty parking lot and practice, practice, practice. pay particular attention to the way the trailer swings wide or cuts close depending on how sharp of a turn you make.

also remember there can be only one captain at a time. it might sound silly, but you and your buddy should have a discussion each time you launch about who "has the conn" -- in other words, who is in charge for that particular trip. that doesn't mean you can't offer each other advice and discuss options (since your both learning), but whoever is in charge needs to execute and be comfortable with whatever course of action has been decided. not trying to be overly dramatic about this...it can be as simple as deciding how you're approaching the dock (approach upwind if possible, while exposing as little beam as necessary to the wind) or how/where to anchor.

you should try to get comfortable operating with each other before you bring passengers aboard. someone could end up getting embarassed in front of friends or family and it could result in hard feelings.

good luck...you will enjoy it if you just keep the perspective thing in the right place.

sea nymph · 03-24-2009, 10:52 AM

Hey Mike - does your wife have any sisters?
I can't image life without being hassled? My wife never seenms to understand!

Try Beltsville a least once, it's no so bad!

lime4x4 · 03-24-2009, 04:05 PM

at Beltzville u can fish,sky,tube and swim. Just remember if your not swimming at the beach u must have your life jacket on. We always anchor back in one of the coves to do are swimming deeper water and not as crowded. The park rangers won't say anything as long as u have your life jacket on

mrfritz44 · 03-24-2009, 05:13 PM

Where in Berks are you...I can't be too far here in Mertztown.

kone · 04-06-2009, 06:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrfritz44

Where in Berks are you...I can't be too far here in Mertztown.

sorry - haven't checked-in in awhile. I'm near Adamstown, Maple Grove Raceway area.