Boating in NH (Dover, Portsmouth, Bedford: maintenance, to live, cost)
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As we are picturing our new life in NH, we are also imagining ourselves doing some boating. We would like to get a small cuddy cabin (21-24ft) and cruise different lakes and also the ocean bay. What we're picturing and what is reality are two different things........That brings me to a couple questions for any of you boaters out there.
The Great Bay--Can you start inland and eventually go out to the ocean?
Ocean boating--Can you realistically boat down the coast into Mass or even Newport, RI?
Any of you boaters out there have some favorite boating adventures to share?
NH has about 18 miles of shoreline...I wouldn't call it an ocean bay unless you go down to Boston or up to Portland,Me.
You do have access to the ocean from Great Bay but it takes navigation of the tricky and treacherous currents of the Piscataqua River to get to the ocean. Once you get to the ocean, the Isles of Shoals, outside Portsmouth harbor are a fun group of islands to head to. That said, 21 footers are a bit small for the ocean. One favorite boating adventure was when we sailed to the Isles of Shoals, picked up a vacant mooring and with in a half hour discovered why it was vacant..or abandoned. We had dragged the mooring acress Gosport Harbor and unbeknownst to us we were creeping very slowly toward a wall of rocks. Yikes! We picked up another mooring and were fine but we watched as others picked up that same mooring and we had to continually alert incoming boats to avoid that mooring!
I have sailed (sailboat) from Newburyport,Ma., to Portland Me, several times as we stored our boat in Newburyport for a couple of years but kept her in Falmouth Maine for the sailing season. Prior to that we brought our boat via water from Rhode Island to Newburyport. Yes, the waters are easily navigable. You would be wise to take a US PowerSquadron or Coast Guard navigation/piloting class to help with chart reading , piloting of these waters.
The Great Bay--Can you start inland and eventually go out to the ocean?
Sure. You can start in Newmarket or Dover and make it to the ocean in 15 minutes. Sorry, its a pretty small area. If you wanted it to last, you could just idle all the way to the ocean.
Quote:
Originally Posted by RCMomto4
Ocean boating--Can you realistically boat down the coast into Mass or even Newport, RI?
On a good day, yes. On a bigger boat, of course. 24 foot is pretty small for an average day as soon as you hit the open ocean, even staying on the coast. The swells in New England are HUGE. I was once just outside Portsmouth harbor on the 90ft Thomas Leighton and we were getting tossed around pretty good, and that boat holds 250 people.
Quote:
Originally Posted by RCMomto4
Any of you boaters out there have some favorite boating adventures to share?
Fishing for stripers on the Piscataqua River (saltwater) is fun. The strong currents can get dangerous if your a novice.
Big lakes? Lake Winnipesaukee is a huge lake. A little on the cold side, because of its size, but you would be hard pressed to run out of things to do or places to fish. 24' boat work nice in this lake.
A relative of mine had a 24' boat on great bay a long time ago. His main gripe with the boat is it would cost about $100 a day in gas to take it out. This was before $3 gas. Estimate today's $3.25 gallon gas x 75 gallon tank is $243 to fill-er-up. Ouch. Need good maintenance as well. While on a lake if you break down, its not so bad, you can flag or radio someone down. Break down on the Piscataqua River or ocean, your in big trouble. On the river, the current runs so fast it can push you onto the rocky shores or into the bridges in 2-3 minutes of the engine cutting out.
He wished he got a smaller boat to just pop around the river drive around and fish. It was just too expensive to be any fun. He ended up selling it after 2 seasons.
Just make sure to pick the boat to fit your needs and budget. Enjoy!
oh, yeah, I should have mentioned those swells. We once got caught in 10ft "following" swells outside Kittery Point. That's when you don't want to turn around and see a wall of water. Fun!
Janet
Where are you considering settling in NH? 21 to 24 footer might get a bit scary out in the open waters, but a boat that size is something you can trailer to various areas. One of my favorite "lazy Sunday afternoon cruises" was to put the boat in the water in Newburyport public dock, take it out the mouth of the merrimac (this can be quite an experience in itself!) and cruise along Plum Island, past Cranes Beach in Ipswich, and cruise along the Annisquam River (Cape Ann). You end up in Gloucester Harbor, a nice ride. Maybe pick up some seaworms to fish for some flounder. Any day on the ocean is better than a day at work!!
You all have confirmed what I was thinking about ocean boating. Since we have never been boating before I think that will be off our list until we have some experience under out belts. I know that with all the lakes available we'll never be bored!! We want to get a used (few years old) cuddy cabin so if we're out all day we can get out of the wind/sun if we like.
Valerie--We are looking into the Bedford areas and the Exeter areas to live. We will be out in Oct to really see what's out there. PM me if you are familiar with those areas!
Thank you, all, for replying---GREAT information, of course!!
In actuality, RC, lake boating can be even more challenging. Lake Winnipesaukee is filled to the brim with boats, especially motor boats, how actually make sailing rather difficult. Plus it is very expensive to keep a boat on the lake. Not to say it isn't expensive to keep a boat on the ocean, but waiting lists are very long for moorage or dockage on the ocean.
Find a small lake to tool around in at first , trailer if you can and take boating classes. The USPowerSquadron offers wonderful classes in boater education as does the Coast Guard Auxiliaries.
Yes, we will definitely be taking classes before venturing out. We always wanted to boat but there isn't anywhere in So. CA where you can boat without half a million other people.
Most assuredly you can start in Newmarket, or a better "all-tide"choice is Chapman's Landing on the Newfields/ Stratham line on 108 and zip right across the bay. i used to do Newmarket to Newburyport+ back on a nice day. Get the charts though. There are many obstacles in the bay, not always obvious Leaving Newmarket the channel is very elusive to follow nowadays. There used to be "private parties" that would mark the ever changing mud channel with "bean-pole" type sticks. The state took over navigation and the bean poles no longer exist. At low tide there's often less than a few inches of water covering the mud flats, and sometimes rocks. plan on giving up a couple of props to your experience. From Exeter most serious hazzards are well marked. Bear in mind, you want to reach the stratham to Newfields railroad bridge at low tide to get under it. It has approximately 4 foot of clearance at low tide(reference maineharbors.com for actual low tide there, times @ squamscott rail road bridgecorrespond well to Newmarket too).
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Yikes! We picked up another mooring and were fine but we watched as others picked up that same mooring and we had to continually alert incoming boats to avoid that mooring!
Navigating great Bay
