Launch Ramps

[XCR-700]

Thinking of taking the new ride out tomorrow and still missing Ames Farm,,,

I tend to favor Meredith public ramp after Ames, but that gets me at the other end of the lake,,,

Any other thoughts for ramps with parking on the south side of the lake?

West Alton vs. Fays???

I keep finding web sites that state that Silver Sands offers launch ramp use and parking for a fee, but I thought they had a sign up stating the opposite???

What say you on ramps and parking on the south end of the lake?

Thanks Much

[VitaBene]

Cool boat, any specs?

[XCR-700]

2007 Caravelle Interceptor 23' cuddy

350 MPI Mag/Bravo 1

30 hours on the clock, and in need of more!



This should keep us busy until I hit the lottery and can get a Corsair 25

[VitaBene]

21P prop? 55 or so mph? Nice looking boat!

[Chaos]

does offer public launch access and does offer parking for your truck and trailer. Don't know how much they charge this year. Hope this helps.

[XCR-700]

Originally Posted by VitaBene

21P prop? 55 or so mph? Nice looking boat!

Yup, yup, and Thanks!

Oh sorry (55 mph) except on Winnipesaukee,,,

GH

[XCR-700]

Originally Posted by Chaos

does offer public launch access and does offer parking for your truck and trailer. Don't know how much they charge this year. Hope this helps.

Is the ramp good?

I'm not looking to save a couple of bucks and trash the trailer,,,

Thanks

[Chaos]

Brand new launch installed last year. I don't use it, I'm always in the water, but it gets used a lot.

[XCR-700]

Great!

Thanks for the feedback.

[NH_boater]

Downings Landing at the southern tip of the lake in Alton Bay. $20 I believe. Decent ramp, docks and trailer parking.

[XCR-700]

Originally Posted by NH_boater

Downings Landing at the southern tip of the lake in Alton Bay. $20 I believe. Decent ramp, docks and trailer parking.

Thanks I always forget about them, used to go there as a kid all the time.

My BEST childhood memory is standing there on the dock with the smell of white gas and 2-cycle oil in the air first thing in the morning, it smelled like FUN!

As I recall parking is very tight and fills up fast.

[upthesaukee]

Launch at the public docks, and you can park the trailer across from the Alton Public Works on the Letter S road. You get there from the dock area by driving east on Rte 11. At the base of the hill going to uptown Alton, you will see the Letter S road on the right, which follows the Merrymeeting River. The parking area is about a half mile on the right. Launching is free, and you can park your tow vehicle at the bay for free; just no overnight parking.

[XCR-700]

Yes this is always a good backup plan, but its not my first choice as I have two young kids and leaving them and my wife to manage with the boat or hoping I can get dock space on the weekend while I drive down to the town lot and dump the trailer is just not the best way to start a day off.

I was alway happy to pay the folks at Ames for the use of their ramp as the parking was so easy and there was a bunch of open space for the kids to burn off some steam from the long ride up (75+ miles)

Did I say how much I missed being able to use the Ames ramp,,,

And they were always super nice folks there!

Thanks

[jeffatsquam]

[QUOTE=XCR-700;168359

My BEST childhood memory is standing there on the dock with the smell of white gas and 2-cycle oil in the air first thing in the morning, it smelled like FUN!

That smell certainly had an effect on me.

When I would hear a boat start up in the boat house (before I was school age) I would run in there and stand in the cloud and inhale as much as I could

It had such an effect on my brain that for the last 30years I get to spend time at the lake almost daily

[MikeF-NH]

I launch out of West Alton more often than not and love the facility. It's never crazy busy there and the people are great. The marina is well protected from wind and waves and the single ramp is well maintained. They also have bathroom facilities on site and the sand bar right at the entrance is popular for swimming with the kids (south side of the channel).

I used to use Ames but even if Ames were open, I like WAM better. Ames was open to wind, waves and boat wakes and I was always nervous about dropping my boat/trailer off the concrete there the way it dropped off on each side. With that boat of yours, you are probably only 5 minutes to Ames once you are on the water.

Given that they are building camping facilities at WAM, we may even do a camping/boating weekend there next season.

The only down side is that you are a good boat ride from any popular public docking facilities that offer shore activities such as Wiers, Merideth, Wolfboro, or Alton.

I did have one time that a bass tourney was getting out at WAM when I was launching and had a significant wait (only one dock) so that could happen to you. It would be nice to see Ames re-open even if only as a tourney launch spot to take pressure off other lanches.

[Winnisquamguy]

Originally Posted by XCR-700

I was alway happy to pay the folks at Ames for the use of their ramp as the parking was so easy and there was a bunch of open space for the kids to burn off some steam from the long ride up (75+ miles)

Did I say how much I missed being able to use the Ames ramp,,,

And they were always super nice folks there!

Thanks

Can someone tell me exactly why Ames closed?

[Dave R]

Regarding Downings:

Originally Posted by XCR-700

As I recall parking is very tight and fills up fast.

Parking there is not too tight at all, and they don't fill up too often in this economy.

I launch there all the time as they are very convenient and very pleasant to deal with. They also cheerfully gave me a free tow last year when my pinion gear shredded and for that reason alone I'll always go there as long as they are in business.

[Superduty1]

I use Downings as well. I launch and retrieve a 25' Cobalt off a triaxil trailer by myself with little effort. The ramp has a nice gental slope and the dock is right there to tie off to while you park the truck and trailer.

[gf2020]

Nice boat, XCR. Where did you end up launching?

Center Harbor is probably the best "least used" ramp, even if it is a bit further drive.

[Skipper of the Sea Que]

Originally Posted by XCR-700

Thinking of taking the new ride out tomorrow and still missing Ames Farm,,,

I keep finding web sites that state that Silver Sands offers launch ramp use and parking for a fee, but I thought they had a sign up stating the opposite???

You should think of Silver Sands in Sanders Bay, Gilford, as TWO separate facilities. There is the Silver Sands Marina, selling, servicing and slipping boats. They no longer have public boat launching (and NEVER had public docking).

Then next door there is the Silver Sands Motel (Resort) which has ALWAYS had a public launch ramp (pay to launch and park). They also NEVER had a public dock. They did have a public gas dock up to a few years ago but have since removed the underground gas storage tanks and have no plans to replace them.

Closest gas is available to all at Mountain View Yacht Club adjacent to Silver Sands.

Hope this helps. Happy and safe boating

[Wolfeboro_Baja]

Originally Posted by XCR-700

Yes this is always a good backup plan, but its not my first choice as I have two young kids and leaving them and my wife to manage with the boat or hoping I can get dock space on the weekend while I drive down to the town lot and dump the trailer is just not the best way to start a day off.

I was alway happy to pay the folks at Ames for the use of their ramp as the parking was so easy and there was a bunch of open space for the kids to burn off some steam from the long ride up (75+ miles)

Did I say how much I missed being able to use the Ames ramp,,,

And they were always super nice folks there!

Thanks

Nice looking boat, XCR; love the graphics!!

You're not the only person that misses Ames Farm's launch ramps!! We started launching there in 1999 when we bought our first boat and kept going back until the town closed the ramps to the public. We switched to West Alton Marina in 2009 and for us, they're the next best thing! WAM charges $20 for launch and parking of your rig. As others have said, the people there are the best, friendly, courteous and helpful! Hats off to WAM for running such a nice operation!

Parking can get interesting at times but I've never been turned away. They do occasionally have fishing tourneys running out of there so that's when it gets the most hectic. The key on these days is to be patient and efficient; don't be loading or unloading your boat at the ramp!! You sound experienced so I won't go into details but be aware there's only one ramp at WAM so you have to move quickly if there are others waiting.

If there's a tourney going on, you COULD end up parking your tow rig WAY up by Rt 11. If that happens, they'll follow you in the golf cart and give you a ride back to the ramp. Only problem with that is, if you get back after 5pm, it's a long walk back to your tow rig but that's something I can live with.

The only problem I have with Downing's Landing is they charge more for weekend launch & park than they do on weekdays. That and they do look like they would fill up pretty fast; it's a small lot. Here's their 2011 Ramp and Parking Prices.

Originally Posted by Winnisquamguy

Can someone tell me exactly why Ames closed?

These should answer your questions.
Ames Farm Being Sued
Ames Farm
Ames Farm Inn Access
Ames Farm settles with DES