Winnisquam Marine Letters for Boat Request Date

[Belkin]

Has anyone received their annual letters from Winnisquam Marine that allows you to request when you want your boat? Last year I sat on my letter too long and then they were backed up and I did not get my boat put in until June .

So I vowed that in 2015 I would send the letter back as soon as it came in. The trouble is, I am not sure when the letters get sent out. I have not seen mine yet. Has anyone seen theirs, or do you know when they usually go out?

[Tired of Waiting]

you call them on the phone? Seems that would get you the best answer and you might be able to schedule the put-in right then.


ToW

[feb]

I haven't gotten mine yet, thought maybe I threw it away by accident, but it sounds like they just haven't been sent yet.

[Belkin]

Thanks for the info feb. With this being such a long cold winter, I am trying to change my thoughts toward spring any way that I can. Maybe that will push it along a bit. I heard that it might even get above freezing this week.

[MDoug]

Anybody heard anything from Y Landing? No answer on phones for a month or so now.

My worry is spring mudtime if the snow and ice ever do melt--makes it hard for David to get to the boats stored there.

[thinkxingu]

Do most marinas have a launch date request system like this, or just those that are really busy? This will be my first spring launch--my boat's at Trexler's.

[feb]

Winnisquam Marine always has had this system. When they put my boat away for the fall they ask when I want it back. Then in years past they've sent out another request via the mail asking when I want it in the spring. That always seemed a little redundant to me but maybe folks' plans change and the date is different than the 1st request.

They store a lot of boats so it allows them to figure out a sequence of when they might need those boats stored way in the back. This winter is going to create a very small window for marinas to prep and deliver boats before memorial day I think.

[AC2717]

Thurston's does it the same way.
They sent out a letter a week or so ago with a spring list of items to consider and asked that you either send the form back or email them for a launch date. Been this way for the 8 years I have been doing it. Every year I tell them the same date and I get my baby that day. But I can see how it could change for a person from year to year. This year I have a neighbor that will be starting their spring season late, so they are not pulling when they normally do.

[Phantom]

Channel Marines post card for Launch date requests are out .....

Got mine last week


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[thinkxingu]

When do people typically get their boats out? We're seasonal, beginning May 1st, so would like to plan ahead to prevent a delay. Thanks!

[Phantom]

anywhere between when you can dock at your respective Marina (mine happens to be after 5/1) and before Memorial Day weekend is ideal time.

I know channel thoroughly appreciates my NOT requesting it for Thursday, Friday or Sat of Memorial Day weekend with the other 150+ boats they are trying to launch

However it also depends on how your Marina stores the boat -- I know my daughter use to have hers at Irwins inside storage -- in that case you have to wait until THEY dig it out and get the boats in front of it. Not a great situation

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[thinkxingu]

This will be my first spring with a boat--what's the weather like in early May? Should I plan on getting it my first weekend or one of the following couple? I'll be beaching it at my camp.

[MDoug]

Weather's not a big deal, but debris in the water can be dangerous after ice out!
Be safe and keep a sharp lookout.

[thinkxingu]

About how long is debris an issue, and are we talking wood, dock parts, etc. that were shifted from the ice?

[Phantom]

You can expect any kind of debris in early season from dock parts that range from 2 x 4's, 8 x 8's, or even whole sections of dock that have broken away and let's not forget the tree branches --- especially the ones that look innocent enough until your on top of them and realize 90% of it is underwater and it looks more like a full fledged tree than a branch !

Typically this will be a major concern from ice out onward and diminish over the weeks as boating and good Samaritan traffic occur. It is not uncommon (myself included) that if you come upon a piece of debris and can handle it aboard -- you do so ! Similar to picking up trash, bottles, etc along the roadway....... the lake is OUR roadway.

For extremely large debris (large tree branch or dock section) I have always notified Marine Patrol via the VHF -- just to make them aware should they have a work vessel in the area. I usually hail it out as "for your records, there's a xxxxx floating in the general boating lane just off marker XX" This also serves to warn other boaters as it is a general broadcast on Ch 16


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[upthesaukee]

It is as long, or perhaps slightly longer than my 25 ft bowrider.

[LIforrelaxin]

Something I have learned over the years, is that All Marina's ask when you store your boat, when you will want it out... Most of them also send a notification asking for the same information as spring comes into view....

The question is when does this information really mater..... Because it doesn't always matter.....

If your boat like mine is stored outdoors in a field or storage yard... Then what you tell them in the fall is very important, because its position in the yard will change... If you tell them your going to want it early... they don't surround it with other boats, and block it in....rather they position it to be available early...

If your boat is in a storage building, that has good access with no blocked slots there really is no importance to these request...because once the have the building open, they can get to your boat....

What is important is when you talk with the service dept, and schedule the actual pick up..... What has to be scheduled is the service work... you can answer their requests, and it helps them plan, but until you confirm a pick up time with them, they are really not going to plan to do a darn thing with your boat....

My worst nightmare was storing my boat with Winnisquam Marine... I told them in the fall I would want the boat right after ice out... When they sent me the spring request I told them I want the boat immediately after ice out... I then called and set my appointment to pick up the boat and confirmed it with the service dept. I set the pick up for a Friday, the ice was declared out over the prior weekend... I called Monday and double confirm that I would arrive to pick my boat up on Friday, and they confined they would have it ready... Thursday afternoon, I got a call, that they couldn't get to my boat...Not because they didn't have a mechanic to work on the boat... But because despite the fact that I told them I would want my boat immediately after ice out, and despite their best efforts to make sure it wasn't buried in the storage yard.... It was in fact buried behind several other boats in the storage yard, and while they hopped they could move enough boats around, to get it out, they didn't want to promise me that my boat would be ready that weekend...

I wasn't mad at them... I don't think they where negligent... the bottom line was despite best efforts on everyone's part, there is only a limited amount of room for them to move around and store boats... and well... the odds just weren't in my favor that year.... so they asked, if we could hold off a week and I told them it wasn't problem...

What the moral of this tale... work with the marina, give them your best guess, hope for the best... and realize Spring is a busy time... we all want to get to on the water as quick as possible... realize the only way to gurantee that will happen is to do the work yourself... if you leave your boat at a marina, their are many things that effect how soon you get your boat..... and sometime you have to end up disappointed...

[thinkxingu]

When do most people plan to take their boats out? This year, I think we might be keeping it at our camp instead of at the marina and opening weekend is May 1st.

[Phantom]

A Lot depends on whether you trailer or use a Marina.

As a blanket GENERALIZATION .... I would say that the vast majority of folks have their boats out of the water shortly after Columbus Day weekend.

If you use a Marina, best to check with them as to how late they will take you in (if nothing else out of courtesy & to let them know you are still planning to use their services)


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[thinkxingu]

Oops, I meant take out of storage in spring.

[Phantom]

Totally up to you & your Marina !

Mine will hit the water (weather dependent) May 9th


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[thinkxingu]

Perfect, thanks!

[dave603]

Originally Posted by Phantom

Totally up to you & your Marina !

Mine will hit the water (weather dependent) May 9th


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After this winter, Mine is on a trailer, I don't care if i'm sitting in it on there about a week before you. ( although would rather be out on the water)

[tdbl4]

FYI - I called Winnisquam Marine this weekend and the letters for spring maintenance / launching are going out Monday (March 23). However, while on the phone I was able to schedule my boat pick-up date (May 2nd) so you don't necessarily have to wait for the letters to be proactive about getting your boat ready (presuming they honor the request).

[Belkin]

I got my letter in the mail yesterday and it went back in the mail today. Summer must really be on its way!

I always debate on what work to have done. You just check off items and they do it for you. How convenient.

Belkin