New Boater: Where to Explore in Moultonborough

[thinkxingu]

Hi! Will be taking out our first boat next week and are looking for suggestions on where to go. Boat will be docked near Trexler's, so thinking close to there to start. Have Bizer laminated chart and Garmin 521(I think--5 something) GPS.

Wife thinks a sandbar in Braun Bay might be neat, but open to suggestions.

Thanks!

[HellRaZoR004]

With young kids I would avoid Braun Bay during the weekend. Too many drunks. It's a nice sandbar though.

[thinkxingu]

How about Friday afternoon or Sunday night?

[HellRaZoR004]

Evenings might work. Only one way to find out. Don't let the crowd deter you though.

Do you have 2 anchors? It can get very crowded in there at times and if theres any wind at all you may swing into other boats.

Keep in mind Braun Bay is also a No Rafting Zone (NRZ) which means you need to maintain a certain distance from shore and other boats or you risk getting a ticket from MP. Make sure to practice setting both the bow and stern anchors, it takes some getting use to.

[glennsteely]

Set sail and go.......some of the best boat trips of my life have been the ones that weren't planned, just go and see where you wind up!! No time on the water is bad time!!

[Phantom]

Set sail and go.......some of the best boat trips of my life have been the ones that weren't planned, just go and see where you wind up!! No time on the water is bad time!!

AMEN !

From Trexlers area there are a zillion coves & inlets to explore.

Head toward Center Harbor one day, head the other direction ( Hole in the Wall ) another day

Third day, you'll learn you can link the two routes


Turn the key on...... Press into gear......ENJOY

.

[thinkxingu]

OK, how about a quiet spot to practice maneuvering?

[Diver Vince]

Well personally I'd stay away from Braun Bay, ESPECIALLY on weekends in the summer. Never quite understood the attraction to the sand bar scene.

There are boats galore, sometimes only several feet apart. You then go into the water which is only 3 feet deep surrounded by folks drinking copious amounts of beer (thereby constantly peeing in the water) and you always have someone blasting there stereo with the most god awful "music". Humans; they can be very strange indeed! :rolleye1:

[thinkxingu]

OK, so where?! As mentioned, a place to practice and chill.

[depasseg]

If you are staying near Trexler's and are new to the area, you should know that the area north of the long island bridge all the way to the first Black Top marker is a no wake zone. The No Wake marker was mistakenly left off the Bizer chart.

Now to the fun. If you are just looking for a place to anchor and relax, there are a ton of coves and protected areas. Mostly is depends on the way the winds blows.

Here's a start:
Cove SouthWest of Half mile island
area between Farrar Point and the Public Beach (be careful of all the marked (and unmarked rocks)
Senter Cove (North of Black Cat Island)
Blueberry Island (Near Black Cat Island)
Five Mile Island
Check out the wreck off the coast of Birch/Steamboat Islands
South west of the Long Island Bridge (Leave Trexler's go under the bridge, turn right and anchor)
Just outside Hole in the Wall (Between Little Bear and Cow Islands)
Ragged Island
Timber Island
Winter Harbor
West Alton Sandbar (near Sleepers Island) - Also a NRZ, similar to Braun Bay

[DBreskin]

We've spent the past two days on the west side of Ragged Island. On weekdays it's not crowded; only three or four boats including ours. It has a sandy beach area, nature trails, a roped-off swimming area and a restroom. The island is owned by the Lakes Region Conservation Trust. It's not far from Trexler's, in between the tip of Long Island and Cow Island.

[Phantom]

Best place to practice docking is Center Harbor (mid week)

Thats where I take my 12 year old Grand Child to practice!
You get "straight in" approaches & 90 degree approach.
.

[thinkxingu]

Great suggestions, keep them coming!

[Salt_shaker]

sallys gut is pretty neat to see. and I love anchoring for a bit in the cove inside wallace island. senter cove? that old sail house is awesome :) im learning the lake myself, we are on the south end of long island. so go by trexlers often. a nice thing about the location is its pretty centrally located in the lake. a nice place to start out from :) have fun.

[thinkxingu]

Checked out Ragged Island today--was PERFECT for us! Any other places like that around the lake?