Lake advice for my boat
 

Hey all, I'm new here and am looking for some advice.

I inherited my dads boat when he passed away 3 years ago. It's a 93 bayliner trophy walkaround with a cuddy cabin and a 150 hp outboard engine. Since acquiring the boat I've been trailering it to a lake near where I store the boat up in Conway. I just dont get to use it enough becuase it's so far away( like 3 times a season).i feel like the cost of insurance registration and upkeep isnt worth it if I dont use it enough.

(I live in manchester nh)This year I'm planning on getting a slip or valet service at winnipesaukee or winnisquam to see if I'll use it more or if I should sell it. So far I've found some postings for a slip on winnipesaukee that's about 1h45 mins from my house, I put my name on a waiting list for valet at a marina 1 hour from my house and I found a slip on winnisquam about 45 mins from my house.

What I am wondering, is it worth it to drive 45 minutes extra each way for a slip on winni? How much would I really miss out on by being at squam instead? The valet service that is only 1 hr away has a waiting list and is almost 3000 for the season, while the slip in Moultonborough was listed at 2050. The slip at winnisquam was 2200.

Part of the allure of winnisquam to me, is that being only 45 mins away, I could realistically take the boat out on weekdays after work, where as if its 1h30-45 mins away it would be unlikely.
But I do think the ability to boat to different town docks and islands seems like it would be fun too.

Were it me, I'd do the closest slip and then trailer it to Winnipesaukee if you have whole days and want to explore. The ports are cool, but they're only a small portion of my outings. Being close and on a dock, though, reduces the biggest two hurdles to boating, AND you save money. Win-Win.

Enjoy!

Sent from my Moto G (5S) Plus using Tapatalk

Slip vs Valet - since the boat is a cuddy cabin if you had a slip you more than likely have the option to overnight on the boat while in it's slip. Marina rules may prohibit this so check before assuming. Granted that may or may not be something you would want to do but that is defiantly not an option if you are in a valet situation.

Take the sure thing
 

If the slip is a definite, and valet is only wait list, I'd grab the slip NOW. Then get on a wait list for where you really want to be in 2020. Waiting to see what else comes up without locking something in may leave you with nothing. Huge numbers of boaters make their arrangements in September for the next season. There are several threads here over the last few years indicating difficulty finding a slip/valet in the geographic area that is your first choice. There are only a couple of places on Winnipesaukee that have transient docks or moorings, but several resorts have docking for overnight guests. You might want to try an overnight in different areas. Again, don't plan to make reservations the night before.

I had a house on Winnisquam many years ago. It's a great lake for boating and much safer, navigation wise as long as you do most of your boating North of the bridge. You can do everything there that you can do on Winni except visit many different town ports.
I would take the slip there for this year and get on a wait list for a spot on Winni for next season. You may decide that you prefer to stay on Winnisquam. I personally loved Winnisquam.
The numbers on Winni are crazy and weekends are so busy there.

Dont know Winnisquam much but if your doing your boating on weekends Winni is a zoo. If you are boating during the week days Winni would be great.

Do something NOW
 

If you have an option to get on anywhere grab it now. Options are LIMITED. Wherever you end up you will get a season experience to review vs waiting one more year. You can adjust from there.
I drive from Nashua to my slip on far north of Winni 1:35 best case scenario. I like the cost of my location and dont find the extra time a problem.
My humble advice is to go for it and try the big girl this year. If its too much for you go for closer next year.

I’m pretty sure they have valet spots available at Winnisquam marine

My wife and I were fortunate to secure a valet spot on Winni when we purchased our first boat. We loved the boat, loved the valet service but had an 80 minute commute to get to it (each way) on a good day, which we didn’t mind. After doing that for 3 seasons, for as much as we love Winni and the lakes region, it started to become a chore.

Fast forward those 3 seasons and we were in the right place at the right time to find a fixer-upper with a deeded slip of the right size for our boat. A rented or deeded slip, with no need for time limits, to trailer or valet, is invaluable.

Alright, so it's down to a slip on winnisquam for 2600(46 miles,45min drive one way) or a boat slip in winnipesaukee off long island(moultonborough-71 miles roughly an hour and a half) listed at 2400 for the season.

After reading everything you all said, I think I'm down to just figuring out how important being on the big lake is vs being able to use the boat more frequently.

I feel like a 45 minute drive opens up the ability to take the boat out on weekday evenings after work, where as if I'm an hour and a half away would mean 3 hours of driving for maybe an hour on the water. But I do love the idea of being on winnipesaukee and being able to do some fun sightseeing and visiting the different docks, restaurants and just exploring such a large area.

Just a note that the drive time to Long Island, depending on timing, will be more than your estimate. Meredith Center and Center Harbor back up quite a bit. There are some shortcuts, but it'll still be more than 1.5 on many occasions.

Sent from my Moto G (5S) Plus using Tapatalk

While my boat is a bit smaller, I don't consider launching and towing to be big obsticles. The time to/from is a bit of a hassle (I'm from your general area). It would be a bit more convenient to leave the boat on a slip but not $3000 convenient for me.

The biggest tow/launch hassle is getting parking on summer weekends on the big lake. I usually go very early so not so bad for me but try getting a spot in Alton (closest free ramp) on a nice Saturday after 9AM.

I like both Squam and Winnisquam but like the size and variety of Winni. Squam makes me pretty nervous with all the hazard though but offers nice fishing options and is a beautiful lake. The ride up there is similar to launching on the northside of the lake (close enough) so if its a distance thing b/t Squam and launches in Merideth, CH or MBB....that would not sway me from Squam.

I rented up in the lakes region for about 7 years before I bought. I tried different lakes and different locations and even though I loved the Borough side of the lake, the drive became a chore.
Winnisquam is one of my favorite lakes but everyone has different boating desires. But if you're mostly driving back and forth between your home and boat I would think drive time will be a major factor. Less drive time means more boating time. JMO.
My drive time to my lake house is 1-1/2 hours with no traffic which is almost NEVER. It's usually 2 hours and sometimes in the summer can be as much as 3 hours. If I had to go to the end of Long Island, that could add another 1/2 to an hour more. That would be a BIG negative for me if I only had a boat slip.

Compromise?
 

$2400 for a slip or valet depending on location? For, I think, $3000, you can join the American Boat Club at Akwa Marine.
http://www.americanboatclubnh.com/
A little farther than Winnisquam and closer than Moultonborough. New boats, no maintenance compared to whatever you might have to do on a 1993 Bayliner.

Back in the day...
 

Back in the day, around '76 - '87, besides coming up virtually every weekend from Reading MA to Gilford (later Alton Bay), they would get out of work around 4, and drive up to the lake for a boat ride and maybe a swim. Then drive home and go to work the next day.

I questioned dad about it, and he said it wasn't the time he spent going to and from the lake, it was the time he spent on or in the lake, which, to him and mom, was priceless.

It's all how you look at it, and what your priorities are. It worked, and worked very well, for them.

PS they had a slip.

Dave

Depends on what kind of boating you plan to do.If you just like to cruise,hang out at sand bars,tubing and relaxing...Winnisquam is for you.
The big lake has a lot more going on but can be challenging in a smaller boat when it's busy.Lots to see,many restaurants and endless exploring.

Consider this, right now there is a valet rack for sale at Harrila Landing for 9K. MLS#: 4663546. Unit/locker will accommodate a boat not to exceed 20' 6"in length, width 8', height 68", weight 4500 lbs. This also has parking for 1 vehicle per unit/locker.

9K and it belongs to you. Granted it's at the end of Long Island but if you're looking at spending $2400 to rent a slip per year on Long Island why not?

That's exactly the type of thinking I do--the way prices are going up, it's a pretty good gamble to think you'd at very least get your money back.

Two things, though: as pointed out, Harilla is at the very end of Long Island. Add that extra time to Meredith Center and Center Harbor traffic, and it could be significantly longer. Also, it's often very busy at that end (though you wouldn't be dealing with the launch, there can still be a lot of traffic).

The other thing is the sizing--8' beam is pretty restrictive. It's a pretty good place to go out of, though not as good as Trexler's, which is on the way.

Sent from my Moto G (5S) Plus using Tapatalk

...so you can buy the rack space (valet) for 9K...I assume there is also either an annual or per splash fee for the actual valet services...correct? Do you know what that is?

I think Sheps also does valet and would be significantly shorter drives though Sheps has gotten crazy busy the past few years since they went "free". Parking is very hard to come by in summer after 9AM. Used to be my favorite launch June-Aug but I won't touch it now unless I plan to get on the water before 8...even then I've had some trouble.

The rack itself is treated similar to a townhouse or condo. HOA fees plus property taxes.

I am not aware of any splash\recovery fee. Still gives you something that is owned, can store the boat there year round and has some value to it instead of throwing money away renting\leasing accommodations and never realizing any ROI. Worst case rent it to somebody else to cover the holding costs.

thinkxingu - you're right the size restriction does limit interest of potential buyers or renters, likely the reason for the low price comparatively speaking. The other of course is the location. Still that's short money for a year round covered parking spot so long as your boat fits.

Is your main goal what you said here, "...to see if I'll use it more or if I should sell it"? If that's so, then I don't believe a three hour+ round trip drive will help you to figure that out. I noticed some Winni slips advertised here in Classifieds on the southern part of the lake, I know nothing about them but at least they'd be closer. Otherwise I'd vote for leasing the slip on Winnisquam. If you decide to keep the boat after this summer, then next year you can reevaluate which lake to choose. Good Luck!