Hazards south of FL 12 in Melvin Bay
 

I routinely see people boating on the "wrong" side of the black-topped spar at FL12. I swear more people pass it to the south than to the north. Is there anything for the average boat to hit over there? My Garmin chart shows shallow (<15 feet) water but no rocks, same with Navionics. My Duncan chart shows a rock kind of north west of the FL (but the FL seems way out of place on the chart). My Bizer chip is of no use right now since my Standard Horizon chart plotter quit working, but I seem to recall a rock or two on it.

shallow
 

I think there are some rocks within 6' of the surface close to the marker there. I remember exploring that marker one year and you can see them under the surface. Lots of bass fisherman there too.

There is another Black spar to the south keeping you off the shoreline. I have gone to the south there as well but stay clear of the area right next to the marker. I probably would idle through before I did it again. It's been a few years and don't remember exactly how wide the shoal is.

Dave,

Do you need to borrow a GPS? I have a small Garmin device that I use as a spare backup. I think it's the model GPSMAP 441S that I used to use on my last boat. I have it rigged with a cigarette lighter plug. It has a Bizer chip in it. You're welcome to borrow it if it will help you, a sort of pay back for the help you gave me with your code scanner. :)

Just let me know or stop by and pick it up, it's always on my boat.

If I recall correctly, Isn't It just west that's the real Issue there? I remember fishing there and being safe south.

Is this the spot:

https://webapp.navionics.com/?lang=e...key=qnriGpoirL

The chart doesn't seem to show a rock right next to FL 12, but there is a rock shown to the SW of the black top that is SW of FL 12.

Thanks, but I'm all set. My SH plotter died on Chesapeake Bay in May and I bought and installed a new Garmin the same day. I was fortunate that the marina I was headed toward the morning of the failure was within walking distance of a well-stocked and smartly-staffed West Marine and I only lost an hour or two of cruising time. I LOVE the Garmin.

That is the spot indeed.

Bizer shows just shallow (4 ft) on that side of the marker. Kind of like FL1 coming out of the Weirs. If those boats have a draft of 2 ft or less they are probably fine.

I draw 39". I think I'll stay north and east of that one... I routinely go on the wrong side of FL1 though.

Oh ya Dave, that is FL 1. Thanks

Bizer went back through all my 2001 depth readings. With the exception of the charted four-foot rock to the WSW, I have no readings less than 6.5 feet within 250m (300 yards) of FL12. The southwest side of FL12 is colored in blue on Bizer's chart just in case I overlooked something.

The black-and-white buoy 250m to the southwest of FL12 marks a rock less than one foot below the surface just to its southwest, as depicted on Bizer's chart.

As for FL01, I believe that buoy is primarily for the Mount Washington which has a draft of about nine feet. South of FL01 is mostly a huge sandbar with depths in the six-to-eight foot range.

Can somebody tell me three things: 1. Where is FL01, 2. What does FL stand for, and 3. Is there a pattern to the numbers of FL's?

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Flashing Light FL 1 is straight out from the Weirs and would be on your starboard heading to the west end of Governor 's Is. . The numbering system is such as to provide for a great set of cruises if you were to navigate to each one in ascending order. Gas companies would love you, and it would make a great tour of the lake when completed.

I live here... I am always Upthesaukee.

OK, so there's no pattern--what I thought, but also hoped there'd be some rhyme or reason.

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Pattern FL's
 

The pattern is that you start at the Weirs, FL#1, proceed past 2, 3 to Center Harbor. (return), start going north again through Moultonboro Bay. Return, go to Wolfeboro, then to Alton Bay, return, past Belknap Pt, the Witches, Timber, Mark and Mink Islands. That's the original 30 lighted buoys. The next group, (31-38, not listed on my Bizer chart) marked the Weirs Channel, and #39, down in Paugus Bay pretty much completed the perimeter of the lake. The next group of numbers filled in around islands, mostly where there were more summer residents and more night time traffic. After that, the numbers are more random as flashers were placed based on perceived need. For example, #27 (Timber Is) and #28 marked the Witches. When there was low traffic you could go east of the Witches by focusing your course on #27. With heavier traffic pushing southbound boats closer to the Witches, #71 was added, I think in the late 60's. Until FL76 was added, the black spar south of Welch Is. was pretty lonesome, way way out from shore; very difficult to locate, especially in pre-GPS days. So, there is/was a pattern, up to a point in time.

THAT clears it all up! :eek: