Boat Launch: Harillas, Long Island Beach or Center Harbor?
 

We've got a family cabin in the Long Island area. I usually bring a 21' Whaler to use at the lake for the weeks that I'm there.

For several years, I used the launch/ramp near the Libby Museum, which worked well. This year, however, I want to find a ramp/launch closer to Long Island.

Last year, I used the ramp near Harillas, which worked okay but I had to navigate some random rocks and am not sure I had the right angle/approach. The launch near the Long Island/Moultonborough "beach" seems like it is too shallow/gradual for the Whaler. The Center Harbor ramp looks really nice/easy but I've never tried it.

I'd appreciate any insight/wisdom on the Harilla's launch, Moltonborough beach launch and/or the Center Harbor launch. Any thoughts on which might work best for the 21' Whaler?

Thanks so much.

Much bigger boats than a 21' Whaler are launched/retrieved from the Harilla boat ramp all the time. The area is deep enough that several barges that work on the lake are in and out of the ramp on a regular basis. To avoid the rocks, you want to enter/exit the area between the red and black channel markers.

Thanks
 

Thanks for the quick and helpful reply. I was able to avoid the rocks and stay in channel once the boat was launched. However, when backing the boat in the water and pulling it out I seemed to roll over a few volleyball sized rocks at random places a few feet down the ramp itself.

launch ramps
 

Harilla's has always been one of the most primitive on the lake. There have always been large stray rocks combined with random blow outs from people power loading so trailers usually bounce around either in or out. Best to have someone in the boat, get in a little deep and make sure the boat is in deep enough water before trimming all the way and going. Good thing over the years is that the ramp was unsupervised and free but no parking and cars with trailers go a long way down the road.

Long Island is shallow and sandy. If you have a larger/heavier boat, probably not the best location and definitely 4 wheel drive can be helpful and bigger tires like a truck. The worst is rear wheel drive passenger tires as they will be in the water in the sand and spinning if trying to pull out a heavy load. I don't know if they are still there, but there were long concrete anchor bars in the area for people to tie off, they were easy to scuff a prop on as they were not marked and not easily seen unless you look for them. There are also random boulders along the shoreline. There is no parking, just beach parking which is not meant for trailers and is for Moultonborough residents only supposedly. I don't know if the police monitor it. No fee over time at Long Island

Center Harbor has always been one of the steepest launches on the lake. It is one of the best spectator spots in terms of launch misadventures between the difficulty in lining up and the quick drop off. It's great if you need deep water fast. It is usually quite blown out as big twins come out there often. It is also narrow in terms of lining up your trailer. Unless you get there very early or very late you will pay a launch fee. Heavy boat, front wheel drive, and a wet ramp means you are going to spin your front tires, maybe enough to smoke them and create some friction and momentum. For larger boats 4 wheel drive makes the task easier. If you forget to trim up coming out there is no question that you will drag your outboard or outdrive across the parking lot. Depending on the time of day and day of the week, a person could easily be behind 5 or 6 people waiting. Due to one ramp with no clear prep area, one boater can tie up the ramp for over 20 minutes by being either unprepared to launch or inconsiderate of the others waiting to get their boats in or out. There is ample parking up above the beach and park. For the amount of tax revenue generated it seems it is time for Center Harbor to rethink their dock/launch/beach design, a 2 ramp facility would make Friday and Sunday afternoons much less crowded at the launch ramp, and pull the boat/trailer crowd away from the park/beach crowd.

I never really liked the fact that operator error or a malfunctioning power boat can go right through the swim area. At least they eliminated the most inner slip by the beach ropes.

Just because an accident hasn't happened doesn't mean that it won't happen.

Happy Mowtoring!!

Thanks!
 

Thank you so much for the detailed information about the various launches/ramps. It is incredibly helpful. Sounds like each of them have their challenges.

Is there a different ramp (other than Moultonborough Beach, Center Harbor, and Harilla's) that you recommend or think works better?

I'm certainly willing to boat/drive a little further back to the cabin if there is a ramp that works better.

Thanks again for info..so helpful.

Peter

Meredith Boat Ramp
 

The Meredith boat launch ramp is used by a lot of people with various sized boats. It's a popular spot to launch. A little tight for longer boats lining up with the ramp. It's only about 15 minutes from the Center Harbor ramp. Sometimes there's a small fee and other times I don't see anyone collecting.

There is the Town of Moultonborough Boat ramp at the end of Lee's Mills Road. Pretty much a straight shot for the ramp. If you are on the other side of Long Island though it could be a longer ride to your destination.

Sheps
 

For me the most user friendly ramp is Shep Browns/goodhue. Two ramps, steady incline, tons of room in and out of the water...and enough water to float a boat. They may have restricted parking now but there was plenty of room for cars and trailers in a back lot. It was never busy on a weekday and you pay at the marina. Calm area no matter the weather and in the middle of Center Harbor...Long Island...Weirs...and Meredith.

Try the Tuftonboro ramp in 19 mile bay.


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Thursday I launched my little 14' center console at the Meredith Ramp.

To get to the ramp you must first thread the needle that is the parking lot for the town docks.

There you will find lots of clueless pedestrians walking down the middle of the lot.

You will also see a fair amount of big pickup trucks that stick out into the lane as well as some smaller vehicles that were apparently parked by curb-o-phobic drivers.

This leads to a pucker factor of 8.5 on the rectum scale.

Finally arriving at the ramp you may now feel qualified to star in the next Indiana Jones movie.

But then there's the nice young lady who collects $20 (twenty) from you.

Once launched you can move your boat to the opposite side of the gelcoat eating metal dock.

Now it's time to park your vehicle and trailer down the road and walk .2 miles back.

A crosswalk with a walk signal guarantees you can cross safely... someday.

When you return from your day at sea, the distance to the parking lot is no longer measured in fractions of a mile.

It is better measured in time as it is more of a "you can't get there from here" situation.

There is a two segment crosswalk across Rte. 25 which, by the way, has traffic that would make the Garden State Parkway blush.

You push the button and wait and wait and wait.

When it's your turn you get to make the short hop from the mainland to a small island.

The longer crosswalk is next but the walk indicator no longer says walk and is now counting down.

Entering that crosswalk when it is counting is an offense punishable by revocation of The Dive privileges so consider your actions with care.

The next step is to drive your vehicle with trailer back to the ramp.

This task requires two course reversals against traffic that contains many wild eyed "come from away" crazies.

It's not unlike being a salmon swimming upstream with Yogi Bear's extended family trying to claw at you.

Then you are once again back to navigating the gauntlet of vehicles and walkers (some with walkers) in the parking lot.

What size boat did you say you have?

:eek:

I have launched our 24' Four Winns Funship, which is a pretty decent sized 24 footer, at the long island ramp multiple times when we have rented up in Buzzles Cove. My wife's Yukon hasn't had any issues pulling it out, although I have put it in 4wd to pull out. The ramp is gradual, so you will have the rear tires pretty close to in the water if you need to get the boat far in to float it off.

Center Harbor is a nice ramp in my opinion. It is a fairly narrow ramp at probably 9.5-10' wide, but most trailerable boats are 8'6", which mine is, and if you are competent at backing up a trailer it is not that bad. The gentleman that has been working the ramp the few times I have used it is always super helpful too. I solo launch mine all the time and he came down and helped me get tied off so I could get out of the way of the ramp. If someone is not sure of what they are doing it can get a little intimidating because of the walls on the ramp that make it appear narrower than it is.

you will have no problem using the Long Beach island ramp

8GV: Excellent, well written, sometimes funny, but very accurate, comments!

Too funny!! Thanks for great description of the "adventure"