Wiers Channel Safe Passage?
 

The plan was to deliver my boat to Irwin at Lakeport for winter storage. Valet at Mountain View closes around the 19th of October. I'd like to keep the boat out hoping for a few Indian summer days but I am concerned about getting through the Weirs channel, it gets shallow by Winnisquam Marine. Any advice from people who regularly travel through the channel? Thanks!


24 Ft Bowrider

Shut it down.

Bring the drive all the way up.

Use waders and a line.




I am just kidding! I have not been through there in a week and it was fine then.

I don't remember the Channel ever getting too shallow for a boat.

There were numerous boats going through today. There are many boats docked in the Channel and they have to get out at some point to be stored for the winter. I don't see the lake level as a problem in that area.

Wiers Channel Safe Passage?
 

This was from today about 18” from full

Attachment 16491


Sent from my iPhone using Winnipesaukee Forum mobile app

I was wondering the same thing, not the channel itself, but in front of the Naswa my depth sounder always says there is like 2 feet. Not sure if my sounder is wrong, or it is that shallow there? And it is normally that shallow, then whats it like now???

It always strikes me as this cant be right as I see boats in an out of there all the time, but I can see bottom on a clear day,,,

Anyone know if there is in fact a depth concern in that area?

depth
 

that 2 ft is from where the sounder is mounted

The NASWA 34 SeaRay has straight inboards and draws 3 feet without a load of passengers so you know it is deeper than that at their docks. If your transducer is at the bottom of the hull in your boat, and most are, then it may already be 2 to 3 feet below the surface before it takes a reading.

Good point!

So I guess what I really need to know about my own boat is how far below the transducer/hull is the bottom of the Bravo 3 skeg.

Back to the Naswa, does anyone know if that area is generally shallow?

For some reason I have never noticed the depth on the Winni Marine side, I only seem to notice the depth gauge when I'm on the Naswa side of that area.

Thanks

In my experience, having valeted out of Winni Marine, there was never any danger of grounding although the clear waters appeared to be shallow but the depth finder always said 4-5'
Across the channel at NASWA I believe it is the same. Not much over 5' in that area.

I favor the winni/channel marine side, have not had an issue with a 27ft bow rider. I front of the bases reads lower for me- but in general is sand/mud.

Went through yesterday without a problem. Mostly around 6 ft. In the area near Naswa it did drop briefly to 3 ft. I usually keep closer to the Winni Marine side. I have a 22 ft. bowrider with a bravo III drive. I had the engine up a bit, just in case.

Here, Here
 

The water level at East Bear Island is down twenty-two inches this Monday morning. 🐻

The 'channel' proper is running about 7-8ft below the transducer at the centerline and good width to get a couple 10ft beams through. Although if you are drafting deep and have a wide beam I'd stagger it though just for peace of mind.

As you get down into the flat area in front of that 4 story condo complex with the big deck it drops down to about 4ft, you can see some small basketball-sized rocks on the bottom (no ledge or monsters). More in front of Winni Marine and NASWA is all grass about 3.5 ft under the 'toons on my tri.

That was the Acendotal Report(tm) as of 7pm last night.

Made it through with a 27' Searay and made it to Naswa this past weekend. Did feel compelled to tilt up but viewed plenty that didn't and seemed fine...

My boat lives in Paugus Bay so the Weirs channel is involved on every trip.

I always trim my drive up to the operating limit when I go through there.

This does make steering a bit more busy but if any vessel, dog or swimmer requires me to make an evasive maneuver this is one less thing to do.

So I returned my boat to Irwin at Lakeport today. No problems through the channel. I did stay toward the Winnisquam Marine side like a lot of you advised. Thanks for the advice. So another boating season in the books. I hope you all had a good season :)