Crowd Control?
 

We've had a lot of hearty and sometimes thoughtful discussions of lake safety. One subject that seems to get lot of agreement is crowding. I think that everyone would agree that there are some times and places when there are too many boats. Is there a fair way to improve the situation or is this just the price of the lake being an attractive destination?

One Saturaday night I'm standing in front of a popular restaurant waiting for a table. Someone drives up and asks how longs the wait. I say, about an hour. The guy says that's too long, do I know anywhere without a wait. I say yes, go down the street to XXXXX no one eats there. Guy leaves for the dumpy place with no wait.

JRC...

Lake Winnipesaukee is a victim of her own popularity. All of the towns around tha lake have an "anything goes" policy towards zoning. In Laconia there are many large developments still being built, even as the housing market cools a bit. The idea is to attract people buying a second home... so the towns get the tax $$$ without having to pay out the education $$$.

The only thing that has slowed as far as boats are concerned is that towns are not letting the marinas build additional docks or rack storage facilities. The public launch facilities are small, and parking is tight.I think the number of boats on Lake Winnipesaukee has pretty much stabilized. There just isn't any more places left to put them.

Woodsy

My thoughts on crowds:

We hang out in places that aren't so crowded, or at least leave when they get too crowded. I like to be part of the solution... I can't stand Weirs Beach on a Saturday at Noon.

Braun Bay is pretty dead before 10 AM, even on a hot Saturday. By the time the boats are three deep, there's no place left to play frisbee so we leave (woithout hard feelings) There's plenty of space on the lake, you just need to find new places to explore/hang out. GPS plotter and an electronic Bizer chart are awesome for finding new places to be if you are too lazy to break out a paper chart. For instance, gunkhole up around Pistol Island, Greens Basin or Ganzey Island and you won't find much of a crowd. I've never had trouble getting dock space at Lee's Mills. :) It's like an entirely different lake when you get away from the popular spots. Plus, there's lots more Kayakers to buzz up there :D :D :D

This season, I hope to get both my kids proficient at snorkeling so we can anchor in rocky areas and check out the bottom without standing on it. We had a blast last year snorkeling the Belknap.

Woodsy,

I really think this is mainly Laconia (one of the reasons I moved to Gilford ;) ). Other towns are doing a reasonable job IMHO. As an example, try to get a building permit in Barnstead. Alton seems to be doing a decent job, etc. I would agree 1000% about Laconia though.

Couldnt have said it better .. Winni is huge with plenty of areas to roam/explore.. We like to snorkel around the islands, usualy the uninhabited ones.
Restrict the busy areas all you want.. enlarge some of the NW zones, make safe passage 300 feet as it is for jet skis etc etc...
But a Blanket speed limit on the entire lake is rediculous, nevermind the entire state..:rolleye2: