The avg. daily low temp in Concord for the month of April is 31 F. It rises to 41 for May.
Last winter we went below freezing for the last time on April 14. This winter has been warmer than last.
It is still not unusual to see a night or two below freezing in May, nor is it unusual to see some snow in May (it happens every few years.)
Many people launch their boats in May, and take out after foliage season ends in October. Between Labor Day and Columbus Day, nights below-freezing are much more common but I haven't heard any horror stories of boats freezing at that time of year.
I would say your greatest hazard from launching too soon after iceout is the Russian Roullette you play with floating/submerged debris which is common right after iceout. During spring the ice is known for grabbing things from the shoreline and letting them go in the middle of the lake where they put holes in hulls. Most people I know like to wait for that stuff to either sink or wash up on shore before they start boating in anything more than a kayak.
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