Winnipesaukee Forum - View Single Post

jazzman · 07-01-2017, 08:12 AM

I guess it can be done, but living on an island without dedicated mainland docking/parking isn't something I'd take on without a lot of careful thought.

One issue to really consider is mainland access has something to do with the eventual value of your property when you go to sell it someday. Imagine trying to sell your place in a time when mainland access just isn't available.

Many island owners own a mainland slip via one of the many marinas that now offer "condo" slips. This way they can protect their island investment by offering that slip with their house should they want to sell.

Rattlesnake is an interesting choice for island living on a budget because the island association owns mainland access (though no docking for more than a few minutes at a time). I did consider trying to do islands on the cheap by having a small easily launched/retrieved trailer boat kept in the Rattlesnake mainland lot. In the end I just didn't want to cope with the hassle if I happened to arrive late at night or every time I needed something on the mainland.

I did notice you said "commute" in your initial note. Not sure if you mean "commute" to work everyday from an island. I know there are people who do it up in the Gilford islands because I see their boats at Glendale everyday. You'd sure want a protected route from your island home to a dedicated dock if you ever wanted to do this (or an understanding boss who understood that you maybe don't show up on a windy day).

07-01-2017, 08:12 AM	#4
jazzman Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Mont Vernon NH & Big Barndoor Island Posts: 320 Thanks: 4 Thanked 184 Times in 62 Posts	I guess it can be done, but living on an island without dedicated mainland docking/parking isn't something I'd take on without a lot of careful thought. One issue to really consider is mainland access has something to do with the eventual value of your property when you go to sell it someday. Imagine trying to sell your place in a time when mainland access just isn't available. Many island owners own a mainland slip via one of the many marinas that now offer "condo" slips. This way they can protect their island investment by offering that slip with their house should they want to sell. Rattlesnake is an interesting choice for island living on a budget because the island association owns mainland access (though no docking for more than a few minutes at a time). I did consider trying to do islands on the cheap by having a small easily launched/retrieved trailer boat kept in the Rattlesnake mainland lot. In the end I just didn't want to cope with the hassle if I happened to arrive late at night or every time I needed something on the mainland. I did notice you said "commute" in your initial note. Not sure if you mean "commute" to work everyday from an island. I know there are people who do it up in the Gilford islands because I see their boats at Glendale everyday. You'd sure want a protected route from your island home to a dedicated dock if you ever wanted to do this (or an understanding boss who understood that you maybe don't show up on a windy day).