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When and where?

Pymatuning is always popular - but a bit far for some.

Eastern Lake Erie / Western Lake Ontario is probably closest for all the old "North East Fleet" crew. There's not a lot of options that I've seen on my side of the border without driving several hours farther in and I already have my papers for the border crossing. The big question of course is whether my tiny car would be able to pull the Weekender that far. I might have to put a hitch on my wife's truck.

The first weekend in August is a long weekend for us and the weather is usually good.

Thoughts on locations? We'd be looking for something with camping, water that's sailable, inexpensive launching close to hand.

My selfish list of locations close to me would be:
- Connestoga Lake - http://www.grandriver.ca/index/document....123&sub2=0
- Inverhuron http://www.ontarioparks.com/English/inve.html

Steven Hunt

Another idea might be...

Within a day’s drive for members of the Chessie, Southeast, and Erie fleets is one of the best-kept secret venues for sailing; The sheltered, shallow, and broad waters of North Carolina’s Pamlico Sound. Sheltered on its eastern side from the Atlantic Oceanside by Hatteras Island, Pamlico Sound ranges from 7 miles wide to 25 miles wide east to west, and is over 100 miles long from north to south. Even though it is so large, Pamlico Sound is very shallow. Except for a small area about 35 feet deep in it’s middle, most of the sound is so shallow that a person can walk out more than a mile from shore and still be in only waist deep water. This shoal water, along with the nearly constant southerly breeze ranging from 5 to 12 knots has made Hatteras Island a world-renowned location for wind surfing. If it’s great for wind surfing, it should also be great for boats like ours!

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&z=10&ll=...25598&om=0

Have ever had the fantasy of sailing over the horizon? Well here’s your chance to do it in safety. Just head west until Hatteras Island drops out of view, then come about and head back east until you see the shore again. I know most of you want to do some real racing but usually can’t do to restrictions on placing marker buoys. That’s not a problem on Pamlico Sound, most of the sound is too shallow for big boats so they have to stay in the marked navigation channels. There is no restriction on placing marker buoys as long as we keep them out of the navigation channels and pick them up at the end of the day. The sound’s large size and shallow water also means we won’t have to contend with power cruisers. Jet skiers are required to stay inside marked areas close to the marinas so they wont bother us either. The only folks we’ll have to look out for are the windsurfers and there’s plenty of room for both of us. You will be surprised at how few boats that you will see on the Sound.

So what do we do when it rains, or the wind is too much? Well, that’s when it’s time for some nautical sightseeing. The tallest and most famous lighthouse on the Atlantic Coast is Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. The museum at the lighthouse, as well as other nearby museums, are packed with local history of shipwrecks, the coast guard, pirates, and commercial fishing. There is also a museum dedicated to boat building nearby! How about a three-hour cruise on a schooner, or a dolphin watch cruise? Mind you, I have only mentioned the “nautical” themed activities here. There’s only about a couple hundred other family activities that you can do. I did forget to mention the beach, best surf fishing on the east coast, the other three lighthouses, does the name Kitty Hawk ring a bell, The whole National Park thing, a theme park, world class aquarium, windsurfing, kite boarding, hang gliding, offshore charter fishing, ect… but this is a club about boat building and sailing so I wont bore you with those details. I’ll let the tourism office and a couple other websites do that.

http://www.outerbanks.org

http://www.outer-banks.nc.us/index.htm

http://www.hatteras-nc.com/CHNS/

http://www.nps.gov/caha/

http://www.obxmaritime.org/

http://www.obxconnection.com/

http://www.downeastrover.com/

http://www.camphatteras.com/


So, anybody interested?

[Image: CanadianHoleSunset2004.jpg]
Steve,

While the sailing is probably delightful in the area you indicate, it's a good 16 hour drive from here. I'm the only driver in the house, so the only way that trip would happen is if we made a week long trip of it, setting off Friday after work, staying in a hotel overnight, and arriving late saturday, and leaving the following saturday around noon or so. Beyond that, what I've currently got for a tow vehicle isn't going to be making that kind of trip. I'd be severely pushing the weight limits with a week of provisions. Of course, down the road, I may well end up moving much closer to that area anyway, as I keep looking at Virginia. I've got another two and a half years before I'll be able to make the jump though.

Looks like fantastic sailing for those that are closer though. I'm jealous of those that can find waters like that, which still qualify as protected.

Andrew,

You've got the same drive that I have time-wise for pymatuning, at around 6 hours, give or take. I've got a 5 hour run for the Inverhuron park. Is the sailing right on Lake Huron for that one, or is there a sheltered bay? I've got about a 5 hour drive to connestoga lake too, so all are within the drive area I've already done.

Rondeau park is around 2 hours for me, and 4 for you. Probably about 5 or 6 for the ohio folks.

My only concern for next summer is the need for a far better tow vehicle. Mine's got a 1000 lb limit, and not much space for camping gear for 4. I don't know if I'll be able to get a better hauler by next summer or not though, so I'm trying to keep my tow mileage down.

How's the weekender coming along, anyway? My buddy is about a half hour away, and dreams of taking his to Rondeau ... he's about ready to flip his upside down, but hasn't quite finished the cockpit. Last I heard, he was going with open-slat seating, instead of the enclosed seats. With luck, he'll be ready for fun in the summer too.

I've got a minor fix to do on my hull bottom from hitting a submerged log or something, and tearing through the glass, and finding a void in the plywood to seep through. It's had the glass peeled back, and it's dried out now, so I can patch up the void, and re-glass at my leasure. Shouldn't take long, but I'll probably wait until spring as I'm really busy at the moment.

Well, I've babbled long enough for now. I'll end it here for now.

G'night.
Andrew, I don't think much of the NE fleet is around anymore though I could be wrong, I think Steven is it. How close is the western shore of lake Erie to you? That is closer for Stuart and it sounds like he needs closer in order to participate. We had talked about the area near Sandusky before which has the added advantage of being able to sail out to some islands weather permitting. I would love to drive back up to Ohio for a sail in those waters. There is also Maumee bay state park which is really nice with wonderful docks. Unfortunately, it lets out straight into Lake Erie so no protected water sailing. Depending on the weather it could be good or bad. In August things might not be so bad. ( http://www.ohiodnr.com/parks/parks/ ).

There are some other options in Michigan but Stuart probably knows those better. Here is one: http://www.michigandnr.com/parksandtrail...spx?id=497

If I can make it up again I will. I would enjoy seeing everyone again.
Scott - here's my exact location - http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=...=1&iwloc=A

As far as locations and participants go, there are several Weekenders around here but we haven't gotten together in a formal way as yet. Bob Burgess and I were out a couple of years ago when I had the MiniCup but that was brief. The other issue which I don't know if it gets much press there are the changes at the border. I'm not sure when the implementation dates are as they seem to change weekly, but I already have my passport to get across. I don't know what documentation a US citizen will require to get back. I posted a couple of my local spots more as a whim than with any expectation that people would haul themselves this far north.

I also have the same sort of challenge as Stuart - my tow vehicle right now is my little Toyota Echo - the Weekender will end up right at the maximum so I think long trips for now will be out. Early next summer I hope to be able to get a trailer and we'll have to see then how well, or even if the car can pull it. I'd rather avoid paying to put a hitch on my wife's truck at this time.
Drive down to the tip of lake Huron and launch your boat. The US folks can launch from their side and have the messabout in the middle! :lol: I just hope you folks get together again regardless of where it is. If Stuart could cross the boarder it seems like there should be something on your side on lake Huron.

Larry Thomas

There is a nice lake a few miles north of Pittsburgh right off I-79 near the I-80 crossing. It is close to Erie and Pymatuning. There is a very active sailing club that has connections to CABBS and has been active in family boatbuilding. The lake is beautiful and the DCNR is very accomodating with enough notice
[Image: lakemap.jpg]

http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/p...raine.aspx
[Image: moraine.jpg]
Andrew, you and I are birds of a feather alright. Between now and spring I really hope I can get a tow vehicle more suited to long hauls with camping gear, but until the winter work season passes, I won't really know how much vehicle, if any, I can afford. Your side of the border would work for me. I'll have to check a few of the other suggestions out as well when I get a bit more time. I sure would love to have a better season next year. This one was pretty good, but my old car died and needed turned in back in early august.

In the meanwhile, lets keep the destination suggestions flowing. I know Jim's boat is going to be more capable than ours come spring, as he's building a Kingston 15, which has ballast, self bailing, and self righting. With him along, I'd be a little more daring for island runs, weather permitting.
I actually suspect that my one big trip for next year will be to the Kingston messabout. It's a bit far for pretty much everyone else except perhaps Stephen Mustico. It's held every 2 years on Colonel Bye Lake in Kingston, Ontario
http://www.brucesboats.com/page12.html

This time I'll probably book the extra time to actually camp. It depends on how the little car performs as a tow vehicle (and whether it's done) on if I'll take the Weekender or something else.

J Stephen Mustico

Pamlico Sound is about 682 miles (12.5 houres) for me, depending on where abouts on the sound. . or About $100 each way in gas.

Not sure it'd be worth it for me unless you pick a long weekend.

Conestogo Lake is about 286 miles. That woudn't be too bad

East Harbor State Park in 1169 N. Buck Road, Lakeside-Marblehead, OH 43440-9610 Sounds interesting.

Sterling State Park potentially still doable. 486 Miles.

Moraine State Park looks interesting, and is not too big a streach.

Of Course I know how to get to Pymatuning

Stephen Mustico
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