Pa boaters

[boats3po]

where are there any good lakes to boat in in pa. im in phila. lookingfor lakes to play in

 

[superbenk]

Re: Pa boaters

Hello, neighbor! I'm in Bucks county. Good lakes are hard to come by for power boating around here. Here's our local list:

1. Delaware river - generally put in at Neshaminy Park Marina. Tons of room for the boat, but your on the river which means you're dealing with slimy water, currents, big boat wakes, etc.

2. Blue Marsh Lake - near Reading - small Army Corps project about 1.5 hrs from here. Nice lake with lots of little coves for anchoring & relaxing. Gets rough fast with all the boat traffic.

3. Beltzville Dam - just north of Lehigh Tunnel on 476 about 1.5 hrs from here. Very nice but even smaller Army Corps project. The inlet rivers are all no-wake but very relaxing place to anchor. The main lake is about 2 miles long but also gets really rough fast from the other boats. Water is generally very clean. (this is our favorite)

4. Raystown Lake - about 4 hrs west. 28 mile long Army Corps project (biggest man-made lake in PA I think). Never been there yet, but looks nice.

5. Nockamixon - near Quakertown - Army Corps project about same size as Beltzville. Only allow up to 20hp motors.

6. Wallenpaupack - about 2 hrs north in the Poconos. Big lake operated by PPL power plant. Lots or camping & rental properties, etc. Can get very busy on the weekends.

Others I haven't checked out yet include Lake Clark on the Susquehanna near York, the Upper Chesapeake (ie, Havre De Grace), parts of the Scukill (sp?). I'm sure there are other less significant places too. If you know of any others worth exploring, I'd love to hear your list.

 

[solanabeacherman]

Re: Pa boaters

The Upper Chesapeake has a lot to offer. We drive down from Lebanon County. If the weather is iffy or were in a time restraint, Blue Marsh is okay too.

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=189770

 

[CaravelleCaptain]

Re: Pa boaters

Raystown Lake is beautiful.. Of the lakes in PA I have been to, it's definitely the best. But that is a matter of opinion I suppose. I boat on the Upper Chesapeake and I love it there!!!

 

[freelancer]

Re: Pa boaters

I Don't boat on lakes because of the size of my boat but If on the Delaware River you can go south and take the Schuylkill River past 30th Street station and up to the art museum and the falls, there's plenty of good water all the way up to the Water Works. If you keep going South you can hook a right and enter the C&D Canal, lots of flat water to get up on a plane. If you traverse the C&D, you will enter the Chesapeake Bay...and that's a whole different experience with endless places to go and things to do.

If you go north on the Delaware, there's a good area around the Tacony Palmyra Bridge to do water sports. Keep going north and you will find the Rancocas creek on the New Jersey side, another good area for water sports, fishing and cruising. Farther north on the Delaware you will go past the Burlington and Bristol waterfronts and even farther north you will be able to go all the way to the Trenton area. Generally speaking south is more industrial and north is a more scenic. See you on the water.

 

[Raystownboater]

Re: Pa boaters

Raystown is definitely one of PA's best boating spots. Try to visit during the week to really enjoy it, though. The weekends get very busy between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Lake Clarke is pretty nice but it also gets busy on the weekends. Some of the guys on here also like the Conowingo but I've never been there, personally.

 

[pine island fred]

Re: Pa boaters

Consider going across the river into N.J. Lots of nice places in and around the pine barrens. MULLICA and SHARK RIVERS are nice. Also a long streatch of water starting around MILLVILLE. CLOVER LEAFS LAKES around MAYS LANDING would be nice and not to far from you. If I still lived there, FAIRLESS HILLS/ LANGHORN area, that is where I would be. regards FRED

 

[aspeck]

Re: Pa boaters

Superbenk gave you a nice list. Raystown is in my backyard, and although it is a drive for you, it is well worth the trip IMHO. Winding serpentine lake in the middle of the rolling hills of central PA. Built for recreation and flood control, so it is all scenic, nothing commercialized on the lake (except for the 2 Marina's, both have restaurants and one has a Conference Center and hotel, and both areas have campsites). Rest of the lake is natural with one "boat to shore" primitive camping area only. It is a deep lake with the deepest point registering over 190 feet deep, most of your boating will be in more than 100 foot of water. Several no wake areas for fishing, sailing, or just relaxing, but most of the lake is open. Busy on weekends, quiet as can be through the week (especially Tuesdays and Thursdays).

If you need lodging, camping, or eating info, let me know and I can guide you to the "must do" places.

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: Pa boaters

Take the Schuylkill west and exit the next after Belmont I forget the name but it only exits on the West side. There is a small concrete ramp there. But, the navigable water is short and you need to be careful of large bus sized rocks under the surface up near Conshohocken.

Take 202 north to Norristown, Turn left at the McDonalds go up the hill and turn onto Haws Ave. Again, small concrete ramp. Lots of boaters party on the flats in front of Barbados Island there. Short stretch from Haws to Betzwood. Do not use the channel at betzwood: It is very narrow and cut through the old demolished dam. Easy to bend a prop.

If you want to go a bit further, go to Penisville OOPS--Phoenixville! Nice improved launch ramp on route 113. I'm there almost every weekend. About a mile of river to play on. Be certain your boat is legal and has all papers at this site. DO NOT TAKE ALCOHOL. It is legal on the river but not in the park and you need to go through the park to launch. It is patrolled by boat police from both chester and montgomery counties. It can get a bit crowded and they usually like roust the jetskiers but seem to have an axe to grind with any boater. No other way to say it: Some of them are pricks!

 

[boats3po]

Re: Pa boaters

thanks for all the info

 

[pfunk42]

Re: Pa boaters

How are Blue Marsh or Beltzville during the week? I assume a Thursday or something would have pretty minimal traffic at least compared to the weekends? What about a Friday, starting in the morning? Shouldn't be as bad as Saturday? Or do enough people take off on Fridays that it's not much better?