Boating the Upper Chesapeake

[Blue Crabber]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

Yeah I will be out!

Should be heading out around lunch time and for most of the afternoon.

A few waves will just make the test more realistic.

Scott - I will see you out there tomorrow!

Rob - thanks for the good luck wishes. Hope you can make it down on Sunday for a little while anyway.

I will be sure to update everyone tomorrow.

 

[john3931]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

Yeah I will be out!

Should be heading out around lunch time and for most of the afternoon.

A few waves will just make the test more realistic.

Scott - I will see you out there tomorrow!

Rob - thanks for the good luck wishes. Hope you can make it down on Sunday for a little while anyway.

I will be sure to update everyone tomorrow.

Hope all goes well, Brandon.

 

[bowman316]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

i will be going out in a few hours, i'll have the radio on channel 16

 

[arks]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

you guys remember that sail boat that is half sunk near the 40 bridge?

you think i could salvage that? find a way to get the hull above water, then pump it out...

i guess it is fair game, right?

It would take some serious effort but yeah, it's do-able.
I'd check with the DNR to find out the exact way to legally claim it, though.

I found this online:
http://dnr.maryland.gov/boating/registration/pdfs/b117_abinstuction.pdf

 

[Dick Sorensen]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

Need some local knowledge regarding camping. Is there any areas/islands etc. that we could camp on? We are coming out of West River....you guys seem to know every 'nook and cranny' on the Chesapeake.....help.

 

[arks]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

Of course!
Are you looking for actual camping by boat, or regular camping with boat access?
I'd suggest you look back into this thread because we've talked a few times about the various camping spots around here.

Here's my short list in no particular order:
-Elk Neck State Park
-Susquehanna State Park
-Sand Island

 

[john3931]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

you guys remember that sail boat that is half sunk near the 40 bridge?

you think i could salvage that? find a way to get the hull above water, then pump it out...

i guess it is fair game, right?

Do the Mythbuster trick.
Fill it with ping pong balls.

 

[arks]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

Don't encourage him John- he might just try it!
No offense Bowman, OK?
We could end up with thousands of ping pong balls floating around the Bay.....

 

[skargo]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

I saw Bowman and Blue Crabber today, hope you guys had a blast. Man was the water low, it was tough retrieving alone, I almost couldn't fit my trailer at Tydings ramp.

That sunken sailboat was on land today, it was so low!

It was windy, a little chilly, but still a blast.

 

[bowman316]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

we went to check out the sunken sail boat. We could have pumed out the water and none would have come in, the water was so low.
But the boat is pretty much striped, besides the engine.

Then we went to swan creek, and caught 7 catfish in 45 minutes!
I caught 2 in the span of 2 minutes.

What about that sunken sailboat on the island, tied to the last slip? Is that fair game to salvage?
I might buy a 25 ft hunter for $750 bucks.

 

[arks]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

Glad to head you guys had a good time. I'm guessing t-shirts weren't 1st choice for outerwear.

What about that sunken sailboat on the island, tied to the last slip? Is that fair game to salvage?

There's actually 2 sailboats on the bottom out there. The marina manager told me last weekend that they've contacted both owners but the boats aren't environmental hazards so they aren't pushing them to do anything. Neither boat has an engine.
I guess you could go talk to the manager- maybe he would relay your interest to the owners.

 

[Blue Crabber]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

A great day indeed! The weather was a little cool but we had a great time.

Here is the update:

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?p=2582916#post2582916

Let me know if you have any thoughts!

 

[Edko]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

Arks, quick question re: the city marina.

I noticed the waiting list for slips is at about 47 (from the HdG site). Do you happen to know how many slips turnover there on an annual basis?

I am asking for my brother who currently has a 19' bow runner but is looking to get into the "weekender" sizes, which is a pain to trailer around.

 

[bowman316]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

there are several empty slips on the island.

i guess all of those row boats out near the boat ramp are for the people to get to their boats on the island?
how much is an island slip, compared to a regular one?

 

[Edko]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

Nothing on the City website shows a price difference.

The Yacht Basin currently is furnished with 240 boat slips up to 50 feet and a launching ramp which will accommodate vessels to 35 feet. Shoreline fishing access and a boardwalk provide access for non-boaters. The City of Havre de Grace maintains and manages the City Yacht Basin as an enterprise fund to provide affordable water access to the public.

Rates

* The annual rental fees from January 1, 2008 - December 31, 2008 are $50/foot.
* Launching ramp fee is $8.00 per launch.
* Transient slips are $1.00/foot per night.

http://www.havredegracemd.com/departments_city_yacht.php[

 

[arks]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

First, all the slips at City Dock are 12 month slips, unlike most of the other marinas in town.
Edko, yes the current rate is currently $50/ft not including electric, but we all expect the rate to go up at the end of this year. For comparison, Tidewater (around the corner) is at $135/ft for seasonal slips. That's why we have a waiting list.
I've been told the island slips are half price, but they're not 'full service'- meaning no electric or water. Bowman, yes they do use dinghys to access the island. Keep in mind that the weeds can get thick out there, and the depths are pretty shallow (about 2 1/2-3' MLW). The birds seem to like it out there too, if you know what I mean. Their guano covers those docks, which are getting old (they weren't replaced like the regular docks).

I don't know what the turnover rate is, but last time I asked the wait was about 4 years. I'd tell him to go down there and ask. FWIW, I know one guy who is on the list and was able to get a full-time 'transient slip' on a T-head. His boat is a 42 footer.

Brandon-
That's a nice looking boat! If the price is right, just do it. You checked the stringers and transom, didn't you????

 

[skargo]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

Twice as Nice is taking on water. I've noticed it these first two trips out. it happened last year, and it turns out it was the drain plug. I have one of those rubber, twist in style plugs. I just filled the bilge with water, and no water came out. Do you think being in the water, and coming off throttle puts more "pressure" on the plug, causing water to come in?
My bellows appear fine, as far as I can tell without removing the drive.

Any thoughts on where to look? I looked at everything below the water line, not seeing anything.

I'll probably be out Saturday to do some more troubleshooting. First, I will replace the plug.

 

[Edko]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

THanks a bunch Arks!

 

[arks]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

Your welcome Edko, and good luck to your brother. I like City Dock- been here 8 years.

Scott- Go ahead and see if it's just the rubber plug but if it were me, I'd install a new threaded bronze plug. My '85 had one from the factory. If you go that route, check the condition of the transom plywood before installing the new one, seal any raw wood edges with epoxy, and use 5200 to seal the new plug assembly to the hull.

As far as the bellows, they can be tricky. I had one that would only leak 'sometimes'. Made me crazy until I realized that it only leaked when the drive was down for more than a few hours. Turns out the crack was right on a corrigation fold and when the drive was up, it would seal itself. It was only about 1/2" long and really tough to see.
Do you know the age of your outdrive rubbers? You might want to consider replacing them as PVM.

 

[bowman316]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

yea, probally a small tear in one of the folds of your bellows.
look for a tear with the drive up, and then look with it down.

I am considering buying a sail boat. There is a 25 ft hunter, with no trailer and gutted out interior for 700 bucks.

Then there is a 25 ft macgregor, for 1,400, with a trailer. This boat may have less work to do on the interior, and I won't have to pay to take it out of the water to put bottom paint on it.
but he said this boat was salvaged after it sank this winter.

which deal is better? it would be hard working on a boat without a slip or trailer.