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Boatin' in the Appalachians.


Chick Ludwig

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Looks like Summer Breeze is going to go on up to Hendersonville with us. hope she likes the cool weather. I hear that the sailing is pretty good down on lakes Keowee and Hartwell. (Not so good on mountain creeks.) Hope there will be some little "gunk hole" to spend the night in. Both lakes are within 2 hours drive. Maybe some of y'all know of other lakes within driving distance...

 

Gonna miss the sound, sandy beaches, sea turtles, porpoises, the "edge-of-the-sea", salt water, and, oh yeah---summer breezes and cool evenings in a friendly cove.. Stingarees, jelley fish, skeeters, summer heat, bitey bugs, hurricanes, and roaches---not so much!

 

May even take a week to come back to the coast for a cruise in the springtime. Or a mess-about with all you guys and B and B in the fall.

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Safe trip and hope you enjoy your new home. Pretty country & we have two grandson's working and going to school in Ashville & visit a few times a year.  Another lake possibility is Jocassee SW of you. Saw pics of a a Potter16 (I think) that sailed & motored almost up to a waterfall at the north end of the lake. Hope to take the BH19 out there some day, maybe with a little dink or folding/inflatable canoe to explore the creeks.  Always welcome to come back east and sail the Pamlico  with us, and hoping to make the Messabout in Oct too.  Rick

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Rick, we have a spare room up there for you any time you would like to visit if the grandsons don't have room. We can explore together.

 

Same goes for you other "mess-abouters".

 

Any idea where on Jocassee that I could launch the boat and leave the vehicle and trailer over night?

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Thanks Ken. 6 hours is too far for a weekend sail. Charleston,SC is closer, and 8 hours to go backback to "the Sound". Lake James is much smaller and packed with bass boats and jet skis. So is Lake Lure.  I tried boating on both when I lived in Hendersonville before.

 

I've been on Hartwell with a power boat, and it is about 2 hours away. Keowee should be ok too, but it's smaller. Don't know anything about lakes to the East or north. Any ideas there?

 

I don't care much for short day sails around a small area, I like to go over night---sail out one day, and back the next---by a different route. I guess this is because of my ADD. (Attention Deficit Disorder, y'all.) And sailing on small and skinny lakes is too much work for a lazy guy like me--too much foolin' with the sails in the fluky breezes.

 

I usually keep a stink-potter boat around for day trips and small lakes. just poke around lookin' at stuff, and turtlin'. (I'll explain that later if you guys are confused...) Maybe I'll need to build me a Mandy/Amanda...

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Quietly clapping and cheering this one!!!!!! As far as a power boat, howabout a well used garvey that needs some cleanup and detailing since the hard part is done that will more than be fine with your existing outboard? Talk about a deal, and with your ability and knowledge you can be on the water with a glits up boat in less than a month tops. I know some will cuss the design. But it has untold hours of providing smiles and fish under its keel and even the wife approved of it under the most unhappy condtions with the right helmsman.

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Sounds like a deal, but I really want to build something once I get settled in. Got my own ideas of what i want. First will be something small that I can sail or use with my 2.4 hp. kicker (Mandy/Amanda----never can remember which is which.) Then later, something for my 25 hp. 2-stroke. Graham has been working on a design for me. Kinda a garvey / jon / skiff comb.

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Well while the tape and glue hulls are super from Graham in that size, if you want a ready built 12 footer, that mini Simmons will still meet your need and do exactly like you wish a boat of that size to do,. The cargo space inside exceeds most all epoxy hulls too. So while its not your favorable type, its certainly something that you can just put in the water and go while you wait in line for Graham to finalize your next build. Of course I understand the obsession of building and wooden boat builders that cannot give it up even while my big gulps have been taken away. :rolleyes:  :o  Its probably the only habit that is acceptable these days that has not been scorned upon by the masses.

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Build-build-build... But first thing to do is move-move-move, then get all those things done that need to be done in a new home. Several projects for Miss Debbie. Gonna be in a one car garage for my shop--down from my 2000 ft. shop. Get it organized--build cabinets (hopefully find used ones), work bench (fold against the wall when not needed), and shelves (up high outa the way). Then get a floor in an existing lawn shed so the mower and lawn stuff can get out of the shop. Next is a to build a "man cave" building for my other hobbies--model airplanes and turtles. Somewhere towards the end of all of this it will be time to get back to boat building and messing.

 

Moving ain't for sissies, y'all!!!

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But do you have a shop full of stationary power tools, lawn stuff, hobby stuff waiting for a shed to be built, and----wait for it----my wife wants to park her car in the garage!!!

 

It will all work out in time. Just not right away. God is in control with this move, and to Him, this is a small problem.

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My car has successfully lived outdoors in the New England weather for 10 years.  NO RUST! and it runs like a top.  Tell her that by parking outside, you have the opportunity to do a full walk around of the car each day in excellent lighting.  This helps spot problems before they become serious.  

 

:D

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Does anyone know anything about Lake Norman near Charlotte, or Douglass Lake near Knoxville?  How about Cherokee Lake and Watts Bar Lakes in Tennessee? Or other lakes within about 2 - 3 hours drive from Hendersonville, NC.?

 

I've heard a little about Keowee, Jocassee, and Hartwell. Also, Lake James (a little small). Lake Summit is too small.

 

Mainly interested in sailing conditions, "sailboat friendly" launching ramps.

 

Summer Breeze is getting kinda excited about trying some lake cruising. She likes to do 2 day cruises---go out one day, spend the night in some cozy little cove, and sail back the net day.

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I've only sailed Lake Norman once, but I've got friends who used to have a boat in a marina there. It gets pretty busy on the weekends (ski boats and party barges). I've been told there are some coves that get packed enough that you can walk across them. Having said that, I think it would definietsly be worth a drive down there on a weekday. There is at least one restaurant on the lake, too, so you could manage an overnighter in plenty of style.

I'd say it's worth the trip.

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When I agreed with you that moving wasn't for sissies I was thinking of my moves from Durham (NC) to Canberra then to Perth :)

Something I forgot to mention is that summer breezes on Piedmont lakes (like Lake Norman) are usually either non-existant or accompanied by lightning (and I don't do lightning).

Some of my happiest lake sailing in NC was when there was a tropical system somewhere in the vicinity but not too close. That tends to give us lake sailors a nice, steady Northish breeze (unless the storm is really far inland, of course, then it's a Southerly).

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