The Lake Champlain Thread...

[VTSeaRay]

Went out on the lake tonite, and tried to locate the sunken boat lift without any luck. We went out in my father's aluminum fishing boat, and took our time thru the flotsam.

The lift is in approximately 19' or so of water at the moment. Approximately where the coord's are from my previous post. My father figured the lift was 5-6', and he put 10' of line on it, with a float, so that still puts it 5' or so below the surface, where it fell thru the lake at this point (later, it'll drop to 10-14' deep in this area). He was regretting not having put more line on it.

There was a ton of debris out on the lake, all the way up thru the islands. It looks like the slight wind from earlier today and the high water 100.75', has pulled a lot of logs /sticks /debris from the shorelines. But, the lake was as calm as glass, and the sunset tonite was incredible across the lake, looking at the Adirondacks!

Water temp at the surface was 54*F, but it's only 38*F 3' or so below the surface.


-VtSeaRay

Some pics of the Lake last night. Incredible sunset, unfortunately, I was out in the boat and didn't have my camera with me when it went down.

 

[VTSeaRay]

Sweet, water temp broke 40 this morning at 4:35 AM at the King St. Dock! depth is 100.48'

 

[Wayne's World]

I cancel my trip , To see you guys this summer......Wayne​

 

[penbroke]

Oh my God. I'm so sorry...

Frank

 

[VTSeaRay]

Finally got out on the lake yesterday!!! woohoo! Man is it cold... 42 degrees! After I loaded her back up, I couldn't feel my feet! I did get in the water up to my waist during loading however. Unfortunately, sometime, after I got back home, I damaged my camera, and now I can't get my pics off the memory card (even from another camera)

 

[VTSeaRay]

First Annual Burlington Boat Show this weekend! Nice to see the boats! The Sea Rays are on the dock in front of Echo down to the left of the Boathouse.

http://www.burlingtonboatshow.com/

At lunch just now, I saw (all DA's) a 240/260/290/280/320 there, But, a couple of them looked like they weren't part of the boat show, but still, very nice to see them all lined up there.

-VtSeaRay

 

[penbroke]

OK,, so,,, who's signed up for our local Aquapalooza?

http://aquapalooza.com/event-detail.aspx?eventId=10

Hope to see all the local CSRs there!


Frank :thumbsup:

 

[VTSeaRay]

I might, if we ever get any sunny weather. I've registered.

 

[Clam Bake]

Do any of you Lake Champlain Boaters have any experience going from Rouses Point to Sorel (taking the Chambly canal and the Richelieu River)?

I am looking for any suggestions or advice. I purchased and read the guide shown below, but any first hand advice would be very much appreciated.

Once I get to Sorel I am planning to take the St. Lawrence to lake Ontario - a long trip for a small boat!

Thanks, Pete.

 

[penbroke]

I did it in 1967 and again in '68 but I'm thinkin' that 40 year old information from someone that was eight at the time won't help you a whole lot.:smt001

Some friends covered that strech last year on an extended voyage. Their blog can be found at:

http://flightnorth.blogspot.com/

We did 3 weeks and 550 miles in the NY State Canal System last year in our '86 DA250 so I know what you mean about a long trip in a small boat. It was a blast and I would have loved to have kept going...

When are you comming through Lake Champlain? If we can't hook up we'll at least leave the light on for ya...


Frank

 

[Pakmule]

OK,, so,,, who's signed up for our local Aquapalooza?

http://aquapalooza.com/event-detail.aspx?eventId=10

Hope to see all the local CSRs there!


Frank :thumbsup:

I'll probably register although a trip over to New England Powerboat is not exactly special for me. I have been doing it regularly for the last year with the broken boat. As a matter of fact that is where the broken boat is sitting on blocks.

Rob, the owner, is a good guy though and will prolly put on a good party.

 

[VTSeaRay]

Yeah, Rob seems like he'd have a good party going on! I was talking to him a few wks ago, when I went up to have him do a quick check on my boat. They had a couple DA's there (260/290? I think?) that looked sweet, but it was raining so hard that day, I didn't feel like checking them out. He had a pretty good selection of boats up there. He also mentioned how he was extending his dock, and putting a fueling station on the end too (next to a small lighthouse like structure on the dock).

-VtSeaRay

 

[Pakmule]

Yeah, Rob seems like he'd have a good party going on! I was talking to him a few wks ago, when I went up to have him do a quick check on my boat. They had a couple DA's there (260/290? I think?) that looked sweet, but it was raining so hard that day, I didn't feel like checking them out. He had a pretty good selection of boats up there. He also mentioned how he was extending his dock, and putting a fueling station on the end too (next to a small lighthouse like structure on the dock).

-VtSeaRay

I was up talking to him on Sunday and he was putting shingles on the side of the lighthouse in the rain. He is regretting the decision to do it himself I think.

 

[Clam Bake]

I did it in 1967 and again in '68 but I'm thinkin' that 40 year old information from someone that was eight at the time won't help you a whole lot.:smt001

Some friends covered that strech last year on an extended voyage. Their blog can be found at:

http://flightnorth.blogspot.com/

We did 3 weeks and 550 miles in the NY State Canal System last year in our '86 DA250 so I know what you mean about a long trip in a small boat. It was a blast and I would have loved to have kept going...

When are you comming through Lake Champlain? If we can't hook up we'll at least leave the light on for ya...


Frank

Thanks Frank! I read through the blog - very interesting and a lot of good information. I think we will be in Lake Champlain on July 10th or 11th, depending on the weather and our speed.

Thanks again for the information.

Regards, Pete.

 

[Hugo]

Hi Clam Bake, I used to leave on the Richelieu Rv. (Now my boat is in Plattsburgh) Did the trip last year from the Richelieu to the Lake. The trip between Rouses Pt and Chambly (I think 12 or 13 locks) takes 1 long day. If u want, you can stop in St-Charles-sur-Richelieu, 2 or 3 restaurants (restaurant du quai, Les espaces gourmands (very good!!) have a dock where you can spend the night for free if you eat there..good food...
Hugo

 

[VTSeaRay]

What a week on the lake, I was on vaca, and on the water, mon-wed, (rain thurs) and fri-Sun! Great weather! 82/84/87 fri-sun for temps, the lake is 69 6' down in Burlington, my thermometer registered 77 last night on the surface out near Butler Island, (fish (small bass/yellow perch) jumping all around us in schools feeding on baitfish from below I think, since there weren't any bugs where we were) I think I'm up near 20+ hrs now on my boat, 7 of them are mine! We haven't been on any trips to speak of, just small jaunts out to different islands, or taking the kids tubing/diving out in the deep areas. Pics are all on the gf's camera, so I'll have to add them later when I get a chance. The water all week when I was out, was so nice and flat!

 

[Pakmule]

What an incredible vacation! We have been on the boat at or around Burton Island for nine of the last ten days. Only one day of rain so we spent that night at home restocking. Looks like the run is over though as the weather is calling for 60% chance of rain tomorrow.

I REALLY don't want to go back to work.

Boat dog is sad that this vacation is over...

 

[gettinAhead]

So, who made it to Robs for the Aquapalooza? I was going but ended up working storm damange in Alburg and Isle LaMotte. My wife did go by car. Anybody have pictures?

 

[VTSeaRay]

I was there, and there were maybe 15-25 boats, I didn't count, but I think that's about how many were there. I met Kurt(Pakmule - 310DA - nice big boat!) just as I was getting ready to leave he and Paula were just docking and we talked for a bit. Sorry, I didn't bring my camera. I talked to one woman that was part of Rob's contingent, and she said they had over 100 registrations.

I also met a Pierre and his family with the same 210 Select as me (Red '07) but they had the 350 engine. We noticed that the piping on our boats was different (mine's red, theirs is gray) and their canvas is red, mine is black. They were from Lacolle, Quebec, and had driven the boat down from there.

There were a few 260DA's that I really liked tied up to the dock, and a fairly long Baja came in just as I was leaving. There were 3 cruisers rafted off the end of the dock that I forget what they were, one was a Weekend Express in the 25' range I think, and the other 2 were non-SeaRay boats I believe. I enjoyed seeing some of the Canadian scenery while I was there too! :smt038:grin::thumbsup:

Rob and his family /coworkers had setup a keg and grill out on the end of the dock, along with sodas and other foods. I had a great time, got to meet a few folks. The weather was sketchy that day, as you know, but while I was there it was perfect in that location. You could see storms going around us, but none over the area. I'd trailered my boat there, hoping to drop it in, when I got there, but it was late by the time I got there, and I was to meet my gf later after she got out of work, so I didn't drop it in.

I did get a chance to look at a 260 and 280 that Rob had on display. (He had 185/195BR/200SD/240DA on display there too) I really, really liked the 260DA!!! If I upgrade, (when?) I think that's my next boat! I liked the fact that you can still trailer the 260, with the 280 being bigger, it was nice, but the trailering aspect for me is a big win. (it didn't seem like you can trailer the 280... but I could be wrong, it didn't come with a trailer and was on blocks on display) I think the 260 with a 496 B3 would be ideal!

-VtSeaRay

on a side-note - I couldn't believe the amount of wind damage through the islands I saw along the Carry in N. Hero. I have family in Alburgh/Isle La Motte that I'd seen earlier that day(my Grandmother's 95 b'day) that told me how they had trees down in their yard and no power, and how the Isle La Motte West Shore was closed down due to all the trees down.

 

[Pakmule]

I forgot to bring my camera so no pics here. Rob was walking around with a camera but I think I saw him take three pictures total. Not a bad event given how small his crew is.