New Daysailer people here.

[Fernley]

Hello all.

My wife and I recently bought a 1968 Daysailer 1. We're planning on the usual weekender type stuff to the local lakes etc. and the occasional bigger water trips.

The boat is in excellent physical condition considering its age and the trailer is well kept.

Thus far all seems right.

I do have a question though and its about our plans for Cape Cod next week.

We're staying in N. Truro for the week and are planning to take the boat. Consequently I'm wondering if there are any public (aka-free) boat launches?

Regardless of free or not where are the closest launch sites to the N. Truro area?

What are my mooring options? Our hotel is on the bay side and ultimately I'd like to do something near where we are staying.

I'm wondering if it's acceptable to just pull the boat up on the beach for the overnights? There is no motor, so in my brain I'm thinking I could just get the boat as far up (high tide helping) on the beach as possible and run my anchor out and secure it.

I have seen a guy who stays in a hotel next to the one we stay at do this with his 14' sailboat, but I never asked if he had to get permission or what he arranged.

I guess I'm just wondering out loud and figure if someone from this site is from out there or has experience with this sort of thing you might guide me a bit.

Anyway, Thanks in advance and I'm looking forward to enjoying the site.

Ed

[K.C. Walker]

Well, the likelihood of finding anything free on the Cape in August is slim. I have seen a few places that you might be able to launch something light that has a dolly but nothing that looks like an official ramp. I think your closest bets would be Provincetown or Pamet Harbor in Truro. I would ask the owners of the place where you're staying. Also, parking is sort of at a premium out there so you might want to check if they want to charge you for parking a boat trailer.

Pamet has pretty strong current and pretty much empties out to mud flats at low tide. You would definitely want to sail with the tide if you launch there. I really don't know about Provincetown but it looks like it should be an interesting place to sail. It might be a challenge to get to the ramp through the August traffic, though. Definitely get up early and launch before the crowds arrive, if you go there.

It's a little far but Wellfleet Harbor is pretty ideal Daysailer sailing. They recently overhauled the town pier and put in a new boat ramp so it's all pretty nice and with good parking. I don't know what the out of town charge would be but as a resident we always had to buy town stickers to be able to launch. You would also need to pick your tide to sail in Wellfleet Harbor because it's about a 12 foot tide and there's not a lot of water at low tide. I think it's pretty likely you could get a guest mooring there, as well.

KC

[pjr]

Hi Fernley, I live and sail on the outer cape. Pamet harbor charges $10.00 (last time I checked) to launch and parking is scarce at best. You'd want to get there early and leave and arrive with the tide. It doesn't typically run dry but the entrance does get thin at low tide. There is a free ramp in P-town at the west end of Commercial St., but there is NO trailer parking there.
Wellfleet Is probably the best. It's free, the least tidal, and has ample parking. You could also call Flyers boat rentals in P-town, they offer transient moorings for a fee. And a launch service too. As for beaching your boat for an overnight, it's frowned upon. As well as stepping the mast anywhere other than the parking lot.
If you need any more help you can reach me at pat.rickaby@gmail.com

[jdubes]

You have many different public options to put in down there. Check out this site. Now in some instances parking might be a challenge. Often room is scarce or the town might charge a fee and let you park even if your not a resident. With respect to N. Truro. You could beach the boat, the only challenge is that during low tide you could be 100-150 yards away from the water.

http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/pab/pab_facilities.htm

[Fernley]

Thank you folks.

I've looked at the options thus far and then a little digging on my own and basically what I've come to is 2 options.

#1. Launch at P-Town (free) no parking and its about a 3.5 mile sail over to our beach front in N. Truro.
My wife could drive the car/ trailer after dropping me off, BUT we are not sure where we would be able to then drop the trailer. A definite flaw.

#2. Launch at Pamet Harbor ($10 fee no big deal) they DO have parking for us but there are limits to that availability, but it's doable.
HOWEVER its slightly more than 6 miles from the launch to the beach we are staying on.

The beaching issue is probably more my concern. I would really like to have that as an option so I've got to consider that since nobody wants to be ill behaved and if its an issue than I prefer not to offend.

The tide issue I am well aware of. We have been going to this location for many years so I'm acutely aware of how far out the tide goes.

I've downloaded and printed the charts for the bay and I have the tide tables for the week(+) we will be there so I will do some advanced planning.

I guess it comes down to the closer launch with no parking and figure where to put the trailer.
OR
The farther launch with parking but a longer sailing time and dicey tide issues getting out of the Pamet.

Thoughts?

Thanks for the input so far.

[pjr]

Just so you know the ramp in P-town has no float or dock to tie up to near by.

[K.C. Walker]

Pamet might be tricky without a motor. I spent a lot of time there when I was a kid. I would take my old navy rubber raft and paddle out through the opening to the harbor when the tide was running in or out. It was great fun but not a lot of control. As I recall, it's pretty sandy so if you did run aground it probably wouldn't be a big deal.

If you could catch it just after high tide when it wasn't running too fast you'd probably be just fine.

If you get a reasonable breeze, 6 miles is no problem.

If I were in your position I would definitely take pjr’s suggestion and call Flyers and see what that option would look like. I think sailing around P-town would be more interesting than sailing from Pamet and probably worth spending a couple bucks more.

If you were into finding deserted pristine beaches I think going out around race point and towards Province Lands would be excellent.

[jdubes]

If you don't have a motor i would not do Pamet. It's not that you could damage your boat, beaching is nothing for a DS. It's that you'll be wind and current dependent on exit and entry. I would not want to be wind and tide dependent on my vacation.

Also, this time of year you get a southwesterly wind. I would go with the P-town suggestion.

[Fernley]

Ok well P-Town it is.

I was leaning that way primarily for the reasons noted; Distance from where we are staying and the tide factor.

The remaining issue then is where to park the trailer after launch. My wife will drop me and the boat but.........