for the boat's sake

[yodel3]

Hello all,

thanks for all the posts. I have enjoyed looking things over here.

I've spent some time on the Turtle with my canoe, but was up there last weekend with my dad's aluminum fishing boat looking at campsites. Anyone have tips for not grinding the hull too much on these rockier shorelines? I've heard that in some places people bring tires along. Does anyone here do this, or have other tips that I'm not thinking of?

Thanks!

[the other andy]

Grinding on the hull makes them faster. I don't worry too much with aluminum but you should park out of the wind if at all possible, even if it means hiking to your campsite. Or buy a hull guard.

[George G]

I would avoid any camp site that has rocks, their are some that just have a sandy shoreline also. Your looking for trouble if you moor your boat on rocks. Wind can be an awful companion on the Turtle and can happen fast. Take your time and find the ideal spot for your boat. Also get your self a map and avoid the rocky areas. Depth finder a must. Navigation by feeling the bumps and grinds is really risky. Lots of places to enjoy your camping. Enjoy the Turtle. Pick up a brochure for camping on the TFF also lots of good information and rules also. Its important to read this. All the camp sites are checked by the DNR rep on the flowage regularly.

[George]

Somewhere along the way I recall someone manufacturing a super duper boat bungee cord. The gist of the thing was that you would attach one end to an anchor and the other to one of the stern eyes of your boat. You then drop anchor a ways off from where you planned to land and then motor in, stretching the bungee out. After you unloaded your stuff, you attached another rope to your bow eye and let the bungee pull your boat back out and away from the rocky shore. How these things actually worked in practice, I have no idea. Would the anchor come loose in a blow, or would the bungee allow the boat to be moved around alot? No clue. Just remember seeing this. Seems to me that if you were in an area protected from wind and waves, it just might work.

[BlueRanger]

Regarding Andy's comment, beaching your boat in places other than the designated spot (in front of the campsite marker) is definitely frowned upon by the DNR - the intent is to limit shoreline damage to a small area at each campsite. And as George G said, plenty of the sites have nice sand shorelines.

[the other andy]

I've had the ranger visit every time I've camped out there and no one said anything about where I parked. The island over by your place has sand about 20 yards from the camp sign, which is all rocks. That one pops into my head but there's at 4 others within a mile of your place that I've camped at and parked 20 to 40 yards away from the sign and no one has ever said anything. Is it written somewhere?

[BlueRanger]

I thought it was in the camping brochure at one point, but it's been a while since I looked at one and I don't see any mention in the online information now. I have heard it mentioned by several people in the past, and I think one of them was Dennis, the former ranger. In any case, I'm sure you wouldn't suffer any consequences more severe than a polite request to move the boat.