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PostPosted: Wed Oct 11, 2017 11:13 am 
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Joined: Sun May 21, 2017 6:41 pm
Posts: 6
My in-laws live in Hampstead, NC and I have been trying to figure out the best situation for sailing there. My goal is to be able to put in sound side and sail to the south end of Topsail Beach where my family likes to hang out. That way I can avoid the traffic on the bridge and pick them up 1 at a time an sail in the ICW (wife, daughter) and the ocean (son, hopefully daughter soon). I have used the Hampstead wildlife boat ramp and the Carolina Beach (Snow's Cut) boat ramp. Both were difficult to maneuver.

At the Hampstead ramp I got lucky, the neighbor to the ramp happened to be there and let me use his little beach once I had the boat in the water. The prevailing wind and current come from the south, however, so I had to sail in a narrow area into the wind and current 5 miles. Needless to say after 2 hours I made it half way.

At Carolina Beach I just had a good buddy who was willing to battle the current with me. Since it was only my second time out on my Hobie, we sailed through the Carolina beach inlet into the ocean then turned around to go back upwind to the boat ramp on the ICW. Unfortunately, the wind died and tide went out. We ended up getting towed back to the boat ramp by some local crabbers. Also Carolina Beach is a little far from Hampstead when visiting in-laws.

Does anyone have any good ideas on this? I have thoroughly scanned google earth to try to find some hidden ramps and think that I may be able to get someone go with me to put in then drive my trailer to a different take out location. Part of my problem is that the ICW is so narrow through this region and the current is so strong it is very difficult to sail up wind. I have read several threads on this topic but did not really find anything recent or that informative.


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PostPosted: Wed Oct 11, 2017 12:06 pm 
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Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Sun Jun 21, 2009 7:32 am
Posts: 424
Location: Lake Gaston, NC
You're going to need some Cat Trax, and more experience. Sailing out that inlet can get pretty rough, at times. I'd rather sail off the beach than try to take a chance on the conditions being good to sail out the inlet. That inlet is no place for lack of experience handling a 16.

I've rigged and sailed from the Holiday Inn, off the beach, many times, but it's been a while, so I'm not sure how tight they are these days.


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PostPosted: Wed Oct 11, 2017 12:36 pm 
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Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Mon Oct 09, 2006 2:34 pm
Posts: 621
Location: NC
You should come join us at Lake Waccamaw. It's only a half-hour or so drive from the Wilmington area. It's approximately a 3X5 oval freshwater lake. We have sandy beaches, grassy rigging areas, bathrooms, showers, a kitchen, a covered pavillion, and changing rooms to name just a few amenities. We have our big open invitational regatta this weekend if you'd like to come check us out, or you can sail there one weekend that I am there as my guest if you would like.

Membership is very cheap (seriously) for the year if that interests you and you can leave your boat by the beach with the mast up if you sail regularly. We race every fourth Saturday April - September and have many other social and fun events. We also offer dirt cheap student membership if you are a college kid.

Many of our members live in Wilmington and the surrounding areas and choose to sail at Waccamaw for the convenience, fresh water, local sea breeze, and great company. Getting a beach cat off the beach in Wilmington has proven to be a real challenge in the last several years.

Feel free to PM me if you'd like to come by someday or if you have any questions. There is a good group of cat sailors at Waccamaw.

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James
86' Redline Hobie 16
Sail # 76909


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PostPosted: Wed Oct 11, 2017 12:37 pm 
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Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Mon Oct 09, 2006 2:34 pm
Posts: 621
Location: NC
... and I can relate. I've spent quite a bit of time sailing in Masonboro Inlet and out into the ocean from Wrightsville. I remember a buddy and I getting caught in the inlet with light winds and an outgoing tide and taking back and forth, making no headway, for a few hours before we finally took a tow from someone.

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James
86' Redline Hobie 16
Sail # 76909


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