Lake Champlain United - Forums

Walt - I am new to VT... I respect your views. I am not defaming VT; I am merely making an observation on boat launches.

I grew up on L. Superior, so I have launched a few boats in marginal conditions.

I do however think that Mother-Nature, rather than the Physical (and therefore controllable) boat launch, should present the challenge.

When I travel to NY, I spend $$$ there also, so it becomes a State Economy issue as well.

Back to my original point, i do not want to endanger my grandson

Yooper I didn't think you were defaming VT for their ramps. I also understand you wanting to keep your grandson safe too. This past year we have seen some very tough launching on Champlain. I personally had a terrible time launching my boat at NY and VT launches. I often launch from Port Henry and Westport and I stopped trying to launch at Port Henry in late June because the water level was so low and the floating docks were not floating but laying on the concrete ramp. Westport was not much better and I gave up launching there later into the summer.

Vermont considers most or many of their launches as fishing access areas and I sometimes think that they keep them a bit on the rough side to discourage the recreational boater from using them. I truly belive that Vermont is much more on the side of he fishermen and outdoor sportsmen or women than our wonderful NY state DEC is. Maybe I should not really blame the DEC folks because there are some good people working for the conservation dept. and they are working with a skeleton crew and a budget that has been stripped to nothing.

Welcome to the area and good luck fishing the pond.