About Boat access to Lake Sunapee

by

Dick Smith Oct. 3, 2017

If you work with a basic and reasonable guide of 1 general public boat per 50 acres (lots of elbow room) for public boat access, there should be 85 opportunities for the general public to launch a motorboat and park their vehicles/trailers nearby (these are the people who pay for the boat accesses in NH). Sunapee is 4,136 acres and is the 5th largest lake that is completely within NH borders.

There is general agreement that public water access for trailered boats on Lake Sunapee is needed. There is also general agreement that there are only two sites that could possibly offer significant public access: Wild Goose and the State Beach Park.

Wild Goose

  • The citizens of New Hampshire own the lake . . . equally
  • The citizens of New Hampshire already own the Wild Goose waterfront property
  • Fish & Game is mandated by law (RSA 233) to provide public water access
  • $450,000 has already been invested in the project
  • Federal funds will pay 75% of the construction costs
  • As per Federal/State criteria It would be free to all, available 24/7, and 7 days a week.
  • After many years of gathering Facts, study, and discussion, the diverse 19 member NH Public Water Access Advisory Board (RSA 233-A:2) has unanimously approved the Wild Goose site as the best choice to establish a new public water boat access.
  • Can accommodate 31 vehicles/trailers, single cars, and facilities for the disabled.
  • The NH Dept. of Transportation determined that while the junction of Rt. 103 and Birch Grove Road was not ideal, it was acceptable. Changing the speed limit from 50 mph to 30 mph would make it even more acceptable.
  • Fish and Game has met all criteria in securing all permits.
  • An environmentally responsible design has been approved. There will be vegetation all around the shoreland except where the boat ramp itself is located.
  • The NH Supreme Court has ruled in favor of Fish & Game and Wild Goose on 2 separate occasions

Sunapee State Beach Park

  • This is 1 of only 3 Large lake Beach and Swim areas in the State. It is heavily used by families from the nearby larger cities of Claremont and Newport and tourists.
  • During summer weekends, the parking lot is full by 11:00 AM and families are then turned away. This illustrates that the parking is alreadyinadequate for this important beach park. Increasing parking for vehicle/trailers would not help the situation.
  • Only small boats can use the small boat ramp that goes into Chandler Brook that is very shallow and narrow.
  • Smelt, an important food source for gamefish, use Chandler Brook for spawning. No one knows how dredging (and how often?) might have a negative impact on the smelt.
  • If you and a friend take your small boat there is a $14 fee
  • The hours of this State Beach Park are 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM. It is gated.
  • No Federal funds would be available to do anything with this park.
  • Propellers and swimmers do not mix well. The swim area is adjacent to Chandler Brook outlet.

Sunapee Harbor boat ramp

  • Controlled by the town of Sunapee so does not qualify as a public access.
  • There is no nearby parking for vehicle/trailers. There is a small dirt lot ¼ mile away that at most might hold 10 rigs. Good luck to the disabled in launching and parking.

George’s Mill

  • No vehicle/trailer parking for the general public and no opportunity to expand.

All other minor access sites have very significant limitations

------

The local Lake Sunapee wealthy special interests obviously got through to Governor Sununu as he has effectively blocked the Wild Goose project from going forward. By executive order he has established a special commission to “study” the issue and report by March 1. But we already have (since 1993) such a commission that was established by statute and has been studying the Lake Sunapee public water boat access for over 20 years and has unanimously recommended the Wild Goose property as the best choice. It is known as the NH Public Water Access Advisory Board and consists of 19 diverse members . . . all stakeholders are represented.

Governor Sununu has grossly stacked the deck of his special “commission” with local anti-access people. There is no representation for the 232,639 New Hampshire residents who fish. There is no representation for the 94,806 resident registered motorboats (who together with anglers pay for all our public access sites). Many have raised the traffic safety issue at the junction of Rt. 103 and Birch Grove Road and yet the NH Dept. of Transportation is not a member of the Governor’s commission . . . nor is anyone from the Governor’s Council on Disabilities. Water safety “concerns” have been raised and yet the NH Marine Patrol does not have a seat on this “commission”. The Governor must think that we are all stupid not to see how he has stacked the deck.

Over half of the taxable properties around Lake Sunapee have out-of-state addresses. All these folks have ready boat access so now the “outside” public wants their fair share of access. So who is the Governor looking out for?

Dick Smith

Hancock, NH