Pt. Pleasant Canal

[Fishin Dude]

I will be accepting delivery of my boat from the marina sometime in March. I was planning on trailering it my first year. 90% of the people I talk to tell me I should slip the boat. There are pros and cons to both methods, but I'm  considering a slip now. I'm thinking maybe somewhere along the Metedeconk River, which is very close to my house. This means I could have access to Barnegate Bay or take the canal to the Manasquan River and go out the Manasquan Inlet to everywhere. I've fished the canal from shore many times and have seen strong currents and rips. Does anyone have any experience in this canal, and is it as bad as it sometimes looks? <'((((><

[TurboDan]

In short - yes, it is as bad as it sometimes looks.  It's not the currents rushing through that cause problems nearly as much as it's the boat traffic.  Even when everyone is acting responsibly, the volume of boats going through there during a summer day combined with the currents created standing waves with the occasional roller out of nowhere.  It'll push you from side to side and rock you quite a bit.  Currents move fastest between tides, and at slack tide the current is not terribly strong.

That's not to say this waterway is outright dangerous.  No one I know has ever had any significant problems going through there, and I went through it in my old 14-foot aluminum more than once.  The key is simply understanding how your boat reacts to swells and how your boat uses its power source.  Does it plane quickly or slowly?  Is your engine trimmed up or down?  Once you're familiar with your boat and how it handles churning water, you can plow your way through and (don't tell anyone!) start to enjoy the sometimes exciting ride through.  You'll be nervous the first time, but eventually you'll get used to it.  The entire canal is a No Wake Zone, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't give your boat the power it needs when you have to.  The bottom line is that thousands of boats use the canal without any problems all the time, you just need to be careful.

The areas with the roughest conditions are either side of the Rt. 88 bridge and a few random places between the Lovelandtown Bridge and the Rt. 88 bridge.  It's a wee bit hairy right as you're approaching the mouth at the Manasquan side, but it's not too bad.  In between the bridges is the roughest spot.  As you approach the bay end of the canal, it's reasonably tame. 

What kind of boat are you getting?  All it takes is a little getting used to and plenty of common sense, and you'll be fine.

[IrishAyes]

I can't speak much of the canal as I have not traveled it in years.

I can tell you that if you slip your boat, you will get more use out of it.  No need to hook up a trailer, fight traffic, fight others at the ramp, etc.  Slipping a boat does have some drawbacks, but all in all, it is well worth it.

[TurboDan]

I can't speak much of the canal as I have not traveled it in years.

I can tell you that if you slip your boat, you will get more use out of it.  No need to hook up a trailer, fight traffic, fight others at the ramp, etc.  Slipping a boat does have some drawbacks, but all in all, it is well worth it.

 

Agree wholeheartedly.  The couple seasons I didn't have a boat in a slip I considered "missed seasons" of fishing.  If it's in a slip, you'll find yourself fishing after work, going for a quick ride whenever you want and getting your money's worth out of the boat you just paid good money for.

[ped579]

The canal can be a dangerous place, I used it many times and once I found out how the Coast Guard and the Marine Police navigate through during a heavy rip I hated going through it.

The rips are not as bad as when the two bridges were in operation and the rip rap was dumped there to bolster the pilings.  Their trick was to hug the bulkhead and once they came up to the bridge they would gun the engines and move out into heavy water up under the bridge and back to the bulkhead again.

I used this method many times and it works like a charm. 

Be careful till you get the feel of your boat.  Try this maneuver in the early Spring and you should be OK by summer.

Happy Catching

Paul

[eagleyankfan]

I had my boat at Schrader Yachts for 1.5 years.  Navigating the canal is not as bad as it seems.  The water itself, is as bad as it seems.  The wakes bounce from wall to tall, then meet in the middle again.  This is where you have to be careful. 

Keep a calm head, be careful and you'll be fine. 

One thing about chosing where to slip - that canal takes about 1/2 hour to get through, so each trip, you have to tack on an hour just for the canal.  That's why I stopped using a slip on the inside of the canal.  Just a thought.

Good luck with your new boat 

[Luna Sea 5]

I prefer the slip, but will always keep my own trailer also in case I want to try other inlets.  If your looking for a slip, start now as they book up quick with a long waiting list if you can't get in.

[bassnblues]

I've had a slip the last 5 years but I trailered for many years.

I think there's pro's and cons to both. The biggest reason I have a slip is because I feel I've crossed te line (at 21') where the launching process is a fairly easy one man job. I also don't need a 1/2 ton V8 truck anymore which saves some $$.

It's nice to be able to go different places and do different things with a trailer but with a slip, I can go and jump on at a moments notice. It's also a nice feeling when pulling out of the marina that all the work is done. No pulling the trailer into the driveway, cleaning the boat etc...Nothing left to do but watch the Mets and take a nap...

[rugman]

I like to keep my boat in a slip, BUT I do like fishing all over and that makes it hard for me to stay in one place . I go up north for the striper run ND THE BIG LAKE KING ,the hook , greenwood lake , and there are some others . I did find out one year  that i kept my boat in the hudson that I got my biggest and best stripers , if the boat is home and you come home from work and you want to go fishing and you come home and say the hell with it and grab a beer .like they posted you will use it more if it is in a slip.  JUST MY 10 CENTS

[sealife]

Here is another option depending on the size of the boat and whether you buy a trailer or not.  There are places that offer a launch and store service where you park the boat and trailer in  a storage yard and get unlimitied use of the boat ramp.  You still have to hook the trailer up and deal with the some of the yahoos that congregate at boat ramps but it is less money than a slip.  Not quite as convenient but you can wash the boat before leaving for home and not tow it every time you want to use it. 

[IrishAyes]

Another option is rack storage.  The only downfall to that is if you decide you want to do an evening trip.  If the marina is not open, you can't get the boat launched.  It is also to just run down and work on the boat if the boat is twenty-thirty feet in the air on the second or third rack up.

With the rack storage, you don't have to paint the bottom and you have peace of mind if bad weather comes up.

[Luna Sea 5]

there is nothing more convenient then driving down at any time and just jump on your boat while in a slip.  Even if its late in the evening with a case of beer...

[GregB]

i have only trailered and yes it can be a pain in the ass! But, after a while you learn to do it better. i can launch my 23 solo in about 10 minutes. faster with help. I also trailer to give the boat greater range and fuel economy. I have a power winch that is a must. The hand cranking gets old quick. I think the boat itself stays in better shape as well by trailering. I wash the whole boat after every trip and flush my outboard and then leave it trimmed down so it doesnt accumulate water. U cant do that in a slip. Also, i can leave all my stuff unlocked on board with no fears of it being stolen. I am not knocking slipping but these are the main pros of trailering.

[Fishin Dude]

Thanks for the input guys. My boat is a 21ft Seaswirl, no power winch on the trailer yet, but it is on my list. I know that by keeping my boat in my yard, I can benifit from all the reasons that were mentioned plus, since I have some plans on upgrades & modifications to better suit my needs and wants, I can work on the boat anytime with access to all of my tools in my garage. But I also like all of the advantages of a slip also. I'm going to check into some slips at the local marinas this weekend. I figure that if i'm close to home, I can always put it back on my trailer and bring her home to work on, or trailer to other locations. Can't make up my mind yet, maybe I'll wind up flipping a coin.  <'((((><

[Pops Soul]

Fishin dude I thought of trailing mine which is a 23ft Seaswirl. but it is a handful to lunch on my own and put back on the trailer. I have mine in Rack storage, call when I leave the house and she's in the water when I get there. I can fish by myself if no one wants to go. Plus you have to deal with lines at the ramps. put it a slip you will enjoy your boat much more, especially if you get one close to your house   

[wingshooter]

when i had mine i trailered it,, first few years i used it a lot,, then i found myself using it less and less,, so my advice is if you can afford it put it in a slip