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Father Hennepin launching?


Wish-I-Were-Fishn

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What is it like launching there doing the put and take thing each day while camping? No place to dock, or beach the boat, correct?

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Ive seen some Guys Beach up on the very end of the swim beach during the Day but most like me just throw the boat back on the Trailer back to camp -The camp sites are to far away from the beach for my liking to leave my boat unattended.One thing I dont like is the camp sites are a little small to put my boat and camper in there. Im excited to try out the new electric Sites at maple grove in a couple of weeks.

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I see they have two boat launches. Does the non-camper one fill up?

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I see they have two boat launches. Does the non-camper one fill up?

I've been there 3 times in the last 2 years. I've only used the non-camper one. Midweek, it has been about 10% full. Never been on a weekend.

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It was full last weekend, but so was the park.

The launch with the parking ramp got interesting near the 10pm curfew. Saturday night I dropped off my fishing buddy at the parking launch and he drove the truck to the camping ramp were we loaded without a line.

Plus the fish cleaning house is close to the camping ramp so that saved us a trip across the campground.

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So there is no parking at the camping ramp?

Correct.

Which seems odd to me because the camping launch has two ramps but no parking lot. The launch with parking has only one ramp. Go figure.

They both are fairly protected and well built ramps with docks.

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I see they have two boat launches. Does the non-camper one fill up?

The non-camper lot filled up on Saturday and there are no parking signs on the road leading to the lot. The trick is that there is no parking on the side of the road leading into the lot. You can park on the side of the road leading out of the lot and that was wide open on Saturday.

I was there Thurs - Sunday and only saw the lot full on Saturday afternoon.

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So campers drop off the boat with a person in it, then drive back to their campsite to park and then walk all the way back to the launch? I'm I missing something here?

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I don't know how they do it. I'd guess they put in and move the boat to a slip before returning the trailer to the campsite.

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you are correct. Not that far of a walk even from the farthest camp site.

there is a small amount of dock space to tie to at the campers launch. Maybe room for 10 boats

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I camped there Monday and Tuesday and used the visitor ramp both times because I couldn't park at the camper ramp. The lot was 50% full most of the time, launched a total of 3 times, 2X on Mon and 1X on Tue. We came in at 9:30PM on Monday and there was 2 more boats waiting to get out as I pulled out my boat with at least 7-8 more trailers still in the lot.

I got the AIS inspection going in on Monday and coming out on Tuesday, and the experience was a total non-issue.

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Looking at solo trip there and I have issues walking any great distance. It's hard enough to do this alone, but I need a place nearby to park. I will try the mid week thing and the public ramp. Is it protected from the wind? How about bottom content there is it rocky?

Thanks.

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The ramp is completely sheltered from west and south winds. I don't think an east wind would be much of an issue either. North, yes, but at least a north wind would push you perpendicular to the ramp. The bottom is rock/sand, not muck. It's a bit shallow but no problem if you mind your tilt. Rig parking is right at the ramp-- no way to make it any closer. I've been there 2x in the last 2 weeks, both times on Friday mornings, and the ramps was less than half full both times.

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