In looking forward to the 2004 season, a possibility for a vacation is to cruise Kentucky and / or Barkley Lake. I'm sure there are some on the forum that have cruised one or both of these. Any suggestions? Maybe starting points, overnight anchorages? Enroute dining? Places to go, areas to avoid? Special considerations? In a 25.5 shoal keel, we draw under 4'. Do the concerns about shallow water still apply?
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Tim Hayes
Kentucky Lake
Bill, My boat is on KY lake at Lighthouselanding. (www.lighthouselanding.com) and this is where I sail all the time. It is a very good place to sail. Lighthouse landing is a good place to start as they have a boat ramp designed for sailboats and they have cabins for rent if you want to stay on land. I don't know a lot about the anchrages as I usually day sail, but I can tell you the one place you have to dine while in this area is Patti's 1880 Settlement which is directly across the street from Lighthouse Landing. Best steak I have ever had. Bring your wallet though as it is not cheap! The area around KY Lake is called "Land Between the Lakes" and is a very nice state park. There is a Water Park for the kids in this area, and some small amount of shopping. Do an internet search on Kentucky Lake and Land Between the lakes and you should get some good hits showing the area. Hope you make it and we'll see you on the lake. Tim Hayes
Bill, My boat is on KY lake at Lighthouselanding. (www.lighthouselanding.com) and this is where I sail all the time. It is a very good place to sail. Lighthouse landing is a good place to start as they have a boat ramp designed for sailboats and they have cabins for rent if you want to stay on land. I don't know a lot about the anchrages as I usually day sail, but I can tell you the one place you have to dine while in this area is Patti's 1880 Settlement which is directly across the street from Lighthouse Landing. Best steak I have ever had. Bring your wallet though as it is not cheap! The area around KY Lake is called "Land Between the Lakes" and is a very nice state park. There is a Water Park for the kids in this area, and some small amount of shopping. Do an internet search on Kentucky Lake and Land Between the lakes and you should get some good hits showing the area. Hope you make it and we'll see you on the lake. Tim Hayes
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ross
Kentucky Lake
Bill; Trailered our H260 to Kentucky Lake last June for a week of sailing. Had a great time. Definitely eat at Patti's in Grand Rivers. Check out "Sailing Destinations" on the Lighthouse Landing website. Great info on the area/destinations/anchorages. Also, Kentuckylake.com has a wealth of useful info. The Army Corps of Engineers charts are very helpful. www.orn.usace.army.mil/opn/TNRiver/. If you want to stay off the boat at the state park lodges or private accomodations, reserve early. We spent a night at Moors Marina. Lodge rooms & cottages. Excellent food at the restaurant and a pool for the kids. Kenlake State Park was great. Stayed in a very nice cottage, good food at the lodge and took in a summerstock play that evening. Duncan Bay is a great anchorage. I'm in the directory if you have any other questions. Ross Chamberlain
Bill; Trailered our H260 to Kentucky Lake last June for a week of sailing. Had a great time. Definitely eat at Patti's in Grand Rivers. Check out "Sailing Destinations" on the Lighthouse Landing website. Great info on the area/destinations/anchorages. Also, Kentuckylake.com has a wealth of useful info. The Army Corps of Engineers charts are very helpful. www.orn.usace.army.mil/opn/TNRiver/. If you want to stay off the boat at the state park lodges or private accomodations, reserve early. We spent a night at Moors Marina. Lodge rooms & cottages. Excellent food at the restaurant and a pool for the kids. Kenlake State Park was great. Stayed in a very nice cottage, good food at the lodge and took in a summerstock play that evening. Duncan Bay is a great anchorage. I'm in the directory if you have any other questions. Ross Chamberlain
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Jerry
Ky Lake shallow water
Bill, I sail a H-310 (4.5ft draft) and have had few problems sailing on the 22 miles of Ky Lake south of the dam but can't say that for for the few times I have tried Barkley (too narrow and shallow). If you restrict your sailing to the marked channels then shallow water is not much of a concern on Ky Lake (min 20 ft). You would be well advised to purchase the Army Corps of Engineers chart for Ky Lake and to note where the pool height is on a daily basis. The depth can vary 8-10 feet depending on what the TVA is up to. There is a fairly steep ridge running between the primary and secondary channels near the center of the lake just south of the canal between the lakes and at a low winter pool the depth of the water over the ridge may be only 2-5 feet which can lead to some anxious moments because in 20 yards you can go from 25 feet of water to 2. This is generally only a problem in late fall but still it bares attention. There are a lot of places to anchor on both east (Land Between the Lakes State Park) and west sides (developed) of the lake and the holding is excellent (thick brownish grey mud). The entrances to a lot of the potential anchorages are a little thin because of silting but once over the "bar" the depth returns to the 8 - 20 foot range for most side bays and is pretty well marked on the chart. Ky Lake is a fun lake to sail.
Bill, I sail a H-310 (4.5ft draft) and have had few problems sailing on the 22 miles of Ky Lake south of the dam but can't say that for for the few times I have tried Barkley (too narrow and shallow). If you restrict your sailing to the marked channels then shallow water is not much of a concern on Ky Lake (min 20 ft). You would be well advised to purchase the Army Corps of Engineers chart for Ky Lake and to note where the pool height is on a daily basis. The depth can vary 8-10 feet depending on what the TVA is up to. There is a fairly steep ridge running between the primary and secondary channels near the center of the lake just south of the canal between the lakes and at a low winter pool the depth of the water over the ridge may be only 2-5 feet which can lead to some anxious moments because in 20 yards you can go from 25 feet of water to 2. This is generally only a problem in late fall but still it bares attention. There are a lot of places to anchor on both east (Land Between the Lakes State Park) and west sides (developed) of the lake and the holding is excellent (thick brownish grey mud). The entrances to a lot of the potential anchorages are a little thin because of silting but once over the "bar" the depth returns to the 8 - 20 foot range for most side bays and is pretty well marked on the chart. Ky Lake is a fun lake to sail.
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John C Pollitt
Another source
Another good source for Kentucky Lake is the "Cruising Guide to Tennessee River, Tenn-Tom Waterway and Lower Tombigbee River". Shows all the anchorages and marinas along the lake, as well as the authors comments about them. Very informative book. I got mine through Borders and feel it was money well spent ($30). Fair winds, John
Another good source for Kentucky Lake is the "Cruising Guide to Tennessee River, Tenn-Tom Waterway and Lower Tombigbee River". Shows all the anchorages and marinas along the lake, as well as the authors comments about them. Very informative book. I got mine through Borders and feel it was money well spent ($30). Fair winds, John
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Bill
Web-based info
Thanks for the idea of doing an online search. I even had some information of my own buried amongst my sailing bookmarks I had forgotten. Lighthouse Landing's web site has some interesting information about sailing destinations. Takes a lot of the guesswork out of laying out an inland cruise over a little more than 30 miles of lake. There is also a kentuckylake.com site that is heavy with information including a lot of maps and navigational information. I wouldn't rely on it as much as a more recent map, but it seems to provide a lot of detail.
Thanks for the idea of doing an online search. I even had some information of my own buried amongst my sailing bookmarks I had forgotten. Lighthouse Landing's web site has some interesting information about sailing destinations. Takes a lot of the guesswork out of laying out an inland cruise over a little more than 30 miles of lake. There is also a kentuckylake.com site that is heavy with information including a lot of maps and navigational information. I wouldn't rely on it as much as a more recent map, but it seems to provide a lot of detail.
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