Lake Dillon Colorado
- Thread starter ChuckThomas
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Hello Richard,
(at the risk of getting this moved to some other forum)
I have a trailerable sailboat I keep at Elevenmile (always trailered there) which is maybe 75 miles from Dillon. We have been wanting to sail either Dillon or Granby for a long weekend but I dont know much about Dillon.
Im guessing its no "worse" than Elevenmile for gusty/thunderstorms/wind that comes up fast/ cold water.
But are there guest slips available during the summer or is everything normally all filled up? If not, can you anchor out on the lake overnight? The little bit of info I have says you can not anchor overnight (same as Elevenmile). I believe there are two marina's there, which do you prefer?
What about Zebra mussles? Are they inspecting all boats put in the water (which they are doing at Elevenmile).
(at the risk of getting this moved to some other forum)
I have a trailerable sailboat I keep at Elevenmile (always trailered there) which is maybe 75 miles from Dillon. We have been wanting to sail either Dillon or Granby for a long weekend but I dont know much about Dillon.
Im guessing its no "worse" than Elevenmile for gusty/thunderstorms/wind that comes up fast/ cold water.
But are there guest slips available during the summer or is everything normally all filled up? If not, can you anchor out on the lake overnight? The little bit of info I have says you can not anchor overnight (same as Elevenmile). I believe there are two marina's there, which do you prefer?
What about Zebra mussles? Are they inspecting all boats put in the water (which they are doing at Elevenmile).
i am interested in the regatta they have in August. I here they claim it is the highest altitude race in the country.
The lake El is 9017 feet... There was an article in Dec 2007 issue of "Sailing" (magazine) if you can find this.
Maybe you can also find something here www.dillonyachtclub.com
Maybe you can also find something here www.dillonyachtclub.com
Im not exactly at Dillon to know for sure but watch the area fairly closely for iceboating opportunities and the lake probably freezes over early in December and opens up sometime in April - i.e., frozen over for 4 to 5 months.
These are some pictures from around Christmas a couple years ago
http://analogengineering.com/iceboat/dillon_1.jpg
http://analogengineering.com/iceboat/dillon_2.jpg
To iceboat here, you have to catch the lake in a short time window sometime after it freezes and before the snow begins to build. At the end of the season, there may also be a short window to ice boat not long before the ice melts.
These are some pictures from around Christmas a couple years ago
http://analogengineering.com/iceboat/dillon_1.jpg
http://analogengineering.com/iceboat/dillon_2.jpg
To iceboat here, you have to catch the lake in a short time window sometime after it freezes and before the snow begins to build. At the end of the season, there may also be a short window to ice boat not long before the ice melts.
I learned to sail on Lake Dillon with a Cal 20. That was 7 years ago. Now we sail an O'day 35 on Lake Superior and I'll repeat what I was told by other Lake Dillon sailors, "If you can learn to sail on this lake, you can sail just about anywhere!" This lake can change its mood quick. I was caught out in the worst squall I've personally ever experienced. The mountains funnel wild winds but it sure is a beautiful place to be out in a boat and I'd have no hesitation to go out again.
The regatta mentioned previously is a big deal, lots of boats and good sailors and fun to watch from out the water.
The marinas are few, only two and I don't recall there being much transient dockage, at least at the Lake Dillon Marina, Perhaps there is more in the Frisco marina but beware that the year after I left Summit County, the lake level was so low that the Frisco marina was high and dry.
You can't anchor in the lake, It's far too deep and the shore drops off very quickly.
Hope this helps.
The regatta mentioned previously is a big deal, lots of boats and good sailors and fun to watch from out the water.
The marinas are few, only two and I don't recall there being much transient dockage, at least at the Lake Dillon Marina, Perhaps there is more in the Frisco marina but beware that the year after I left Summit County, the lake level was so low that the Frisco marina was high and dry.
You can't anchor in the lake, It's far too deep and the shore drops off very quickly.
Hope this helps.
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