I am planing retirement soon and have been looking for a fresh water lake that would offer allmost year around sailing. I have allways loved the southwest, however drought conditions have turned most of our lakes to rivers. Next month we are going to spend some time looking around Oklahoma and Missouri. It may sound strange but the thought of water snakes dives me crazy. Does any one have any suggestions of lake to consider? Thanks Jim Denver Co.
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Southeast Retirement
Jim, Might consider Southeast for retirement waters. Lake Hartwell and Lake Keowee in northwest South Carolina. Lake Norman close to Charlotte, North Carolina. Lake Lanier close to Atlanta, Georgia. All are great for year round sailing, especially September thru May. Tom
Jim, Might consider Southeast for retirement waters. Lake Hartwell and Lake Keowee in northwest South Carolina. Lake Norman close to Charlotte, North Carolina. Lake Lanier close to Atlanta, Georgia. All are great for year round sailing, especially September thru May. Tom
Retire Lake
Jim, two in Arkansas that I can recommend, Greers Ferry http://www.gflyc.com and Beaver http://www.beaverlakesailclub.com/ You might want to check out Table Rock (Branson) and Stockton in Missouri. Grand Lake in OK is OK but not as clear as the mountain lakes
Jim, two in Arkansas that I can recommend, Greers Ferry http://www.gflyc.com and Beaver http://www.beaverlakesailclub.com/ You might want to check out Table Rock (Branson) and Stockton in Missouri. Grand Lake in OK is OK but not as clear as the mountain lakes
Lake Texoma
I don't have any personal experience, but you might check Lake Texoma. Oklahoma on the north side, Texas on the south. It's big, not far from Dallas and has a full-service Marina not normally found on lakes.
I don't have any personal experience, but you might check Lake Texoma. Oklahoma on the north side, Texas on the south. It's big, not far from Dallas and has a full-service Marina not normally found on lakes.
Table Rock Lake and Kentucky Lake
Hi Jim, My parents live on Table Rock Lake south of Branson, and it is a pretty nice lake to sail on. There are quite a few sailboats and plenty of room so that motorboats/houseboats don't get in the your way even on busy weekends. The only problems I could foresee is that the lake curves around a lot (you get spoiled when sailing on Lake Michigan) and there are a couple of bridges that you have to deal with if you want to go places. On the plus side, the water is absolutely beautiful. It is really clear, and gets very comfortable in the summer. I suspect the sailing is quite nice in the spring and fall. I never seem to get much steady wind in the summer but I have only been there with my boat for a couple of weeks. When I have been there at Christmas, I don't see any boats (sailboats or any other type of boat) on the lake. I also spent a week on Kentucky Lake a couple of years ago and it was a very nice sailing lake. It is long, a couple of miles wide, and there are a lot of nice coves, and a lot of wildlife in the Land-Between-the-Lakes area since it is all undeveloped. On the downside, the water is not as clear as Table Rock given the mud bottom. I haven't sailed Stockton Lake in Missouri, but I have heard good things from other sailors and plan to check it out in the near future. As an aside, one of the nice things about a trailerable boat is that it does allow you to check out a lot of excellent sailing areas. I actually sailed Seneca Lake in upstate NY last summer. Definitely not a year round sailing destination, but some beautiful sailing in the summer. I would note that it is one cold lake even in the summer (probably 55 degrees at the most) due to its depth (i.e., over 700 feet deep in places). Concerning water snakes, I suspect any lake in the south is going to have these. I have seen a few on both Kentucky Lake and Table Rock, but nobody indicates that they are a serious problem in either place. They always seem to be swimming away from activity, rather than toward it. Good luck with the move. I only have about 20 years to go until I can join the ranks of the retired. Best regards, Dave O'Day 222 s/v Hakuna Matata
Hi Jim, My parents live on Table Rock Lake south of Branson, and it is a pretty nice lake to sail on. There are quite a few sailboats and plenty of room so that motorboats/houseboats don't get in the your way even on busy weekends. The only problems I could foresee is that the lake curves around a lot (you get spoiled when sailing on Lake Michigan) and there are a couple of bridges that you have to deal with if you want to go places. On the plus side, the water is absolutely beautiful. It is really clear, and gets very comfortable in the summer. I suspect the sailing is quite nice in the spring and fall. I never seem to get much steady wind in the summer but I have only been there with my boat for a couple of weeks. When I have been there at Christmas, I don't see any boats (sailboats or any other type of boat) on the lake. I also spent a week on Kentucky Lake a couple of years ago and it was a very nice sailing lake. It is long, a couple of miles wide, and there are a lot of nice coves, and a lot of wildlife in the Land-Between-the-Lakes area since it is all undeveloped. On the downside, the water is not as clear as Table Rock given the mud bottom. I haven't sailed Stockton Lake in Missouri, but I have heard good things from other sailors and plan to check it out in the near future. As an aside, one of the nice things about a trailerable boat is that it does allow you to check out a lot of excellent sailing areas. I actually sailed Seneca Lake in upstate NY last summer. Definitely not a year round sailing destination, but some beautiful sailing in the summer. I would note that it is one cold lake even in the summer (probably 55 degrees at the most) due to its depth (i.e., over 700 feet deep in places). Concerning water snakes, I suspect any lake in the south is going to have these. I have seen a few on both Kentucky Lake and Table Rock, but nobody indicates that they are a serious problem in either place. They always seem to be swimming away from activity, rather than toward it. Good luck with the move. I only have about 20 years to go until I can join the ranks of the retired. Best regards, Dave O'Day 222 s/v Hakuna Matata
Lake Texhoma
For year round sailing and a lot more than a full service marina I would recommend Lake Texhoma. Ther are lots of marinas and even a sailboat manufacture where I have my boat. Lots of big sailboats on their way to and from the big pond. Go to WWW.CMYC.org for yacht club and lake details or go to Valient Yachts.
For year round sailing and a lot more than a full service marina I would recommend Lake Texhoma. Ther are lots of marinas and even a sailboat manufacture where I have my boat. Lots of big sailboats on their way to and from the big pond. Go to WWW.CMYC.org for yacht club and lake details or go to Valient Yachts.
Bay sailing
I know that you talked about a lake. But we are on Mobile bay which is almost a large lake and has the advantage of allowing you to go to sea. Corpus Christi, Texas is another large bay. If you desire freshwater Kentucky lake is great. On the TN river you can be sure that there will be water. The eastern shore is a 45 mile long public land area called the land between the lakes. If you go around the northern tip you enter lake Barkley which is another great lake for fishing but less so for sailing. You can follow the river to down town Nashville,TN. You have the entire TN river system where you can motor -sail about 500 miles all of the way to Knoxville, TN. The final lake is Tellico lake a beautiful clear water lake that borders the Smokey Mountains. Up the Ohio or down the Mississippi river to New Orleans. We are thinking about trying to live on or near KY lake. Spend the hurricane season on the lake and head south to the keys and Bahamas for the winter. Water snakes drive you crazy??? Are you a snake lover or have a fear of snakes??? Almost all wet places in the SE has snakes. Mobile area has alligators. I love snakes and alligators!!!! But I confess I don't go night swimming in Alabama and Florida like I did in East Tennessee. In the lakes in ET I knew that there was nothing in the water that could eat me!!!
I know that you talked about a lake. But we are on Mobile bay which is almost a large lake and has the advantage of allowing you to go to sea. Corpus Christi, Texas is another large bay. If you desire freshwater Kentucky lake is great. On the TN river you can be sure that there will be water. The eastern shore is a 45 mile long public land area called the land between the lakes. If you go around the northern tip you enter lake Barkley which is another great lake for fishing but less so for sailing. You can follow the river to down town Nashville,TN. You have the entire TN river system where you can motor -sail about 500 miles all of the way to Knoxville, TN. The final lake is Tellico lake a beautiful clear water lake that borders the Smokey Mountains. Up the Ohio or down the Mississippi river to New Orleans. We are thinking about trying to live on or near KY lake. Spend the hurricane season on the lake and head south to the keys and Bahamas for the winter. Water snakes drive you crazy??? Are you a snake lover or have a fear of snakes??? Almost all wet places in the SE has snakes. Mobile area has alligators. I love snakes and alligators!!!! But I confess I don't go night swimming in Alabama and Florida like I did in East Tennessee. In the lakes in ET I knew that there was nothing in the water that could eat me!!!
Table Rock and Stockton
My experience at Table Rock is very limited but it seemed to me that the very thing that makes the lake beautiful (surrounded by Ozark hills) also precluded a reliable wind. Stockton (Missouri) is also surrounded by Ozark hills but seems to have much better wind. The lake is about 25,000 acres of beautiful clear water. Depths over 80' are common. Has some islands and secluded coves for overnighting. There is a large active sailing population there. I don't know about sailing in the winter there, I'm pretty much of a warm weather sailor. Good luck
My experience at Table Rock is very limited but it seemed to me that the very thing that makes the lake beautiful (surrounded by Ozark hills) also precluded a reliable wind. Stockton (Missouri) is also surrounded by Ozark hills but seems to have much better wind. The lake is about 25,000 acres of beautiful clear water. Depths over 80' are common. Has some islands and secluded coves for overnighting. There is a large active sailing population there. I don't know about sailing in the winter there, I'm pretty much of a warm weather sailor. Good luck
Stockton Lake
Rented Catalina 23 and 25 on Tablerock lake. It is a beautifull lake and the main marina (I forgot it's name) is just minutes from Branson, a major entertainment meca in the area. I found the lake somewhat narrow and long and the surrounding hills do make the winds shifty. Courtsey docks provided by the Core of Engineers and the State are pulled early in the fall so launching a larger boat is tricky (especially when the wind is gusting to over thirty mph and you are trying to retrive a Catalina 250!!). Orleans Trail Marina at Stockton Lake is Comfort Zone's (Cat 28) home port since 97. Water is as clear as Tablerock, but slightly warmer. Sailing is much better as the lake is oriented for the most effective reaches for the prevailing winds. The sorrounding hills are much smaller than at Tablerock producing less turbulance. Stockton is realitivly isolated and most entertainment is provided by the active sail club with regular weekend races thru the summer. Both lakes have their pro's and cons. Check them both out.
Rented Catalina 23 and 25 on Tablerock lake. It is a beautifull lake and the main marina (I forgot it's name) is just minutes from Branson, a major entertainment meca in the area. I found the lake somewhat narrow and long and the surrounding hills do make the winds shifty. Courtsey docks provided by the Core of Engineers and the State are pulled early in the fall so launching a larger boat is tricky (especially when the wind is gusting to over thirty mph and you are trying to retrive a Catalina 250!!). Orleans Trail Marina at Stockton Lake is Comfort Zone's (Cat 28) home port since 97. Water is as clear as Tablerock, but slightly warmer. Sailing is much better as the lake is oriented for the most effective reaches for the prevailing winds. The sorrounding hills are much smaller than at Tablerock producing less turbulance. Stockton is realitivly isolated and most entertainment is provided by the active sail club with regular weekend races thru the summer. Both lakes have their pro's and cons. Check them both out.
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Stockton not year round
Stockton is indeed a nice sailing lake for good sized boats, but it is not a year-round lake. Different people have different tolerance for sailing in colder weather, but basically the core sailing season there is about mid-April to early October. It is very windy earlier than that, and very cold later than that. It won't freeze over, but you can get ice in the shallow areas in December or January. The other thing to consider about inland lakes in the middle of the country, Texoma included, is that they get very little wind from July 1st to mid-August. It's not very much fun to be out on a sailboat, even with a motor, when it is 95 degrees with high humidity and no wind. I think that is a similar problem in the south, such as the Corpus Christie and Mobile Bay areas, but I will let people who know those areas comment on that.
Stockton is indeed a nice sailing lake for good sized boats, but it is not a year-round lake. Different people have different tolerance for sailing in colder weather, but basically the core sailing season there is about mid-April to early October. It is very windy earlier than that, and very cold later than that. It won't freeze over, but you can get ice in the shallow areas in December or January. The other thing to consider about inland lakes in the middle of the country, Texoma included, is that they get very little wind from July 1st to mid-August. It's not very much fun to be out on a sailboat, even with a motor, when it is 95 degrees with high humidity and no wind. I think that is a similar problem in the south, such as the Corpus Christie and Mobile Bay areas, but I will let people who know those areas comment on that.
Tennessee River/Pickwick Lake
The river is 625 miles long with lakes at each dam. It connects with the Tom Bigbee Waterway which will take you to Mobile Al. With all that you can sail different lakes and if it the winters get to cold for you go south along the Tom Bigbee until you hit warmer weather.
The river is 625 miles long with lakes at each dam. It connects with the Tom Bigbee Waterway which will take you to Mobile Al. With all that you can sail different lakes and if it the winters get to cold for you go south along the Tom Bigbee until you hit warmer weather.
Mobile is year round sailing
There is almost always some wind but the best sailing IMHO is spring and fall. The great thing about a bay is you can still sail when the ocean is too rough. Mobile bay gets rough but nothing compared to the open Gulf. I've never been to Corpus Christi when there was no wind!!!! It probably happens but it is a very popular area for wind surfing because of the winds. With the TN river system you have the on the water mobility to move without a huge trucking bill. You can even motor to the great lakes. A friend has a larger sailboat on a landlocked lake and it is a pain to relocate. He has to hire a crane and a flatbed 18 wheeler. $$$$$$
There is almost always some wind but the best sailing IMHO is spring and fall. The great thing about a bay is you can still sail when the ocean is too rough. Mobile bay gets rough but nothing compared to the open Gulf. I've never been to Corpus Christi when there was no wind!!!! It probably happens but it is a very popular area for wind surfing because of the winds. With the TN river system you have the on the water mobility to move without a huge trucking bill. You can even motor to the great lakes. A friend has a larger sailboat on a landlocked lake and it is a pain to relocate. He has to hire a crane and a flatbed 18 wheeler. $$$$$$
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