Sailing around Outer Banks, Hunter 240

DMERAJ

DMERAJ

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Jul 16, 2021
3
HUNTER 240 LAKE Erie
Hello everyone,
I own a Hunter 240 and would like to take it down to Outer Banks (Corolla) and I am wondering if any of you have experience sailing in and around the area? I usually sail in Lake Erie.
1. Where can I launch the boat? Any marinas that I can dock the boat for several days?
2. How can I get from the Sound to the ocean?
 
Scott T-Bird

Scott T-Bird

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Oct 26, 2008
6,247
Catalina 320 Barnegat, NJ
You can't get to the ocean from the sound anywhere near Corolla. The closest opening is close to 50 miles at Oregon Inlet south of Nags Head. Not a chance in the world I would take a Hunter 240 through that inlet.

If you want to launch your boat somewhere along the ICW look around Coinjock, I think. But I don't think you are going to get your boat anywhere near Corolla. On the Corolla side, the sound is much too shallow to do any sailing, I think. You'll see kite sailing in that area, I think. That whole stretch of Currituck Sound is strictly beach vacation. I don't think there is anything worthwhile on sound side. It's far too shallow. There might be a marina of sorts in Duck, but I think that at most it serves as an access point to run around in john boats for crabbing or other fishing activities. There are probably plenty of people that get out on kayaks and paddleboards. Access to the sound is very limited due to the nature of the shoreline.

I sailed my Hobie 16 around Nags Head and I had access from a beach launch, not a ramp. You are not going to find any access near Corolla, I think.
 
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rgranger

rgranger

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Jan 19, 2010
12,553
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
I’ve done a lot (LOT) of sailing in the OBX.

@Scott T-Bird is right about Corolla but I have launched out of the following places before….Elizabeth City, Eddington, Alligator Creek, swan quarter, Oriental (my fav) and Ocracoke.
Many towns have free bath houses (I .e. Columbia and Eddington) so boat camping is very nice in the OBX.
the 240 is a perfect boar for those types of water…
 
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spadaforaj

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Sep 27, 2008
212
Hunter 41 Longport,NJ
rgranger said:
I’ve done a lot (LOT) of sailing in the OBX.

@Scott T-Bird is right about Corolla but I have launched out of the following places before….Elizabeth City, Eddington, Alligator Creek, swan quarter, Oriental (my fav) and Ocracoke.
Many towns have free bath houses (I .e. Columbia and Eddington) so boat camping is very nice in the OBX.
the 240 is a perfect boar for those types of water…
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Go a bit south to the places mentioned and explore the Pamlico sound - My favorite of all the towns is Oriental - lots of room to sail a 24 in the sound and great places to visit - ECity, Ocracoke, etc - its a great area and more fun than running aground behind basically a beach Watch the weather though - with a 24 you might find things get a bit dodgy You can go to Beaufort (a bit of motoring down Adams creek) and visit the Shackelford banks, barrier island ponies, and reserves. I'm just moving north from Oriental, and will miss it dearly
 
Scott T-Bird

Scott T-Bird

.
Oct 26, 2008
6,247
Catalina 320 Barnegat, NJ
I could be wrong, but I'm going to suggest that @DMERAJ has a beach vacation with family planned in Corolla and is only contemplating whether or not it is feasible to sail there with convenient access to his boat since he is willing to trailer it. In that case, it would definitely not be worth the effort. Outer Banks is 99.9999% popular for beach vacations in the summer. We used to do family vacations to OBX (Nags Head Links). First summer we brought windsurfing gear and had a couple of great days for it sound side. Our house was right next to the sound access so second year I brought my Hobie 16. It was a phenomenal location for getting out on the water with the kids sound side but even the Hobie would touch bottom (kick up the rudders). I see catamarans parked at the sailing beach sound side in google maps, so I'm not the only one with that idea! :thumbup: This was in the early 90's and we could put 3 families in a very large, luxurious house for a preposterously low price for a week. All the northerners eventually caught on and have over-run the place now!

All the water on the east side of the sounds is very shallow. The channels and/or deeper water is across the sound to the west side.
 
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