which better for sailboats, Old Hickory Lake or Percy Priest Lake in Nashville TN?
- Thread starter John6275
- Start date
John. Trying understand the whole picture. Your profile says you have an 18.5 foot boat. Is that correct? Is it trailerable?
Why not keep it on the trailer. Avoid any marina fees. Use both lakes. What 30 minutes to get the boat in the water and ready for sailing?
Why not keep it on the trailer. Avoid any marina fees. Use both lakes. What 30 minutes to get the boat in the water and ready for sailing?
Is there a difference in boating crowds? A Lake with a lot of jet skis and power boats would reduce the enjoyment of sailing.
Is there a sailing group? Races? these might influence the choice. What about a group of boaters that you want to hangout with. Also a way of deciding.
Is there a sailing group? Races? these might influence the choice. What about a group of boaters that you want to hangout with. Also a way of deciding.
It is actually a Cal not a catalina but I have not seen any groups specifically for any brands on either lake.
we dont know any other boaters yet in either area. Both have all the obstacles suck as power boat jet skies etc. Both have sailboats and sailing clubs on them. although at this point we are not planning on joining a club.
I was concerned not being familiar with old hickory how it was for sailing as it
is more like a large river than a lake. I was hoping some locals might be on here and offer some personal experience.
we dont know any other boaters yet in either area. Both have all the obstacles suck as power boat jet skies etc. Both have sailboats and sailing clubs on them. although at this point we are not planning on joining a club.
I was concerned not being familiar with old hickory how it was for sailing as it
is more like a large river than a lake. I was hoping some locals might be on here and offer some personal experience.
What are the differences regarding wind in the area?
Fun of sailing is water area, depth and wind. Once you have enjoyed the basics of discovery, it then becomes competition of whom am I sailing with/against. Some of the great sailing places like the NE, SF Bay or the Puget Sound provide what feels like unlimited variety of sailing locations/adventures. Lake sailing for me was the opportunity to have fun with friends or the thrill of competitive sailing against other racers.
John, in deciding wher to splash, I think you need to make some day visits to the areas. Maybe spend a night in a local hotel. Make friends with the locals and see what they say about their sailing experiences. Have a coffee in their diners or a beer in the pub. Only then will you have the info to help with your decision.
Sounds like an opportunity for fun to me.
Fun of sailing is water area, depth and wind. Once you have enjoyed the basics of discovery, it then becomes competition of whom am I sailing with/against. Some of the great sailing places like the NE, SF Bay or the Puget Sound provide what feels like unlimited variety of sailing locations/adventures. Lake sailing for me was the opportunity to have fun with friends or the thrill of competitive sailing against other racers.
John, in deciding wher to splash, I think you need to make some day visits to the areas. Maybe spend a night in a local hotel. Make friends with the locals and see what they say about their sailing experiences. Have a coffee in their diners or a beer in the pub. Only then will you have the info to help with your decision.
Sounds like an opportunity for fun to me.
I look at Percy Priest and think it is more interesting. Shoreline is more variable and the configuration looks better for wind. I wouldn't like Hickory because it is basically a river. The wind would tend to flow in the direction of the river. You would either be short tacking (extreme short tacking) upwind or drifting downwind. There doesn't look like much opportunity for nice reaches.
I'd also consider water quality as probably the most important aspect. I couldn't sail on a lake without a heavy dose of swimming. Rivers tend to be muddy and ugly for water quality. Reservoirs tend to be much clearer and more appealing. Those are my thoughts, even though I've never been within 500 miles of that area as far as I know!
I'd also consider water quality as probably the most important aspect. I couldn't sail on a lake without a heavy dose of swimming. Rivers tend to be muddy and ugly for water quality. Reservoirs tend to be much clearer and more appealing. Those are my thoughts, even though I've never been within 500 miles of that area as far as I know!
Percy Priest has excellent depth, better width for reaches, and reasonably forested shores. On Lake Erie, the key to escaping hordes of power boats and jet skis is to stay overnight, and to sail on weekdays.
When you are deciding on a marina, talking to them and their current customers will be helpful.
Good luck with your new boat!
When you are deciding on a marina, talking to them and their current customers will be helpful.
Good luck with your new boat!
I’ve never been in the area either, but Google maps shows at least two good sized marinas on Percy Priest with sailboats. On Old Hickery and the Cumberland River I see a couple marinas but they only seem to have covered slips for powerboats. I’d go where the sailboats are.
Actually percy has three marinas (all having sailboats) and Old Hickory has like 6. There are at least three with sailboats. Both lakes have limited space available for sailboats and so far only one on each lake have space open.
The river in this instance seems cleaner that percy but it will have more traffic more of the time. Percy probably more busy in may june july and august.
The river in this instance seems cleaner that percy but it will have more traffic more of the time. Percy probably more busy in may june july and august.
Interesting. Guess the Google maps images of Old Hickory could have been taken in winter when the sailboats aren't at the docks, or I just missed them panning around. Sounds like an active sailing community in both in that case.
I spent a few months in Nashville in the late 1980s. Most of the sailboats were on Percy Priest lake and there was a sailboat rental business there. If I remember correctly, Old Hickory is not very wide which will result in a lot of tacking.