Homeport Farm Park launch

[john from md]

I don't think I launched from Homeport at all last year and something has changed. At the bottom of the hill, there now is a concrete step, for lack of better words, at the sand/stone dividing line. It is about 8 inches high off the sand and really makes it a chore launching a heavy yak. I rolled my heavy Trident, complete with two batteries (more on that later) and a 55 # Minn Kota and eeek, I found out about the concrete slab.

Being an old guy, I can't lift much so I dragged the yak as slowly as I could over the slab. Luckily my CTug wheels are high enough so the yak didn't hit the ground. Coming back in, I unloaded the yak and made about 7 trips to the car before manhandling it up the slab. I looked around for a wooden ramp (which I assumed someone would have made) but there wasn't any.

I didn't fish this trip just tried out my new 55# Endura Max motor and Lifepo battery. I got a 60 AMP Relion instead of a 100 as it was too big to fit in the hull. I ran the non stop for 2 hours down and up the South River using 50 and 75% power and I only used 25% capacity. Most of my trip was at 4 MPH and everything ran great.

I usually only launch my Vibe at Homeport as that hill is a pain. Today I wanted a straight ride without dodging 50 MPH wakes and I got it. One thing I noticed with the 55# vs the 40# I use to have. When the wind is in your face, you don't have to increase power to keep the same speed you were going. It doesn't give you anymore top end but it has more Ummph.

[dsaavedra]

Yup, that happened after a big storm last summer, it washed out a ton of the sand from that launch and left the concrete curb protruding. I visited the launch earlier this spring hoping it had been repaired but it had not, it was definitely tricky getting my Outback over that curb, especially coming back in. A plywood ramp would be a good idea, or better yet, maybe we can call the county parks department and see if they can do anything about it. They may well not even know about the issue if no one has brought it to their attention.

Edit: I just wrote to AACO Parks and Rec. Maybe if enough of us write/call they will do something about it.

[john from md]

According to Lisa, the county executive is putting zippo in the budget for car top launches so I doubt we will see anything from them.

I think we could make a removable ramp by using a piece of large PCP pipe with a ramp made of 3/4 plywood screwed to the top of it. This can be layed in front of the curb and, if needed a couple of holes can be put in the base of the plywood through which a couple of landscaping nails can be pushed in the sand. We would only need a 4x4 piece of plywood so it would be easy to remove so it doesn't float away.

I would be willing to spring for the materials if I can get a couple of folks to help. I'm close to 70 and arthritic but I have battery powered and hand tools to use.

[Mark]

I doubt the county government will want citizens modifying launch sites due to liability issues.

I know the problem described here. The same thing happens at the Downs Park Locust Cove Launch -- sand on the soft launch washes away in time either due to storms or just the natural tidal action. It exposes the concrete curb which serves as a base for the launch site. Fortunately, the Locust Cove site is presently in good condition. Sand has been recently added (again). That's all that needs to happen at Homeport.

Thanks to Dave for writing to the county. Let's hope they listen. Defunding future sites is bad enough. Allowing existing sites to fall into disrepair is an unthinkable waste of taxpayer money.

[john from md]

There is no modification for the portable ramp I suggested. Once it is fabricated, it can be laid down and pulled up when you're done using it.

[dsaavedra]

I got this response, several others from AACO were copied on the response:

"Hi David,

thank you for making us aware of the situation at the launch site at Homeport. Staff have gone out to the site to determine the appropriate fix. We should have this addressed in the next 2 weeks as our maintenance staff schedule allows. Thanks


--
Sincerely,
Christopher J Carroll
Chief of Natural and Cultural Resources
NASAR SARTECH I
ACA Canoe and Kayak Instructor"

[john from md]

Great news. Maybe they'll make us a ramp rather than just add sand that will wash out next super high tide.

[Mark]

I got this response, several others from AACO were copied on the response:

"Hi David,

thank you for making us aware of the situation at the launch site at Homeport. Staff have gone out to the site to determine the appropriate fix. We should have this addressed in the next 2 weeks as our maintenance staff schedule allows. Thanks


--
Sincerely,
Christopher J Carroll
Chief of Natural and Cultural Resources
NASAR SARTECH I
ACA Canoe and Kayak Instructor"

Excellent.

Thanks again, Dave.

[dsaavedra]

Great news. Maybe they'll make us a ramp rather than just add sand that will wash out next super high tide.

Yeah let's hope! In my original email to them I mentioned that simply backfilling with sand would likely just wash out again, and instead suggested a hinged ramp that attaches to the curb so it can accommodate fluctuating sand levels. We'll see what they actually end up doing.... I'm about 95% sure they'll just dump a load of sand behind the curb

[J.A. Veil]

I launched at Homeport this morning and found that someone had graded some sand over the curbed area to make a slope rather than a sharp drop-off. I was able to pull my 56-lb kayak easily up over the area at the end of the trip using a C-Tug cart. As Dave noted above, this is likely to be a short-term solution that will wash out on a future high water event.

2021-04-11-001.jpg

I have learned over the years that taking a few extra seconds to balance your kayak's weight front-to-back on a cart will make pulling it uphill easier (assuming you are able to move the cart forward or back before strapping it down). You are not exerting energy to lift the bow or keep the bow from raising too high, leaving all your energy for pulling the cart along. Today's uphill journey was not too bad (I did have a good balance on the cart).

How was the fishing this morning? So-so. I usually fish that area by trolling paddletails from the launch to the creek mouth, then back and forth between Church Creek and Crab Creek. After a while, I put the trolling gear away, paddle back into Church Creek, and break out my ultralight rod with a spinner. I cast to shaded shorelines looking for perch. I had no success on the troll, and had to work hard on the perch. I have some prior knowledge of which shorelines hold perch, and I focused my efforts on those spots. I caught 14 perch, mostly very small ones, in an hour of casting. Those numbers will be higher in a few more weeks.

[dsaavedra]

Thanks for the update John. A temporary solution indeed... but, on the other hand, if all we have to do is speak up when the launch gets out of shape and they make it usable within a week things could be worse.

[Mark]

Actually, I like the soft landings of the sandy beaches at many of the county launches. I'd much rather return to a sandy beach than a concrete or stone ramp to prevent unnecessary dings and scratches to the hulls of my kayaks.

However, the exposed concrete curb at base of these landings is an issue. As long as the county periodically checks and replenishes sand I see no problem. It would be nice if they did it routinely without prompting from users.

As I mentioned earlier, the same situation occurs at the Downs Park launch into Locust Cove. The county has added sand there several times since the launch opened and a good thing has happened. The sand disperses into the water immediately in front of the ramp as it retreats with tidal action. In so doing, it has created a nice clean hard base of sand to stand on a few feet out in the water. I'd much rather stand on that while launching and returning instead of sinking into the dark, smelly muck that used to engulf my ankles.