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Old     (dylanjustice41)      Join Date: Apr 2012       09-09-2013, 9:16 AM Reply   
Anyone ride out here?
I'm in the early stages of buying a boat. I live in Harrisburg, PA and the susquehanna seems too unpredictable for an inboard wake boat.

Looking for ideas of places to check out for riding.
Old     (shorewake)      Join Date: Jun 2013       09-09-2013, 2:00 PM Reply   
Raystown lake. Probably about an hour and 15 from harrisburg. Awesome riding on the southern end of the lake. Gets way to packed holiday weekends and gets a little packed the rest of the july/august weekends. Good window from dawn-1030/11 am on weekends and great for evening riding. 4/5pm to dusk. I'm from NJ and I camp there every summer for a week and haven't been disappointed yet. Free public ramps too and lots of boat storage facilities. Not much around the lake though.
Old     (dylanjustice41)      Join Date: Apr 2012       09-10-2013, 9:22 AM Reply   
Raystown is a ways out there. Easily 90 miles. I'm looking within an 50 miles for weekday trips. Thanks though I've heard there is a large population of riders at RTL.
Old     (shorewake)      Join Date: Jun 2013       09-11-2013, 4:49 AM Reply   
Yea true. Harrisburg is my halfway point so after Harrisburg always feels quick for me. My uncle and his cousin hit Blue Marsh quite a bit, neither have wake boats but they do about 25% wakeboarding and 75% hanging out. Heard it's a good early morning spot and very late afternoon spot. A lot of people go to just hang out and be on the lake there.
Old     (phillywakeboarder)      Join Date: Sep 2008       09-11-2013, 6:03 AM Reply   
Hey man. I grew up riding in Harrisburg. By far, the best, most convenient location to ride is on the Susquehanna river above the York Haven Dam. (Basically, right beside Three Mile Island.) There is a free ramp on the Goldsboro side, and a private ramp (the Tri County Marina Boat Club, 15 bucks to launch) on the Middletown side. My dad's been a member at the club forever. It's a couple hundred bucks a year, and then you can launch for "free" all season and have preferred parking, if it's something you'd be interested in.

Now, if you ask around, you may hear that boating at the York Haven Dam is risky because it's too shallow and there are rocks. Don't be scared away. True, it is shallow in places, and there are rocks in places, but if you know where to run (and it's really not that hard to master) and avoid running when the river is low (say, below 4 feet as measured at Harrisburg) you will be fine. My dad's mastercraft has 2000 hours on it, and about 1600 of them were run at the York Haven Dam.

With respect to wakeboarding, the water is really, really, really good. During the week, it's glass all day long. During the weekend, it's glass all morning, most evenings, and is usually rideable all day. The riding conditions at places like Raystown and Blue Marsh don't come close. Both are beautiful lakes, but Raystown is garbage by 10 am, and Blue Marsh, because of its shape, is waked out by just a handful of boats.

If you end up with a boat in Harrisburg, I'd be happy to show you where to run. I live in Philly now, but I come back to ride with my dad and high school friends about 10 times a year. Good luck!
Old     (dylanjustice41)      Join Date: Apr 2012       09-11-2013, 6:22 AM Reply   
Thanks Eric,
I've ridden a little down at Goldsboro. Definitely great conditions but I usually hate the boat we ride on (18 foot Mariah off the tow eye)
Great advice though I'm glad to hear someone from the area (even if you moved) actually rides. I feel like it's a total dead spot.
Old     (phillywakeboarder)      Join Date: Sep 2008       09-11-2013, 6:42 AM Reply   
I'll let you know the next time I come in. I bring my boat (a 99 star loaded to the gills with ballast) because my dad and all my friends have "real" ski boats - inboard Mastercrafts and a Moomba. I'll probably be back at least one more time this year. (I don't know how you feel about cold water, but I usually go until Thanksgiving, or until my hands freeze off, whatever occurs later.) If you're ever in Philly let me know. We have a rocking place to ride on the Rancocas Creek in NJ, about 20 minutes away.
Old     (dylanjustice41)      Join Date: Apr 2012       09-11-2013, 7:10 AM Reply   
For sure man. I've got a wetsuit so I'm down to ride into the fall. I'll PM you my info.

Great boat btw. Huge MC fan. I've been looking into the early X-Star for myself.
Old     (njskier)      Join Date: Jul 2005       09-21-2013, 4:47 AM Reply   
Dylan, there is also Lake Aldred which is the dammed section of the Susquehanna just south of where Eric is talking about. I was a member of that ski club there for several years. Great water with only a few trouble spots and you can usually find smooth water unless the wind is blowing from the north or south. I think Eric's spot will be better though and less busy but this is just another option for you. I think the ski club is still active with a lot more wakeboarding than in the past when I was there.

If you put in on the west side (Otter Creek campground side) DO NOT go between the islands across from the boat launch.....ROCKS! Go north or south at idle to the end of the island and then you can hammer it. Get some locals to show you around the lake.

http://www.aldredskiclub.com/04%20location.htm

Last edited by njskier; 09-21-2013 at 4:57 AM.
Old     (dylanjustice41)      Join Date: Apr 2012       09-24-2013, 6:15 AM Reply   
Thanks Dave,
I've spoken with the Aldred Lake ski club but they have since dispersed. Down to a few core guys unfortunately. Apparently there are some riders down there but I haven't had enough free time to go camp out with gas money and my equipment.
Old     (Bagar55)      Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Mineral, Va       09-30-2013, 6:57 AM Reply   
Blue marsh is okay for a spot that is close. When I'm up at my girls parents its only about 15 minutes from the house. If you are going to ride blue marsh go early. Really early if its a weekend. If you get out on the water by 7:00-7:30 you will be able to get in a good 2-3 hrs before all the boats totally destroy the water. On a weekend by 10:00-10:30 its almost pointless. The reservoir is pretty big but most of it is no wake. The area that you can ride in is pretty small and because of the shape you end up dealing with rollers pushing all the way across the section. If you get there early it's mostly guys riding that are out and almost everyone will share and run in the same direction so you can get good water. The evenings aren't always the best. If you wait until just about sunset you can sometimes wait out all of the donkeys and get a decent run in. Dawn patrol is always better though. Weekdays evenings are usually okay also. On a weekend during the day it's a mad house. You will be risking being run over by either a spanish gang on jet skis, a 30' cabin cruiser pulling a tube, or some mullet sporting overweight old guy in a 30' fountain running 70 mph in a small section of water. Get in early and get out of there. Pull the boat out by 10:00 or so and then sit at the ramp and watch the fun begin. Another thing to keep In mind. Blue Marsh has a no alcohol policy and the cops are usually out pretty thick.
Old     (dylanjustice41)      Join Date: Apr 2012       09-30-2013, 7:09 AM Reply   
Thanks for the reply, I appreciate the input. Sounds like a real mess after 10 but that's how the game is played if you want good water!
Old     (Salister)      Join Date: Nov 2013       11-03-2013, 1:02 AM Reply   
Long level in wrightsville is about 45 mins from Harrisburg, we took my cousins 26ft twin 350 well craft nova down there, it was averaging 50 foot... just kept running out of lake with that monster...

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