I'm towing my Hobie 18 to Charleston next month for a long weekend. I don't have beach wheels (would like to buy some used, but that's for a different post).

Does anyone know of a good place to launch a cat on the harbor, or anywhere nearby?

If I can't find something good in Charleston, I may be posting similar requests for Savannah area, Pensacola, Destin, or elsewhere w/n 6 hours of Atlanta -- we are just looking for a good place to relax and sail the hobie.

Thanks - dan

Oh, are you going to Charleston Race Week?

beaufort, sc is about the same distance and way more relaxed. there are several boat ramps around town and about 25+ public ramps all over beaufort county which are not too crowded except during peak times. beaufort bay (a great place to sail) is only about 15 miles by water to open ocean, there are pristine beaches, hunting island state park, etc.etc let me know if you decide to come here, i can hook you up with more info

Tybee Island!!!!

you can launch down at the kayak ramp past 18th st. You'll have to punch out through the triangle to get to the ocean but thats half the fun!

Nope - just getting wet!

You might want to try James Island Yacht Club. They host he sandlapper regatta every year that hosts a multihull fleet, really good people. You'd be sailing in the harbor and from past experiences I might not recommend that. But we were racing ( atleast trying to) so cruising around should be ok.

DJM:

Send me a email link and I will show you how to make your own wheels.

Doug Snell
dsnell4 at houston dot rr dot com
www.tcdyc.com

You may want to take a look a the Gulf coast as well (Pcola is about 6 hours from the ATL). Pensacola Beach, Navarre, Ft Walton, Appalachicola (sp?). White sand beaches for open water and barrier island protected ICW for island hopping. see keysailing.com for Pcola stuff.

Folly Island is the place to launch in Charleston. I kept a Hobie 18 there on the beach for a couple of years. As you come into the island on the main road, Just to the left (north) of the Holiday Inn you would run into is an access to the beach. You really MUST have beach wheels to get the boat to the water from there however...and you MUST go early before the tourist park cars and block the access (like 7:30 - 8:00 am). You can only get access there early in the morning or late at night...and that's really the only spot unless you want to launch on the concrete boat launch on the backside of the island...there is a bridge very near there so you need to be cautious that you can handle your boat away from the ramp so the bridge isn't a problem.

There are a couple of public launches near the end of Sullivan's Island that would put you in Charleston Harbor in about 2 minutes.