its 8 miles up river and there are several benefits aside from it being a great facility:

1. quiet launch ramp (no waiting in lines)
2. no river current makes it easy to launch
3. guarenteed fresh water, no need for flush
4. ideal location if headed up north for the day (middletown, gildersleeve island, cobalt, etc)
5. great owner and great people

need i say more? also i dont think cost is a factor.

what is the cost though?

not sure what the rates are this year. you would have to call.

+ No DEP/cops sitting right there waiting for your drunk azz!


The fresh water is why I launch there. I can see my town boat ramp (saltwater) from my house, but I choose to launch in Chester so I know everything is completely flushed after every useage... engines, drives, trailer, etc. Yes it cost me a lot in fuel to do it, but it's worth it to me knowing everything isn't corroding away...

Plus, you got alot alot of extra cash layin around!

I get the cost difference I hate paying $4k for a rack but I am not sure I would agree with some of the other points that have tossed around.

1. Cost of fuel and down the river against the current especially for Scot
2. Cops really they hang out under the bridge and in front of Essex.
3. parking over there is always crazy and cars always in the way.
4. The water is brackish up a lot further then that, a couple of you guys have aluminum heads... Are really not flushing your motors? Really?
5. Time. 8 miles and half is no wake zone so it is 30-40 minutes extra each way.
6. Dark as sh!t at night when there is no moonlight.
7. No pool or bar or restaurant.
8. Not sure but do they have a place you can wash, wax or clean the bottom of your boat.
9. Can you change your oil there?
I think I heard the price is around $800 or so which is reasonable and see that plus the fact I do hear they are great people that own it. The rack at BTB is not by any means the best thing around either. It is super expensive, you have to tip the guys all the time. If you get back to late your boat sits in the water all night. Someone else's boat can leak crap on yours. Limited dock space when it is busy, the current is nasty at times. Holy crap this sucks I am talking myself right out of owning a boat. Thats ok with the way Adam and Kev go through boats I will just have one of them sell it for me.

Do you guys grill out with the local yocals and hang out in their floating campers?

hahaha!

+1 but the back porch is still worth it! That and the service is good, when I want my boat on the trailer to take it someplace, they do a good job. It's not perfect but it's pretty good...

I'm trailering my boat anyway I look at it. I dont want to have to worry about it and I like having it at my house so I can work on it at my leisure. I also don't want to have to worry as much about theft issues that I see at most marinas. So anyway I look at it I'm ramp launching my boat, it's just a matter or where.

Frank, as you point out it does cost $ to run up and down the river... it probably cost me $75-$100 in fuel to do so and adds about 25 min. each way (plus 15 min over the road driving time) to launch in Chester, but to me it's worth it. I've distilled the water from the HH ramp and I could not find any trace of salt. Although the river water is still a little dirty so I do flush my engines with a hose when I get home since it's super easy for me to do so with the way my boat is set up. I can promise you there is nothing but 100% fresh water inside my engines after each use...

I don't care how well you flush/rinse with a hose after pulling directly out of salt water, something in your rig isn't 100% rinsed and I'd rather avoid the salt if I can. It's nasty corrosive stuff. The 8.5 mile ride up/down the river doesn't bother me much and more often than not I honestly like the fact that it does add a little to the trip because we almost always are having a good time doing it... whether it be running with other boat(s) or extending the 'party'.

If I had a larger boat like yours and the extra cash (which I don't have either), I'd consider leaving it at BtB... but until someone starts paying my bills and I can convince myself I don't need to worry about flushing my engines/boat religiously, that's just not going to happen.

Like you said, there's pros and cons to both. Personally I'd rather have the inconvenience of doing it the way I do I not have to worry about things as much.