boating along DC on the Potomac
08-30-2016 | 02:24 PM
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From: Alexandria, VA
boating along DC on the Potomac
Hello all,
new guy here, just bought a boat here in the DMV area, and plan on doing a majority of my boating on the Potomac. Was wondering if anyone had the details on what is allowed on the Potomac going into DC. I've seen people boat up to the "three sisters" in Georgetown and whatnot, but not sure where I'm allowed to run WOT, and where I have to keep it under a certain noise level or no wake zones. Thanks for any and all info!
-Eric
new guy here, just bought a boat here in the DMV area, and plan on doing a majority of my boating on the Potomac. Was wondering if anyone had the details on what is allowed on the Potomac going into DC. I've seen people boat up to the "three sisters" in Georgetown and whatnot, but not sure where I'm allowed to run WOT, and where I have to keep it under a certain noise level or no wake zones. Thanks for any and all info!
-Eric
08-30-2016 | 02:57 PM
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1) Make certain you have a boaters safety certificate.
2) Under/past/North of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge, you could be in MD water, DC (National Park Service) water, or VA water. And you also have USCG and Capitol Police out there too. Do not have any weapons on board.
3) Woodrow Wilson bridge + 1 mile North is a No Wake Zone. (Basically the length of Old Towne Alexandria. There is a white marker out there depicting the end/start of the No Wake Zone, north of Old Towne.)
4) Stay away from the airport, just run the channel on the East side of the Potomac. (It's shallow by the airport anyhow.)
5) I don't recommend using the Gravelly Point boat ramp. It's a total CF, and it's real shallow at low tide. There is also a large rock at the exit of the channel that more than a few people have hit.
6) You can run on plane from the No Wake Zone (Alexandria) all the way under the 14th Street Bridge, but do so carefully. I've nearly run over a few idiots there.
6) You can run on plane from the 14th Street Bridge to the Memorial Bridge.
7) You have to be off plane at the Memorial Bridge, all the way to Three Sisters. It's entirely a No Wake Zone.
8) Just watch yourself. Many of the boaters in this area of the river have no idea what they are doing.
9) Until you learn the river from Woodbridge up to DC, just follow the channel. You are safer to run "more" (width) of the Potomac at high tide, but there are some shallow spots, especially around the bends of the river where sediment has built up over the years. There are also a few tiny islands/rock abutments out there you will see. Always stay east of them. They are all shallow between the western shore (Virginia) and said formation. Basically you want to stay on the Maryland side of the river, as that's where the majority of the channel lies. The channel will send you over to the Virginia/west side of the river as you approach the Woodrow Wilson bridge. After you idle past Old Towne, make your way back over to the Eastern/DC half of the River, which is where the channel takes you back to (away from the airport).
2) Under/past/North of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge, you could be in MD water, DC (National Park Service) water, or VA water. And you also have USCG and Capitol Police out there too. Do not have any weapons on board.
3) Woodrow Wilson bridge + 1 mile North is a No Wake Zone. (Basically the length of Old Towne Alexandria. There is a white marker out there depicting the end/start of the No Wake Zone, north of Old Towne.)
4) Stay away from the airport, just run the channel on the East side of the Potomac. (It's shallow by the airport anyhow.)
5) I don't recommend using the Gravelly Point boat ramp. It's a total CF, and it's real shallow at low tide. There is also a large rock at the exit of the channel that more than a few people have hit.
6) You can run on plane from the No Wake Zone (Alexandria) all the way under the 14th Street Bridge, but do so carefully. I've nearly run over a few idiots there.
6) You can run on plane from the 14th Street Bridge to the Memorial Bridge.
7) You have to be off plane at the Memorial Bridge, all the way to Three Sisters. It's entirely a No Wake Zone.
8) Just watch yourself. Many of the boaters in this area of the river have no idea what they are doing.
9) Until you learn the river from Woodbridge up to DC, just follow the channel. You are safer to run "more" (width) of the Potomac at high tide, but there are some shallow spots, especially around the bends of the river where sediment has built up over the years. There are also a few tiny islands/rock abutments out there you will see. Always stay east of them. They are all shallow between the western shore (Virginia) and said formation. Basically you want to stay on the Maryland side of the river, as that's where the majority of the channel lies. The channel will send you over to the Virginia/west side of the river as you approach the Woodrow Wilson bridge. After you idle past Old Towne, make your way back over to the Eastern/DC half of the River, which is where the channel takes you back to (away from the airport).
Last edited by Sydwayz; 08-30-2016 at 03:08 PM.
08-30-2016 | 04:23 PM
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11) Be careful after a storm, and really high tides.
Storms, especially from Point of Rocks (MD) all the way down to Georgetown (DC), really affect the debris in the water, as in a lot of trees and the like.
Same goes with higher than normal tides (around full moons and major storms) as it washes debris that has been resting on the shores into the river heading downstream.
12) Don't attempt to "get busy" with your girl in the backseat/cockpit of your boat while anchored 100 feet off the wall of the Kennedy Center. The Admiral Tilp (double decker) taxi/tour boat might just cruise by 8 feet off the side of your boat, full of tourists with their cameras out. **Of note: I will not be running of office. **Also of note: That captain still honks when he sees me.
And yes, Dave is right. The big Spirit of /whatever/ dinner/tour boats throw a helluva roller when they are up on plane down south of the Woodrow Wilson. But that can be fun when you see it coming. Since the river is usually fairly smooth, and it's just a roller, not a white wake; it can surprise you.
Storms, especially from Point of Rocks (MD) all the way down to Georgetown (DC), really affect the debris in the water, as in a lot of trees and the like.
Same goes with higher than normal tides (around full moons and major storms) as it washes debris that has been resting on the shores into the river heading downstream.
12) Don't attempt to "get busy" with your girl in the backseat/cockpit of your boat while anchored 100 feet off the wall of the Kennedy Center. The Admiral Tilp (double decker) taxi/tour boat might just cruise by 8 feet off the side of your boat, full of tourists with their cameras out. **Of note: I will not be running of office. **Also of note: That captain still honks when he sees me.
And yes, Dave is right. The big Spirit of /whatever/ dinner/tour boats throw a helluva roller when they are up on plane down south of the Woodrow Wilson. But that can be fun when you see it coming. Since the river is usually fairly smooth, and it's just a roller, not a white wake; it can surprise you.
