Laser sailing in Topsail Sound area?

[cclxxxz]

Hello,

I will be visiting Surf City, NC next week (from Silver Spring, MD) and I'm wondering if I should bring my Laser. I have never been to this part of North Carolina, so I would like to know if sailing on the Sound side in the area would be worth trailering the Laser for nearly 400 miles. Also, if the sailing is good are there public launching areas that I can use? I'm hoping not to have to drive too far from Surf City.

Any advice on this would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

[Rob B]

I'd say no. The public ramps will be jammed with fishing boats and wave runners. You'll just piss them off and there's usually no freash water wash down spot. The ICW has pretty strong current and is narrow. You'll have much more fun renting a surf board,and hanging on the beach enjoing the scenery. Know what I mean?

[Jerryd]

If you stop by New Bern on the way down or Oriental where we are, there is great sailing on the Neuse.

[203]

I've sailed on the ICW at Manteo and Atlantic Beach on dingys. I actually think you might enjoy it. The water is shallow, and the waves can be big, but the wind seems to blow at exactly the right direction all year long.

Bring some old shoes, as you will likely get grounded, and there's no telling what you'll be stepping on. Sand bars bring you to an abrupt halt no matter what way you've go on. And the salt/brackish water will stain/corrode some things, but you might already be familiar with that.

Good luck and welcome to North Carolina...

Richard
Salisbury ( NC not MD )

[chip.whitesides]

Our open regatta at CYC at Wrightsville Beach is 8/7,8.
Have almost 40 lasers signed up so far.

There are some reasonably wide areas of sound behind topsail - so would say yes to sailing there.
Inlet to ocean is tricky and full of shoals.
Not sure about launching though.

That is a long tow.

chip