• Welcome to Jetboaters.net!

    We are delighted you have found your way to the best Jet Boaters Forum on the internet! Please consider Signing Up so that you can enjoy all the features and offers on the forum. We have members with boats from all the major manufacturers including Yamaha, Seadoo, Scarab and Chaparral. We don't email you SPAM, and the site is totally non-commercial. So what's to lose? IT IS FREE!

    Membership allows you to ask questions (no matter how mundane), meet up with other jet boaters, see full images (not just thumbnails), browse the member map and qualifies you for members only discounts offered by vendors who run specials for our members only! (It also gets rid of this banner!)

    free hit counter

Raleigh Area Lakes. Jordan, Harris, Falls.

bronze_10

Jetboaters Admiral
Messages
4,672
Reaction score
4,643
Points
387
Location
Raleigh / Wake Forest Area..
Boat Make
Yamaha
Year
2008
Boat Model
SX
Boat Length
23
If I can ever find time to dunk my boat and give it a shake down run to make sure it's ok we will do the nutbush to clarksville run. it's one if our favorite rides!
 

granpachuck

Jet Boat Junkie
Messages
285
Reaction score
223
Points
137
Location
Cary NC
Boat Make
Yamaha
Year
2016
Boat Model
242 Limited S E-Series
Boat Length
24
If I can ever find time to dunk my boat and give it a shake down run to make sure it's ok we will do the nutbush to clarksville run. it's one if our favorite rides!
That's what I remember you saying. My wife and I would love that, as long as I can schedule a nap partway back. Us seniors have to plan for these things. Don't know what places will be open though for lunch, maybe sometime this summer places will be back in business.
 

PBear

Jet Boat Addict
Messages
80
Reaction score
87
Points
87
Location
Sunapee, NH
Boat Make
Moomba
Year
2022
Boat Model
Wake
Boat Length
21
We love the lake. Went last year once towards the end of the season , and went a little more than halfway up and back, just checking out coves etc. Yesterday was our first day out this season, and I thought 1 engine cranked a bit slow, so only went from Nutbush to Satterwhite Marina, anchored in a cover across the way. Didnt want to be caught too far away in case we had to limp back. Definitely planning a longer ride, I remembered your post about going up to VA for lunch. Absolutely want to do that.
I love boating on Jordan, but Kerr is so big and open, has a completely different feel to it. Met another Jetboater, came over and was asking about our 242, great first day out.
We were at Nutbush/Kerr yesterday. Got to Nutbush around 10:15am and the area 2 parking lot was about 1/4 full. When we pulled out a little after 3pm it was completely full. Very nice ramps, a nice big area to to launch/pick up the boat, etc.

Kerr reminds me alot of the Finger Lakes in NY when I spent my high school years on Canandaigua Lake. It's going to be our go to lake this summer. We live just south of the Crossroads are but the extra drive over Jordan is worth it.

We did cruise by the Marina and then went further north and found a nice cove area to have lunch and then wake surfing for the kids.
 

suke

Jetboaters Admiral
Messages
2,112
Reaction score
2,634
Points
267
Location
Holly Springs, NC
Boat Make
Yamaha
Year
2020
Boat Model
X
Boat Length
21
So with Jordan only opening the tiniest of ramps possible after Friday I'll be looking for a new lake. Anyone been to the Falls ramp up in Durham? That a sh1t show like Barton's is? Barton's on any given weekend is a nightmare during the summer, so not surprised it sucks balls right now. Kerr to the Henderson ramp is about 1.5 hours from me. That's further than I'd like to go. The ramp the Jordan Lake state park is opening is about 30 mins from me, similar distance as the Fearrington ramp. I'm guessing they're doing it on purpose. Cooper said to open the parks so they said aight we'll open the tiniest bit we can and be able to call ourselves "open".
 

bronze_10

Jetboaters Admiral
Messages
4,672
Reaction score
4,643
Points
387
Location
Raleigh / Wake Forest Area..
Boat Make
Yamaha
Year
2008
Boat Model
SX
Boat Length
23
Hwy 50 ramp on falls is the way to go I thi k but its closed.... wish they would reopen... u should do Kerr atleast once or twice a year.... it's the best lake in the area!
 

Andisimose

Jet Boat Lover
Messages
35
Reaction score
35
Points
77
Boat Make
Yamaha
Year
2014
Boat Model
AR
Boat Length
21
So with Jordan only opening the tiniest of ramps possible after Friday I'll be looking for a new lake. Anyone been to the Falls ramp up in Durham? That a sh1t show like Barton's is? Barton's on any given weekend is a nightmare during the summer, so not surprised it sucks balls right now. Kerr to the Henderson ramp is about 1.5 hours from me. That's further than I'd like to go. The ramp the Jordan Lake state park is opening is about 30 mins from me, similar distance as the Fearrington ramp. I'm guessing they're doing it on purpose. Cooper said to open the parks so they said aight we'll open the tiniest bit we can and be able to call ourselves "open".

Jordan’s reopening “plan” is bonkers for lack of a better word.
 

suke

Jetboaters Admiral
Messages
2,112
Reaction score
2,634
Points
267
Location
Holly Springs, NC
Boat Make
Yamaha
Year
2020
Boat Model
X
Boat Length
21
Hwy 50 ramp on falls is the way to go I thi k but its closed.... wish they would reopen... u should do Kerr atleast once or twice a year.... it's the best lake in the area!
Gaston is my favorite, but nearly 2 hours from me. We have a place there for a week in July. Can't wait! Gonna put some serious hours on the boat that week. Looking forward to hear what if any ramps falls will open. Hopefully with more stuff opening up people will find other things to do than go to the lake. Harris has never really been very busy even during holidays. Jordan pay ramps I've used have been a ghost town during normal years. New hope ramp even during the holiday weekends was barely half full.
 

Julian

Jetboaters Fleet Admiral 2*
Staff member
Administrator
Messages
18,374
Reaction score
20,468
Points
1,082
Location
Raleigh, NC 27614
Boat Make
Yamaha
Year
2016
Boat Model
242X E-Series
Boat Length
24

bronze_10

Jetboaters Admiral
Messages
4,672
Reaction score
4,643
Points
387
Location
Raleigh / Wake Forest Area..
Boat Make
Yamaha
Year
2008
Boat Model
SX
Boat Length
23
Gaston is my favorite, but nearly 2 hours from me. We have a place there for a week in July. Can't wait! Gonna put some serious hours on the boat that week. Looking forward to hear what if any ramps falls will open. Hopefully with more stuff opening up people will find other things to do than go to the lake. Harris has never really been very busy even during holidays. Jordan pay ramps I've used have been a ghost town during normal years. New hope ramp even during the holiday weekends was barely half full.
Never been to gaston.. it doesnt seem outsider friendly... no good ramps and no bathrooms at the ramps. (As fame as I have been able to find)... if u have a house there then I'm sure it is ideal.
 

Shannon

Jetboaters Lieutenant
Messages
355
Reaction score
328
Points
157
Location
Holly Springs,NC
Boat Make
Yamaha
Year
2016
Boat Model
AR192
Boat Length
19
This is our 5th season going to Kerr and we drive it 95% of the time in hour ten to fifteen minutes to Nutbush. That is Saturday and Sundays leaving Holly springs at 55 and Avent Ferry around 8 to 8:15 in the morning. Also take 540 to 147 toll and get off at Ellis cut threw to hwy 70 and then 85north We have been hooked on Kerr since first season. Reminds me of the lakes back in WNC where I am from. So much more room and the lake is just cleaner. Worth every bit of the drive. Only been to Jordan and Harris a few times and I am right around the corner from both. @suke Make the drive and thank me later right @bronze_10? That 212x will love cruising that long stretch to the dam.
 

suke

Jetboaters Admiral
Messages
2,112
Reaction score
2,634
Points
267
Location
Holly Springs, NC
Boat Make
Yamaha
Year
2020
Boat Model
X
Boat Length
21
Never been to gaston.. it doesnt seem outsider friendly... no good ramps and no bathrooms at the ramps. (As fame as I have been able to find)... if u have a house there then I'm sure it is ideal.
I'll have to say I've never used a public ramp there, so I'm not sure. I've actually never taken my boat there. Buddy has a house there and I always take my ski up there and ride with him and put in near his house. Which would not be ideal for a boat, but works for a small ski. There's a nice new public ramp across the cove from the house we rented.
 

suke

Jetboaters Admiral
Messages
2,112
Reaction score
2,634
Points
267
Location
Holly Springs, NC
Boat Make
Yamaha
Year
2020
Boat Model
X
Boat Length
21
This is our 5th season going to Kerr and we drive it 95% of the time in hour ten to fifteen minutes to Nutbush. That is Saturday and Sundays leaving Holly springs at 55 and Avent Ferry around 8 to 8:15 in the morning. Also take 540 to 147 toll and get off at Ellis cut threw to hwy 70 and then 85north We have been hooked on Kerr since first season. Reminds me of the lakes back in WNC where I am from. So much more room and the lake is just cleaner. Worth every bit of the drive. Only been to Jordan and Harris a few times and I am right around the corner from both. @suke Make the drive and thank me later right @bronze_10? That 212x will love cruising that long stretch to the dam.
Good to know! I live in Braxton Village, so a little further down Avent Ferry. We're super close to Harris lake, so we normally do that on short days like Sunday as I need to get the boat cleaned up and back to storage.
 

bronze_10

Jetboaters Admiral
Messages
4,672
Reaction score
4,643
Points
387
Location
Raleigh / Wake Forest Area..
Boat Make
Yamaha
Year
2008
Boat Model
SX
Boat Length
23
I'll have to say I've never used a public ramp there, so I'm not sure. I've actually never taken my boat there. Buddy has a house there and I always take my ski up there and ride with him and put in near his house. Which would not be ideal for a boat, but works for a small ski. There's a nice new public ramp across the cove from the house we rented.
Humm. New ramp u say?
 

suke

Jetboaters Admiral
Messages
2,112
Reaction score
2,634
Points
267
Location
Holly Springs, NC
Boat Make
Yamaha
Year
2020
Boat Model
X
Boat Length
21
Humm. New ramp u say?
It isn't big by any means, but every public ramp I've ridden by on Gaston has been a ghost town. Granted this pandemic may have changed things. I like the drive up water restaurants, and easy access to fuel/docks on Gaston. Looked at nutbush and surprised it's still open given it's at a state park. Park pass I bought gets my into Kerr as well, so I'll have to make the trek there sometime. Wife says she wants to try Jordan again. Fearrington ramp was such a mess and the water there is always rough. Brand new boat I hadn't even had for more than a day got push up under the dock a little bit and put a tiny little indention on a graphic. Nothing to really cry over, but was so choppy was hard for my wife to keep a hold of and tie up. Low ass end on the 212x when the dock went up and came back down the back cleat managed to get stuck. I saw what was happening and ran down the dock and pushed it out before any real damage happened. The normal ramp we used at Jordan was always calm and pretty deep up in a cove, and was really big. Even when the main lake was a washing machine it's nice and calm there. We'll have to give nutbush a shot at some point. I mean if we drive 30 mins and wait in line for 45, and then another 15 trying to park.....what's the difference of driving an hour and 20 mins and unloading almost immediately? Leaving by 8am is easy too as we have a 5 yo that's up with the sun. Shoot we could probably even leave by 7am.

This is the new ramp. New dock, new ramp, but pretty small.

142 WILDLIFE LANDING RD

HENRICO, NC 27842
 
Last edited:

bronze_10

Jetboaters Admiral
Messages
4,672
Reaction score
4,643
Points
387
Location
Raleigh / Wake Forest Area..
Boat Make
Yamaha
Year
2008
Boat Model
SX
Boat Length
23
Not this saturday but next saturday the 16th I think me and @AndyD may head to Kerr for the first shake down run.... depending on weather of course...
 

suke

Jetboaters Admiral
Messages
2,112
Reaction score
2,634
Points
267
Location
Holly Springs, NC
Boat Make
Yamaha
Year
2020
Boat Model
X
Boat Length
21
Yeah this Saturday looks a little chilly. So gonna grab my boat tomorrow and probably polish out the lovely buffer trailers someone put on my boat, and treat the cover. Next weekend I'll see what the wife wants to do. We may try that small ramp at Jordan and see how it is......

Anyone heard any rumblings on if Falls will open anything? Looks like they haven't updated their site since March 20th. Hopefully with the stores and shiz opening more people will want to go shopping or do other things and the boat ramps can start to go back to normal.
 

suke

Jetboaters Admiral
Messages
2,112
Reaction score
2,634
Points
267
Location
Holly Springs, NC
Boat Make
Yamaha
Year
2020
Boat Model
X
Boat Length
21
Parks are suppose to open this sat..I would think that would mean ramps too
Jordan has already announced they're only opening a tiny section of their park and it included one ramp, and it's the smallest ramp in all of the park.
 
Top