Boat Ramps

"Good men with poor ships are better than poor men with good ships"
--Rear Admiral Alfred Thayer Mahan

The Saquatucket Harbor boat launching facility in Harwich Port is among the best available in the state. The facility provides a steep double lane ramp useful at any tide. There are daily and increased fees charged for the season. The facility is well managed and trailer parking is protected. Boaters wishing to rent a berth by the night are urged to call ahead for a reservation. Photo by Tom Leach

Seasonal Ramp Pass Application Form
The Town of Harwich maintains several boat ramps for public use. Tidal-water ramps are located at Saquatucket Harbor in Harwichport, Allen Harbor in Harwichport, and Herring River in West Harwich. There are also two public ramps located on Long Pond. All ramps are governed by the regulations listed below.
Boat Launching Facilities and Landings Under Control of the Public Access Board
The following regulations are brought from the regulations for Boat Launching facilities and land under the Control of the Public Access Board (324 CMR 2.00 - 2.05). The Saquatucket Boat Ramp is Public Access Board Ramp.

Authority 2.01: Special situations within certain Public Access requiring detailed regulations will be printed separately. The Public Access Board authorize any rules and regulations under MGL c.21, s.17A. pertaining to Public Access Facilities.

Admittance 2.02: Maximum limits as to the number of users of Public Access Facilities under the control of the Public Access Board will be established for each Public Access Area. Admittance to given areas may be suspended temporarily when in opinion of the Public Access Board a need arises.

Boat Ramp Rules 2.03:

No person shall build or maintain a fire for any purpose.
No person shall remove, destroy, or deface any vegetation, sign, poster, building or other property.
Parking areas are for the sole use of motor vehicles parking in conjunction with the intended use of the facility. Vehicles shall be parked according to striping pattern or other means used to delineate the proper places to park. The conduct of any other activities in the parking areas is prohibited.
Camping, swimming, sleeping, and picnicking activity shall not be permitted within the boundary of the Public Access Facility.
Water-skiing shall not be conducted from or within 300 feet of any Public Access Board Facility. The operation of personal watercraft shall not be conducted from any Public Access Facility, except for initial embarkation and final disembarkation.
No fishing activity shall be conducted from within a fifty (50) foot radius of any boat launching ramp.
At no time shall a person deposit or leave any refuse on land or adjacent waters under the control of the Public Access Board. The deposit of sanitary waste is also strictly prohibited.
The washing of motor vehicles, flushing motors or other equipment is prohibited.
No person shall carry on any business or commercial calling or trade, sell or otherwise deal in wares of any sort, advertise any such business or commercial calling, hold any public meeting, or conduct any tournament contest or organized event, unless he shall have received a written permit from the Public Access Board. Posting of any sign or notice (commercial or otherwise) without the prior approval of the Public Access Board is Prohibited.
No person shall dock or beach a boat or leave a motor vehicle or trailer for more than 24 hours within the boundary of the Public Access Facility. Storage of boats, equipment or other items on Public Access Facilities shall be prohibited except with written permission of the Public Access Board and the managing authority (Harbormaster).
Disorderly conduct, gambling, drinking of alcoholic beverages, use of illegal drugs, obscene or indecent language or behavior is prohibited.
The closing or gating of any Public Access Facility or any action that prohibits or impedes the ability of the public to use any such facility without the written permission of the Public Access Board is prohibited.

Violations 2.04: Violations of any of these rules may be punished by a fine of not more than one hundred ($100) dollars for each offense.

Risk 2.05: Persons using the Public Access Board Facilities do so at their own risk.
Boat Ramp Rules and Regulations (Tidal-Water Ramps) Section 3.09:
At a Public Meeting of the Harwich Board of Selectmen, the Board voted the following BOAT RAMP REGULATIONS, to become effective upon adoption as part of the Harbor Management plan, October 11, 2005 (or subsequent versions).

The Town shall make available Season Boat Ramp Passes for Saquatucket and Allen Harbor ramp areas. The cost of the pass is $80.00 (Jan, 2004). The passes are in the form of an adhesive sticker.
Stickers shall be permanently affixed to the boat trailers left side fender or trailer tongue.
DAILY ONE-DAY type passes shall be sold and honored at the SAQUATUCKET BOAT RAMP ONLY, (at a cost of $8.00 daily for 2004 season)
Ramp Passes shall be sold to all on equal terms and shall be useful only at Allen Harbor, Saquatucket Marina and Long Pond 1st landing ramps.
Any violation of these regulations shall be subject to a fine of $125.00 for each offense, each consecutive day shall constitute a separate violation.

The following additional Regulations for Harwich Salt Water ramps are promulgated by the Harbormaster under authority of MGL c.102, s.21, s.25, s.28. Violations subject to a fine of fifty ($50).

Unless otherwise posted no vessel shall tie-up unattended alongside any public Town Landing courtesy float longer than than 15 minutes, nor shall any vessel tie-up, berth or cause to be docked or tied to any other area within a Town Landing more than 30 minutes. Any boat left unattended at any float or landing stage, and any boat removed from the water and left on Town property will be removed at the expense of the owner. In the event that markings have been removed or defaced or if ownership cannot be determined within sixty (60) days, the boat may be sold at public auction, destroyed by the Harbormaster, or disposed of in any other manner permissible by law. Persons violating any provision of this section shall be subject to a fine of fifty dollars ($50.00) for each such violation (section 10.0 Harbor Management Plan 2004)
All trailers, boats, recreational vehicles must vacate the parking area between midnight and 4:00 A.M. daily.
There shall be no fueling (either diesel or gasoline) of boats, outboard motors, auxiliary motors, etc. in the area of the boat launching facility.
All, fish, fish fillet, fish parts, shellfish, etc., shall be kept onboard any boat or vessel using the boat ramp while in the area of the boat ramp and public parking area.
Town By-Laws
The following regulations apply to all areas and are extracted from the Town of Harwich Protective By-Laws.

Consumption of Alcohol in Public - Penalty 4-806: It shall be unlawful for any person to consume alcoholic beverages on any public highways or public parking places, including vehicles thereon, within the Town of Harwich. Whoever violates the provisions of this by-law, shall be fined fifty ($50.00) dollars for each offense.

Rude and Disorderly Persons - Penalties 4-810: No person shall behave in a rude, indecent or insulting manner or use insulting language, or shout or scream and/or utter loud cries without reasonable cause in any public place in the Town to the annoyance or disturbance of any person there being or passing, or loiter on any sidewalk or street or about doorways or places of business to the annoyance or disturbance of any person. Any person violating any of the provisions of this by-law shall be fined fifty ($50.00) dollars for each offense.

Camping or Tenting - Violation and Penalty 4-810: No person shall, between the hours of 8:00 P.M. and 8:00 A.M., set up on any property, public or private, without permission of the owner thereof, a camp, tent, trailer or vehicle adapted to habitation, self-propelled or capable of being towed by any other vehicle, or sleep in the open on any property, public or private, without permission of the owner thereof within the territorial limits of the Town of Harwich. Any person violating any of the provisions of this by-law shall be fined fifty ($50.00) dollars for each offense.

Restraining Dogs 4-812: All dogs owned or kept within the Town of Harwich shall at all times be kept securely restrained by means of a suitable leash, rope or chain which effectively confines the dog to the property owned, occupied or controlled by the dog’s owner or keeper, provided, however, a dog in the presence of its owner, keeper or responsible person having charge thereof and under the control of said person, need not be restrained by means of rope, leash or chain or confined to property of such person so long as such control is effective in preventing the dog from damaging or harassing persons. (Dogs and pet animals are permitted in the Marina only on a leash or otherwise confined or restrained.)

No Animals Allowed on Beaches in Summer (off season) Public "Beach Scooper Law" effective: In order to further protect the wetlands and waterways of the Town from non-point pollution the Board of Health and Board of Selectmen have adopted the following regulations in accordance with MGL c.111 s.31: All animal owners are responsible for removing wastes produced by their animals while on any beaches within the Town of Harwich. The term beaches shall include: sand, dune, water, and parking lot, violation of this regulations subject $50 per order of the Board of Selectmen.

Waste/Trash Disposal and Use of Dumpsters 3.10:

No person shall dump any rubbish, trash, refuse, garbage, or litter at any public landing other than by depositing same in any receptacle that may be provided by the Town for the purpose. No person shall deposit any fish parts in any receptacle provided by the town without first double plastic bagging and tying same.
No person other than a boat operator shall deposit any rubbish or refuse in any dumpster at a Town Landing or pier. Home generated rubbish and refuse shall not be deposited in Town Landing receptacles.
Waste oil generated from motorboat crankcase oil changes from boats situated at Town Operated slips and/or having Harwich Dockage permits shall deposit said waste oil and associated oil filters in the recycling depot at Saquatucket Marina or at the recycling tank at the Town Disposal Area, Queen Anne Road.