NH lake property advise

Lots of experience on this site with on the water properties so I would like to pick your brains a bit.
I've made the decision to sell my current property and make the move to a lake for my full time property. I've been looking for a while now but the weather around here has got a lot of new stuff popping up.
Areas are southern nh- northern mass, desperately trying to keep commute within an hour to work.

My first question being. How small is too small of a body of water to enjoy the wonderful things we all do with our boats? In terms of acres or miles long I have a hard time picturing how quickly I will run out of space at 40mph. I've been using Google maps to measure rough distances from shore to shore in mileage. I find that acreage is kind of a hard judge, it's more in the overall shape.

What are your top must have items that you need in a lake before you would consider. (Within reason) I'm talking deal breaker items.

Right now my only make or break will be a place either already has or has the potential for a decent size garage. And deep enough water.
Any recommendations in the nh ma areas?
-Tony

Just for some possible interesting reference and comparisons:

Small Lakes

Now I'm getting completely different measurements on Bing. Ugh. Weird

Quinn makes Deep lake incredibly large by your measure.

75 Tique wrote: Just for some possible interesting reference and comparisons: Small Lakes

Great read thanks.
Thanks for the pointers, seems most of you guys ride lakes that are in and around 250 acres regularly.
So I realize within my commute circle is kind of narrowing down results greatly. But it is the only way that it is feasible for me.
To put in perspective a bit, the lake I normally trailer too is chebacco lake @209acres. It becomes too shallow for the bfn later in the season when we have a dry summer like last.
I don't go there on the weekends because it gets too crowded. Has a public launch that gets crowded. And weekdays usually the only people I have to dodge are the bass fisherman. I am not sure how this lake is fed but the fact the depth is never predictable I know I would not want to be on that Lake. Also the water is poop brown.
My current lakes of interest are
Little island pond @155 acres
Big island pond @500 acres
Arlington mill res @270 acres
Cobbet pond @335 acres
Northwood lake @650 acres ( has a nautique dealer)
Pawtuckaway lake @ 780 acres
There may be others I'm unaware of that fit my bill.

I am limited to just a tablet for my Google Earth uses so I don't have the full version and it doesn't let me put measurements onto the map so i cant post up pics like the small lake thread. I've just been using a ruler and holding it to the screen haha.

I think the only lake in question is little island and since there is a decent looking place for sale on it now it makes me question if 155acre is too small. That's probably a 2 beer max lake.

fanofccfan wrote: If you need to make it a more beer lake go around more than once!

This is a great point. Also it would depend alot on who is drinking and how fast they drink.

Its good to hear you dont get bored toi easily of it, i dont think the novelty of having the boat sitting ready to go at all times will wear off with me no matter how big the body of water is. Little island is a very private pond compared to most of the others i am looking but maybe with that plus, the negatives include its size.

So right about compromise! Quinner and I enjoy a very private setting and even on weekends it can be very quiet. We do sacrifice convenience--like restaurants (only one), no gas on the lake, and everybody can come out at once and that's the end of slalom or any chance at footing.

A few miles away is the Fox Chain--7000 acres of lakes they are the opposite--but very awesome during he week. Weekends--read somewhere that it's the busiest body of water stateside measured in boats per acre. All I know is if you fell out of your boat, it would be like playing an advanced level of the video game Frogger trying to swim to shore.

So one of the places I looked at abuts an association beach, which I think 6 properties belong to. It has a couple docks on it. I have heard this can be a nightmare at times because a lot of these associations have no real hierarchy in which to reciprocate any issues that may present themselves. It doesn't seem like an overly huge issue to me, Anyone run into this issue before?