Houseboating in BC - Tips & advice?

[Manhattan]

Looking go houseboating with some buddies this summer. Anyone have any advice on which lakes or boat rentals are best? Any helpful tip would be appreciated.

Cheapest I'm seeing is 2 grand for a boat that sleeps 10 for 3-4 days before peak season in July.

[prae]

From what I've heard in the past, you are going to have an extremely difficult time booking a boat that quickly. I think ours was booked eight months in advance.

Waterway is a popular company but perhaps a little pricey.

We chartered through twin anchors at sicamous and were very satisfied with the boat, and the pre/post inspections. With a "full" cruisecraft II on the "mid-season" it was very cheap, between 200-300 a person IIRC.

We went sometime during the last two weeks of august and the weather was not ultra-sunny but we only had 1 day of light rain. Good times.

[luv2ride_bikes]

this place is over your budget a little, but a LOT better than any houseboating trip you will ever get in BC. I went down here for spring break a few years ago. It is amazing.

Houseboating in Lake Havasu Arizona

[JordanAndrew]

Waterway has always been good when we go houseboating. I've tried twin anchors as well and they aren't bad either.

Tips:

I would inspect every little piece of damage on the boat. Don't just check it off the list like a lot of newbies do because they can ding you and claim you made the damage on the boat.

Check the rutter very carefully as that's the most common thing that they try and ding you with.

Plan your trip based on the map, this will save you gas. There are places for parties and such, and then there are places just for peace and quite.

Don't bother bringing food and groceries, or at least just bring just a little bit then buy there. There are a few groceries nearby so you can buy your stuff right there. I found the prices to be pretty similar to what it is in Calgary. I used the space in my car to bring other things first; pillows, more coolers for booze, etc.

Organize just one person in charge of food. We brought too much food the first houseboating we had in the past and we could have easily saved $50-$100 each. Just organize the main food (lunch and dinner) and do your own snacks if you have to.

Organize a cleaning schedule/dishwasher for the day. I remember the first houseboating trip we had, everyone didn't really want to clean and wash dishes. The captain of the trip (ME) ended doing the cleaning as well which was BS.

Organize who gets first dibs on rooms. Obviously the captain and co-captain get's first dibs but then right after is what complicates things. You can either do a draw for it, assign who goes in what room OR drivers gets the first dibs right after the captain/co captain.

Bring board games if you go on the low season. Poker always works for us especially when it rains.

Bring DVD movies, hell you can even bring your xbox or PS3.


That's all I can think of right at the moment. Have fun!

[cmyden]

Organize who gets first dibs on rooms. Obviously the captain and co-captain get's first dibs but then right after is what complicates things. You can either do a draw for it, assign who goes in what room OR drivers gets the first dibs right after the captain/co captain.

Whoever pays first

[thinmyster]

Ive been the last two years:

2007 lake koocanusa.
2008 Shuswap.

Both times were great. Koocanusa had beautiful water and areas to cliff jump/bridge jump. There was less boats (~1 boat per every square mile or something like that)

Shuswap was awesome aswell. One night on neilson beach there was probably ~30-40 boats docked and one party boat with a DJ spinning on top. Cover was ten bucks or you had to funnel a beer/half a mixed drink. (The best night of either of the trips)

My advice would be to bring a boat. Something you could ski/tube/wakeboard behind. We went for 4 nights and I didnt watch TV once.

[Manhattan]

Originally posted by JordanAndrew

Organize a cleaning schedule/dishwasher for the day. I remember the first houseboating trip we had, everyone didn't really want to clean and wash dishes. The captain of the trip (ME) ended doing the cleaning as well which was BS.

Thanks for the good tips. I think we'll be bringing plenty of paper plates lol.

[JordanAndrew]

Originally posted by Manhattan


Thanks for the good tips. I think we'll bring plenty of paper plates though lol.

Just remember that paper plates create a lot of trash. Food for thought.

[98type_r]

budget lots of money for gas

[Barking_Spidre]

If you don't really care much for cruising around the lake, it's very cheap on gas if you just pull out from the beach you stayed at, get into the middle of the lake and just turn off the engine. You'll just float around the middle of the lake, and you're free the jump off and swim around without having to stop the boat.