How long does it take you to get on the water?

[Fiveflat]

If I go out on our usual wakeboard Wednesday:

I'm home from work at 3:45
I have to hook up the truck and boat, but we are usually pulling out of the driveway by 4:15, boat launched in the water by 5:00. Two or three sets in and we are off the water by 7:00pm
Weekends are a slightly different story. Especially if we take the houseboat.

[Allan Kendall]

20 min...pick boat up from storage...its on the way to our local lake and put it in. Zebra muscle inspect takes 3 min and boom...its wet!

[IDBoating]

I'm jealous of those of you who live with a boat on the lift in the backyard, and you'll get no sympathy from my about how long it takes to get the ball rolling.

It does spoil you, I'll admit.

We used to trailer our boat to various lakes. Then some friends with lake property said "Come on over to our place, you can dock at our house, you'll have a bathroom, your [then 3YO] son can take a nap in the house, etc. etc.".

We did that a couple of times and then they sold the place. We did it just long enough to realize what a huge difference it made.

We went back to trailering for the next year. And every time I was packing the boat with absolutely everything we would need for the whole day... every time I vacuumed up food crumbs... every time I had to inflate a tube, then DEflate it for onboard storage again... every time I had to let my son pee in the lake... every time he needed a nap... every time people were late meeting us somewhere... we looked at those houses around the lake and remembered what a difference it made.

So we started shopping. It took another year but we found the ideal place. We pulled retirement money out of the stock market and invested in waterfront property instead. And, happily, missed the big stock market meltdown. Waterfront property holds its value even it down markets because there are always rich people who want a fancy vacation home. Liquidity isn't much of a problem for good waterfront property.

Now all of the above problems are gone. My son is heading into his teenage years and all of his friends want to come to HIS house, which means we know who he's with, where he is, and what he's doing. Our retirement investment is appreciating faster than a stock certificate, is way more fun to own, and is paying dividends in real time that are priceless.

And my wife wakes up to this every morning:



Seriously, if you think of waterfront property as part of your retirement investments it changes from an extravagant luxury to a really smart financial move that also happens to yield great benefits for your family and friends. Give it some thought.

[mdk681]

Seriously, if you think of waterfront property as part of your retirement investments it changes from an extravagant luxury to a really smart financial move that also happens to yield great benefits for your family and friends. Give it some thought.

I would have to agree. My parents bought a lake house 20 minutes from their home about 10 years ago as an investment type property. Now that my sister and I are both done with college and on our own, they actually decided to sell their home and turn the lake house into their full time residence.

Both of my parents have never been happier. They love that my friends and I are out there all the time and hang around the house all summer. We have been lake people our whole lives, so using the boat and being on the water is part of my life. They now plan to retire there and say it was the best decision they ever made.

[Timmy!]

Beautiful view WA!

[talltigeguy]

Beautiful view WA!

WA is my idol. I wish there were any lakefront property anywhere around here.

[Joeprunc]

There is something to be said for living where you play. When I get off work, I am on vacation.

[Wakeman22]

It does spoil you, I'll admit.

We used to trailer our boat to various lakes. Then some friends with lake property said "Come on over to our place, you can dock at our house, you'll have a bathroom, your [then 3YO] son can take a nap in the house, etc. etc.".

We did that a couple of times and then they sold the place. We did it just long enough to realize what a huge difference it made.

We went back to trailering for the next year. And every time I was packing the boat with absolutely everything we would need for the whole day... every time I vacuumed up food crumbs... every time I had to inflate a tube, then DEflate it for onboard storage again... every time I had to let my son pee in the lake... every time he needed a nap... every time people were late meeting us somewhere... we looked at those houses around the lake and remembered what a difference it made.


I had to quote your for the repost of your picture. That is absolutely stunning!!! I have seen a lot of docks, and lakefront property but that is it. Can't argue
So we started shopping. It took another year but we found the ideal place. We pulled retirement money out of the stock market and invested in waterfront property instead. And, happily, missed the big stock market meltdown. Waterfront property holds its value even it down markets because there are always rich people who want a fancy vacation home. Liquidity isn't much of a problem for good waterfront property.

Now all of the above problems are gone. My son is heading into his teenage years and all of his friends want to come to HIS house, which means we know who he's with, where he is, and what he's doing. Our retirement investment is appreciating faster than a stock certificate, is way more fun to own, and is paying dividends in real time that are priceless.

And my wife wakes up to this every morning:



Seriously, if you think of waterfront property as part of your retirement investments it changes from an extravagant luxury to a really smart financial move that also happens to yield great benefits for your family and friends. Give it some thought.

Had to quote you that the picture would show again. That is an absolutely stunning sight. I have seen a lot of lakefront property and my share of docks but that is it. The best view ever. What a beautiful sight. Can I park my boat at your place? Them maybe I too would invest the next year.

[Wakeman22]

Now for my time to the water. I have always had an RV at the lake. My dock is 50ft. away. It use to take a little time up. Some coffee and then on the water by 09:30. In the evening after work it was out to the lake. 10 minutes. Then a quick change and on the water in a few minutes.

Now that the lake has been low the dock is on the ground. I still have the spot on the water but used it little due to no dock and I am not beaching my boat. But from the time I leave my house in the morning or evening its 10 minutes to where the boat is. ook it up and 5 minutes to the lake. I try to be on the water now by 10:30 and 4:00 in the evenings.

Thinking WA is correct. Sell the farms the are my realestate investment and get lakefront property on a lake that does not get to low.

[WakerideN]

I'm interested to see how long it takes from the time you wake up to actually being on the water. Our boat stays at the river house in the garage and we have a private ramp 2 houses down so trailering and launching is usually pretty quick. It just seems like it takes forever to get in the water once we wake up, eat, load up everything, shower, etc. We woke up around 7:30 this morning to a beautiful day and perfectly glassy water, despite 80% chance of rain. Here it is almost 10 and we are still not out tearing it up! I could be ready and have everythig loaded up in less than an hour but not everyone else.

I feel like I need to put my foot down or set a timer and when it goes off, I'm leaving...with or without you!

I realize that there are many that have their boats on the lift so getting on the water is typically pretty quick. How long does it take you to get on the water?

I say\think I am comparable to what you have going on. from the pics you posted, wife and a couple of kids. yours are younger so that takes a bit more time.

not sure if your wife rides\boards, but mine does so **** its get up and go, hair and make up not an issue. and my kids are wiping sleep out of thier eyes for the first hour. which is fine with me. I usually keep my boards \ gear in my truck all ready to go because it garaged. so that saves a load of time. lake is only 10 min away so not much commute.

but sounds to me you just need to articulate with your other half what your expectation is. but if your up at 730 and still home at 10am... just sounds like someone does not realize your not really happy ATM, that or she is not really wanting to go?? (she wont tell you that.. because it will just anger us males!)

we have a system at our house.. even our kids.. everyone has a job and if something is forgot... no one is ever in trouble! but the ridicule alone is what keeps them on track..hahah kids manage ipods, camera, towels, cooler. wife makes or stocks what we eat for the day. I take care of the boat, jackets, gear. seems to work out. same with launching. she can back better then most guys I know\see, I just launch with the kids, pick her up. same at the end of the day. we can launch \ pickup so fast its not even funny. I always laugh at the poor guy who is doing it all. usually because he pissed her off, or did not take the time to teach her how to 1. trailer it. 2. back it? often times us males are our own worst enemy?

[skippabcool]

I always laugh at the poor guy who is doing it all. usually because he pissed her off, or did not take the time to teach her how to 1. trailer it. 2. back it? often times us males are our own worst enemy?

We are some of the lucky few. My wife does not like backing the trailer but will do it and does it good. I know several that their wives will not help at all. Not even worth asking them which sucks. Especially if it is bad out. I know a guy that ended up ripping his tracking fins off. To this day his wife still will not help. But she goes out in the boat and does stuff.

Gotta thank and appreciate your better half if they help out. I am waiting for the kids to get old enough that they can do it instead.

[IDBoating]

The best view ever. What a beautiful sight. Can I park my boat at your place? Them maybe I too would invest the next year.

You and everyone are always welcome. Come "try before you buy". I guarantee it will change your perspective. I was dead serious when I said it's not a luxury, it's an investment. And not just a financial one, either.

[WakerideN]

We are some of the lucky few. My wife does not like backing the trailer but will do it and does it good. I know several that their wives will not help at all. Not even worth asking them which sucks. Especially if it is bad out. I know a guy that ended up ripping his tracking fins off. To this day his wife still will not help. But she goes out in the boat and does stuff.

Gotta thank and appreciate your better half if they help out. I am waiting for the kids to get old enough that they can do it instead.

I cannot get my head around what you said??? I get it.. but I dont.

I guess when you put it that way I consider myself beyond lucky.

[skippabcool]

I cannot get my head around what you said??? I get it.. but I dont.

I guess when you put it that way I consider myself beyond lucky.

The part about not helping. If so, I don't get it either. I guess some think it is beneath them to help.

This was a post about a lake here in CO - I hate Chatfield. On the weekends..it's all of the uppity Highlands Ranch moms standing on the dock with their gucci hand bags while dad backs the boat down the ramp, pulls the boat off of the trailer, drives it around to the other side of the dock and ties it up so mom can step into the boat and put all of their kids who are wearing polo shirts into the boat and wait for Dad to get back from parking their Escalade to do anything.

[IDBoating]

uppity Highlands Ranch moms standing on the dock with their gucci hand bags

Yeah, I used to love it when we had to tell women "No, you may not wear high heels in the whitewater raft". Folks like that should live in the Hamptons.