Planning a trip to Lake Powell - Advice/Tips?

[LovinPowell]

Originally posted by Tequilasun
Housboating is fun. Wait till you spend a week on that thing then go to the bathroom on shore. You will have a bit of a sea leg aiming problem..maybe that's just me!

Never had that problem, keep trying, you'll make it.

[Tequilasun]

Originally posted by LovinPowell
Never had that problem, keep trying.

Really?

Our family has a houseboat, although it is smaller than those pictured above (50')

If I spend a weekend on it, I get all wobbly when I go on shore and get in a room with no horizon line. Like the bathroom. Interesting, maybe I'm a landlubber!

We don't beach our houseboat though, so it is constantly moving. That might be part of the issue. I just assumed everyone has the pleasure of the wobbly knee feeling...I think it is kind of fun.

Just my inner ear messing with me I guess.

[mtnsmith]

My parents have a 42' sailing catamaran and when I spend time on that I find myself rocking when back on land for a good day, I think it probably has something to do with free floating the whole time like you said.

[talltigeguy]

If the lake rises more than 15 feet this spring, which it almost certainly will, you will be able to leave from Wahweap and go straight to Warm creek without going through the channel. Then Antelope Marina will be the lesser desired launch point because you have a few miles of choppy channel to go through. Frankly, anything I can do to not take a beating in the channel will be worth it.

[LovinPowell]

Originally posted by talltigeguy
If the lake rises more than 15 feet this spring, which it almost certainly will, you will be able to leave from Wahweap and go straight to Warm creek without going through the channel. Then Antelope Marina will be the lesser desired launch point because you have a few miles of choppy channel to go through. Frankly, anything I can do to not take a beating in the channel will be worth it.

However, if you have to rent a houseboat, renting it from Antelope is far better than from Wahweap. The older, more beaten up houseboats (not to mention the inferior customer service, are you out there Karen?), make having to face some rough water worth going out of Antelope, but only if you're renting houseboats.

Tall, how's your back? It's about time to get back on the water, I'll await your call.

[Matt Garcia]

Thanks guys. The only problem that I see now is that Antelope does not rent the size I am looking for, which is the 44'. Since there is less than 10 of us going I dont need a 59' or 70' houseboat.

I am concerned about the rough water that everyone keeps mentioning. Is there a way to avoid that?

[Tequilasun]

Originally posted by Matt Garcia
Thanks guys. The only problem that I see now is that Antelope does not rent the size I am looking for, which is the 44'. Since there is less than 10 of us going I dont need a 59' or 70' houseboat.

I am concerned about the rough water that everyone keeps mentioning. Is there a way to avoid that?

Sounds like you have room for more then!

[LovinPowell]

Originally posted by Matt Garcia
Thanks guys. The only problem that I see now is that Antelope does not rent the size I am looking for, which is the 44'. Since there is less than 10 of us going I dont need a 59' or 70' houseboat.

I am concerned about the rough water that everyone keeps mentioning. Is there a way to avoid that?

I have a solution to your problem, I have a family of 5 (excluding my two married children). Add that to your party and you will then need at least at 59 foot boat. Actually the 70's are better with the hot tub on the top. There is really no comparison between Antelope's 59 and Wahweaps 44'.

I have never had a problem with the rough water in the narrows, it is more of a nuisance than a problem. If you leave from Antelope, you're in it for no more than 10 minutes, and it also depends on your timing. If you are about 5 minutes behind a tour boat is when it would be at its' worst. That is when the tour boat waves have had time to bounce off of the walls for a couple of times and you will get the "maytag effect". Other than that it really isn't too much to worry about.

[gman]

Matt, Don't disregard bullfrog marina!

[talltigeguy]

Matt,

go early in the morning and it is not too bad, by about 10 am it gets rough. In a Tige, it is more of a nuisance, than a problem. I would drive the boat, not pull it behind, it just does not seem to be worth the small risk of filling the towed boat with water.

Like LP said, invite some rich local to go with you and then you can get the bigger houseboat.

I see the surgeon on Friday, he told me last month that I will be back in the water if it seems OK. My appointment is at 9:30, I am planning on being at the lake at 11:00 or so, can you be there? I got the Fresh Air Exhaust all installed, need to do the maiden voyage with it...

[Moki]

Originally posted by Matt Garcia
Thanks guys. The only problem that I see now is that Antelope does not rent the size I am looking for, which is the 44'. Since there is less than 10 of us going I dont need a 59' or 70' houseboat.

I am concerned about the rough water that everyone keeps mentioning. Is there a way to avoid that?

Matt,
You should be more concerned about the poisonous scorpions and rattlesnakes, the flashfloods, and the man eating walleye bass

Seriously, I wouldn't stress too much about the rough water. If you have an extra driver, I would either have you or somebody else take your boat ahead of the houseboat and find a suitable campsite and place some folding chairs or other gear to reserve it. Then they can come back and direct the house boat to your location. That way you won't have to worry about towing your boat through rough water and you won't have to search for a campsite in a slow houseboat. Your biggest enemy in a house boat is strong winds. In the unlikely event that happens to you, you just need to go up a side canyon and let it blow over. If you have 10 people going, I would seriously consider the 59 foot boat.

[dogbert]

Originally posted by Moki
Matt,
You should be more concerned about the poisonous scorpions and rattlesnakes, the flashfloods, and the man eating walleye bass

Seriously, I wouldn't stress too much about the rough water. If you have an extra driver, I would either have you or somebody else take your boat ahead of the houseboat and find a suitable campsite and place some folding chairs or other gear to reserve it. Then they can come back and direct the house boat to your location. That way you won't have to worry about towing your boat through rough water and you won't have to search for a campsite in a slow houseboat. Your biggest enemy in a house boat is strong winds. In the unlikely event that happens to you, you just need to go up a side canyon and let it blow over. If you have 10 people going, I would seriously consider the 59 foot boat.

Got any GPS coordinates?

[LovinPowell]

Originally posted by talltigeguy

I see the surgeon on Friday, he told me last month that I will be back in the water if it seems OK. My appointment is at 9:30, I am planning on being at the lake at 11:00 or so, can you be there? I got the Fresh Air Exhaust all installed, need to do the maiden voyage with it...

I'm already taking the afternoon off, so I'll have to defer until the next time. I'm interested in seeing the FAE, was it hard to install?

[david f]

We have a houseboat and go every June. Then we go on our sisters weeks throughout the summer. I think we spent about 5 weeks on Powell this past summer. It's the best! We launch our skiboat at Antelope point. Definitely go to wayneswords.com - wealth of info on water levels, temps, etc. Renting a houseboat is the way to go- unless you own one. THAT"S EVEN BETTER!!! Go up as far as you can- we usually stay near Dangling rope but that's as specific as I'll get because I wnat my spot to be there when we go again! LOL!

Sleeping under the stars beats the hotel in Page anyday! Get out there and experience the lake. As we say: Even the worst day on Powell is a good day on the lake!