Best way to tie up next to a houseboat

[211Nick]

We're taking our 211 to Lake Shasta over Labor Day weekend, any input on the best way to tie it up at night?

[Fredk]

RE: Best way to tie up next to a houseboat

IMO the bestway is to get an anchor buddy and anchor it out from the houseboat with a pull rope attached. With the wave/wake activity you won't have to worry about it banging the side or back of the houseboat. You can use some good bumpers and tie off to the side of the houseboat, but with the way you have to tie off the houseboat to shore, there is limited room. Also ... try and find the most protected cove possible to park.

Which marina are you renting the hb from?

[211Nick]

RE: Best way to tie up next to a houseboat

Thanks, that's what I was thinking too. I just bought the boat 6 weeks ago so I'm still figuring all this stuff out. We're getting the hb from Jones Valley along with two other families.

[Fredk]

RE: Best way to tie up next to a houseboat

There are 2 well protected coves just out of JV depending on water level. When you hit the main lake from JV turn right up the Pitt arm. There is a long cove about a quarter mile up on the right (Clicaputti sp?) which is protected from main lake. If you get a map you'll see it. A little farther up the Pitt on the left there used to be a cove with a floating head. Again with low water they make great coves to park. Both should have a arm running paralell to the main lake and act like a breakwater protecting you from all the wave action. Also they the entrances tend to be hidden a bit so use the 211 to check them out first.

We used to go every year until we came across another less crowded lake a few years ago. Shasta still is a great place and one of these days we'll go back for old times sack.

Have a great trip Yellow_Flash_Colorz:

[EchoLodge]

tie up

We just tie off to the anchor lines to the house boat. Boats have done fine even in 40 mph winds. We use some tricky knot that tightens as it pulls on the rope.

[airagain]

I have a houseboat on Berryessa and have regular experience with tying up. Usually what I will try to do is find a cove perpendicular to the main lake. I will tie the house boat parallel to the main lake in the cove and then tie my 210 to the side of the houseboat opposite the main lake. The houseboat acts to protect the 210 from wave action. I use two large fenders like you can by from west marine. Tying to the houseboat has advantages in loading and unloading stuff. Just be careful of your boards and racks on the side facing the houseboat.

[Blue Ski]

On the TVA lakes our system has always been to take boards, anything from 2x4's to 1x10's (what I used) and wrap a carpet sample around one end and staple on the back. Drill a hole near the top and run a line through it. You can then tie these to the handrails on the houseboat and drop them down to the best level. Due to the size and rigidity of the wood the boat does not slip under the houseboat deck and the carpet keeps the boat unscathed. I have also used this when tying off to a pontoon for the afternoon. The pontoon is stuck holding the boards for you too. You can almost see some in this picture: http://www.wisdomdock.com/56.htm

With the 1x10's mine ended up being the size of a wakeboard each.

[jjackkrash]

I Second the anchor buddy.

http://www.sandspike.com/products.shtml

[wakefun]

Nick -
We have been to Shasta several times and rented many houseboats from Jones Valley. We normally tie up to the side of the houseboat once we have found a nice quite cove/bay to make our homebase. As menioned above all it takes are some good bumpers, bungie cords and a little experimentation with the set-up and your are good to go. If you get into some wind (which can happen at Shasta) pulling the ski boats off the houseboat and anchoring with an Anchor Buddy type system is a good back-up.
Also, regarding where to go once you leave the Jones Valley Marina - we have had great luck up in the Squaw Creek Arm. About 1/2 way up on the west side, especially when the water is low, there are many little hidden away coves and bays. Send the ski boats ahead to scout as the houseboat crawls along.
The Pit arm usually has some good water for riding but the primo parking spots go fast.
We love it at Lake Shasta and, hopefully, will be back again next year.
Have a great trip.
John

[ag4ever]

Or you can tie the boat in a way that it won't touch the house boat but is still secured to it.

Take some 1-2' long 2" PVC pipes and run rope through them. Tie one to the front cleat of the boat and to the hose boat so it is perpendicular to them both. Then tie the second one to the rear cleat and it to the house boat perpendicular like the front.

Now to keep the boat from moving front and back, tie a rope from the front cleat of the nautique to the rear cleat of the house boat and a rope from the rear cleat of the nautique to the front cleat of the house boat. This will creat a criss cross pattern that will keep the boat from moving front to back, and the pvc will keep the nautique away from the houseboat so it does not bang against each other.

[wakecrashin]

Easiest Way:

Buy about 7-8 Swimming noodles (long hollow foam pipe things) and hang them up and down over the side of the house boat. Best protection ive found. Make sure the noodles is down to the waterline.

[wake_fun]

Re: Best way to tie up next to a houseboat

Shasta is really low, be careful and have fun :mrgreen:

We're taking our 211 to Lake Shasta over Labor Day weekend, any input on the best way to tie it up at night?

[chris2000proair]

I've decided that the best option is to drop anchor 6-8' away from the houseboat. Tie the anchor off at the stern and attach a bow line to the houseboat. Anytime you want to load or unload onto the houseboat just carefully pull in that bow line so you don't disturb the anchor and step onto your boat. I can relax a lot better knowing that my Nautique won't be bouncing off the houseboat at all that way. I just got back from Shasta yesterday actually. The water is low like everyone says and dropped about a foot everyday we were there. But don't worry there's still lots of it! Oh.....and NEVER move the houseboat with your boat tied along the side. Even if it's just across the cove at a minimal speed like I did a couple years ago. Check the last picture below of what happened. The first Pic is how I do it now. The second is how I used to do it. The third......how I'll never do it again!

[Nautiqueman]

at least it wasnt a Nautique

[211Nick]

thanks for the input. I'm thinking I'll do something similar to #1, but this is my first boat so my wife and I are having nightmares about #3. I think I'm more worried about my boat than my three boys!

How much was the gas up there? Any other Shasta tips?