lakes Archives - BoatinPortal.com

Offering the ultimate in mobility, small trailerable houseboats – at anywhere from 3,500 to 9,000-pounds – offer the perfect opportunity to trail to several different freshwater lakes or rivers throughout the season – a great alternative to being limited to a single stretch of water.

Amenities

A modern-inspired trailerable houseboat incorporates the amenities, function and performance seen in some of the large-sized houseboats. Small trailerable houseboats are sized to accept two to four passengers with ease. Floor plans are devised with space-conservation kept in mind – including such areas as a kitchen, dinette, and shower room – and amenities such as hot and cold running water, fridge, electrical outlets, stove, etc. House boats on a more luxury scale come with a fly bridge, dual-helm, and air-conditioning.

Build materials

Build materials consist of fiberglass, wood, steel, and aluminum, with the fiberglass, wooden and aluminum constructed houseboats the most favored – and steel not so favored, with this build material decreasing in popularity.

Trailering

Offering a reasonably light payload (compare to other vessel’s offering similar amenities) the small trailerable houseboats are towable by a sports utility, small pick-up or similar powered-vehicle. Trailering a short or long distance is a relatively simple and practical process.

For ease in on-road transporting, a trailerable houseboat is liable to come complete with a specifically designed trailer for effortless unloading and loading. A dual-axle trailer in aluminum is equipped with hydraulic brakes, submersible lights, and electric winch for complete ease in operation.

Manufactures

There is a variety of styles for the trailerable houseboats and these are manufactured for the various rivers and lakes and intended uses. They are able to offer luxury and comfort with wide-ranging amenities for a highly pleasurable experience out on the water. A permanent or trailerable floating home is highly popular for those interested in getting a break from day-to-day activities, and perfect for a holiday rental.

TravelWave360 Stoll Manufacturing
STROLL MANUFACTURING
1374 Highway 77,
Marysville,
KS 66508
Tel: (785) 629-8043
www.travelwave360.com

Stoll Manufacturing – manufacture the Travelwave 360. This trailerable vessel, at 36-ft in length x 14-ft in width, is constructed with a patented pontoon lifting system to transfer the vessel in and out of its travel mode – with the pontoons lifted, the hull width is reduced to 8-ft for a much more practical size for trailing on the highway.

Nomad25
Nomad Houseboats, Inc
17695 Campground Road,
Phillipsburg,
MO 65722
Tel: (252) 288-5670
www.nomadhouseboats.com

Nomad Houseboats, Inc – manufacture the all-welded aluminum Nomad 25 – trail, launch and retrieve with complete ease – coming with a wide, spacious interior, a great range of amenities, and room to accept 2-people.

Adventure Craft
Niemela Industries LLC
Calumet,
Michigan,
49913
www.adventurecraft.com

Popular lakes

Some of the popular freshwater lake and river destinations to tow a 18-ft to 28-ft houseboat consist of Lake Cumberland in Kentucky, Lake Mead in Nevada, Dale Hollow and Center Hill Lakes in Tennessee, Lake Powell in Utah, and several bodies of water in Northern California, such as Lake Shasta. Take your pick of the endless list of lakes and river across the US offering gentle waters and unique landscapes to discover.

In summary

A trailerable houseboat offers the opportunity to explore the local (or even further afield) rivers and lakes and gives the opportunity to avoid having to pay hotel fees or similar expenses when away for the weekend.

Whether you are looking for an indoor storage unit, high-and-dry boat storage, or outside trailer storage, there are multiple options to keep the beloved boat and equipment safe throughout the winter lay-up period.

Leaving the motor-yacht tied up at the marine is a safe and convenient option, but is likely to cost the most. Alternatively, trailering the boat home will take a lot of time and effort and might leave it open to the elements (if left in the yard) and take up space.

Below are five of the most appealing boat storage options

Self-Storage Facility

A self-storage facility offers the most cost-effective method to safely store and protect the boat throughout the winter period. A storage unit is also convenient and easy to access with many storage facilities situated near your home, the ocean, bays, rivers, and lakes.

While a regular self storage unit is without doubt a convenient option, there is a high chance that it won’t give the most desired fit. A self-storage unit for a motor-driven yacht, sailboat, or runabout needs to be in the region of 10 x 15 feet. Other standard sizes can include 10 x 20 feet and 10 x 30 feet. Any boats outside these dimensions will find it difficult to use a regular self-storage unit. Also, a maximum height is about 8-10 feet tall.

Outdoor Boat Storage

Even if a self-storage facility doesn’t have enough space inside, some facilities have large outdoor spaces to park up boats, RV, caravans, trailers, etc. Outdoor boat storage is usually more cost-effective than going to a specialized service. But, this space is essentially open to the elements and might not give the desired protection.

Storage facilities located close to bodies of water are more likely to have the needs of the boat owner in mind and provide some type of roof or similar protection from the rain. Plus, certain facilities will offer extra services like light maintenance to boat transportation.

Dry Stack Storage

A dry stack storage system is designed to store RIBs and boats (up to a certain length) in a large rack with many other vessels. A storage rack is usually competitively priced and gives a high level of protection from the rain, snow, wind, etc. A well-protected dry stack storage system is based in a large warehouse. This should ensure the boat is fully protected from the elements at all times. However, the process of returning the motor boat to the water can be time-consuming and difficult.

Plus, the racks are limited in space and most facilities are only designed to accept boats that are within 35 feet.

Indoor Boat Storage

Most of the storage units are able to accept the boats at the more modest range sizes — although certain models of boat are just too big and wouldn’t be able to fit within a standard storage facility. However, the dedicated storage spots are designed with a layout that is more boat-friendly and able to accept the larger boats.

Indoor boat storage is certain to appeal to those living in areas that experience the more difficult weather (snow and ice) all through the winter. A boat left exposed on an open storage facility is certain to experience issues with wear and tear over time.

The majority of indoor boat storage facilities is large warehouses with space to store a number of boats in a single room. Certain extras can feature in the price of renting a space for winter hibernation, such as full winterization and transport (to and from the storage facility). Full winterization can include antifreeze, changing gear lube, stabilizing gas tanks, pumping out water tanks, winterizing air conditioners, and greasing external fittings.

Jet Ski Storage

Storing a personal watercraft (PWC) is similar to storing a full size boat, but at a much smaller footprint. This makes it more achievable to store the Jet Ski on the driveway, in the yard, or enclosed in the garage. But, if there isn’t any safe and secure space at home, there are several under cover storage options available.

A basic self-storage unit often makes a practical choice for storing the PWC. It offers undercover protection to ensure the watercraft is safe from the elements; it is much more cost-effective than leaving at the marina. Most 10 x 10 foot storage units are plenty for a jet ski.