Houseboating suggestions...

[dubc80]

Houseboating! Good times. Been twice, both times with Waterways on the Shuswaps.

Ya, if you're looking for this August long, no chance. Both times I went we booked in the fall/winter for the coming summer.

Lots of good suggestions already.

- I echo the comments about capacity. Try for 50-60% of the suggested capacity.

- Try to pre-plan your meals. Have people responsible for meals on certain days throughout the trip. That way you avoid everyone cramming into the kitchen trying to cook at the same time with limited space and people using all the pots/pans. It's also nice to be able to relax and not have to cook most days.

- Have people responsible for bringing the condiments, paper plates etc otherwise you'll end up with quadruple of everything

- Bring fireworks

- Bring a 3-man waterbaloon slingshot

- We also brought a boat and rented a seadoo and towed them behind out houseboats. Useful to use as a taxi and for daytrips if people want to go somewhere so you don't have to drive the houseboat.

- #1 key element is to have the right mix of people. Should be ok on a stag, as everyone should know what to expect.

Laughed out loud at the comments about things getting dirty and gross. I started brushing my teeth and peeing in the bushes on shore midway through the trip and avoiding the bathroom on the boat all together. haha. Good memories.

Hope you find something which suits your needs. You guys will have a blast.

[Russic]

Going on a houseboating trip was the first time I truly felt old. We ended up watching a pack of 18 year olds try to chop down a 50 foot tree for firewood, another one *holding* a firework as big as his leg as he launched explosive charges at his own boat, and a pair deciding that the best place to have sex was in front of about 10 people.

[MissTeeks]

Ah, houseboating. I went on a stagette a couple years ago. We lost the bride and one of the other girl's picked up the groom from a different stag. It was the longest weekend of my life.

Also, make sure you go with people you actually like. I only knew the bride and 3 other people on a boat for 22 and it was horrible. And don't go in on shared booze if people say they don't like beer, because we didn't buy enough and then everyone seemed to drink it anyways and we were out by the Saturday night.

[Tron_fdc]

I love houseboat stories. I've been looking for a photo of one of my buddies taped to a wheelchair, getting rolled off the top deck in the middle of the lake. It exists, but I can't seem to find it on anyone's facebook.

Needless to say he nearly drowned when he hit the water and sank like a lead weight.

[dubc80]

Originally Posted by Tron_fdc

I love houseboat stories. I've been looking for a photo of one of my buddies taped to a wheelchair, getting rolled off the top deck in the middle of the lake. It exists, but I can't seem to find it on anyone's facebook.

Needless to say he nearly drowned when he hit the water and sank like a lead weight.

haha. Seemed like a good idea at the time?

We implemented a "no swimming" rule for when we were inebriated. Didn't want to be retrieving bodies floating alongside the boat at sunrise.

We rented a seadoo last time we went and one of my buddies attached the rope to THE BACK of the seadoo after he was done. I was the one driving the boat after embarking in the morning and all of a sudden someone started yelling for me to stop the boat. Because of the way seadoos are weighted, it didn't take long for the back of the seadoo to dip underwater and we were dragging the seadoo with the houseboat as it was fully submerged underwater. Oops. The whole seadoo was full of water, and couldn't even float anymore. We had to lift the seadoo onto the back of the houseboat to try to bail the water out and drain it.

Dibs out on being the one returning it. haha.

[Tron_fdc]

We also lit off a bunch of roman candles, and one of them shot off on to the back of someone else's boat. Buddy came out, and he was HUGE. Ex WWF guy (can't remember his name). When everyone saw him they all ran into the trees (this was on Neilson beach).

I went over to apologize, he was a super cool guy, and invited me on to his boat that had 12 girls on it.....and him. It was all fine until he started giving them lapdances, clothes started coming off, and this massive steroid guy walks up to me and says "get the ###### off this boat. NOW".

Saw the guy the next day and he regaled us all with tales of how he slept with every girl on the boat when he kicked us out.

There were a lot of really weird things that happened that trip.

[Lego Man]

These are all awesome stories lol.

I think the advice I value the most so far is about the dirty bathroom. I will plan to never step into that place if I can help it.

[dubc80]

Also, do 3-4 days.
Get there, go hard, and get the hell out.

Went for 7 days the first time and it was too long.

[Tron_fdc]

Yeah, and don't ffwd the orientation video. Lots of good stuff in there that's useful. Like steering, how not to drain your batteries, and how to park without smashing into things.

I took off from the dock with the motor trim waaaaaay up, because I had no idea it was adjustable. For about 20 minutes we were steaming down the lake with a massive rooster tail behind us, trying to figure out why we weren't going very fast at such high RPM's.

It's ludicrous to think they give keys for boats to guys like me.

[worth]

Got stabbed on a houseboat on Shuswap a few years back. Good times.

[Jacks]

Someone mentioned Neilson Beach. Unless you are prepared to do an all nighter do not park at that beach. If you want to party then that's the place to be, music blaring all night, multiple parties, random strangers on your boat, fireworks and lots of drunk people.

[calumniate]

Originally Posted by worth

Got stabbed on a houseboat on Shuswap a few years back. Good times.

Did you remain friends?

[worth]

hah, it was probably better that it wasn't one of my friends who stabbed me. Some dude coked out of his mind swam up on the back of our boat wearing nothing but jeans and a backpack. We were all on the beach except for two girls inside of the houseboat. The lights went on inside and a friend went to investigate because it looked like someone who didn't belong was inside our boat. Long story short, we all ran inside the boat, guy grabbed a knife from the kitchen, while we were trying to wrestle this guy down, he stabbed me in the shoulder, we finally subdued him, had to wait for an hour for the RCMP and EMS to show up.

This was on Neilson Beach. So I recommend keeping the back door locked so crazies can't get onto your boat that way. If you're out front, you will see everyone who tries to get on.

[Dion]

I love houseboat stories also. Before the ban of water balloons we used to take one of these slingshot thingies to launch balloons.



Anyway we're cruising the lake and we spot this other houseboat where the husband is piloting and his wife is sun tanning on the deck in a chase lounger. He sees us coming and eagerly points to his wife who is sleeping. We load and boom we hit her square on the face and stomach and she goes flying out of the chair. Husband starts to howl in laughter and she starts to beat on him as she is not amused by the whole incident

[OldDutch]

Originally Posted by worth

hah, it was probably better that it wasn't one of my friends who stabbed me. Some dude coked out of his mind swam up on the back of our boat wearing nothing but jeans and a backpack. We were all on the beach except for two girls inside of the houseboat. The lights went on inside and a friend went to investigate because it looked like someone who didn't belong was inside our boat. Long story short, we all ran inside the boat, guy grabbed a knife from the kitchen, while we were trying to wrestle this guy down, he stabbed me in the shoulder, we finally subdued him, had to wait for an hour for the RCMP and EMS to show up.

This was on Neilson Beach. So I recommend keeping the back door locked so crazies can't get onto your boat that way. If you're out front, you will see everyone who tries to get on.

I've only been once, but I totally believe this. Those beaches are sheer Spokane crazy at night, and I've been to Full Moon parties in Thailand.

Saw a dude dancing on a third story of the boat next to us wearing a balaclava, fell and hit his head on both rails on the way down, and hit water face down. We all freaked that he was dead, but after a 3 second pause he sprung back to life and resumed dancing in the knee deap water.

We all thought that was funny until dude came knocking at 2AM looking for booze and we refused. I told my buddies to stand down, cause any guy who could take that kid of lickin and not care wasn't going down with a punch.

So ya, go have fun but be aware, there are some messed up people on that beach. It is fun, but in that only do it once kind of way for me. I guess I am really getting old.

[brocoli]

As everyone has said above, do Neilson if you don't want to sleep and are expecting to hook up. Most of the boats are filled with people between the ages of 20-30 and are looking for a good time.

I remeber going and we had the groom on another boat with a staggett party, and he went with the bride to be, while half of our guys stayed on our boat with a different staggett party. From what I remember, everyone left satisfied....

However, you may need to bring some just to be safe

[Lego Man]

Well now I'm scared!

[pylon]

LOL, this is turning into a hall of fame thread.

[LIP MAN]

Originally Posted by fotze

I must have been on the wrong boat (or right boat I guess). It was more the piss, crap and puke fluids that did it. 20 drunk lake-wet guys in a swaying boat, trying to piss in that 'toilet'. I got some foot fungus that wouldn't go away for a year and a half from that soup on the bathroom floor.

Gagging thinking about that.

You guys are just big ole bundles of positivity. But go with Bluewater next time. The owners won't dick you around.

[Jacks]

Originally Posted by Lego Man

Well now I'm scared!

The only real crazy place is party (Neilson) beach. There are probably a 100 little beaches around those lakes. Just pick out a nice secluded spot and have fun.