jtbooten

iTrader: (1)

I love Cumberland. I go to poker run every year and sometimes Thunder run. 200+ miles away though.
A lift would be nice!
The small lake I do most of my boating at don’t have covered slips, I couldn’t keep a Fountain in the elements like that.

PremierPOWER

Im 36 and single and trailer my 34' cabin cruiser all over. In 4 years I am up to 27k miles on the trailer. I keep it on a lift on Lake Monroe in Indiana between trips, but still go everywhere with it (LOTO last weekend, Cumberland next). I solo launch/ retrieve every time, even with friends. It is just much easier for me to do everything myself. I can launch/ retrieve solo much quicker than a family in a 20' open bow.

Back when I was married, my wife's only job was to hold the dogs while I launched the boat. Please ignore my 90lb German Shepherd screaming, he didn't want me to go boating without him lol.

Brad Christy

Marginmn,

Not to derail or hijack, but....

Where on Cumberland are you?

Thanks. Brad.
(937)545-8991

Wildman_grafix

We used to live in the Midwest and I will say that the ramp follies can get old. We did like PremierPower and got a lift on Monroe, that changed everything. Even though we would tow here and there most of the time drive to the lake and drop it. No salt water no flushing when back.

Now yes most of the time its on the lift behind the house, and BTW I do not have a cover on my dock yet so full cover is it. Its a boat, don't worry. I just now am replacing the interior after 22 years, last 10 in a salt water on the lift in Florida I will say we bought a second like Key West to put around on in the shallow water here so really are spoiled.

I do need to get the DONZI ZR that is on my lift back on its trailer so i can get MY boat on the lift.

Brad Christy

JBooten,

When we bought our first boat, my wife had never backed or towed a trailer even once. I tow the boat to and from, and get it turned around and backed to the water. Then I get in the boat, she backs the boat in, using the horn in the boat as a signal for each step of the process, then she parks the truck and trailer. We did do some parking lot practice on this part of it prior. At the end of the day, she goes and gets the trailer and brings it to the ramp. When we first started, we used our cell phones. I was in the boat, talking her through backing the trailer down the ramp. Over the course of a couple seasons, she's gotten fairly proficient and we don't have to do the cell phone thing anymore, other than when it's dark, and she has trouble seeing the trailer and the ramp.

Make it a team effort, both on land and on the water, and boating life gets much easier.

Thanks. Brad.
(937)545-8991

Brad Christy

Delete. Duplicate post.

TexomaPowerboater

Sounds like a slip or rack storage is what you need since you still love the boat and only complaining about the hastle to get it out. Cruisers are just so boring to drive and you end up being the booze cruise captain, great..... If you want more amenities might consider a dockominium so you can keep the go-fast and still have a good place to overnight.

Problem with slips and cruisers is your handcuffed to the lake so can't really travel and trailering not a practical option for most. Lots of lakes around me are flood control lakes that flood and pretty much lose the whole season once every few years or so.

open87

iTrader: (2)

Do it all myself.

It amazes me how even my own family/friends can't follow simple directions at the dock . Like every time is their first.

4195

I went from several go fast boats to a cruiser a few years ago. I was in my mid 40's had 2 teenage kids I thought it would be great and we could travel all over go further and stay comfortably. Let me tell you if you think it is easier or less stressful guess again. There are way more systems on the boat and everything from cleaning to maintenance will take longer and cost more. You become a slave to the boat. I am waiting for my new outboard Mystic center console to come in. Outboards are way to go with. I never saw the allure to an outboard cc boat but have know seen the light. Very little maintenance very few systems plenty of room and I don't have carry tons of crap for guests. Back to day boating for us and still plenty of speed.

Brad Christy

Open87,

We lost a boating friends couple this way. He'd spent a ton of time, prior to their marriage, boating on Cumberland. But, he did everything, and it eventually wore him down and they ended up selling the boat. Oddly, she was shocked when he told her he'd decided to sell it. She was also absolutely amazed at how efficient my wife and I are/were at the whole loading/unloading thing. She never put two and two together.

Thanks. Brad.
(937)545-8991