I saw it prolly a dozen times this summer

Afraid to run it, Hard to get away and get air with a infant.:drink:

I may be wrong but as for the depth question my common sense tells me that it is deepest near the dam, since most all rivers flow down hill....

I have seen some pretty nasty waves as well, the most strange situation was when a "hole" opened up and our 38 cat caught air falling into it, needless to say we got wet coming out...

The biggest waves always seem to be after the shootout and after fireworks... Lots of fun after dark!

Come on down and we'll leave the gals at home......if they let us.:(

It's still on the lake, just different owners.

What does water depth have to do with wave height?

:grinser010:Hijack the thread, back on wash cycle.:drink:

That is about the deepest I've seen and in the same area.

Waves Waves Waves!!!
When we moved here 6 years ago we were told of the killer waves that would knock the pop machine we put on our gas dock off into the lake! Dont get me wrong but 4 years later the pop machine had to be hauled back up the dock and up the ramp and up the stairs to the Pepsi truck when we sold the place. The docks did take a beaten!!!
Having lived in Chicago and boating on lake Michigan when the weather radio says 7 - 12 with a 14 poss - wholly hell hang on. All I have ever seen at the lake is the 4-6 chop we had when all the boats would leave the lock and dam at the same time,we called this hells kitchen - you fellow Chi-towns know it the good ol days when the fast boat got out in front to the clean water. My 2 cents
Have a great Christmas
Thumper:food-smiley-007:

man sorry you bought a fountain. I test drove my TG on lake michagan and fell in love. heres the kicker lake michagan is swells but LOTO is just wake. side chop ect. you really need to navigate. 25mph you should have been off and on that throttle more till you started brakeing through to stay on top. sorry pal.:party-smiley-004:

thats what i want to learn how to do. just in case i ever find myself running in the ocean. definately not an issue for our lake.

rumor was that auggie sold his 70' bluewater and purchased 2 50 footers...dunno if thats true but I know he sold his 70' the new owners are alot more relaxed and lack the security he used to keep on the boat.

That is correct form what I have heard and seen as well. They were out last year throwing Bud stuff of the 50(+/-)Sea Rays.

that blue water tears the docks up, and of course they only know how to plow with it.

later

I have a place in the no wake area after the bidge as you go to partycove. I've seen alot of wakes coming from partycove but NEVER 12 or 15 footers. It was fun watching the boats take off when the rain hit last memorial day but no 12 footers!
It can and will get rough on loto but keeping on throttle and watching when you leave can greatly reduce the size of wakes you may run in to.

I've never been to LOTO but really want to go, but after reading this thread and watching these videos, I'm having serious doubts about towing my 29' Fountain 1,600 miles

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ktgnx6oPtE[/YOUTUBE]

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2S_kAZkYVI&NR=1&feature=endscreen[/YOUTUBE]

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCVPU4HWokQ[/YOUTUBE]

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9ZOi4n3ydk[/YOUTUBE]

You will have NO problem with your boat. Those pictures are leaving Shootout tie up. For about 20 minutes it is the closest thing to hurricane waves you will ever experience. BUT if you wait the 20 minutes, take that time to go hang out and watch all the crazies leave at once (3000+ boats coming on plane at once), you will be fine.

The biggest weekend of the year is Shootout. IT is the best weekend to visit, because everyone is here. that being said, it is also the time you must boat with your head not just the throttles.

Secret of a smaller boat: Come early, leave late. Just plan your trip accordingly. You will have the time of your life!

The biggest problem with LOTO is once you visit, you never want to leave. Seriously, Look where I live now!

For more of a flavor of the lake, www.midwestboatparty.com

As long as you know how to drive in rough water you'll be fine. I have a 24' Baja and Im out every weekend! Including the Shootout weekend! So you'll be just fine in your 29' Fountain. Come visit! You'll have a great time!

We used to own a 24' Sea Ray Sundeck and we did not have any problems. Once in awhile we got wet, but nothing close to being unsafe. You will be just fine in your boat. Come to the lake and be prepared to have a blast!

Brian's post sums it up. You will be fine. The only real bumpy water is to and from the event itself and if there is a storm scenario like last year it will heighten the number of boats leaving at the exact same time.

We used to run all over the lake in a 272 baja which is more or less a 25' boat. One thing to add is to run a bit closer to the shoreline when it is really bumpy as it will give you a little more time to see what is coming at you. If you run directly down the middle of the lake sometimes you are forced into wakes at a less than favorable angle due to traffic on each side of you.

See you in August ;-))

What if a person has no experience and a 21 footer?
Stay in the cove until everyone goes home?

A 21 footer and no experience is a recipe for disaster at LOTO on a busy weekend.
If you go, use caution. The best plan would be to stay somehwhere that is very close.

I agree with the no experience and going out during the busiest of times. Make no sense, but the rental companies love it.... That being said, depending on where you boat makes a huge difference as well. The Main Channel up to about the 33 mm is the roughest because it is the most heavily traveled. But the higher numbers, Niagua Arm(s), Gravois Arm and the numerous coves are all fine even even on the "Big Days" To clarify, big days are event days (Shootout, poker runs, races) Or Saturday during the summer between 11 am and 4pm. Other than that, It will NOT be a problem. During the week, is always a great ride.

I just looked at a few shootout videos.....WHO NELLY! In the ocean can be rough but they come from 1 direction....but there WOW!

Not a problem for a Powerplay. ;)

got that right!!!

Just a few Lake Michigan waves

Clearly you haven't experienced a hurricane in person. :lolhit:

It was a problem for this big Outlaw that if I remember correctly ejected its passengers, size doesn't alway matter as we all learned from last year's Shoot Out Poker Run video that went viral. It seems that most incidents like these are with boaters that are from out of town. But with this being said, there was also a 18' Donzi that ran Support the Troops Poker Run which held its own with the big boys. I don't want to open up the debate about boating incidents on LOTO or what had caused them from drivers not knowing what they were doing, down to not wearing the kill switch lanyards. The bottom line, LOTO is not an easy lake to enjoy during the weekends, holidays and major events and with all the wrong factors in place it can be down right dangerous as can a lot of other bodies of water out there. So, I guess my point is saying someone will "will have NO problem" may be providing a false sense of security.

Racerngr1, dragging your 29 all the way to Missouri to boat on LOTO for the first time would give me serious doubts as well. If you are looking to come during a quiet week then go for it. But if you're looking to come for the Shootout or a holiday then I would fly for the first time to scope it out and see if it is something you want to deal with. I know there are all kinds of boaters out there that fit all kinds of molds, but for us we have a hard time relaxing at that this lake that is only 2 hours away from our home. In fact when we take long weekends and vacations we drive right past it for an additional 2 hour drive. We go maybe two or three times a year, mostly in the Fall. From the rough water, other boaters and the worries of waves while she is in the slip is just too much for us to unwind and relax. But then again that is just us, our boat is kept in bubble wrap.

I hope you get the opportunity to visit with or without your boat at least once, it is truly a fun and unique lake and experience.

If I remember correctly, that Outlaw Driver was not wearing their lanyard, was sited for BWI. NOT a good mix.

If you are pulling 1600 miles, it is not for one day. It would likely be for a week. I have been coming to LOTO for 12+ years, we were weekender's for 8 years and now live here full time. (for us it was a 9 hour trip when we were weekender's) Sunday afternoon through Thursday, the lake is rarely busy. Saturday is always the busiest during the summer,

Common sense, is really the most important part of boating, here or anywhere. Follow that and you will be fine. I am a safe boater and pay attention to what is going on around us, I expect people on this blog are basically the same or they wouldn't be following performance boat web site. Just saying...

It looks like we are saying the same thing, but I will go out on a limb here and say that something tells me someone from this forum wants to drag their boat out here for the Shoot Out and not for a quiet week of boating.

I cannot speak as too the driver's physical state other than something and most likely rough water ejected everyone on board. If they were impaired and like I said "with all the wrong factors in place it can be down right dangerous" you support my point. At the same time however, last year's Fountain incident during the poker run alcohol wasn't a factor and some said the driver was actually an experienced boat racer of some type.

I also said, "If you are looking to come during a quiet week then go for it."

You and I both know "common sense" at LOTO can be an oxymoron at times. My stress and lack of relaxation comes from stress cracks, dock rash, worrying about others around the slips and the 2'-4' rollers starting 100' from the end of the docks. But like I said that is just us and the molding we came from, if this doesn't brother others then they will have a wonderfully relaxing time at LOTO. This is simply my opinion and those can choose to take it or leave it.

Why not just rent a place at the 40mm +? The water from 40-55 is no big deal and it is still close to Cpt. Rons.

We're at the 55 mm. Different morons. No one appears to know that you're supposed to stay at No Wake Speed 100' from docks or even around boats tied up, people in the water. That doesn't mean plow speed, it means throttle all the way back. I've never seen sooooo many idiots plowing INSIDE No Wake buoys , which is wrong to begin with. Then with all the docks, and people floating on rafts 10-15' from their dock. Appears that leaving the city and coming to the LOTO give idiots the chance to shine their brightest. Read the Mo. Water Patrol Handbook! These boats aren't freaking tanks. Betcha didn't know, you're responsible for damage your wake causes? Hard to pin it on one person down there for sure. Been to Potty Cove one time, 26 years ago. Haven't been back since, and never will. Lake is over 92 miles long, I'll keep chasing the calm water!

Calm water = Table Rock = most boring week on the water I have ever had.

We haven't stayed up there yet, maybe we should give it a try during the season. But most of the fun destinations are aways from there, especially at night.

Not for anything but most of us are not blessed with a 40' Skater so I can completely understand why Table Rock would be a boring week for you. That simply means more water for us lil'guys at those southern lakes.

You also have to admit the rough water of LOTO is slightly different than the rough waters of most lakes. Don't get me wrong I do enjoy the challenges of rough water but when you only have so many hours in a weekend and there is just so much LOTO rough we can take.

I don't remember how long ago this was taken....i'd venture to say a good 10yrs ago...but this boat was already on the way down......this was leaving from PC
I've seen easy 6-8's leaving the cove....

I have always owned smaller boats (25'-32' Crownline) with no problems anywhere. I actually take my 15' Sea Doo jet boat out all over the main channel Saturday afternoons. Granted, you have to be smart about it. I just don't see the big deal. If you are not in any big rush and don't expect to travel 40 miles on the main channel Saturday at 2pm, you will be fine. We usually just find an area and stick to it when the rest of the lake is busy. My uncle lives at the 52mm and has never owned more than a 21' boat.

In the Gravois arm, you have 3 awesome bar/restaurants and 5 or 6 coves that you can do water sports in which is exactly what we do on the weekends in the Sea Doo. We haven't owned the Skater long enough to actually explore the lake. I expect it will allow us to go from one end to the other any time we want, but again that has not been our routine over the past 5 years.

We all having different boating styles. My schedule is
Early morning - jet ski ride with my daughter before there is any traffic
Late morning - tubing, skiing, etc in some nearby coves
Early afternoon - be somewhere (either on the dock or lakeside bar/restaurant)
Late afternoon - think about dinner and heading back home if we are out
Early evening - calm water again to take the kids back out tubing, etc.
Evening - cocktails and good food (usually at home)

Repeat, Repeat, Repeat.

Bear Bottoms, Capt. Rons, Big Dick 1/2way in are in the upper numbers in case you are looking.

^^^^^^^^
I've been to every part of LOTO (with the exception of the Osage Arm past Big Dick's) in a 23' and 26' boat during one of the busiest weeks/weekends of the year - July 4th.

I completely get what you guys are saying.

It is true what knot & bam are saying.

You don't need a massive boat to enjoy what the ozarks offers.

You can safely get anywhere you want on LOTO in a 21' runabout. Plan on traveling 25 mph & enjoy the beautiful houses gracing the shoreline.

Since boat traffic peaked in 2006, you don't have to worry about the volume of boats on the weekends. Yes there still are big boats everywhere but you're not traveling 6 wide all the way down the main channel.

LOTO is returning to it's quiet graceful days of the 90's..... I don't mind it one bit

With gas at about 4.50 per gallon on the water all those big boats are heading for the closest bar/restaurant or cove to drop anchor in. There is not nearly the traffic on the lake there was around 2006.

That is exactly why I hang out on OSO so me and my boat can only go 25mph in order to enjoy the day! :poopoo: