A Sunday Morning post

[Marina Bum]

I'm hanging out on a beautiful Sunday Morning and contemplating how Summer is over and the lake is cooling down and dropping. It all feels anticlimactic and once school starts again for my young people it's very hard for me to get anyone interested in going to the lake. I believe this is the very best time of the year to be out on Powell as far as weather goes but I just can't seem to rally the interest or motivation in myself or others to get there this year. (I know no one cares and some are even glad, one less boat out there) but that's not what this post is about.

Then there are the beautiful days here in Flagstaff too. Calm Days in the low 70's with warm sun and some sparse cloud cover mixed with occasional light rains; The leaves are changing and the days are getting shorter fast. Knowing winter is coming and hoping for another big one also conspires to keep me here preparing for winter ie winterizing boats, chopping wood, testing the snowblowers, fueling up the Bobcat, battening down the hatches and preparing for the Hollidays.

Still I've got to get back one more time if only to winterize the houseboat and batten it down too. That will be both enjoyable and sad as another season goes into memories. It was a great year, I'm thankful and hoping for another.

I'm suggesting to my wife that we should try to have Thanksgiving on the boat, go out and beach and fry a turkey on the shore or smoke one in the Traeger or both. She's not so sure, It could be a beautiful day in Page or we may have to drive through snow to get there and run the heat the whole time. If it's the latter I'm sure we won't be going. It's hard to simultaneously pray for both beautiful warm days in November and a killer run off in May. But between the two I guess I'll take the latter

Anyone ever done Thanksgiving on Powell?

 

[Big_BobberII]

We have been houseboating in November. Can be a cold affair. But on the positive side, you will pretty much have the whole lake to yourselves.
We have seen very few boats pass by when anchored in Warm Creek even with the cut open in November. One windy winter storm caught us by surprise and we had to just anchor in until it passed by in about a day and a half. Saw one hungry coyote, a NPS boat (coming and going) and a rental houseboat that was struggling against the wind to get to the cut and back to the rental dock. (The rental boat had to finally beach as the wind was blowing it sideways.) Lows can be in the 30's and highs in the 60's. Snow usually melts off the dock in a hurry. We tried to do Christmas with a rental houseboat many years ago but got caught in a government shutdown that closed the Park. You can order Thanksgiving dinner from Safeway if you don't want to cook. Smoked turkey sounds great!!

 

[kilojuliett]

We have done Thanksgiving every year for the past ten years. We left early one year a while back when there was a T-giving forecast for heavy snow in Flag. You probably remember that. We do our turkey in the gas grill on the foredeck. It is always awesome! We also do a two week trip in October. Leaving in three days. I would say about 70% of the time the October weather is fine. We only had one October trip out of ten with lots of wind. November is always cold but clear about 95% of the time. We have plenty of heat on the HB and bundle up for the small boat fishing. Fall is my favorite time (Shhh!)

 

[jimmybame]

I’ve always wanted too but the boat is usually put away by then maybe someday

 

[Gem Morris]

I used to spend Thanksgiving weekend (after Thursday) at Powell every year for about 10 years in a row. It’s a great time of year to fish Hite. Of course, Hite is not what it was. Many of those years we could launch at the primitive ramp, but I haven’t done that now for many years.

The weather varied from beautiful warm shirtsleeve days to snow. Mostly it was nice.

My friends are talking about making that a routine again going forward, who knows?

 

[BartsPlace]

I think late fall, and perhaps early spring, is where the differences between Page and Bullfrog become most apparent. The north end of the lake seems to cool off a bit quicker and stay cool longer than the south. Late fall is still my favorite time at Lake Powell. I've had great weather in November on the north end and hope to get down at least one more time this year. The lighting and vibrant colors are unlike anything you see during the rest of the year. The houseboat was pulled this week for maintenance. The ski boat and jetskis have been winterized. So, my only hope for the remainder of this year is a possible fishing trip.

 

[Dworwood]

I think late fall, and perhaps early spring, is where the differences between Page and Bullfrog become most apparent. The north end of the lake seems to cool off a bit quicker and stay cool longer than the south. Late fall is still my favorite time at Lake Powell. I've had great weather in November on the north end and hope to get down at least one more time this year. The lighting and vibrant colors are unlike anything you see during the rest of the year. The houseboat was pulled this week for maintenance. The ski boat and jetskis have been winterized. So, my only hope for the remainder of this year is a possible fishing trip.

I hope you make it!

 

[KYKevin]

I'm not only looking forward to November at Powell but winters are awesome all so, when its in the teens here in Huntington, 40's and even warmer some years at Powell are hard to beat.
I don't do Thanksgiving at Powell, but I do before and after every year

 

[Ryan]

I love October at Powell. I’ve been in November once. That was a cold trip and the fish didn’t cooperate.

If we lived closer I’d likely go more often in the fall. But I also have to balance that with hunting seasons. 4 (possibly 5) big game tags plus two South Dakota pheasant trips this year means I won’t make it back until next spring at the earliest.

 

[jimmybame]

I would love to be on Powell during a snowstorm I did install a cheap diesel heater and surprisingly it does work

 

[KYKevin]

I would love to be on Powell during a snowstorm I did install a cheap diesel heater and surprisingly it does work

My son in law and I fished Bullfrog in a snow storm, and I'm still kicking my self for not stopping fishing and taking pictures of it. Everything in the boat was white. But it left as quick as it came, and melted away just as fast. Fishing was great that trip, and I would like to think now I would stop and take pictures, but I'm not sure, fishing was great.

 

[VikingRanch]

I'm hanging out on a beautiful Sunday Morning and contemplating how Summer is over and the lake is cooling down and dropping. It all feels anticlimactic and once school starts again for my young people it's very hard for me to get anyone interested in going to the lake. I believe this is the very best time of the year to be out on Powell as far as weather goes but I just can't seem to rally the interest or motivation in myself or others to get there this year. (I know no one cares and some are even glad, one less boat out there) but that's not what this post is about.

Then there are the beautiful days here in Flagstaff too. Calm Days in the low 70's with warm sun and some sparse cloud cover mixed with occasional light rains; The leaves are changing and the days are getting shorter fast. Knowing winter is coming and hoping for another big one also conspires to keep me here preparing for winter ie winterizing boats, chopping wood, testing the snowblowers, fueling up the Bobcat, battening down the hatches and preparing for the Hollidays.

Still I've got to get back one more time if only to winterize the houseboat and batten it down too. That will be both enjoyable and sad as another season goes into memories. It was a great year, I'm thankful and hoping for another.

I'm suggesting to my wife that we should try to have Thanksgiving on the boat, go out and beach and fry a turkey on the shore or smoke one in the Traeger or both. She's not so sure, It could be a beautiful day in Page or we may have to drive through snow to get there and run the heat the whole time. If it's the latter I'm sure we won't be going. It's hard to simultaneously pray for both beautiful warm days in November and a killer run off in May. But between the two I guess I'll take the latter

Anyone ever done Thanksgiving on Powell?

I’ve done a thanksgiving at the lake, tent camping. Pretty cold at night, and glassy and calm otherwise. Did a bunch of hiking, no swimming… Was a magnificent trip.

 

[VikingRanch]

I think late fall, and perhaps early spring, is where the differences between Page and Bullfrog become most apparent. The north end of the lake seems to cool off a bit quicker and stay cool longer than the south. Late fall is still my favorite time at Lake Powell. I've had great weather in November on the north end and hope to get down at least one more time this year. The lighting and vibrant colors are unlike anything you see during the rest of the year. The houseboat was pulled this week for maintenance. The ski boat and jetskis have been winterized. So, my only hope for the remainder of this year is a possible fishing trip.

Our Sea Ray has a building to park in, but not heated, so I’m winterized as well. Dreaming of insulating and adding a heater to make fall trips easier. That hour to pull all the plugs and pour glycol in is surprisingly discouraging.

 

[Lake Bum]

Never done Thanksgiving on Powell, but I've done plenty of November trips back in the day with Mondofish, and OldNo7. Some very very quiet lake days, having it ALL to ourselves. Fishing is hit and miss, but who cares.....good memories.

 

[Rainbowbridge]

Anyone ever done Thanksgiving on Powell?

Yes, we did Thanksgiving @ our Lake several years ago & was great.

No crowds, & OH so peaceful.

Folks would ask my gal pal....'Did you bring a turkey?'

She would reply: 'Why Yes, he drove the boat'



Who do these punsters think they are??

 

[Rivergoer]

One nice thing about fall/winter on Powell (aside from the solitude) is wind…the LACK thereof. Even after a brief snow shower it was calm enough to strike out in the canoe.

The week between Christmas and New Years Day 2022 (Face or West Canyon, memory not what it used to be)




However, it’s important to be prepared. A front can come through bringing wind and hail.

Rock Creek (Two days earlier December 28, 2022)


But when the sun comes out it’s jaw-dropping gorgeous (Mouth of the San Juan February 5, 2023)


A final thought regarding weather, we use Weather Underground (Page and Bullfrog) for trip preparation. We’ve consistently found temps on the water to be 5-10F warmer than forecast. So trips with forecast highs in the 30’s actually turn out to be mid-40’s.

Try a Thanksgiving on Powell…you will LOVE it!

 

[Marina Bum]

Thanks for sharing those great photos, I've not seen very many of Powell in winter. What brand is that boat? I'd guess Boatel by the rounded bow fencing and what could be a one piece roof but I'm not sure. Love the simplicity of the rig and just having a canoe on top, looks awesome.

 

[Rivergoer]

Thanks for sharing those great photos, I've not seen very many of Powell in winter. What brand is that boat? I'd guess Boatel by the rounded bow fencing and what could be a one piece roof but I'm not sure. Lice the simplicity of the rig and just having a canoe on top, looks awesome.

Thanks…Not a Boatel, though we really love those boats. It’s a 1980 Kayot, formerly Seven Crowns Resorts rental boat #12 Lake Mead, resurrected in 2016 and christened Yachtzee for it’s new life at Lake Powell. The roof consists of 5 sheets of 8x10’ marine plywood coated with a two-part, walk-on epoxy.

Winter on Powell is breath-taking. We do however draw the line when the driveway‘s covered with snow

 

[Marina Bum]

Cool, you have your own trailer. Let me ask a few questions: does it have a propane furnace? (Not common back then) How many feet long is the boat and what do you tow it with? How wide is your boat? Kayott was my second guess because the rail drops down and the gate but I've never seen rounded corners at the bow on a Kayott, I've rebuilt a few steel pontoon boats in my day too. Is this picture in page? Are you a full timer in the area?

A lot of folks think Kayot went out of business, that's the rumor any way but the company was Kayot/Harris and Mercury bought them and they still build high end pontoon boats in their factory under the name Harris. I like Kayot for their superior steel pontoons in this era, they are oval or kind of apple shaped and have the two I beam on top with galvanized cross ties. (Smart) Much less prone to rusting through from the top than the Boatels.

Incase you know anyone who is interested in restoring one I know where one can be had in Page for not a lot of money. The toons are in great shape, one of the motors died so its been sitting for a few years. Overall it's in good condition for a 40 year old boat, it belongs to a friend, she bought something else that was running. She's a single gal with her own houseboat and she takes it out herself, very cool, you don't see that often. My wife and I have known her for years. Anyway The Kayot was her baby, she's owned it for 20 years. She's ready to move it on incase you know anybody or want a fleet.

Awesome set up with the trailer, Nice boat you have there? Thanks for sharing.

 

[Rivergoer]

Finally back from our 2nd trip in as many months, Fall is our Spring at Powell Thanks for the compliments, we love and use the heck out of our 1980 resto-Kayot.

1) does it have a propane furnace? (Not common back then)
- Yes indeed, a catalytic propane radiant wall heater. Keeps things nice and toasty in winter.

2) How many feet long is the boat and what do you tow it with?
- It’s 36’ long. Tow it with a 2006 Ram 3500 4x4 Dually. In 4 wheel low it’s a piece of cake

3) How wide is your boat?
- It’s 12’ wide. Oversize Load, however no escort required. Boatels started at 14’ wide so we went with the Kayot.

Page is our 2nd home, the boat was restored in Parker, AZ and hauled through Flagstaff in 2016 to its new home in Page.

The Yachtzee restoration project:

Rollin’ The Dice

When Dennis Robinson decided to take on a major renovation project on an old out-of-commission rental houseboat, the name Yachtzee seemed appropriate.

houseboatmagazine.com

More about the trailer:

Houseboat Trailer - Gooseneck

There was some interest and a few questions in another thread about our houseboat trailer. Figured I’d post a few pics here to show how we rigged a 36’ Tandem Double Gooseneck trailer for hauling Yachtzee. The boat weighs in at approx 15,000 lbs, the trailer is about 7,000 lbs and rated to...

wayneswords.net