House Boating

[Ryan]

If all you need is to charge batteries I’d look into renting a Honda eu6500 and get a cord to plug it into the boat. Those are very fuel efficient and will run anything on the boat that is 110.

 

[Marina Bum]

I think the consumption data is based on WOT. I’m suggesting leaving early on smooth water and running in lower RPM ranges. IDK if you’ll do as well on consumption pushing your big rental while towing a runabout but your consumption could be cut in half over WOT. It’s 10 hours runtime to oak at 6MPH so you’d burn 120 gallons potentially each way. If you run the generator 24/7 it can burn a gallon an hour(depends on the size and load) so yeah, you’d have to pack a lot of fuel if you plan on using the toy tank for your runabout.

However, If you use the toy tank for refilling the houseboat you should make it assuming you are out 5 days running the generator. That’s where gas cans come in, as a safety factor and for the runabout. I am unaware of any great sites closer in that won’t be well traveled during high season so it’s a choice. Sorry, I wish my message was more hopeful but haul your fuel and get far afield while the opportunity lasts or search and hope for a secluded spot along with everyone else. I fear that once fuel is available again up lake the opportunity to more easily find some seclusion mid lake in high season will be over. It’s been spectacular so far!

If hauling cans isn’t for you then you might want to try a spot in Gunsight, it’s much closer and is within striking distance for fuel, ice or beer at Antelope in your runabout in case you really go through it. I hope that helps

 

[andrewvbe]

12 gph is overkill…At 3,100 rpm figure 3 gph per engine or 6 gph (our houseboat 2015 Merc 115 Fuel Injected 4 Stroke consumes 2.5 gph consistently, towing or not towing).

With 230 gals, even without the Cut…going the long way…you can comfortably make Rock Creek and back and run the genset daily to keep batteries charged.

Oak Bay isn’t what it was back in the heyday when there used to be dozens of houseboats and cruisers. A lot of those big sandy beaches are either high and dry or gone due to erosion and lake fluctuation. Choice spots are limited these days, but that could change with a nice 2024 spring runoff…we’ll see…

I figured that was a bit high. I can't recall exactly what we used in 2011, but I don't believe it was anywhere near 24g/hr. We kept our cruising speed below 8 knots and got where we wanted to go. No sense in rushing, we usually send the speedboat to look for a spot once we get to the channel.

 

[andrewvbe]

Thanks for all the replies. The Honda generator isn't a bad idea, I have a pal to borrow from, and I'll probably bring a 15gal gas can (maybe 2). We won't escape using the onboard generator for at least some of the time for the A/C and hot tub though. We'll keep praying for more snow/precipitation on the watershed and a hefty runoff. I'll ping again as the date draws near. All good info! Here's a shot from 2011. Not much of a bathtub ring then. I don't recall where on the lake that was

 

[mmmkay]

I've taken the 62' Journey rental to Oak Bay for 5 days. It was 2020 so the cut was open (so a little bit shorter path) but we used WOT pretty much the whole way, did not refuel at Dangling Rope, and towed a wakeboat and a pair of PWCs. We only ran the generator a few hours per day and only used the toy tank to refuel our PWCs (wakeboat was refueled at Dangling Rope). On the last night we topped off the main tank using the toy tank and had plenty of fuel for the return.

I wouldn't stress about it too much, but make sure you have some extra gas to refuel your speedboat since Dangling Rope is no more. I think their fuel consumption estimate is very high on purpose so that people plan a decent safety net. The last thing they want to do is rescue people that run out of fuel. As long as you make sure your tanks are full before you depart the marina (ours were not initially), you should be fine.