Private and/or timeshare houseboat owners, tell me what you think of this thing...?
 

The first week of May I will be picking up the houseboat I purchased. It's 60' with twin 150 outboards that is located in Bullfrog on Lake Powell. I have an '08 X-Star and will be towing it behind the houseboat several times this season. I've towed the MC a lot behind rental houseboats using 1/2" anchor rope, but I ran across this boat hitch and would like to get some feed back. Check out the links and tell me what you guys think of this thing. Thanks a lot for the help!

http://www.theboathitch.com/index.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIWp_nkjLiE

No houseboat towing experience, but I don't see why that would work. It looks like it would solve every bad experience I've heard about from peopl who tow with houseboats, and give you an easy spot to tie of with at night.

We tow our boat with house boat at Bullfrog as well. This may sound anti-tech but I like using a simple tow line as it gives more people something to do and be in charge of. Also, we tow a couple of water craft (one behind the other). The boat ties off to one corner and watercraft to the other. It takes some coordination and is definately more difficult to initiate in rough water but so is the set up you are looking at. Once underway there is no difference - everything stays behind you.

Make sure the outdrives can't turn into the boat, looks like it's really close to the transom. I have a single engine houseboat and that wouldn't work for me. I like the idea though. The end of the video in the bad weather looks acceptable, I have to tow through a narrow slough where boats are towing wakeboarders and throwing big wakes, I'd like to see a video of that maybe...

We've only towed a dozen or so times behind rental houseboats on Shasta, Dale Hollow & Havasu. Whenever the conditions sucked so bad that it started to not look safe to be towing the boat(s), we always cut them loose & had someone get in them & drive them. Obviously that only works when you have enough drivers on hand, which is not always the case.

That thing looks like a good idea to me. Seems like it would be super easy to build one yourself too. And if you wanted to tow a second craft, you could just hook the second boat up to the low tow point on the back of the X-star.

I thought it looked good up until the rough water portion. I don't think I'd tow anything with a houseboat in rough water. Don't own a houseboat (wish I did), but have been renting for 15 years.

I thought the rough water part looked a bit harsh also. If I was to build my own, not only would I make it so the boat being towed was further back from the houseboat, but I'd make it so it would pivot up and down where it attached to the houseboat, allowing the boat being towed to move up and down like it naturally would. Also, I wouldn't use the ropes that tie to the stern cleats unless backing up with the boat in tow was something I planned on doing. Otherwise, I think I may give this design a try. I'll report back how it worked, if anyone's interested...

Just imagine what the tour boat wake would do to that thing. You are cruising along nice and smooth and hit some 4+ foot rollers...I would worry that the thing would get ripped off the transom of the houseboat. It is not connected like a hitch is to the frame of a truck.

Nice pick on the houseboat! My family bought ours from BF, we got the Discovery XL 59'. We launch out of Antelope Point Marina and second the tour boat wakes. I would put money that bad boy would snap on the second roller. For everyday and perfect water it's a great idea... Just Q the jaws theme when a tour boat shows up on the horizon and all hell is about to break loose.

Josh,
Whats up man? I talked to you back in December about the houseboat you bought. I ended up finding a 60' in Page, but I'll be driving it up to Bullfrog on the 4th of May to a slip I have up there. Got a really good deal on the boat.

As for the tour boat, I don't think they even have any on the Bullfrog end of the lake, so thats a plus! As for the rough water stuff, I think having someone driving it would be the best bet. I guess I'll worry about the small stuff later, I just can't wait to get the boat! Just was curious of everyone's opinion on something like this...

Hey kind of off topic, and feel free to pm me if you prefer, but you guys with the houseboats, how often do you have to pull them out of the water for preventative maintenance and such?

Also, how far would you go to buy one? I'm assuming transporting one would be incredibly costly. Would be up for learning anything you could share on the matter really and again, feel free to pm if you prefer.

That's right Ryan... Congrats homi. Wait 1 more day before driving up and join the Cinco De party at the point. You do have a hell of a drive ahead of ya going from Page to BF in a houseboat.
Bruce - We pull ours every fall for the winter and get everything ready and done before spring.