Havasu Spring Break 2012
 

Ok guys.. It'll be my first Havasu experience this March since actually owning a boat. Any advice? Looking to have the typical college-esque experience. Suggestions!

Also, haven't been able to find the attachment for my rear pole for the stripper pole attachment (you know, for the boat tie-ups there). Any help? I know it's not the most popular among the hardcore wakeboarders on here, but I'm looking to entertain, too (not *me* specifically, of course). Any referrals would be great.

Thanks!

#1 Designated (sober) boat captain. The sheriff will be out in droves. Watch a few of these before you go. That'll keep the fear of God (or at least arrest) in ya. http://www.trutv.com/video/party-heat/index.html

#2 http://www.dbgconcepts.com/

LOL. I miss party heat and yeah that show will make you think twice about the extra beer or cocktail when you're out on the boat.

^^^ Couldn't agree with #1 more...the cops are out in force at Havasu, especially on spring break, and Designated driver means nada when it comes to drinking, you don't want to flirt with the .08 mark, the cops will sit there and wait and watch to see who has been drinking and is getting behind the wheel, don't give them the opportunity to pull you over...cause when they pull you over they'll try and ticket you for anything.

**You don't want to be the guy wearing the orange life jacket in handcuffs on the front of the sherriff's boat!!**

2) To go with number one, and to aid you should you come into contact with the Sheriff make sure you have a CGA lifejacket for everyone in the boat...believe me, they check, a fire extinguisher, a CGA throwable floatation device, some form of horn/noise making device. If you have these you'll be more likely to get off with a warning rather than a ticket.

3) Make sure you watch out for the hot boats doing 100+ on the lake, those guys get out there, get drunk, then they go WFO across the lake, so be careful for them

4) As far as the "College Experience" the Sandbar is always a good place to start, the London Bridge will be crazy as well, Copper Canyon may be hopping too (Although the Sheriff has closed it down in the past when it got too rowdy), I'm just gonna say that you aren't going to have to look hard to find the party, or parties on the lake.

Hope you have fun man, I've been going out to Havasu since I was 6 months old, it's an awesome lake, just be smart and you'll have an awesome time

Make sure you have at least a couple of people with you if you decide to drive your boat down the channel by the London Bridge. You will need one or two in the bow and two more in the aft to keep your boat from playing bumper boats with all of the other ones in the tight quarters. Also, if you go out into the main body of water, watch for huge swells from all of the boats churning it up, there were 2'-3' waves when I went a few years ago. Take a camera! WW viewers love Lake Havasu pics!

Hot Boats: When driving especially on the narrow River (on the way to the Sand Bar) or even on the lake, always make sure to look over your shoulder before you make a turn left or right. I've heard stories of hot boats passing slower boats closely where the slower boat in front makes a quick turn and the hot boat runs right over the slower boat. Those guys go 60, 70, 80 MPH. You don't want to crank a turn only to have one coming right over the top of you.

Other than that, have a blast!

^^ Second that, Happens to me and my family all the time

They think their hot sh**T cause they have an offshore boat on a lake, and that their boat goes vroom so their better than you, and they can do whatever they want so just watch out

But I have had 23 years of awesomeness there and I plan on having many more, you just have to be careful these days

We have been going out there forever - don't really take the boat out on the big weekends anymore. But like everyone else has said... have a sober driver, life jackets, don't sit on the sun pad while under way. The sheriffs will pull you over. Be prepared to wait in line if you want to take your boat out of the water around dusk.

What part of march are you going in? I'll be down there the 25th-31st. I've been down 3 times before in March and always had a good time. I usually try to stay away from copper but the channel is always a good place to park the boat and avoid any excessive damage.

Don't stay sober just for cops, stay sober so you can avoid the rest of the drunks out there, especially since you will have your brand new boat to worry about!

Screw that! dont take your boat if you care about it! No matter how many bouys, or towels or how careful you are, your boat gets wreck if you tie up.
Stay sober
Remember that EVERYONE needs to have their ass in a legal seat, and make sure you have enough jackets.
Dont ever start your boat unless everyone is sitting.
I got pulled, becuase I was idling out of copper canyon, and 2 people were standing up in the boat.... luckily I was completely sober!
Try Laughlin, more fun, safer and your boat will come back in one piece.
Thats just my 2 sense though.

Everyone has their definition of fun - so I won't comment about this. As far as your boat coming back in one piece - the water levels fluctuate dramatically (+/- 6ft) in this area - it is VERY easy to hit rocks if you are not familiar with this part of the river.

I do appologize, I had no intent to demote anyone ideas of fun.........I agree, everyone does have there own idea of fun.

^X2 on the rocks for Laughlin. There is NO WAY I'd take my inboard v-drive on that section of the river. I've spent a few weekends at the Avi Resort with the i.o. I previously owned and even being super careful hit bottom several times and went through a $125 prop. No sandy bottom - all gravel rocks. Too near the Davis dam where water levels fluctuate too much.

Andy, I guess technically speaking, the Avi resort is in Laughlin, but I would guess 99% of boaters who go to Laughlin launch their boats above the dam in Lake Mojave. Several years ago someone turned me on to Laughlin / Lake Mojave just by saying "Havasu is where you go to to beer bongs, Mojave is where you go with your family." Its turned out to be very true, and I must say through years of experience, Mojave to me is just a far better all around lake IMO. And much safer with more experienced boaters and families too.

T-Man, since all of the warnings are out of the way I will tell you what our crew did for spring break two years in a row. First year we camped at the boat up only camp sites on the shoreline, second year we were at a hotel with a boat up sandy beach just past the canal. Cant think of the name of it now. Not sure where you are coming from but our first year we had only heard of Havasu in passing and it sounded like fun. Party cove, clubs at night, all that stuff. If you guys are not bringing girls with you and want to go to party cove you will need to arrive with girls in your boat to get into a decent spot. Pull your crew up to the sandy beach in the canal around noon and there will be (or there were when we went) girls that want to go to party cove but are without a boat. Hang out and get a good crew together and then I think everyone started hitting party cove/copper canyon around 2pm.
If you value your boat you should really just rent a pontoon but its your choice. Once in the cove it gets tight and there are lots of idiots so be careful but have fun. The cove clears out around 5-6pm and then everyone gets ready for the evening. There is some club along the canal right next to london bridge with light up palm trees that is not bad and some other local bars off the main areas that are fun too. For your lunches there is a brewery right along the canal that is pretty good too.
For spring break, these two years were some of the most fun but like everyone else said - watch out for yourself and crew.

BooCoo, I have not tried Mojave yet but it is on the list. That said, I still would not put my boat in the river southeast of the Davis dam.

Do you stay in laughlin or at Katherine's?

Andy, every once in a while, I see a direct drive on the river south of the dam but that is just nuts. I don't know anyone who would actually do that. I always stay at the casinos. During the week, many are only $20 a night, and the weekends are around $50 a night. You can't beet that, and if you gamble a little, the comps are really good. Nothing like Las Vegas, where they know they have plenty of business and don't need to give out comps. Laughlin is fighting for visitors, so at a few casinos, if I sit at the 21 tables for a few hours a trip just making minimal bets, I usually stay the next trip for free. Plus ENDLESS FREE ALCOHOL.

I looked into staying at those rooms at Katherines Landing, but they were surprisingly expensive. I want to say well over $100 a day. Just not worth it since the casinos are only 20 minutes away. We should start a Laughlin thread, on where everyone likes to stay.

Brian,

I believe the hotel with the beach that you are talking about is The Nautical Inn. Def one of the best places to stay imo. Another good place to stay is The London Bridge Resort above Kokomo's night club. Awesome place to stay but don't plan on sleeping much.

Jeb,

Did you get that new boat yet? I'll be in Havasu the 22nd thru the 27th, then we'll probably stay in Vegas for a night. Let me know bro...

I'm super disappointed that we have 20 responses on a Havasu thread with no pics.

I went in 03' with some Bros. One of the guys had a "hot boat" but he was a young dude who sold MDMA and owned a strip club.. Was by far the most........interesting... few days of my life..

Be careful homie!

Let me know if you need more guys in the boat to balance out the ratio with the ladies! Id fly out out from FL in a heartbeat to experience this so called Havasu lol

whoops.....here's a few of my X-Star

...

I went to Havasu during spring break back in 94! It was fun then too.

Ok officially my new favorite thread!

Ryan that last pic is the Nautical Inn right? Pic is taken from same roomish we were in looking across to their little tiki bar. Fun place.

I coudlnt' love Havasu more.

Ryan if you see my boat out there make sure you say hi... lol. We are out there all the time (I recently started keeping my boat out there).

Ryan,

I ended up buying a '09 RZ2, I pick it up in Texas next weekend so I'm super stoked. I'll be in Vegas the 24th but we'll definitely have to hook up down in Havasu.

From your pictures the lake looks a lot higher, usually there is a 10' beach between the water and the ledge...

Brian,
Yes, that's at the Nautical. We always try to get a room around that same spot so my extension cord can reach my battery charger at night. Big stereos love to drain batteries on Havasu!

Ed,
If you see us out there, come say whats up man. Sick looking boat, we're always down to kick it.

Jeb,
Sick boat man! Shoot me a pic when you get it! You gonna do anything to the stereo before Havasu? Hit me up when you get down there, Im sure we'll have some established clientele by then! Haha. I love Havasu...

The boat has two sets of pro 60's on it right now and a free air 10. I'm definitely going to put a 12 in an enclosure and I haven't decided if I'm going to upgrade to Rev's right away or not, I figured out from the last boat I lost a lot of money in the stereo when I sold it!!

They have a pretty nice jail. At least they did when I visited 16 years ago. Lol.
Got a M.I.P. 3 days before my 21st b-day. That was a fun weekend. Haven't been back since.
Havasu or jail...:D

Thanks to everyone for the responses. The pictures, by far, are my favorite part. I can't wait. My friends and I going up aren't the type to be jackasses and get pulled over and be drunk.. Since it's my [new] boat, I was planning on being the only driver and originally only having a couple.. But now I'm really thinking of staying pretty much sober, at least until we link up to the other boats. And even then, I'm going to limit it to probably two. I've seen every episode of TruTV's Party Heat, Beach Patrol, etc. in the past, and loved it. Was hoping to avoid any type of pull-over on the water, and have been trying to familiarize myself with the difference between California's laws and Arizona's before I go.

Since I'm guessing no one makes a one-size-catch-all attachment for the 'stripper poles,' I'll call DBG (who is amazing and I've worked with in the past-highly recommended) to see how much a custom fabrication would be. Girls just seem to flock to the pole out there on the water..... :)

Keep the pictures and posts coming, gents!

From a guy who basically grew up in that area(Parker), just have a serious designated driver. Those cops don't F&$@ around! They will sit and watch u have a few then roll up on u. So be careful cuz it's an expensive ticket!