CA Houseboating Suggestions

(flux) · (flux) **Join Date: Jun 2003** 08-22-2006, 4:18 PM

Looking into a houseboat trip next year with alot of folks coming in from other areas. They will probably fly into Sacramento.

Trip is tentatively in late May. Berryessa was suggested as it is very local to Sac area. Seems like Bullards and Oroville might also be good choices as well. Not sure if the trip will be 4 or 7 days yet, we shall see.

Any suggestions/favorites ?? Looking for best water, weather, scenery, experience possible. Thanks in advance.

walt 08-22-2006, 4:24 PM

Oroville or Shasta.

(dreambig) · (dreambig) **Join Date: Jul 2006** 08-22-2006, 4:26 PM

shast aor bullards but bullards doesnt have any super pimp boats from what i seen but then again i dont remember much from last weekend

(sangerlover) · (sangerlover) **Join Date: Sep 2005** 08-22-2006, 5:05 PM

Just got back from my 1st trip to Oroville. Really enjoyed it and would highly recommend.

(Message edited by sangerlover on August 22, 2006)

(redv215) · (redv215) **Join Date: Mar 2005** 08-22-2006, 5:13 PM

I would say Bullards Bar, Shasta, or Oroville.
In that order.

(buzz_grande) · (buzz_grande) **Join Date: Mar 2004** 08-22-2006, 5:13 PM

Shasta! Shasta! Shasta! Shasta! Shasta!

Sorry, only HB trip I have been on. I could live there on a HB though.

(ss1234) · (ss1234) **Join Date: Jul 2005** 08-22-2006, 5:18 PM

In order: Shasta, Oroville, Don Pedro, Bullards.

I do like the Bullards boat layout. The kitchen is in the back and the back deck is bigger than other boats. More hanging out on the lake end of the boat rather than the shore end. The bad part is (I think) that is the only boat option and it is not super pimp.

Shasta has more to choose from (Marina's, boat type/size/cost, areas to ride).

They are all great lakes but for a big houseboat trip, no question.....Shasta.

mendo247 08-22-2006, 5:26 PM

TRINITY!

(jdub) · (jdub) **Join Date: Jun 2006** 08-22-2006, 5:48 PM

The only place to go is SHASTA!!!
Shasta really does have it all, I spent a week in July on Shasta, pure heaven and I even got engaged
on a midnight cruise in the Sanger!

(flux) · (flux) **Join Date: Jun 2003** 08-22-2006, 6:14 PM

Seems like Shasta is winning out!! I kinda figured that. The plan was to keep it close to Sacramento as folks are coming in from MN and CO.

Anyone ever houseboated on Berryessa?? That is the original spot due to location and knowledge. They have some new boats there as well. I am just not super pumped on the lake pictures I have seen, I am sure it's a great lake, but if you are dropping $$ and vacation time, might as well be the best it can be.

Oroville and Bullards are pretty close to Sacramento as I see it.

(al_d) · (al_d) **Join Date: Aug 2005** 08-23-2006, 5:43 AM

The only thing I don't like about Berryessa is that it's the closest lake to the Bay
Area. It always seems crowded. You have a crowded lake full of uptight Bay Area folks. Seems to have more jerks per square mile than most lakes. NOT EVERYONE, just more than usual.JMO

(lzyboy) · (lzyboy) **Join Date: Jun 2001** 08-23-2006, 6:32 AM

Flux,

I would vote for Shasta or Bullard's. Both Shasta & Bullard's are EPIC in their own unique ways, Shasta for the immense size & scenery & Bullard's for the Dam, emerald water & conditions.

Shasta Marina's & HB rentals
http://www.shastalake.com/resorts/index.html

BullardsL
http://www.bullardsbar.com/

Lzy

(jarrod) · (jarrod) **Join Date: May 2003** 08-23-2006, 7:02 AM

If you book early and you go of season, you can get a 16 sleeper a Oroville for just over a grand.

Oroville gives you the mos for your money. But, no private state rooms, no hot tub. Nice boat, bt kind of bare.

(sup208) · (sup208) **Join Date: May 2004** 08-23-2006, 8:05 AM

I have aboat on Oroville and I love the lake but If I was dropping $$$ for a vacation and had people fliying in, I think I would go with Shasta. The lake is bigger, there are more marinas and thus a bigger houseboat selection. I agree with j-rod on bang for the buck with Oroville and I also agree that going off season will be much cheaper and less crowded if you can swing it. from Sac, Oroville is about 80 miles and Shasta is about 160 miles

(jarrod) · (jarrod) **Join Date: May 2003** 08-23-2006, 8:07 AM

If you have a big group, Shasta has a new boat that sleeeps like 25 people of something. Very expensive, but sick!

(sotwstd) · (sotwstd) **Join Date: Aug 2006** 08-23-2006, 9:07 AM

If you plan on going early season, Oroville and Bullards tend to have quite a bit of debris in the water. Shasta is beautiful and great for houseboating, I have not experienced Berryessa so I cant give any info there.

(flux) · (flux) **Join Date: Jun 2003** 08-23-2006, 11:35 AM

This is great info people, thanks and keep it coming. Most of this seems to jive with my original thinking that we could do better by traveling a few more miles. I will be hauling from Palmdale CA, so another 100 miles to get the goods is just fine with me.

(dstockton) · (dstockton) **Join Date: Jun 2006** 08-23-2006, 1:10 PM

I vote Shasta, just got back. Three houseboats.
So many people,a lot of our friends stayed in cabins at silverthorne and met us every day. It was great for families with babies. Besides great water, the wildlife was pretty cool(bears,baldeagles,otters,deer etc.)

(guido) · (guido) **Join Date: Jul 2002** 08-23-2006, 1:21 PM

In this order.... 1) Shasta or Bullards (tied)

Are there any others? Really?

(ttrigo) · (ttrigo) **Join Date: Dec 2004** 08-23-2006, 1:22 PM

I have been on both Shasta, and Trinity. although it has been a long time. Trinity was amazing, and not crowded at all. the water was great for seven straight days. although, the water will probably be a bit cooler in may than shasta. either way, you can't go wrong with either of them.

bobthomas 08-23-2006, 1:36 PM

Shasta.

Check out a Titan if you're going to have a large group.

Upload

If you want to put the tube slide into hyperdrive just add some soap (biodegradable of course).

(rnopr8) · (rnopr8) **Join Date: Apr 2005** 08-23-2006, 9:32 PM

OMG...that looks so awesome. We are having a family reunion on a houseboat next summer. We will definately check that out. What about New Melones for a houseboat trip?? Isn't Shasta cold most of the year. I like warm water like Canyon Lake, Elsi, or Pineflat.

Buzz---what was the water temp like when you went on the trip?

bobthomas 08-23-2006, 9:35 PM

---Isn't Shasta cold most of the year.---

You must have been talking to the same goofballs that our friends did before our Fourth of July trip. They were planning on buying wetsuits for the trip until we set them straight.

http://www.houseboats.com/shasta/index.htm
(scroll to the bottom of the page)

(forwaken) · (forwaken) **Join Date: Jan 2003** 08-23-2006, 9:37 PM

shasta water is still high 70's to low 80's in late October early September

(nickdakoolkat)

Come up to berryessa, the Lake is going to get calmer becuse school started and it is definately a quicker drive. I was up at trinity (near shasta) and the houseboat we had was nice but we all agreed that it would have been funner on berryessa because the lake is warmer and the drive was really long. From Sacramento it will probably take you 4-5 hours to get to shasta. You will spend at least one full day getting settled. From Sacramento berryessa is only an hour and 20 minutes. BTW there have been a lot of fires lately in the trinity/shasta area and it would suck to have your vacation ruined by smoke (like ours did)

Also there are some great coves for houseboating on berryessa (over near the pleasure cove side of the lake) we always see people parked over there having a blast.

If you decide on berryessa hit me up on the PM and maybe we can exchange pulls seeing as how we have a house right above the lake I'm always up there on my free time!

(ss1234) · (ss1234) **Join Date: Jul 2005** 08-24-2006, 10:33 AM

4-5 hours sac to shasta??...maybe via Reno. Sac to redding = 160 miles on wide open I-5. Add another 20 mins +/- to the lake (depending on what marina). Trinity is more of a treck than shasta since it still a haul out of Redding, but Sac to Shasta is an easy run.

(boarder_x) · (boarder_x) **Join Date: Mar 2006** 08-24-2006, 10:36 AM

Sacramento to Shasta in 4-5 hours??????? How slow do you drive?

It's only 200 miles. The speed limit for vehicles is 70. They drive 80. I pull the boat at about 65 - 70, so as to not cause bottlenecks. (Trailer speed limit is 55) It takes about 3 hours, and that includes stopping for gas one last time in Redding, to fill up the truck and Boat. (Saves boat weight, but waiting to fill it up)

(airagain) · (airagain) **Join Date: Jun 2006** 08-24-2006, 12:59 PM

Berryessa is great during the week. I have a houseboat on the same dock as the rental boats at Pleasure cove. They have some really nice boats. I am out on our boat all summer. You can find a secluded cove and walk around naked all day. Or you can find a more popular cove and hang with a bunch of people. The key is that they all go home at night and you get to stay. If you need more info let me know.

(nickdakoolkat) · (nickdakoolkat) **Join Date: Sep 2005** 08-24-2006, 5:41 PM

and walk around naked all day

dude i think my mom saw you about a year ago with your peepee out hanging out in a cove

(airagain) · (airagain) **Join Date: Jun 2006** 08-24-2006, 7:30 PM

She did stop by..

stillstandin 08-24-2006, 8:47 PM

I would put Shasta as one of the top Houseboat destinations in the U.S. not just CA. Bullards is awesome, so is Oroville and Don Pedro. But if you want the best CA has to offer go to Shasta

(holtesm) · (holtesm) **Join Date: Sep 2006** 09-01-2006, 2:22 PM

Why would you want to go to Berryessa or Shasta when you have 1000+ miles of perfect wakeboarding sloughs starting right in Sacramento in the California Delta? You can rent houseboats from a myriad of different areas, like Herman and Helen's marina http://www.houseboats.com/hermanandhelens/or Paradise Point Marina ......
http://www.deltaboating.com/rentals.htm

(migs)

absolutely, positively, no discussion - SHASTA!!!
And dont let any rookies tell you its "like 6-8 hours drive" or that the water is cold.
4 hours towing from San Mateo, water is warm till mid october.
Im there every other weekend - try Silverthorne Resort - very helpful and accommodating!
And ride at the very end of Squaw Creek Arm - super glassy mid and late afternoon.

(_jason_) · (_jason_) **Join Date: Jun 2005** 09-01-2006, 3:02 PM

Trinity is dope too...