Houseboat deal at Costco

Is this a good deal?
http://www.costco.com/Browse/Productgroup.aspx?prodid=11066333&whse=&topnav=&ca t=&s=1&cm_mmc=Houseboats_101-_-Travel-_-57-_-Travel_101

Don't know what's so "good" about it.

What are the extra charges "based on marina... ..."?

I was looking at their Lake Powell option at www.foreverhouseboats.com and they mention the Antelope Point Marina. I've never heard of that. Does anyone have any experience with that marina? I didn't realize that there were any other companies running rentals out of Powell.

http://www.azmarinas.com/antelopepoint/

i think it has been open only a few years and is all new.

I dont know but this sure is
http://adcache.boattraderonline.com/6/4/1/79269741.htm

the water has to come up another 65 feet before you can launch from antelope point.

Its built on the reservation i think. It looks like it will be pretty nice when they get it done and if the water ever gets that high.

zack, thats an aramark boat. I think you would be better off looking for a private party boat share.

Another 65 feet for the Antelope Point launch ramp?? Actually, that ramp has been open since early June: http://www.wayneswords.com/primative.htm#Antelope%20Point

If you are familiar with the lake, the Antelope Point Marina is in the main channel as it goes around Antelope Island between Wahwheap and Warm Creek Bay. Currently, the Castle Rock cut from Wahwheap to Warm Creek Bay is out of the water....needs another 15 feet of water before it is passable....which unfortunately probably won't happen this year. So any traffic going uplake from Wahwheap must take the channel around Antelope Island. Launching from Antelope Point cuts off several miles of the typically washing-machine like water in that section.

Aramark is the only concessionaire on Lake Powell. Antelope Point I believe is sort of a joint venture between Aramark and the Navajo Nation....I presume the houseboats and the rates are the same as the other Lake Powell marinas.

(Message edited by hotlantaman on June 28, 2005)

I guess they extended the ramp since last year.

I launched from Antelope Point last year. Granted, it was launch at your own risk but there was plenty of water. (Last year water level was around 3586' when we were there.
Mike Libbey is right, Aramark is the only concessionaire on Lake Powell who rents houseboats. Currently, there is no rental fleet at Antelope Point Marina, you have to rent from Wahweap, Halls, or Bullfrog. This may change as rumor has it that Antelope Point is for sale.
If you're just launching you toy boat, Antelope Point is awesome. You save a ton of time and rough water by launching out of Antelope Point. Antelope Point caters to your needs too. Instead of those carts to haul all your gear to the lake, they have golf carts and will come and pick you up, load you stuff on the cart, and take down to the water for free (although a tip is very apropo is this instance). Right now, you can only get the basics there - gas, ice, dump trash.

http://www.azmarinas.com/AntelopePoint/

Quinn,
You are right and wrong about antelope point.

You cant use the Antelope point launch because of the low water.
But if you rent a houseboat from Antelope marina you can launch your boat at thier private Launch ramp behind the marina. They blasted through the mountain and made their own ramp. Its hard to see because it is behind the Marina but as your going through the no-wake zone ( coming from Wahweap) Look to your right and you will see a launch ramp cut out of the mountain.
Its actully looks pretty sweet how they did it.

Bdehaan, You probably launched form the Marinas ramp, because they have had antelope point's ramp closed for two years now.

We were there early summer in 2003 when the water level was at 3615 and it was closed. So im pretty positive it was closed.

Also you can rent houseboats from Antelope Point. I rented from them last year and have a week rented in Sept this year as well.

E Double U........incorrect........refer to the photo in the link I posted above. Antelope Point ramp has been usable since early June. The private ramp has been usable longer than that.

During the low water conditions, additional concrete was added to most of the launch ramps, so they are usable at lower water levels than in previous years.

scroll to the bottom and read

\http://lakepowell.water-data.com/WaterDB/LP_WaterDB.php

Mike that is the marina's ramp. Not the real Antelope point ramp

Well.....if I had the choice of using a concrete ramp at a marina that is usable, vs. "the real ramp" which is a primitive dirt launch area that is not useable, I would certainly vote for the former. I suppose "the real ramp" has been around for years and has been made obsolete by the new marina.

The point is, there is a usable ramp available in the Narrows which cuts off much of an uncomfortable trip on the way uplake (as compared to leaving from Wahwheap) until the Castle Rock cut is once again underwater. That will require another 15 feet of water (3620). Unfortunately, that probably won't happen this year.

Mike,
The real Antelope Point Ramp is not Dirt ( well the bottom is now) it is to the wahweap side of Antelope point Mrina about 1/2 mile.

From my understanding ( and what I just read on thier website) you can only use the Private MArina's ramp if you rent a boat from them. So to most of the people going to powell and not renting from them or have a boat in one of the marina's slips can not use their ramp.

E Double U; that information regarding the "new" Antelope Point launch is incorrect. There are two concrete launch ramps at Antelope Point. The main one is a public launch the same as Wahwheap, Bullfrog, Halls Crossing, etc. The other, the "private" ramp, is a narrow ramp lined by rock walls. As far as I understand, the only thing "private" about it is that you cannot launch your own boat. For $10, marina employees launch your boat for you. For recent photos of the two "new" Antelope Point launch ramps, refer to: http://www.wayneswords.com/primative.htm#Antelope%20Point

If you still don't believe it, post a question on that (www.wayneswords.com) bulletin board. Wayne works at Lake Powell and is on the lake daily. Many of the other posters are people who live close to the lake and go on a regular basis. I know of no better source of current information on the lake. In fact, here is a response to a similar question on that board dated June 12, 2005:
"Re: Antelope Marina Public Ramp

Posted By: Keith <kvanausdal@cox.net>
Date: 6/12/05 10:09 p.m.

In Response To: Antelope Marina Public Ramp (Tazz)

The public ramp has full public access the same as Wahweap and Stateline, operated by NPS, same fees.

There is also the Antelope Point private ramp that is operated by Antelope Point Holdings -- it's a private company. There they launch boats as a valet service, using your vehicle. I don't know what restrictions there are about duration of the stay on the lake, one would presume it would be unrestricted.

Make sense?"


I have no idea what the "old" Antelope Point launch is, but the ramps I do know of on the lake regarded as "primitive" are those where with the right vehicle you can drive to the lake's edge and the shoreline is such that launching is possible at certain lake levels. I am not aware of any launch ramps referred to as "primitive" on the lake that have concrete ramps or any services.

(Message edited by hotlantaman on June 29, 2005)

I used the ramp closest to Wahweap last year when water level was about 3586. Not sure of the official name of the ramp - simply thought it was Antelope Point Marina's ramp. Have seen the other ramp, on far side of A.P. marina from Wahweap, but have never used it. Very cool though how they carved it out of the rock like that.

Mike that link is not coming up.

I know about the marina ramp as I mentioned before. Private and I believe you have to rent a houseboat or have a boat docked in that marina to be able to use the Launch ramp. And yes there is a fee to have it launched there. But from what I remember and what I read on their website, those are the only people who can launch from there.

The other ramp I am talking about is the public ramp. When I was there last year Sept 3th-17th. The Antelope point Public ramp was way out of the water.

And the year before when I was there ( same time frame) they also had is closed down becasue the water level is so low. And the Link I posted above says its still closed as well. This year I will take a picture assuming the wter does not go up to high.

The only thing I am saying is that I was there last Sept when the wtaer level was 3571 and that ramp was at least 20 vertical out of the water. And in Spet 2003 when the water level was at 3603 the ramp was also closed to launching .
So there is no way anybody was launching from that ramp at 3586.

The only thing I can think of is that we are talking about 2 different ramps.

You guys do know there are two ramps at Wahweap right???
Stateline Ramp and the Wahweap Ramp!!


Listen Im not trying to get into an argument over this, I just want to make sure someone who thinks they can go launch from Antelope isn't going to be pissed when he can't because of the water level.

All of this is based on what I have witnessed the last 2 years. If they have added on to the Antelope point Public ramp since I was there last Sept. then I apologize for the confusion.
I know they have added to the Wahweap ramp several times last year, so this may be the case.

If the link isn't coming up, go to the home page: www.wayneswords.com. Click on "Launch Ramps" on the left side. Where it says "Launch Ramps at Lake Powell", click on "Antelope" on the list below it. It will take you to photos and a description of both the public and private ramps at Antelope. The photos are from early June, and both are in the water and operating. I have no idea if this is the ramp you are referring to, but the one in the photo is the only public launch ramp in the vicinity of Antelope Canyon, and is open for business.

I can not vouch for the private launch at Antelope other than what posters on Wayne's Words state (that it is "valet" launching....employee uses your vehicle to launch your boat). But if the public ramp is open, who cares?

I'm not trying to get into an argument either. I'm just trying to help people out who would otherwise leave from Wahwheap and have to make the long trip around Antelope Island. I have no reason to doubt photos and peoples' statements that they have been using the public ramp this summer. Like I mentioned before, the board on that site is very friendly, and many of the posters are on Powell on a regular basis. Rather than guess, just log on and ask them.

Mike I stand corrected. The water has come up quite a bit and it looks like they Added to the ramp as well.