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3 tips to stay sane when renting houseboats

Houseboats are all the rage on lakes across the country, so much so that houseboat rentals represent one of the best vacation options in California. They are a great place for family reunions, business retreats, team building outings for employees, or even just group weekends of friends. Spending several days or weeks on the water is sure to be fun, but here are some tips you’ll want to follow to make sure you stay sane while floating in a scenic wonderland.

Tip 1: Relax, you are on a houseboat.
Houseboats are made for leisurely strolls along the coves, inlets, and wide open spaces of a lake. There is no rush here, there is nowhere you need to be, there are no phone calls to make and no deadlines to meet. This is your time to go at your own pace and enjoy the scenery.

Make sure you and the rest of the clan discuss your activity preferences and the overall flow of your vacation. If part of the group wants to participate in rigorous hikes, daring water sports, and breakneck speeds, while the rest want to take it easy and easy, you will need to come up with a compromise that works for all parties involved. This type of arrangement is best done before the holidays, because otherwise it could lead to consequences, a not-so-impressive development of your fabulous vacation.

Tip 2: decide finances ahead of time.
Of course, everyone will want to know how much it will cost. There is a problem: it is impossible to know in advance. Yes, you can determine the actual split for rent, deposit, and insurance, but fuel is the big unknown in houseboat rentals. Have everyone pay their share of the deposit and rent ahead of time.

Fuel costs, on the other hand, will depend on how much your boat weighs once they’re all in it, how evenly the weight is distributed, where it goes, how far it goes, how fast it goes, and so on. Decide in advance how you will divide the cost of fuel. Then ask everyone to bring a lot of extra money to pay for it (to avoid a nightmare of collecting money after the holidays).

Tip 3: Assign Roles.
Someone must be in charge, and that someone must organize. Otherwise you may end up in the middle of the lake without a can opener. If your whole eating plan relies on canned foods, you’re in trouble. You’ll also need things like bedding, towels, and paper plates, as houseboats typically don’t provide these.

Assign a captain. This person should be a non-alcoholic team player who can carry a boat from one point to another without creating a mess. You should also assign a co-captain, someone who can make sure your boat doesn’t run over someone or hit something when it’s docked.

Another person should be in charge of the meals or, if you have multiple cooks, you can assign a chef for each meal. There is limited space in a houseboat; not all cooks can be in the kitchen at the same time.

Houseboat rental on the lake is one of the best ways to spend a vacation. Some practical tips like these can help you stay sane and have a fun lake vacation.