LAKE DON PEDRO MARINA
HOUSEBOATS 101
OUR HOUSEBOAT VACATIONS
At first glance, taking a boat this size out on the water can be intimidating. Let us walk you through a few things about a houseboat vacation to ease your mind and explain exactly what it is. Houseboating is a unique way to get close to nature while still having all the comforts of home. Looking from the front deck of your houseboat, you’ll see thousands of acres of beautiful, pristine Lake Cumberland, while on the inside you have the best luxuries. No waiting in lines. No stressful crowds. Just you, your family and a lake waiting for your adventure.
WHAT CAN WE DO ON THE LAKE?
Lake Cumberland is 101 miles long, so there’s no shortage of things to see and do. Cruise on down to take in the splendor of Wolf Creek Dam, 76 Falls, or stop by one of the fantastic marinas on the lake. Choose one of our amazing auxiliary rentals to go along with your houseboat and open a new world of fun! You can’t go wrong with one of our super-fast, super-fun Waverunners. Or, grab a Bayliner ski-boat and try your hand at water-skiing and tubing! You’ll also get a discount by adding one of our small rentals to your houseboat vacation package.
PILOTING MADE EASY
Operating a houseboat is easy and no previous houseboating experience is required. Before you set out, we raise your comfort level by giving you complete instructions on how to operate your vessel. Our experienced captains will even drive you in and out of the marina. And, if you have any questions along the way, we’re just a radio call away.
SAFETY IS PARAMOUNT
Lake Don Pedro offers the only diesel-powered rental boats on Lake Cumberland. Since diesel generators and engines don’t produce dangerous levels of carbon monoxide, you and your family can relax and enjoy the ride. Diesel engines consume almost 50% less fuel than gas, keeping your fuel expense at a minimum.
Lesson One
DRIVING AND STEERING
The throttle has forward, neutral and reverse. You have five full rotations on the wheel from one side to the other. To find center, you can go all the way to one side and then go two and half turns to the other side. To steer from up top, place the throttle in neutral at the helm, then upstairs, press the control button on the throttle here.
Lesson Two
FRESH WATER AND LAKE WATER
You have 255 gallons of freshwater on the boat. This is city of Jamestown drinking water, and it goes to all of your sinks in the bathrooms and kitchen. At the helm, leave the Fresh Water Pump tab flipped forward at all times, unless you have run out of fresh water. Leave the Lake Water Pump tab flipped forward at all times. Filtered lake water goes to your showers, toilets and hot tub. Do not flush the toilets, fill the hot tub or take a shower while the boat is in motion as this might air-lock the pumps.
Lesson Three
THE GENERATOR
You have 100 gallons of generator fuel on your boat. This is enough fuel to leave your generator running for your entire trip, but you do have the option of turning it on and off at the helm. To do this, first flip main load switches to the off position, and then it is safe to turn off the generator. If you notice that your generator is running, but you are not getting power to your appliances, you may have tripped the breaker on the generator itself. If that occurs, you will want to go to the back of the boat, open up your generator hatch and flip your main breaker switch back on.
Lesson Four
TIE-UP PROCEDURES
Tying up a houseboat properly is essential to any houseboat trip. Most houseboaters beach the boat to tie up overnight. The best locations are in a cove and out of high-traffic areas. Look for a gradual bank with trees, stumps or large boulder to tie to. Approach the bank very slowly. Once you have made contact with the shore, put the boat in forward to hold the boat against the shore. The driver should stay at the helm throughout the tie-up process. Rope should now be run from the rear of the boat at an angle of 30-45 degrees to objects on shore. Tie the upwind side first.
Lesson Five
MARINE RADIO
You want to be on channel 18 when you are inside the no-wake zone. Once you go outside the no-wake zone, change the channel to 24. Channel 24 is our maintenance channel. If you ever have any problems with the boat, you are going to want to call in on channel 24 and let us know.
Lesson Six
BOATING SAFETY
We want everyone to have fun on a houseboat vacation. However, it is important to remember a few things to keep everyone safe. Never drive your boat with swimmers in the water. When jumping off the top of the houseboat, always jump off the side; never jump off the back of the boat.
