Lake Powell Houseboat Ownership

I know we've got some threads on this in the archives, but I wanted to get all the latest and greatest feedback from everybody.

Some friends and I are considering buying into one of these "time shares" and would like to get feedback from anyone with experience. Now seems like a great time of year to get the best price on one of these shares.

From what I can tell, Sunrise Peak (www.sunrisepeak.com) seems to be the main builder/management company out there. They're usually the ones you see at the boat show and it looks like they deal with more volume than anybody, which I consider a good thing since they should have a lot of experience. We're probably looking at one that's a few years old (2002) and will probably shoot for a week in July or August.

I welcome any tips for buying, researching, maintaining, etc. that you can provide. Thanks!

I've been in a houseboat for the last 8 years and the manager for our group for the past 6 years. There are a lot of companies out there with very mixed results. The owners you are partners with and the service company can make all the difference. Shoot me an email and I'll give you a call or you can call me- too much to cover in a post.

We purchased a share of a houseboat in Powell last year and have learned a few lessons:

1. The other owners on the boat are very important as you will be dealing with them when making decisions on replacing items, adding items, or doing anything to the boat.

2. The service companies have you between a rock and a hard place when it comes to service costs. We had to have the generator replaced with a bunch of other routine items and it was very costly. We had to come up with $1500 on top of our regular maint. fee. The more partners you have will help distribute costs.

3. It's not cheap. Launch and retrieve fees are usually around $1200, then gas.

All that said, a Powell trip on a houseboat is about the greatest vacation around IMO.

Good luck.

Like Jason said....the other owners on the boat are a huge deal.
1. We got screwed with our service company a few times. Another owner snapped an outdrive 4 weeks prior to our planned week. It took the service company 4 1/2 weeks to repair/replace 1 single part. So we only ended up with 3 days instead of 7 that year.
The service companies have a monopoly at Powell because there are only a couple of them. We use Old West Marine and they are terrible but you really don't have another option. If a responsible/reliable person started another service company in Powell...they would make millions.
Besides the problems, it is the best feeling in the world to be on Powell with your family and friends. I guarantee you will want to buy another week once you start going.

First off, I don't live anywhere near Powell, but these threads interest me because the pictures that always get posted make it look like a blast.

Anyways, what's the advantage of buying into a time share of the houseboat if you're only going to get it for one week out of the year? Seems like it would be more expensive then just renting one for a week if you have to keep up with the maintenance and everything else.

Just curious.

Depends on how often you go. Consider renting for a week at 2600 bucks a year, or owning for say 30,000. As a plus, owned boats are usually nicer since the general public isn't tearing them up. We were on a nice boat that was a summer old and you could tell in some facets it had been a rental.

"We're probably looking at one that's a few years old (2002) and will probably shoot for a week in July or August."

I guess that made me think you only got it for a week. If you can take it more often, how many times a year are we talking?

Most of the boats that have been on Powell for a few years are left in the water in a slip or on a buoy. Since there aren't more spaces available, all of the new boats are "launch and retrieve". That means it is taken out of the water between each use. Just hauling it in and out costs around $1000, plus the cleaning, etc. Since ours is in a slip, it costs $400 per week to have it cleaned, pump it out, gas it, etc. That isn't the cost of gas, but the labor to have it done for us. Our annual fees run about $1300 to 1400. With an equivalent rental costing about $4000/wk, our investment of $13,000 8 years ago is already paid for.

The service company does make the difference. We've had an engine and outdrive changed out within a week by Desert Service. He'll do whatever it takes so someones vacation isn't ruined.

Nuckle, I've heard the old guy from Old West on the radio and he has to be one of the crankiest people I've ever heard. I'd never put up with that.

Paul, the funny thing is that the guy got elected to the City Council 2 years ago????? It goes to show the pool of talent they have to pick from up there.

Also, have you seen the "Peps II" boat up there in Wahweap. Its 3 story white with all black wrap-around windows, moored at the end of one of the docks. That boat is sick and must be well into the millions.

(Message edited by nuckledragger on November 17, 2005)

There are an incredible number of high-end boats at Powell. I think that the saddest thing is that these really expensive boats are always tied up and never seem to be out on the lake being used. What a waste.

Before buying into an existing boat, I suggest calling their service company and ask if they are current with their bills. Do they have the work that is needed done, or do they defer maintenaince? I know our boat gets preferential treatment because we pay our bill quickly. During the summer when every company is busy, our boat gets taken care of because they know a check will be fired off instead of stringing them out for months.

Buy it Dave and I'll hide in your boat on the morning you leave Just think 15 hours later and you'll be blessed with a week or more with me ha ha ha ha.