Terry Bradshaw recommends houseboat vacation.
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Houseboat
We got a free upgrade from the 62 footer to the 78 footer!! See photos below.
Items included on the boat:
Full Kitchen including Range, Refrigerator, Microwave, Dishwasher
Clothes Dryer
Water Slide
Fly Bridge with Party Top & 8 man hot tub
Diesel engine and diesel generator
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Info from the charter company:
This houseboat sets the standard for the finest rental boats available! This year we are introducing a luxurious new boat. This boat has a huge salon and galley area, featuring a large sectional sofa plus have a large open back deck. The entertainment center includes a 27" TV, with DVD/VCR, indoor/outdoor stereo system and Sirius Satellite radio. The fully equipped galley has a smooth top range, microwave and large refrigerator. Topside, the boat has an operational flybridge, propane grill, and 8-person hot tub, waterslide, lounge chairs and a party top for shade. This boat has a new exclusive catamaran hull design. This provides increased cruising speed, imporoved stability and handling plus arrow straight tracking.
> The county where we board the boat is a "dry" county, so if you drink other than non-alcoholic beverages, you need to pick them up prior to arriving at the boat. It is a five day trip, so plan accordingly.
We plan to have a supply in the refrigerator with 4 days of "do-it-yourself" breakfasts and/or lunchs. So eat what and when you want.
The dinners will be planned.
Updated schedule:
Monday - Gaasch - Chicken
Tuesday - Lauer - Italian
Wednesday - Bauer - Rib Eye Steak
Thursday - McMurphy - Pork Chops
The Marina's description of their houseboats
No other Lake Cumberland rental company provides this level of service provided at no extra charge. Most models are equipped with hot tubs to take your entertainment and relaxation to the next level.
At State Dock, you'll spend your vacation surrounded by luxury. Our premium boats are equipped with everything that makes your experience special, including hot tubs that heat up in just two hours. You'll enjoy all the conveniences of home plus extras like satellite tracking television, satellite music, great stereo systems, party tops, waterslides, extra large outdoor grills and more!
State Dock 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.
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Kentucky’s Lake Cumberland is one of the largest man-made bodies of water east of the Mississippi River. It is among the largest of all Kentucky lakes; it covers over 63,000 surface acres, has an average depth of 90 feet and can boast more than 1,250 miles of shoreline. The Lake Cumberland are has 3 state parks, a national forest, a national river and recreation area, a national recreation trail, world-class fishing. There are numerous scenic waterfalls to enjoy and countless hidden coves to explore. When all these features are taken into account it’s less of a surprise that Lake Cumberland receives more visitors every year than Yellowstone National Park. Lake Cumberland’s busy Jamestown Marina Anglers from around the United States and beyond come to Lake Cumberland to enjoy its prime Kentucky fishing opportunities. Largemouth bass, walleye, trout and more can be caught in Lake Cumberland’s waters. Lodging around Lake Cumberland is half the fun. Guests can camp or rent cabins and houseboats. Lake Cumberland is considered the houseboat capital of the south. Recreational boaters can enjoy pontoon and fishing boats as well as jet-skis and motorboats. Water-skiing on Lake Cumberland is also a favored pastime.
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Some comments and notes about the 2008 trip.
The level of the lake has been dropped about 25 feet to allow repairs to the Wolf Creek Dam. This has caused some angst amonst the locals, as they rely on tourism. Many potential visitors do not return to Lake Cumberland because they think the level of the lake is crucial to the enjoyment of the lake. The eight people on our trip did not see it that way. We generally thought that the lower lake level made the lake more scenic. Also, the shoreline was considerably easier to access, making hiking much better. All in all, we enjoyed Lake Cumberland probably more than if the lake was at it's normal level.
Not sure why, exactly, but when we arrived at Lake Cumberland we were advised that we were given an upgrade. They gave us the 78 footer instead of the 62 footer (a $1,400.00 bonus). Not only did we have more room, but we had a larger hot tub and additinal amenities (Serius radio, Satellite TV, etc.). The diesel engines were appreciated, and were efficient. Even though diesel fuel cost about $5.50 per gallon, we did not spend over $200.00 for engine fuel and power generation. We got about 3.3 miles to the gallon in the houseboat, which is better than we expected.
As far as electronics on the boat, they were rudimentary to say the least. The GPS showed latitude and longitude, which was okay, but being accustomed to color moving map navigational system, it was a set back. Also, there was no depth sounder; not really a problem on Lake Cumberland, as there are no reefs, but it would have been interesting to have. The living anemities were more than adequate, with modern appliances (including side-by-side door refrigerator with ice dispenser). The water heating system was more than adequate; we never ran out of hot water, even though we only ran the generator twice a day. The sanitation system, we feel, is better now, as they are holding tanks.
The only problem we had was a starting motor battery went bad. A call on channel 22 to Cumberland State Dock maintenance resolved that problem in less than an hour.
From Left:
Ken & Karen Lauer, Gary & Pam McMurphy, Paul & Cindi Bauer, Jim & Luann Gaasch
Coming up on Gridor Hill Dock:
We stopped at Gridor Hill Dock on Wednesday for provisions:
Karen catches a large fish:
The truth comes out:
Maintenance crew comes to the rescue with new starting battery:
Found these "moon rocks" on the shore of Lake Cumberland:
We broke open the rocks and found:
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Additional Photo (may be offensive to some)