Canyon Lake Marina (CLM) is one of 2 marinas here managed by Suntex, this one being on the north…read moreside of the lake in the village of Hancock near the big red Brookshire Brothers store and Canyon Park, the other being the sister Crane's Mill Marina on the south side. CLM is located at the end of the Canyon Park peninsula, co-located with Baja Icehouse and Grill. CLM offers watercraft rentals, leased boat slips (22 - 50 ft, covered and uncovered, with and without lifts), dry docking, a fee-based boat ramp (USACE Ramp #19), a boat fueling station, a courtesy dock, boat maintenance/repair services, and a store with supplies for any day on the water of one of the prettiest, clearest lakes in the Lone Star state.
The cost of renting a CLM boat varies by capacity, added amenities, season, and day of the week, but typically starts at about $250 for a 2-hour block and can go up if you also hire a captain. There are cheaper boat rentals around Canyon Lake, but perhaps none are quite as convenient if you are on the north side. Plus, you can start and end your outing with a meal or drinks at the Baja Icehouse. Just don't skimp on the pre-outing safety training & learning the rules of the water; there are quite a few tragedies on this lake each summer generally caused by inexperienced boaters not following common safety practices.
CLM also has a "Suntex Boat Club" you can join so that you have regular access to all of their fleet of fun boats and jet skis without the storage and upkeep responsibilities, but there is an initiation fee of $3k to $4k (depending on service level & number of members), plus a monthly fee of $350-$600 for 12 consecutive months.
We've been slip tenants at CLM for just a few months now and so far, we're happy with the experience. It's easy to park at Baja and get down the long switchback of stairs and ramps to the water if you are physically fit; if not, you can call the store and ask for a courtesy golf cart pickup. Thankfully, our slip is in one of the first rows, so the distance isn't too terrible when you're carrying a bunch of stuff to the boat. If needed, we can come down to the dock to unload the car from the "15-minute" parking spots and then use one of the courtesy pushcarts to get our gear to the vessel.
We've observed that those "loading/unloading" parking spots are sometimes used as "all day" spots by some folks, and sometimes, people don't return the courtesy pushcarts for others to use them. It doesn't seem that CLM does much to enforce the time limit or make sure the carts make it back to their home. Otherwise, staff members have been friendly, responsive, and knowledgeable in our experience.
A note on the fueling station and courtesy dock: entering and exiting this area can be a bit tricky during high-traffic days, as it's a fairly tight channel with a dead-end. If you aren't confident in your boat handling skills under such conditions, try refueling across the lake at Crane's Mill where you can pass through without turning around to exit.
CLM doesn't post the full set of fees and information online, so if you're interested in leasing a slip or using the other services at the marina (including the boat ramp), you'll need to fill out the online request form, call, or come down in person to view the fee sheets and discuss what you're seeking. I wish they were more transparent about costs, but I suppose their fee schedule is fluid based on market conditions.
Securing a boat slip on Canyon Lake is a challenge and there is typically a years-long wait. If you'd really like the privilege to hop in your boat and get right on the water at the time of your choosing, as opposed to dealing with the cluster of confusion and delay that occurs at the overcrowded public boat ramps (join the FB group on Canyon Lake Boating to see what I mean), you're gonna need a slip. If you get lucky enough to know someone who is ready to move on from "boat life," that's like winning the lottery, so don't pass up the opportunity to take over that lease. See you out on the water!
