The long version:
We took a trip out to the SEVEN POINTS MARINA to spend a weekend on the breathtaking Raystown Lake. We rented a houseboat, It was fantastic. I can't remember the name of our boat but it was 58 ft., air-conditioned 8 sleeper. It had a fully equipped galley, 2 staterooms (nice size) and 2 cuddies. It had a large bathroom with full size shower, spacious front deck with table, chairs and gas grill, large back deck with Sliding Board and huge top sun deck with a Hot Tub. It had a large living and dining area. The boat was fat daddy! If you are going with a large group, I would suggest you be the main organizer......you can then rightfully call first dibs on one of the staterooms (the cuddies are a little small for my liking).
The booking process was fairly painless. (make sure to book as far in advance as possible). The price was reasonable. (anything to do with a boating is always going to hit your wallet but if you split the price amongst family/friends, you are good-to-go). You can book a 3 Night Week-end or a 4 Nights during the Week. They have a 4, 6, 8 (and a 10?) sleepers. A few of the boats allow you to bring a dog on board. I would suggest getting a boat that includes a Sliding Board because that is fun as hell. (everyone in our group used it). However, we found that most of our party never ended up using the Hot Tub so unless it is a must, get one without the tub (it's cheaper). They require a $300 deposit to secure the reservation (non refundable for cancellation). The generator and engine gasoline tanks are full upon check-in; they are filled upon check-out; you pay for only what is used. None of the houseboats have built-in watercraft ramps but you can tow a watercraft (with bumpers) for use on the lake. We wished we would of brought a jet-ski with us! Also, bring a kayak with you if you want (something we also wished we did).
The dock/fingers are huge at this marina. I have only driven (steered) small boats in the past so my buddy did most of the steering. Lessee & all drivers must possess a permanent Boating Safety Education Certificate from any state, or a Coast Guard certificate. If not, you may obtain a temporary certificate at Seven Points Marina during your check-in by taking a safety course at no additional charge (this is very common)
I was surprised how turbulent the water seems when you are driving a boat of that size. At one point, I took over the steering for about 2 minutes but was quickly demoted back to a passenger status. So, you are going to want to make sure you are with a driver that has experience! Depending on how much fuel you use, you may have to go back to the dock to re-fuel (if you spend a lot of time cruising). If you do, you just call in your boat name to the marina to let them know; they have staff that will help guide the boat into the fingers (major props to my buddy Steve for his boating skills). If needed, the marina staff will navigate the boat out of the harbor for you and pick you up when your trip is over (eliminating the challenging part of houseboating: getting away from the dock and getting back in).
We partied big time on this boat. We drank, BBQ'd on the grill, slid down the water slide over and over and swam in the refreshingly cold lake. On one of the days, we went onto land and did a little hiking. We went cruising up and down the lake. Each night we docked at a different spot. I would suggest that you don't tie up at any of the smaller islands, especially those with rocky shores, or your boat may drift sideways in the wind & you may get stuck in too-shallow water. Ask the marina for tips.
Raystown Lake is one of my favorite lakes in Pennsylvania (2nd would be Lake Wallenpaupack). Raystown is a 30-mile long, 8,300-acre lake (largest lake that is entirely within Pennsylvania). It is beautiful....... just stunning ! The views from the houseboat of the surrounding hills on the shores of the winding lake are breathtaking. Since much of the surrounding land is owned by the Army Corps of Engineers, it is not available for residential development. So, the land is covered by trees all the way down to the edge of the water ! (no lakefront houses, 118 miles of natural wooded shoreline).
There are numerous ways of experiencing everything Raystown has to offer. I would recommend experiencing the lake from both land and water. Maybe go boating one time then tent camping the next. Here are reviews of Raystown Lake http://bit.ly/RNRHlQ read more