Prior to my wife and I getting married 12 years ago, while we were dating, I told her that I want to own a camp on a lake. She envisioned a tent on a piece of land. This is because she grew up in NYC, and had not had the experience of owning a seasonal lake front property. I had these experiences as my grandparents owned a seasonal home on a lake front lot on Goose Pond in New Hampshire. My childhood was greatly enriched by these experiences. I thank my parents and my grandparents for this.

Goose Pond, NH

I told my wife that I wanted my children to have these experiences. She agreed that by marrying she would not prevent me from fulfilling my dream. We searched from about 1996 -1999 to find a seasonal lake front property. We rented lake houses in the summer in order to “check out” the lake.

I learned that lakes that had a majority of year round house were often out of my price range. Lake George is an example. All lake front housing there is in the millions. Lake Bomoseen, which is probably 75% year round houses, averages in the $500,000 range. So, if you can find a lake that still has mostly “seasonal housing”, then you can usually find price ranges under $300,000. In general, the more North you go, the more reasonable the prices. The further you are from cities, the more reasonable the prices.

My criteria was from most important to least: Direct lake frontage (as opposed to lake access), 50 feet of lake front as a minimum. Not in an association with lots of rules and regulations. Ample parking for 3 vehicles. Not having to cross a main road to access your frontage. Not too steep of hill, not too many stairs down to your lake front. Building set at least 25 feet back from lake. Not too close to neighbors. Ideally, a septic system that is grandfathered. After all this, then I look at the building!

Interestingly enough, I saw vacation home search on HGTV the other night. The Couple wanted to purchase a vacation home on a lake in South America. They were more than willing to sacrifice Lake Frontage and lake access to get what they wanted in a house. They ended with a house that had a pool and no Lake front. They were happy with a view of the lake. You could get a house anywhere. You don’t need to go to South America Lake to get a house with a pool.

What I am saying is that if you are looking for lake front, you need to make that your main criteria. You can put a house anywhere. Back to my main point, purchasing the start of my dream.

After lots of looking, with Realtors that were not that honest, we purchased a fixer upper 750 square foot seasonal cabin – No heat – Toilet coming through the floor, plumbing that failed, hole in the roof where rain came through and hit the electric panel. Why? Lake front! It met my first criteria: 50 feet direct lake frontage. Not in an association. Grandfathered lot and septic, good parking, some stairs (15), but not bad. The building was 25 feet from the lake. The lake was 500 acres with 9 islands. No boat limits or motor limits. But a private / quiet lake. No public beach.

I knew that the building was a temporary building and that someday I would knock it down and build a cottage that was representative of the beauty of the lake. So, from October 1999 – Feb. of 2008, I fixed up that building and used it as a seasonal place. I kept it maintained, but did not put a lot of money into it as I knew that I would tear it down someday. Incidentally, I paid $35,000 for the lakefront building and lot in 1999, Last appraisal (2007), with the old building was $190,000. Why? Lakefront is finite. It’s called Supply and Demand. Lots of land around. Limited lake front. Even after the “crash” of 2008, my property is worth $175,000. Of course with the new building, that has changed. Please read the next post in this segment.

2001 photo of lake from deck

If you read my previous post, you would know the pre-requisites that go into thinking about what kind of boat fit your needs, wants and the type of lake you plan to put it on.

Since I replaced my 1952 fishing shack with a new building in May 2008, I had to sell my boat to help qualify for the mortgage and use the money for some constructions wants. But as I sold it, I knew that in a few years I would be purchasing a boat again. My 2005 Smokercraft Melentia 172 netted me $10,000 in 2008. A nominal loss of about $3500. I spent some time recently looking at boats. It’s hard for me to get the smoker craft fishing boats out of my system.

2005 172 Melentia with 90 hp

My wife and I looked at a Chris Craft. The entry level 20 foot boat starts at $43,000! I would equate this to a corvette with the luxury of a Cadillac. A beautiful boat, but, way out of my price range. Chris Craft are known for style and power. Not fishing. Many millionaires own this type of boat!

The next type of boat we looked at was a Regal, 20 foot power boat. This boat is built for water sports and fun on the lake. My wife really liked this boat! It had cup holders, cooler storage and all the bells and whistles of a play toy. Price reduced to $33,000. Certainly a very beautiful boat, with a 225 hp mercruiser. The boat weighed in at 3300 lbs. No live wells or room for you fishing pools. Plenty of wake board storage. Great swim platform and stereo. Four speakers pointed backwards to the water skier. 200 watt sound system!

2009 20 foot Regal

Finally, we looked at Four Winns 19 foot “runabout”. Priced at about $23,000. It has a 185 hp mercrusier inboard/outboard. Nice boat! This boat was made of fiberglass, weighing in at about 2800 pounds. Had all the standard bells and whistles. Stereo, storage for water skiing equipment, plenty of cup holders and a sun deck for sun bathers. Swim ladder for easy swim access. Made of fiberglass so nice and heavy Cadillac type of ride. No live well, rod storage, or fish finder.

These were all new boats. I start by looking at new, but ultimately, I try and purchase either a 2-3 year old model or a leftover. My first boat, a Smokercraft stinger 161 was 3 years used. The motor was new. My second boat, melentia 172, was a left over.

My recent dilemma has been to choose to buy either aluminum or fiberglass. This is of course a personal choice. I am bias to aluminum. Many people prefer fiberglass as it is heavier, tends to push through the water, providing a less “bouncy” ride. Below is a link to read about the aluminum vs. fiberglass debate. http://ezinearticles.com/?Buying-a-New-Boat?-Fiberglass-Vs

-Aluminum—A-Comprehensive-Guide&id=1887117

I prefer aluminum as I find it to be more efficient. It weighs half of the weight of fiberglass. Therefore it is more energy efficient, Easier to get on a plane, and uses less power to get out of the hole and on a plane. Also, my truck has an easier time pulling a 1700 pound 19 foot boat as compared to 2800 pound 19 foot fiberglass. If you have an accident, you can re-weld, re-paint, or simply push out a “ding”. Fiberglass requires a professional repair.  But, fiberglass boats are usually better for water skiing. Also, I prefer outboards to inboard/outboards. I find that outboards take up less space, especially if the boat is less than 20 feet. I have looked at 19 foot boats and third of the boat is the engine cover. Outboards also allow me to easily change engines, and I can swap a motor on the boat if the regular motor needs repair. In other words, I don’t have to give up on the use of the boat.

So, while I have attempted to expand my horizons, I cling to the practicability of a fishing boat. I want the live well so that I can bring the fish home and show off. I want the rod storage. I want to be able to walk on the deck and fish close to the water. I also want to pull the kids around in a tube, and water ski. But, I have found that kids eventually “wear” out some of those activities. But exploring and fishing on many types of lakes never seems to bore me.

So, I have done my research and decided to step up from a Melentia 17 foot to a Melentia 19 foot. Here is why:

· The 19 foot version is approved for 8 people instead of 5 (17 foot version).

· It weighs only about 300 pounds more but can have up to a 175 hp (the 17 foot version was rated to 125 hp)

· The rear bench now has seats, so you can comfortably seat 6. 2 more can sit on the front deck.

· The 19 foot version can handle lake Champlain volatility (larger waves)

· The 19 foot version has plenty of room; you can be comfortable on a day trip.

· More space for fishing people and gear.

· It’s a bit faster (tops out at about 48 mph vs. 40)

o This is helpful on large lakes

· Still family orientated.

I have purchased all of my previous boats from Mondaknock Boat Store in Rindge NH. Scott is one of the owners and he works a fair deal and gives good service. He is sensitive to needs and wants. I will say, I would like a 175 hp on that. He’ll say “Do you really need that? I have heard that a 150 hp is more than enough”. Good advice and a sincere sense of what you need.

I have spoke to Scott this time around and he has a 2009 Melentia 192 left over. Price…$25,000. This is a little bit more then I wanted to spend. So, I started searching the Internet. After going through three pages of Google, I found a 2007 192 Melentia for $18,995. I really like the color of this boat vs. the 2009 model. It seemed to be loaded with options. Where was this boat? Wisconsin. YEP! Nearly 2000 miles away. Smokercarft boats are not common boats found for sale. For $1750, he will haul it to NY for me.

2007 Melentia 192

So, we’ll see. I will post an update after I get more information and make a decision.

It is 2009 as I sit down with my granddaughter to write what our Lake Front cabin means
to our family. Sixty-five years ago my experiences on the lake first began
when my parents rented a cottage several weeks each summer for our vacation.
My dad fished, I went horseback riding with friends, swan, hiked, kept busy
all day. Both my mother and father and I had the same friends that kept
drawing us back each year, too. My family loved it so much that in 1956 they
bought property on the lake and built our cottage that still draws my whole
family even today. My two daughters and son have come here since they were
babies and have grown to love it from those childhood days.
Now my married daughters and son are coming here with my ten grandchildren.
(My son bought his own place.) The children begin their days fishing off the
dock, swinging in the hammock, riding on the zip line... Next there is
horseback riding, boating, waterskiing, tubing and hours of swimming... They
are happy here and the ten cousins "love" it when they can be together at
"camp". (They spend hours scheming of ways to get back here together.)
Very few places afford this simplistic life style where the quality of
shared time, so valuable to relationships, can be experienced differently
than almost any place else. How blessed we are to have a Lake front cabin where there
is always refuge and a place to find release from cares and responsibilities
when they pile up. When this place gets in your blood, it becomes a second
home!
Carole S.