Lake Powell Oct 1 Closure

F

Fun Patrol

New member
Lake Powell was "closed" by the federal government on October 1 due to the current budget battle. No launching allowed and those on the lake who contacted Law Enforcement Officers were told to leave. There was supposed to be no fuel available. While the main problem (no launching) still exists, I have some updated information via ham radio from my buds currently on the lake:

1) LEOs are not seeking out boats to run off the lake.

2) Folks that ASK the rangers, get told to leave. ("Better to beg forgiveness than ask permission") rule.

3) In spite of the previous "orders", some houseboats are being allowed to leave the docks and moorings at Wahweap.

4) There may be only one ranger on the lake at some times.

5) Dangling Rope has fuel, food and ice available and the general mood is pretty relaxed concerning the "shutdown".

6) The bite is on for strippers!

I had planned to launch today, Thursday the 3rd, so here we are, all packed up with noplace to go. The 2nd choice was Lake Mojave which...you guessed it, is also an N.R.A. area closed by our stubborn administration.

...Roy
 
pics ?

I always think its funny when parks are shut down or "mothballed" yet there is still LE there to make sure you can't use it.

on the flip side, if you do pursue the 'beg forgiveness' avenue (as I typically do), then you should have the water mostly to yourself!
 
I wondered about the Antelope Point launch ramp-the internet says that it closed Sept. 23 because of low water. (But the water level was lower in early Sept... Too bad. I suspect that there are many days when only one ranger on the lake. I wonder if the lodge is also closed?
 
Fun Patrol":1ll3h2qv said:
I have some updated information via ham radio from my buds currently on the lake
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Thanks for that. Updated info that's "for sure" is very hard to come by.

We went to Dangling Rope last Sunday (before the pending shutdown was on our minds at all) and they were out of milk and block ice (plus many of the refrigerator/door compartments were completely empty of whatever they had held). At the time they said they would be getting the next shipment on Tuesday, Oct 1. We sort of wondered about it, as, I mean, they basically exist to provide fuel/ice/milk/bread and would it really be that hard to calculate the demand? But anyway, we got what we could and went on our way. Later I wondered if they knew and were tapering down for the shutdown. But if your contacts say they have ice and supplies now, maybe they did get their Tuesday resupply (they did have cubed ice on Sunday).
 
We took advantage of the State of Utah's generous contribution to reopening the lake and launched Wedsnesday, Oct 16. The Wahweap parking lot was about half full, but the lake swallowed up the few boats launched. Everything seemed back to normal, but the employees were really bored with no customers.

We ran in the main channel today (Monday, Oct 21) and saw only 3 houseboats and 1 power boat! Nice! Lots of great spots available at this (3591ft) lake elevation. This has been the best weather I have ever had here and I started coming in 63. A parade of highs from BC down through Texas gives severe clear and NO wind. Daily highs have been around 70 and it gets down to 45-55 at night. But, we've got our new whiz-bang 3,000 btu catalytic heater with a 5-gallon tank. Sweet!

From the "Hot Spot"...Main Channel @ Rock Creek, back to a hole....

..Roy
 
Hi Fun Patrol,

Is that your 22 we saw Saturday mid-day at one of the Antelope courtesy docks? We had time to admire it while we putted by at "No Wake" speed :thup I forget what the trim color was but it had twin Suzukis. We really wanted to stop to say "Hi," but we had to get to Wahweap in time to get our rig out of storage, so we were making tracks.

Is your heater by chance a Wave 3? I'm thinking I may try one as my next stage in the heater evolution (used a portable buddy this trip and stored the canisters in the stbd lazarette when not in use (did open windows for recommended amount of ventilation when using it, which was only while we were awake mornings and evenings).

Which 5# propane cylinder are you using and where do you store it? I think I have the list of every possible cylinder and size, but I may have missed one :D For starters I would probably use the Wave 3 on legs with a disposable 1#, just to see if I liked it before moving ahead; but ultimately if I go with propane as a fuel source I believe I would extend the bottom of the stbd. lazarette to fit two 10# tanks (as was done by someone else here already, although I'm momentarily forgetting whom).

The other two popular choices for me now are either the P9000 (propane fireplace) or the Wallas 1300 or 1800 kerosene heater (not stove).

On the other hand, the portable buddy worked well for just taking the chill off for an hour or so morning and evening, and was certainly good "bang" for the buck and effort and space used (not much). It would not probably work all that well for something like an Inside Passage trip, where I'd want to run it a good portion of every day, and the climate is more moist.

Thanks again for the HAM info you passed on about Dangling Rope while the lake was closed. That helped us out!

Sunbeam

PS: Isn't the weather amazing right now? We caught 4-5 days of this just at the end of our trip (before that it was also nice, but we had to wait out a few blows).
 
Hey Sunbeam,

Glad you had a good cruise on the lake. This has been the best weather I've ever experienced here. The only downside is the water is a little cool at 65 for swimming. The big upside is solitude, the only thing we see or hear are the tourist planes out of Page. But, if we had launched as intended when the shutdown occured, we would have had warmer water, but the weather at that time wasn't nearly as nice.

That was not us at Antelope, we have a single Evinrude (but it really is a Suzy). We did check the Antelope launch ramp, plenty of water at the docks, but the ramp is indeed closed due the the cement ending not far from the waterline with the probability of someone running their trailer off the edge.

I've experimented with various heaters for years, and the setup I have now is the best yet. I mounted a standard 5-gallon (20 lb) tank on the port side of the splash well. I chose that size because it is the most common and can be filled or exchanged easily. I use a standard BBQ regulator at the tank, a "thru-hull" connection through the fiberglass for the run of approved hose to the Wave 3 that I mounted on the inside of the hull in the below the dinnette (with some slack so I can move it around if needed). That was the best (although not perfect) location for us. It's not too hot even on "high" to burn anything. Well, maybe the cat's tail. We keep their food dish right in front of it during the day, but at night when we use the heater, we move it away.

The main problem with heaters is sizing them right for all possible conditions. Of course this is impossible, but we found that many just put out too much heat for your average 45-50 degree night. I have a new 6,000 Olypian like the one I have used in the motorhome for years. Just right for the motorhome...even 20* nights, but it wouldn't go low enough for the 22 cabin. I can however, change up to it with the twist of a propane fitting if need be. I bench-tested the Wave 3 and developed a "super low" setting that is just right for most overnights. Last night got down to around 47, but not till early morning. After sunset I set it to the super low position, then moved it to "low" around 0300, then off when the sun hit the boat in the morning.

Catalytics are fairly safe, no open flame, almost no CO, but you do have to account for O2 depletion and moisture. The moisture issue is present even here at Lake Powell with <10% humidity, but nothing like in the PNW on a rainy night. I installed a 3" muffin fan above the window above the stove with a louvered plate on the outside and a switch and reostat next to the fan on the inside. I can set the speed so slow I can't hear it which has proven to be enough to keep the condensation under control. Here. I'll of course need to do some Beta testing in the Inside Passage!

Kind of got a little thread-creep going here, it probably should be over in the heater department.

At any rate, if we were at all clever, we would cruise when we didn't neat either A/C or heat....and gas was free.....

We're going to hit Dangling Rope around lunch today, hope they have the ice cream machine going!

Have fun...

...Roy
 
Hi Roy,

Great info and super useful for me right now - thank you!

Fun Patrol":k7deuofi said:
This has been the best weather I've ever experienced here. The only downside is the water is a little cool at 65 for swimming.... if we had launched as intended when the shutdown occured, we would have had warmer water ...
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Actually, I'm not sure you missed anything, swimming-wise. This is only my second time here, but last year (mid-September to early October) I remember the water being around 73º with a few "bonus" spots at 76º. This year we got here the third week in September, and it was already in the very low 70's. By the time the shutdown started it was consistently down into the 60's.... so already colder than last year (granted I was on a different boat last year, so maybe the thermometers varied, but my "shock factor" tells me it is colder this year too).

Fun Patrol":k7deuofi said:
The big upside is solitude, the only thing we see or hear are the tourist planes out of Page.
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Absolutely. Even though we were pretty low on food (and certainly on "fun" food) by the time the shutdown started, we just couldn't pass up the opportunity to spend time on a Powell that felt like (we imagine it must have) in an earlier time. It was amazing (I do recognize it was not the result of a "good" thing, so not rejoicing about that part of it).

Fun Patrol":k7deuofi said:
That was not us at Antelope, we have a single Evinrude (but it really is a Suzy).
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Ah, okay. So that was another 22 out enjoying the lake, cool :D

On to the heaters - that is *great* info from you. Because it will be so "easy" to try the Wave 3, I think that will be my next move (as opposed to say, a $2500+ full Wallas installation). I can run it off my remaining disposable cylinders and see how I like it for a pretty small expenditure of time/money, and then always move on the the Wallas or other if that seems best for my uses.

If I stick with the Wave 3 I'm going to be asking you about your "Super Low" setting for sure - sounds like a great mod.

Fun Patrol":k7deuofi said:
I mounted a standard 5-gallon (20 lb) tank on the port side of the splash well.
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After this Powell trip, I don't think I can give that area up (had a wooden platform there leading to the swim platform, and it was in constant use. Of course no matter where I put it I will be giving up something. That's always the way on boats :D My two prime candidates are the port lazarette (extended downwards I believe I can fit in two 10# tanks and still keep the existing through hull drain below the bottom of the locker). Of course I used that space constantly on this trip too (for all the miscellaneous "garage" and "under sink' type chemicals/oils/etc. Plus extra docklines, plus....

The other location I have considered is up high under the galley counter. I'd have to build in a gastight locker (and access it through the countertop) but I do already have a through hull there from the removed Wallas stove. That would be more complicated than using the lazarette. Anyway, with the Wave 3 I can use it for awhile without having to do that by utilizing 1 lb. cylinders (which fit in the port lazarette already).

Interesting about where you chose to install it - I didn't think of that spot. I was thinking either on the inside of the after galley cabinet door (which would be opened to use the heater) or on the inside of a door I would put on the passageway-facing side of the port forward seat (so it would face aft when in use). The latter is where I "stood" the portable buddy when in use, and it worked well. The galley location is less convenient for going in and out (although I could still squeeze by; the forward location is not as good for using while sleeping - which I'm not sure I would do anyway.


Fun Patrol":k7deuofi said:
I have a new 6,000 Olypian like the one I have used in the motorhome for years. Just right for the motorhome...even 20* nights, but it wouldn't go low enough for the 22 cabin.
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Good to know - I had pretty much ruled that one out, but now will just cross it off entirely.

Fun Patrol":k7deuofi said:
I'll of course need to do some Beta testing in the Inside Passage!
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But of course!

Fun Patrol":k7deuofi said:
At any rate, if we were at all clever, we would cruise when we didn't neat either A/C or heat.
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True but.... I find I tend to like places that are less crowded when the temps get a bit less optimal (like Powell now, which is probably why you are here now too).

Fun Patrol":k7deuofi said:
We're going to hit Dangling Rope around lunch today, hope they have the ice cream machine going!
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I kind of think that might be done for the season, but at least they have ice and fuel :D Have a great rest of your trip! Thanks again for the specific heater info.

Sunbeam
 
Sunbeam:

Nice meeting you both in the parking lot when we pulled out Thursday. Hope you didn't shine up your boat too much, we had a little rain in St. George on the way home. To add to a perfect trip, we had a tailwind all the way home!

..Roy & Laura
 
Fun Patrol":3f5vy5kp said:
Sunbeam:

Nice meeting you both in the parking lot when we pulled out Thursday. Hope you didn't shine up your boat too much, we had a little rain in St. George on the way home. To add to a perfect trip, we had a tailwind all the way home!
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Nice to meet you both too! And Fun Patrol.

No shine yet.... I had to order in a can of my favorite wax from "civilization" so the boat is still waiting for the big wash. We're kind of "stuck" here until Monday anyway as the replacement ACR from Blue Sea won't arrive until then. So, taking some time to do a few other things on the list: Just put new LED taillights on the trailer, drained fuel from carbs, washed/rinsed/dried rodes and dock lines, etc. (amazing how much sand came out). Not the same as being out on the lake, but the scenery and weather are still nice, and things are pretty quiet in terms of the masses of "other" tourists (besides us :D) I see the daytime temps are going to plunge (and stay colder) in a few days. Will try to miss that!
 
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