Tieing up...?

[jkust]

Re: Tieing up...?

I've wondered the same thing. There are 2 places I know of where I see tons of people rafted up in MN. The St. Croix river at Hastings and Lake Minnetonka at Big Island.

I would like to raft up to some of these people as I'm 29 with no kids and don't mind some cheap entertainment but I dont want it to come at the cost of my boat getting destroyed.

I've heard the local radio station advertising they will be at Big Island and it generates a lot of turnout.

How the heck do I approach these guys to raft up. I know there is no way all these people knew eachother prior to there raftup.

I don't drink but I used to and it's still fun to hang out with these people (to a point).

I live close to lake Minnetonka but haven't made it out there yet because you can't find a spot for your tow rig. Minnetonka is a 14,000 acre, uber high-end lake right in the middle of several Minneapolis suburbs for those who haven't heard of it. It is an amazing thing to have this size lake in literally right in town. My wife's sister's family lived the Minnetonka lifestyle, always in competition to have the largest/highest end boat on the lake and spending all their time out there. Anyway what you don't see is that there is an entire culture going on there. Everyone know everyone since they live and breath it. My inlaws quit the scene when it became a soap opera and everyone was sleaping with everyone else and doing drugs. A lot of these people involved in the drama with the means to have 40+ foot cruisers were married with kids. Again, owing a large, ocean worthy cruiser on a 14,000 acre lake says a lot. There is a magazine out there called something like Minnetonka living and one of the most recent issues had a feature called 'everything you wanted to know about Minnetonka but didn't know who to ask' Id find that if I were you and it lists the bars and spots where the crowd hangs out and some details about the type of person there. Go to one of the spots and make some Minnetonka friends if you don't want to raft with unknowns.

 

[rwidman]

Re: Tieing up...?

I mentioned above to let the more experienced boaters direct the raftup. I also said if it doesn't seem right, don't do it.

I rafted with friends and friends of friends several times in creeks off the Chesapeake Bay when I lived in MD. There is about a two foot tidal range and little current.

In the Charleston, SC area where I now live and boat, there is about a six foot tidal range and swift, reversing tidal currents.

Shortly after purchasing my 31' Camano, a group at the marina suggested a trip from Charleston, SC to Beaufort, SC with an overnight raftup halfway there. There would be seven boats, from 29' to 34', all "sport cruisers", except for my trawler.

I got to the raftup spot first because I left several hours before the rest. I dropped my anchor and let out about a ten to one scope. The rest of the bunch arrived and rafted on both sides of my boat and we started preparing a group dinner mostly on my boat because it has the best galley.

We soon noticed that we were drifting down the river and towards shore. One of the other captains suggested that we break up and re-raft to his boat because he had a heavier anchor and all chain rode.

We did and continued with the dinner. After dark, I thought it appeared that we were moving but others said we weren't. I turned on my chart plotter and hit the MOB button. After a couple of minutes, I determined that we were, in fact, drifting, and all six boats were heading for a private dock on the river. With much confusion, we broke up the raftup and decided it would be best for each of us to anchor seperately for the rest of the night and we did with no further problems.

You may ask why we didn't anchor more than one boat. With a reversing current, multiple anchors will result in the rodes being twisted together and it would be difficult to untangle them, especially with a current.

Others at the marina have gone out and had problems rafting. In this area, it's just not practical in many cases. You have to know your boat, know your anchor, know the other boats, and know the conditions.

If I raft again with more than one other boat it will be in daylight only and keeping an eye on things.

 

[Friscoboater]

Re: Tieing up...?

On our lake we just raft up in a huge flotilla. That is how we meet people.

 

[steddy]

Re: Tieing up...?

If I raft up with another boat(s), I either know them or someone on my boat knows them. Asking to raft up with a stranger is a little rude IMO.

It can be rude; but how else are you supposed to meet people? Asking to raft up with a stranger is better then just pulling up & tying on while they aren't looking.
Another tip: don't raft up to those outside your "social class." I feel very uncomfortable tying my crappy little 20' Thompson to a $750,000 Donzi. I can't help but think the owner of the Donzi is looking down on me, even if they really aren't.

 

[sheridon]

Re: Tieing up...?

It can be rude; but how else are you supposed to meet people? Asking to raft up with a stranger is better then just pulling up & tying on while they aren't looking.
Another tip: don't raft up to those outside your "social class." I feel very uncomfortable tying my crappy little 20' Thompson to a $750,000 Donzi. I can't help but think the owner of the Donzi is looking down on me, even if they really aren't.

I under stand staying in your social class. I rafted up with a bunch of sport cruisers and there I was with my 20 foot open bow. They were great though didn't look down on me. Just said give it a few years you'll have cruiser too. They all had smaller boats at one time.. and they only wish the burned the amount of gas that I did....

 

[glengold]

Re: Tieing up...?

I under stand staying in your social class. I rafted up with a bunch of sport cruisers and there I was with my 20 foot open bow. They were great though didn't look down on me. Just said give it a few years you'll have cruiser too. They all had smaller boats at one time.. and they only wish the burned the amount of gas that I did....

That is so true. Down in the keys some family friends have a twin motor offshore boat. One day he was figuring his gas expense for that morning. The dolphin and small tuna he caught cost him close to 200 bucks in fuel...... Its all about the experience though right?