Houseboat mooring, beaching, or anchoring techniques will vary with each location, but generally, it's a process in which you pull the houseboat up to the shoreline and secure it to shore with land anchors or stakes and ropes.

Before leaving the marina, a member of the marina staff will walk you through the driving and anchoring techniques and procedures. You are encouraged to ask as many questions as you need until you feel comfortable. You will be equipped with a map for navigation; the marina staff can inform you of currently good places to moor the houseboat, as well as other spots to steer clear from.

We've outlined the basic procedure of mooring the houseboat to the shoreline below. This procedure is from specific instructions for Lake Powell houseboats by the marina.

Procedure:

• At a slow idle speed, approach a sandy beach in a location protected from wind or away from large areas of open water, like a cove.
• Place anchors on the beach at a 45 degree angle from the cleats on the stern of the houseboat.
• Dig 2-foot holes and bury the anchors with the points down and toward the boat.
• Be sure to check the anchor lines every morning/night for tightness. You may have to adjust lines as the lake rises or falls.

For more about what you learn in orientation, check out this video from our website (as an example for Lake Shasta houseboats):

The staff at the marina are there to help you. If you have any troubles while you're out on the water, the marina can be contacted via the marine radio on your houseboat, and will either walk you through what needs to be done, or can sometimes send someone to your houseboat to assist you.

If you have any questions, or would like more details about the mooring procedures for your houseboat destination, call your friendly houseboat agent at 888-454-8825 or Request Information online.