Posted by Suzie Cramer on Mon, May 07, 2012
The "Parker Tube Float" is scheduled for June 9, 2012! Start using your imagination now for the theme of the float is the "Statehood of Arizona" (hmm...could be a challenging theme!). This year's float is co-sponsored by the Parker Area Chamber of Commerce, the Blue Water Resort and Casino and Parker Rotary. Sign up now (call (928)669-2174 for credit card payments or click here to download the Tube Registration! The cost is only $15/person and the first 300 floaters to sign up will receive a goody bag!
Categories and Prizes (wristband must be worn in order to compete!)
- Groups - "Largest Group" receives $100 and a trophy! Minimum of 21 floaters required...no maximum! Group tubes must be tied together at all times! No children under 13 unless accompanied by one or more adults (two children per adult allowed)
- Teams - The first to finish team receives $50 and a trophy! The teams may consist of 2 - 20 persons. The team must have one person 18 years of age or over. No children under age of 13 unless accompanied by 1 or more adults (two children per adult allowed). All tubes must be tied together!
- Theme Floats - 1st Prize is $500! Theme based on "Celebrating Arizona's Centennial"! No limit of persons with float however the base of the float must be on innertubes! Only the float will be judged and it must float past the check point in order to be eligible for float team trophies!
- Single floater ages 14 - 29 years of age - First to finish receives $50 and a trophy!
- Single floater ages 30 - 49 years of age - First to finish receives $50 and a trophy!
- Single floater ages 50 (+) years! First to finish receives $50 and a trophy!
- Most original hat will be awarded $25!
So grab your imagination, a hat and sunscreen and come join the fun! And for further ideas as to what to do in Parker for fun, check out our page on
upcoming events in Parker!
Posted by Suzie Cramer on Mon, Apr 30, 2012
Lake Havasu events are many....What a fun city! However did you know
that in 2011, a "Designator Operator" and "Designator Captain" programs were instituted? The Lake Havasu Marine Association (along with campaign co-sponsors Teague Custom Marine and Romer Beverage Company) launched these programs in order to instill awareness among recreational boaters that assigning the responsibility of a sober "Designated Operator" will significantly reduce the number of "under the influence" related boating accidents and fatalities! Here's the scoop:
"Designator Operator" FAQ's:
- This program continues to allow drinking and "partying" on boats while on Lake Havasu. However, it designates one person (the operator of the boat) by that person wearing a wristband. This person has volunteered to be a "non drinker" for the time he/she is operating the boat.
- The wristband will not stop a law enforcement person from performing an OUI on the wearer of the wristband however if the OUI is negative, that person will be commended by the law enforcement agency and be allowed to continue having fun!
- Where do you obtain these wristbands? Some of the launch ramps will be passing them out to those who agree to remain sober for the day (prior to launching). You may also obtain them in certain on-water restaurants and bars. In fact, certain establishments will provide complimentary non-alcoholic beverages for you that day just because you are wearing the wristband!
- For more information, contact Jim Salscheider (of the Lake Havasu Marine Association) at 928-208-2442!
DESIGNATED OPERATOR BY: PHIL928-208-0397 YOUR BOAT, YOUR PARTY, NO WORRIES!
Safe Boating Certified, Life Guard, C.P.R., First Aid, Photographer, Bartender, BBQ, Let him take the HEAT, while you CHILL!
"Designated Captain"
- This program is targeting recreational boaters who desire to delegate
the responsibility of operating a boat to an experienced, licensed and sober captain!
- "Designated Captain" is headed by Ken Samp - the owner/operator of Sunset Charters and Tours in Lake Havasu City.
- A pool of qualified, Coast Guard-licensed captains has been established, offering their services on an hourly basis to recreational boaters (of both rental and privately owned vessels).
- Anyone wanting this service is requested to contact Ken Samp by phone or e-mail to arrange a captain reservation. You will be screened by Ken Samp and he will recommend captains who best suit the individual needs of you!
- For additional information, you may:
- Call Captain Ken Samp at 928-716-8687
- Go to his website
- Email him at captainken@havasusunsetboattours.com
All Seasons Storage wishes everyone a happy and safe boating experience! And if you need information regarding
"Vessel Assist" programs, read our blog by
clicking here!
Posted by Suzie Cramer on Mon, Apr 23, 2012
Boat towing services - Do you really need them? If you are like most 
boaters, you probably think that if your boat "cuts out", another boater will come and rescue you! You probably feel that there is no need for a boat towing service. However, if you boat on the strip of the Colorado River between Laughlin and Lake Havasu, you may want to think again! Along that strip of the river, the current is extremely strong (it flows between 7 - 9 knots). Also, due to the water level fluctuations (there is a 3 - 6 foot water fluctuation daily), your prop and/or outdrive can become damaged and sand can easily become ingested by the water pump impellers. It was actually due to these reasons that Captain Greg Ewing opened Vessels Assist at the Needles Marina in 2006.
Vessel Assist is available 24 hours a day! Boaters in need of assistance can reach them via VHF radio on channel 16; by calling the company directly at 928-788-1815 or via the "Boat U.S. toll-free dispatch service at 800-391-4869. Some of the services Vessel Assist performs includes:
- Towing
- Battery Jump Starts
- Soft Ungrounding
- Fuel Delivery
Now, to make it less expensive to take advantages of Vessel Assist's services, there are companies like Boat U.S. Towing Service. This company is sometimes called the "Boat Owners Auto Club"! Membership dues begin at $24. You then have choices as to the amount of towing capabilities that you can purchase. Unlimited freshwater towing is only $34/year or you can pay $12/year and Boat U.S. will pay up to $150 per incident. Check out their website to learn more!
Finally, consider Boat U.S.'s Trailer Assist program. Many car insurance companies do not cover your trailer. Boat U.S. has a program that may be worth considering. You can find out more info in the link above!
Posted by Sandra Buckendorf on Thu, Apr 19, 2012
Lake Havasu Events, 21st Annual Boat Show, is one the premier boat shows in the entire Southwest! There are so many attractions beside boats! Attractions include "Legends by the Lake" Car Show, Saturday & Sunday, 200 vintage street rods, classics and "woodies" plus a host of immaculately restored V-Drive flattys, hydros and jet boats.
SPECIAL ATTRACTIONS:
Offshore power boat racing and Lake Havasu Grand Prix competion on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
The world's fastest water skiers compete in side-byside 100mph action on Saturday and Sunday.
The world's fastest piston-driven Skater catamaran, 2011 Lake of the Ozarks shoot-Out record setter, 191mph, on display at the boat show.
See the amazing "Watercar" Zero to 60moh in only five seconds on land, more that 50mph on the water. Demonstrations daily!
Demo Day on Sunday, April 22 starting at 3:00pm to dusk and Monday, April 23, 9:00am to 4:00pm at Windsor Beach Lauch Ramp.
For more information, videos, and much more go to http://lakehavasuboatshow.com/
DESERT STORM 2012:
Not only do you get the Boat Show but Tuesday, April 25, is the start of the Desert Storm Poker Run & Shootout! Desert Storm 2012 is guaranteed to be a world-class collection of the most prestigious performance boats from across the nation!
EVENT SHCEDULE:
Wednesday, April 25th: Havasu for Youth Charity Rides
Thursday, April 26th: Desert Storm Street Party on Main Street (McCulloch Blvd. from Smoketree Ave. to Acoma Blvd).
Friday, April 27th: Desert Storm Poker Run
Saturday, April 28th: Desert Storm Shootout in Thompson Bay
For a detailed shcedule of events, Contact Jim Nichols Phone: 602-578-5975 or Email at http://jimn@lakeracerllc.com
Website: http://www.lakeracerllc.com
There are so many events and so much to see you need to come check them out yourself!
Information & Pictures Thanks to:
Lake Havasu Boat Show
Go Lake Havasu.com
Pictures: Arizona Boating & Watersports, azbw.com,golakehavasu.com
Posted by Suzie Cramer on Thu, Apr 12, 2012
Boat storage Lake Havasu.... Many people want to store their boat at Lake Havasu...but why? Why not in Needles, CA? The advantages are many! 
- Diverse Areas to Boat In - If you store your boat in Needles, it is very easy to go to Laughlin/Bullhead, Lake Mojave, Pirates Cove/Park Moabi or Lake Havasu and Parker! Needles is right in the middle! Compare it to storing your boat at Lake Havasu....you might take it to Parker but everywhere else is a drive from Havasu.
- It is usually less expensive to store your boat in the Needles area! Check out the prices and you will probably find that the boat storage is less expensive in Needles!
- It takes less gas and less time to get to your boat from the L.A and San Diego areas if you use boat storage in Needles, CA! And at $4.50/gallon...that could make a difference if you want to take your boat out to play!
- You have lots of boat storage facilities to pick from within a 5 mile radius! Of course we recommend "All Seasons Storage" (since we are writing this article) however all of the facilities are great!
- The skiers and wake boarders have some of the best water in comparison to Lake Havasu or Parker! Week days the water usually remains glass...unless the wind is blowing!
So why not store your boat in Needles? Read our article "
Storage in Needles Ca - What Should I Ask" to help you determine how to find the best storage facility for your boat!
Posted by Suzie Cramer on Fri, Apr 06, 2012
Spring is in the air and it is time for your boats maintenance! Before the
kids get out of school and are ready to go to the River....take some time this weekend or next to get your boat ready for "Play Time"! Here are some suggestions:
- Oil - If you did not change the oil and filter when you put your boat away last year, do it now! And don't forget to check the oil in the outdrive!
- Fuel - If you used fuel stabilizer and had topped off the tanks before putting your boat away last year, things should be okay. However if you did not do those things, you may consider replacing the fuel. Check the fuel filter and consider replacing it. Make sure the fuel line is attached and not cracked (the winter can cause them to become dry and brittle).
- Battery - If it is a wet cell battery, check the level of electrolite. Add distilled water to the proper level if needed.. Look at the terminals and if they are corroded, clean them! Reconnect the cables. Check the volts and amps with a battery tester. If they are low, charge the battery.
- Distributor - Take off the distributor cap and check for corrosion. Clean as needed and then make sure all of the connections are restored!
- Check all of the belts and tighten them if necessary! If a belt does not fit tightly in their pulley groves, they may be worn and in need of replacement. One sign of a worn belt is the detection of black soot somewhere in the vicinity of the pulley.
- Change the spark plugs!
- Check all hoses (for cracks and connections) and the power steering/cables!
- Test the bilge pump and horn
- Check the fire extinguisher date and replace if it has been expired.
- Make sure the personal flotation devices are in good shape!
- Check the trailer....Are the tires in good shape? Aired? Look at the
date on the tire...if it is over 5 years old, consider replacing the tire! The tire may "look good" however the manufacturer may not consider it the safest at that point! (Read our article about trailer tires). Do the lights work correctly when connected to the towing vehicle?
- Check your trailer hitch! Is the ball tight? Make sure the lock down on the trailer is working properly and that it has not loosened up. We have seen several boat trailers disconnect due to improperly adjusted lock downs! Also, make sure the safety chains or cables are not damaged and that they will perfom as required.
- Finally, take the time to put a good coat of wax on the boat! You may want to review our articleon boat vinyl cleaning techniques!
Posted by Suzie Cramer on Fri, Mar 30, 2012
Laughlin events are many.....but the 30th Annual Laughlin River Run is a big one! This is
an annual gathering of motorcycle enthusiasts and it is the largest gathering of its' type in the western United States! Over 70,000 attended the 2007 event! This year, it is scheduled for April 25th - 29th.
- History of it: The first river run was in 1983 and it had 426 participants. A Harley-Davidson dealer by the name of Dale Marschke came up with the idea so that he could take his customers on a fun weekend ride. Since then, the event has been held annually during the last weekend of April and it just continues to grow in size!
- A $25 Event Pass gets you a 2012 souvenir T-shirt, one 2012 River Run Ride Pin, admission to Saturday's Poker Run and contestant entry into either the custom bike show or into Ms. Laughlin's River Run Contest!
- Concerts include Ted Nugent on Friday night, Ray Manzarek and Robby Krieger (of the Doors) on Saturday night and David Allen Coe on both nights!
- Events include: A charity poker run on old Route 66 (Friday, April 27th) benefiting the American Vets. Another poker run is scheduled for Saturday where one could win up to $1500!!!!!!
Even if you don't own a motorcycle, it really is an event to come see! The sound of the bikes....the awesome sight of so many bikes being all together....the people watching...it is a fun weekend in Laughlin!
Click here to go to the website!
If you have been to this event before, did you like it? Would you go again? Give us your input!
Posted by Suzie Cramer on Mon, Mar 19, 2012
Mini storage auction - Thanks to "Storage Wars", auctions at storage facilities have become
more popular! We purchased our first storage facility eleven years ago. We had tenants who had not paid for their unit in over one year! The manager of the facility had never been to an auction or even observed one before (the previous owner had never held an auction). My husband had retired from the fire department and I had just retired from being a physical therapist. We had no idea how to hold an auction other than what we had read in the California Lien Law rule book. Thank goodness for the auctioneer that we had hired! He was wonderful and conducted a great auction except..... nobody showed up for the auction! We had advertised in the paper and posted flyers and yet no one had come! My how things have changed!
After eleven years of auctions, I thought I would pass on a few tips to newcomers of the storage auction world. Here are some easy recommendations to follow:
- Get online and locate an auction close to you! It is amazing how many websites are online that tell you the time, date and location of auctions. A couple of examples would be Auction Zip or Storage Unit Auction Zip.
- Look in the classified section under legal notices. A storage facility must post information about the auction (including the contents of the unit) in a local newspaper two times before an auction.
- Call the storage facilities around you and ask to be put on their notification list for upcoming auctions. The managers of the facilities want the most people possible to attend an auction...they'll be glad to add your name!
- Bring cash
to the auction! 99% of all facilities will only accept cash at auctions.
- Bring a vehicle (i.e. a truck, van or empty tow trailer) so that you can empty out the storage unit. Most facilities request that you empty the unit immediately or ask that you rent the unit until you clean it out completely. It really helps to come prepared!
Auctions can be fun....they feel like a treasure hunt! We have seen people find wedding rings, antique guns, money....even a car! And even if you don't want to buy anything, a mini storage auction can just be a fun way to spend a couple of hours! You might also want to read another blog on auctions...
"Storage Auctions in Needles"!
Posted by Sandra Buckendorf on Mon, Mar 12, 2012
Lake Havasu activities - Lighthouses? No kidding! If you have been to Lake Havasu lately you might have noticed them. The Lake Havasu Lighthouse Club has been building a dozen miniature lighthouses on Lake Havasu shoreline, and even more are being planned.
The structures are reduced-size replicas of famous lighthouses located along the coasts and waterways of North America. The replicas not only mimic the originals, they serve a purpose. Equipped with red, green or amber flashing beacons, they serve as navigational aids for boaters by day and at night.
The lighthouses not only serve as a navigational system, they have become an additional 
tourist attraction for persons visiting the popular waterway. The club is working to produce a Tour Guidebook for the lighthouses. The guidebook will provide a history of the original lighthouses and details about the replicas. The United States Lighthouse Society plans on doing a tour of the Lake Havasu lighthouses in November.
The Lighthouse Club offers a number of ways for individuals and groups to become involved. If interested, go to the http://www.lh-lighthouseclub.org/ page and click on the "Membership & Sponsorship" link. General membership meetings are held at 5 p.m., the second Tuesday of each month in the Sunset Inn located at Smoketree and Lake Havasu Ave. For further information call 928-855-2105 or mail Lake Havasu Lighthouse Club, P.O. Box 2512, Lake Havasu City, AZ 86405-2512.
Click here to see what else is happening at Lake Havasu!
Posted by Sandra Buckendorf on Mon, Mar 05, 2012
First boat outing for baby can be a "worry" for new parents! Many of our tenants have had babies these past couple of years and I have wondered if they had concerns? Would the baby get squirmy and fall off the boat? Or would the parent get squirmy and accidentally toss them off the boat? Would a wave come and capsize the boat? Or would the baby slide out of their vests and be too slippery to grab? Would the parent panic and forget how to swim? Most babies love the rocking motion of a moving boat...it usually puts them to sleep and relaxes them. However, to ease a parents fears, read the following:
- The first and most important rule is that the baby must ALWAYS be wearing a coast guard approved life vest no matter what!! It holds their head up afloat in the water even though they can not swim and
no one is holding on the them. (You can practice in a pool before hand and it will give you more confidence and also you can see if the vest needs to fit tighter, looser, etc.)
- Next, sit in the back of the boat and tuck one of their legs in between your legs so if for some reason your hands let go, you will still be hanging on to them.
- Have a rule that there is always a designated person to watch the the baby at all times. Verbalize this to each other- who is on duty, if you need a drink, or a break, etc. This ensures that no one is assuming someone else is watching. This is a good rule to follow around any type of water.
- Make the baby wear a hat and of course plenty of sunscreen! And have the baby drink plenty of water! I have heard the bathing suits with the foam in them are very dangerous- never use them.
We know you love boating, and just because you have started a family doesn't mean you have to stopl You just need to "boat" in a safe and positive way!