Seven Crown Locations
Seven Crown Resorts is one of several companies offering houseboats to rent on Lake Shasta, operating out of Bridge Bay Resort and Digger Bay Marina. Both are on the south end of the lake, near where I-5 crosses the lake. We rented a Summit model houseboat at Bridge Bay Marina over Thanksgiving weekend, 2005.Seven Crown also rents houseboats on the California Delta near Stockton, out of Paradise Point Marina. We rented a Summit model from them in early July, 2007. We have not tried their rentals at Lake Mohave.
In both cases, our boat was clean and comfortable, and the staff helpful and friendly. The boat at Lake Shasta was better maintained and its kitchen more fully stocked than the rental on the Delta.
It's easiest to think of a houseboat as a large, roomy RV that runs on the water instead of the road. We slept in a different place every night, tied up in a scenic spot to eat lunch and explored Lake Shasta and the Delta in between. It was a quiet, relaxing experience that could easily be habit-forming.
There's a restaurant at the Bridge Bay Marina and at Paradise Point, or we could have driven to a nearby town to eat, but we chose to dine on the boat. This turns out to be the most practical solution, especially in winter when you need to have the boat tied up and off the lake by dark. We brought simple meals that were easy to cook on the gas stove or in the oven.
If you've never houseboated before, read our novice's houseboating guide to learn more about it.
Houseboat Sizes
At Shasta, Seven Crown offers boats that nominally sleep 6 to 13 people. We took four people on a 345-square-foot Summit model boat, about the size of a large room in a house. It nominally sleeps ten, but we found it just about the right size for two couples. This boat is the only option in the Delta, and with seven very compatible adults on board, it felt full but not uncomfortable.If you plan to pack a houseboat boat to its full capacity, be sure you can get along with everyone on board in very close quarters.
Rental Costs
Rentals range from a minimum of three days and two nights up to a week. You'll pay less off-season, starting after Labor Day until early June, except for Memorial Day weekend. Besides the rental fee, you'll have other costs which include:
- Fuel: You will burn about 6 to 8 gallons of regular unleaded gasoline per hour
- Oil:The engine uses 3 to 4 gallons of oil for each 200 gallons of gasoline
- Ice:You'll need ice or dry ice for the auxiliary ice chest, especially necessary on hot days
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Pets:No charge here. All kinds are allowed from pygmy goats to parrots and there's no extra charge
- Damage Waiver Insurance:Optional but highly recommended, it costs about $20 per day and will cover repair or replacements costs after a $500 deductible. This is especially important on the Delta, where submerged debris often damages propellers.
- Damage Deposit:The $500 deposit is refundable if you bring the boat back on good condition
- Cancellation: If you cancel within 45 days of your rental day, you'll pay a big charge and if you cancel at the last minute, you may owe the cost of your entire rental
What's Included
Seven Crown's boats all have a generator, air conditioner and heater. You'll find taps for hot and cold lake water as well as fresh water. Gas-powered barbecues and deck chairs will be provided, and if you need extra storage for cold foods, there's a 178-quart supplementary ice chest.
The houseboats have fully-stocked kitchens with a refrigerator/freezer, gas stove, microwave, oven, blender, coffee maker and toaster, along with dishes, silverware and plenty of pots and pans. They even provide the dish soap, paper towels and a few rolls of toilet paper.
What to Bring
See our houseboat vacation tips for a full list of things to bring with you.
More Houseboat Rentals
Seven Crown offers houseboat rentals on Lake Mead, Lake Mohave and the California Delta. You can also rent houseboats on Arizona's Lake Powell.
As is common in the travel industry, the writer was provided with a complimentary houseboat rental for the purpose of reviewing those services. While it has not influenced this review, About.com believes in full disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest. For more information, see our ethics policy.
