Home ON THE AT WATER

There are plenty of options for staying at Smith Mountain Lake, but what about staying on the lake? From waking up on the waves to a sunset dinner anywhere, houseboats offer a unique way to experience the Jewel of the Blue Ridge.

story by TAD DICKENS | photos by SCOTT P YATES

sU mmer rela X aT ion on some friends’ lakeside dock brought one roanoke couple a life-changing view. c had a mrhein and Beckie spaid took note of the houseboats motoring by as they enjoyed the smith mountain lake scenery about a decade ago.

The pair have owned two since, with amrhein fully renovating the second one himself. They set off from their c rystal shores marina slip almost every weekend, either to head for the dock where they first discovered this joy or to tie up with other friends’ watercraft for a weekend outdoor party on the water. a mrhein and spaid are among many houseboat owners at sml, some of whom live full time aboard their vessels.

“i cannot imagine not having a houseboat,” amrhein said during an interview aboard the get nauti.

“We’ve made some amazing friends down here that have houseboats, people that will do anything for you … you don’t find that a whole lot.”  he has put years of real toil into remaking his boat, but that’s a daunting task, and the idea of getting on the water every weekend might not fit everyone’s vibe. For folks who are just looking for the occasional weekend or a full-on vacation, there is one option on the lake, parrot cove Boat rentals & sales, across from Bridgewater plaza in moneta. parrot cove built each of its 17 Keycraft cruisers and continues to maintain and refurbish the fleet, which the business started in 1986. even a landlubber can pilot one, by watching a 15-minute video to receive a temporary boating license. after that, a dock hand orients patrons to their boats and gives them a lake map, along with tips on the best places to drop anchor. But they don’t even have to leave the dock, marina manager Jacob Blair said.

“sometimes there are bad weather days,” Blair said. “The safest place on the water is the docks. you’re more than welcome to stay here. you can plug into the shore power. you’re not burning any fuel, and the boat’s fully operational.”

Remaking the Boat

The vessel now named get nauti was docked at parrot cove, where marina owner David oliver was looking for a buyer, amrhein said. oliver’s family has owned the boat rental outfit for decades. his father, the late roy oliver, had used the old aluminum-hull Kingscraft to entertain folks for the roanoke county business where he was co-owner and ceo, lock manufacturer medeco.

amrhein and spaid already had a houseboat, and amrhein had pulled it from the water for its