Pontoon & Deck Boat Magazine — July 2017

38 Pontoon^ & Deck Boat July^2017 http://www.pdbmagazine.com

inviting as a relaxing destination from

any work-related stress.

Two of the most popular places for

rentals are the Deep Creek Marina and

Bill’s Marine Service, even though there

are other pontoon boat rental businesses

along old and the new Route 219.

Coming down from I-68 on Route 219,

the easiest road to the area, is Deep

Creek Marina Boat Rentals in McHenry.

They have more than 40 pontoon boats

alone for rent, from Harris, Tahoe,

Manitou to Bennington brands with

90hp up to 300hp Mercury motors. Two

are double decker with slides for those

adventurous families with venturesome

children. All boats are covered at night

so they are clean the following morning

for the next group that comes aboard.

Loading Up The ’Toon

Because of the number of people

in one group, the Weed, Ledford and

Brugger families of Arlington, Va., took

the Harris Sunliner 24-foot pontoon with

300hp Mercury along with inflatable toys

strapped onboard for a day of cruising.

Major Joshua Weed spearheaded the

crew of eight children and six adults

to yet unseen coves for swimming and

tubing fun. The Bruggers found Deep

Creek, fell in love with it and introduced

the area to their friends who now feel

that it will be an annual get-together

location.

On the other hand, the Finches, from

an area near Baltimore and McHenry,

have been renting pontoon boats from

Deep Creek Marina for years. Every

year boat manager Jordan Smith is

their contact to get a boat appropriately

sized for that year’s needs. Father and

patriarch Ray Finch doesn’t feel he’s a

tinkerer of boats, and finds renting one

very convenient, not worrying about

cleanup at the end of an exceptional day.

“My experience is good enough to

keep coming back. It’s been terrific

with the boats in great shape. The ones

we rent are almost brand new and we

know we won’t have a problem,” Finch

explained. “This year we really feel the

pontoon boat was the answer for us since

two of my daughters-in-law are expecting

soon. The ride is more comfortable for

them, and we can easily stop at any

number of restaurants along the way to

meet their needs. The Fourth of July

holiday seems to be one of the few

times my entire family gets together, so

it has become very special to us which

includes one of those days on the water

in a pontoon boat!”

New Options

Another division to Deep Creek

Marina is their sales of pontoon boats

in a new showroom building before

getting to the rental office, gift store and

docks. All boat purchases come with

membership to their club. The club

house has an outdoor covered pool, boat

dockage, and several easy access boat

ramps. Parking is available in a three-

story garage where viewing the fireworks

is ideal just after their Fourth of July

get-together of pesto zucchini, pulled

pork, hot dogs, hamburgers, and of

course, ice cream, among other fare.

Owner Adrian Spiker, of Deep Creek

Marina and an 11th-generation Garrett

County descendent is no stranger to

a pontoon boat, either. Mom Karen

remembers taking him out on a Harris

FloteBote when he was only seven

months old and putting him in a play

pen. It may have been on one from the

second load of Harris pontoon boats ever

manufactured and shipped to dealers!

But don’t ask him about it; he may just

roll his eyes and expound the virtues of

any number of their pontoon boats on

premises.

Like Family

Richard and Dorothy Grube of

Pittsburg love the events at the club,

including the Fourth of July Bash, and

like to be treated as part of the family.

Their daughter Trish, along with her

husband, Mike Mazingo, shared the

holiday with them on their Sun Tracker

with a 60hp Mercury motor. Grube takes

advantage of their boat being delivered

to the dock in the spring and then

picked up and serviced over the winter,

saying that it’s less work for them and

they know it will be in tip-top shape

come the following year.

While stopping to have lunch at Uno

Pizzeria & Grill, about halfway down

the lake where a multitude of boats

dock at two stretched out piers, it’s

not hard to find families, fun, food and

more boats. Carol and Michael Juba

of Pittsburg brought their family for

lunch too. Their son Alan spent a tour

in Afghanistan, is still Airborne in the

Army and is enjoying the holiday, but

grandson Addilyn was all eyes on the

huge concrete elephant behind the very

popular restaurant.

They have a Harris pontoon bought

at Bill’s Marine Service. As a matter of

fact, all three of their boats were bought

from Bill’s. Their boat is brought to them

the first of May, and pulled for them in

October. Even their docks are put in

and pulled out by Bill’s Marine Service,

since no docks can stay in the water

over the winter season. Twenty-four-inch

thick ice is not uncommon in this area

so it stands to reason for all docks to be

removed.

Fish On

Boat storage, repair service, boat

purchases and rental are all common

fare along the lake, but Bill’s Outdoor

Center is the best tackle shop with live

bait. Minnows run 3 to 4 inches long,

and rods, reels, bait buckets, all kinds

of lures, boat toys, and fishing tips can

be had, including

guide service on

the store’s own

pontoon boat.

Usually a trip to

the south half of

the lake during the

holidays is called

for, where the least

amount of traffic

occurs and only

homes are sparsely

seen, other than at

Holy Cross Point

and its cove.

During the

holiday, several

other events

take place to

entertain boaters

and visitors alike.

About half a mile

from the lake for

several nights

is the Bull Ride

Mania, Carnival

of Carnage at

the McHenry

Fairgrounds.

Sheep riding for

the youngsters

and bull riding

for adult

entertainment is

The King

children,

friends, and

staff of Deep

Creek Marina

enjoy themselves

during the

fireworks.