Aramark is absolutely the WORST company I have ever dealt with - and they have many other monopolies at resorts here in the west as well. When you don't have any competition....Parker wrote:Boat US, Vessel Assist, or any company like them are NOT even allowed on Lake Powell!
I know you probably are thinking that I am kidding, but I couldn't be any more honest!
Your government decided to give one single company an exclusive "Monopoly" of Lake Powell. The culprit is named "Aramark".
Just to give an idea of ridiculous prices...a 18 runabout rents for $550 per day. (believe me, it nothing special)
Several years ago, I broke down in Last Chance Bay at Lake Powell. When I got a hold of the U.S. Park Service on my radio, I found out that the cost to tow me from Last Chance Bay to Wahweep (approx 40 miles) was $1200, since only "Aramark" had a license for such a business. (I repeat....Twelve Hundred Dollars) This really made me bitter because I had a policy with Boat U.S. (West Marine....which had NO VALUE WHATSOEVER at Lake Powell) and my own insurance co (which would only pay $200).
I ended up having to leave my boat in order to get a ride to Wahweep before darkness from a good samaritan. The next day I had to go to Utah to find a place that could rent a boat without interference from Aramark. This boat only cost $425 for the day plus gas. To make a long story short, it ended up costing me more than $500 to retrieve my boat..........the funny thing is that I left feeling as though I had saved $700.
Also, I have towed many a boat just using the front eyelit that you clip the trailer strap too. I have never ripped one out in 35 years of boating. I personally would never tow in a side by side manor unless we were the only boat on the lake......and I would still be hesitant! I certainly wouldn't do it with any boat I cared about.
Parker
I rented a houseboat from them in the 80's and it was a piece of garbage at an insane rate.
I also rented a "speedboat" from them for a day during a motorcycle trip just for grins.
It took them two hours (of my rental time) just to get the motor started, and then it would only run about 1/2 throttle. When I returned it I asked for a partial refund - they basically told me to pound sand up my ***. My credit card company finally got it straightened out with them.
I recently bought $1K of towing insurance with Progressive since I was aware of the Lake Powell rip off. Looks like it won't be enough!
I would definitely use the eyelet too since it will allow the boat to weather vane as it's being towed. Mine is bolted into 4 of the cross members with a hefty aluminum strap, distributing the "pull" over the entire front decking surface. I've winched my toon onto my trailer dry with it, and that's got to be 10 times the amount of stress induced versus towing it in water...
