Busy holiday weekend expected as boat, raft renters go with the flow

Kayakers glide across Lake Natoma near the Sacramento State Aquatic Center, which rents about 200 of the boats a day. Extra workers will be added this holiday weekend, with a surge of business expected Sunday, the day after July Fourth.

The sun's out, the sky's blue and for businesses whose livelihoods depend on Sacramento-area residents' love of the water, a little more green would make for a perfect holiday weekend.

As Independence Day approaches, businesses tethered to Sacramento-area waterfronts from boat dealers to raft rental outfits are hoping that locals looking for some Fourth of July fun close to home will buoy their fortunes.

"Nobody has money to buy boats," said Richard Herota, manager of Buck's Outboard Repair on 47th Avenue in Sacramento.

But there are early signs that July Fourth may be a day to celebrate at Buck's, despite the sluggish sales. Repair jobs, though down from last year, are still solid. And business has picked up in the days before the holiday as boaters prepare for the long weekend, Herota said.

"We were pretty busy this weekend. We've had a lot of last-minute customers people got paid at the end of the month," Herota said. "They want to go to the lake, and they're staying close to home and enjoying what we have here in Sacramento."

That's a common theme in today's tough economy. Vacationers will still have fun this holiday weekend, even if they're not traveling far to enjoy themselves.

"Even though the economy's down, they're looking for something close to home to do and it's one of the cheaper things you can do," said Kirk Granthem, manager of American River Raft Rentals in Rancho Cordova. Rentals, he said, range from $50 to $150 per day's trip, depending on the size of the raft.

American River normally sends about 30 rafts a day into the water on weekdays. That number will climb to "a couple hundred" rafts on Independence Day, Granthem said, with the renters a mix of "staycationers" and those taking a quick trip up Interstate 80 from the Bay Area.

"The weather's perfect this weekend. We're looking good," Granthem said. "There's plenty of water, and reservations are looking good for the weekend."

Ashley Langenberg, a staffer at the Sacramento State Aquatic Center on Lake Natoma, said the center expects to boost staffing from its normal five employees to eight to accommodate traffic.

"We're expecting the holiday to be extremely busy, especially on Sunday," she said.

Past experience has shown that families are more likely to stay at home on the Fourth of July, only to swarm the lake the day after, she said. The center expects to far surpass its usual 200 kayak rentals a day.

Water levels, especially at popular Folsom Lake, are helping. Though the state is gripped in a three-year drought, spring storms boosted the elevation at Folsom Lake to 456 feet, 40 feet higher than a year ago.

"It's a little busier than it was last year because there's actually water in Folsom (Lake) right now," said Alan Hoskin, a manager at Orangevale-based Lakeshore Pacific Boat and PWC Rentals.

Last summer, Lakeshore trimmed its rental flotilla by half, from eight boats to four. That scaling back, coupled with late spring rain, has boosted the profit outlook this year.

Still, Hoskin's business hasn't completely avoided the economy's grip.

Rentals of Lakeshore's Sea Ray ski boats and its larger Four Winds pleasure craft docked at Lake Tahoe still weren't fully booked heading into the July Fourth weekend, even with fewer boats.

"They're usually gone by now," Hoskin said. "You see people holding onto their money."

When times were flush, Lakeshore's $1,000 security deposit atop the $325-a-day rental fee was the going price for a fun time on the water. But given today's lean times, customers are more hesitant to spend.

"The (deposit) is testament to that," Hoskin continued. "They're interested in the boats, but they can't handle the deposits. Times are tough. We're seeing more of that."

Local watercraft dealers like Diane Schroeder, owner of Dixon Polaris in Davis, hope to beat back the budget blues by cutting prices.

Sales were up from last year, based largely on bargain deals for watercraft, Schroeder said, quickly adding, "It could always be better and they're not as good as two years ago."

Like Lakeshore's Hoskin and Herota of Buck's, Schroeder wishes for the more robust revenue of two years ago before stocks, housing and the general economy went into free fall.

But she's banking on a summer comeback.

"When it gets hot and there's more water at Folsom Lake, people go out," Schroeder said. "Just like the car dealerships, there are great deals right now. It's a great time to buy."

Zach Slovenky, 11, pedals a rented water bike on Lake Natoma. Fine weather is expected to bring out more "staycationers," people who stay closer to home as tough economic times cut into their vacation budgets.

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