What are your boats like?
Our boats are top-of-the-line, spacious, and well-appointed with a kitchen galley including a refrigerator, head (toilet), sun protection, safety, communication and navigation systems.
All boats are optimized for swimming and swim safety - from ease of feeds, visibility for the swimmer, visibility by others for safety, and clear lines for the observer.
All of our boats are low-emission, meaning you don't get the dreaded fumes of an older boat or are forced to pay an additional fee for a kayaker (additional liability) to avoid an old boat with fumes.
How many people can I have on my boat?
Our boats are large but can quickly become small when packed with swim gear, feeds, and bags for support crew.
The boat will have a United States Coast Guard licensed Captain and the Observer from the Lake Tahoe Open Water Swimming Association (if an observed marathon swim).
For Length swims, two crew members are allowed in your swim fare. For True Width and Vikingsholm swims, one crew member is permitted in your swim fare. Additional crew/guests may be permitted for an additional fee.
TIP: While it may be fun to think of having a slew of family and friends, please remember you have paid in your training time, travel, pilot, and Association fee for the swim. It's better to have only people on the boat who have a dedicated job than guests or spectators. We often find the swimmer starts to be concerned about people 'on' the boat instead of being focused on their swim. Feel free to contact us to discuss.
Do I need a kayaker?
We find kayaks unnecessary on Lake Tahoe for swim attempts. Crew and swimmers alike love our skilled captains and larger, comfortable boats for navigating the course and the provided feed/support from the swim platforms.
Swimmers can easily swim off the port or starboard side of our well-lit boats, at their comfort. It’s quite an upgrade from the small ski boat & kayaker scenario which often ends up costing quite a bit more and proves to be a hassle.
Where can I find a kayak or kayaker?
We find kayaks unnecessary on Lake Tahoe for swim attempts. Crew and swimmer alike love our skilled captains and larger, comfortable boats for navigating the course and the provided feed/support from the swim platforms. It’s quite an upgrade from the small ski boat & kayaker scenario without any of the associated hassle or cost.
How can I get a support crew?
It can be expensive and challenging to have support people to travel with you. We have experienced swim crew services to take care of your feeds and needs during your swim.
We have had a number of swimmers simply arrive alone and have all of their marathon swim needs met during their attempt. In fact, quite a few have asked us to travel to their next swim!
Can the Observer be my crew?
The Observer is present to observe and log the swim and to ensure that all rules are followed. They are not there to act as support crew.
Please contact the Lake Tahoe Open Water Swimming Association with questions regarding swim rules, observation, recording, and ratification.
