Rinker Raft Up Party

[bat32]

Sitting on the beach yesterday just enjoying the beautiful day and watching all the boats drive by.  I can't help but notice the large amount of Rinkers on the water in the area.  So I'm going to throw this out there.  How about a "Rinker Raft Up Party".  Sea Ray has their "Aquaplooza".  Why can't we?   I'm open for suggestions.  Let's get this thing going  

[bat32]

I was thinking of a Clinton lake or something but it probably would be better if we could get someplace close to lodging.......        so I'm sure some one has a perfect spot in mind.

[nlma1995]

We're in. 

I thought I read that Clinton has a large group of Rinkers already.  Lodging is not a problem if you camp.  The campground there is very nice.  We were there last fall.

Shelbyville is a good local also.  Hopefully they will get Eagle Creek lodge opened up this year.  It may be later in the season, but that is their plan.  They closed it two years ago due to a mold problem.  If not the lake is surrounded with campgrounds.  We're hard core tenters.  Occasionally my dad goes down with his 31' travel trailer so we get to live it up in style.

[trich11]

Just made a post on the General board regarding BAT's comments. There are a lot of Rinkers on Clinton but a huge share of us are on the Illinois river without a way to get our boats to Clinton. Peoria might be an option with lodging and marinas. We have 8 or 10 friends with Rinkers and see a lot of them on the river every weekend. It isn't unusal for us to have a raftoff with 5 or 6 tied together.

[bat32]

I was wondering about Peoria.  Can't you access Peoria Lake from the River as well?  I also know there are a couple people from RBO that are out of Heritage/Starved Rock area that probably wouldn't be a bad ride for them either.

[trich11]

It sounds a little funny but Peoria Lake is actually just a very wide spot in the river!! There is the north lake and the south lake which is seperated by the narrows where Rt. 24 crosses the river.

[bat32]

That's what I thought but it looks pretty wide.  Enough to kill most of the current I'm sure.  And a perfect place to raft up!  But I'm sure you know the hot spots.  I'm thinking if we can get a date in late July early August we can spread the word locally too.

[trich11]

Early August would be the time as several of us are taking the last week of July as vacation and either heading to Alton or up to your neck of the river. I will see several Rinker owners this weekend and get their feelings on a raft up and possibly a gathering over the winter near the factory.

[bat32]

Ok, I knkow we tried to start this last year and I guess I dropped the ball.  I keep reading the Chesapeake Bay forum and the success they have and I believe we could do the same thing.  I think we kind of of narrowed it down to Peoria Lake last year and that is where we stopped.  I know Henry IL, as lodging close by too.  lkets make this happen this year.  planning vacation days already.  Trich you seem to be the local expert,  let us know. 

[trich11]

Still sounds like great fun and we have many places to stay and things to do in Peoria. I don't believe any clubs north of Ottawa are involved but this weekend is the IRBBA (Illinois River Basin Boating Association) Winter Games in Peoria. About 10-15 boat clubs and other boaters gather up to play silly games, listen to music, drink way to much, talk about boating and generally have a great time. It is at the Grand Hotel in Peoria and runs from Friday afternoon to late Saturday night. All are welcome if anyone has any interest in attending. Look us up and the Peoria Boat Club hospitality room.

[Dream 'Inn]

ok, first, sorry for butting in (hard for me to pass up a topic that says rinker raft up party ).  I will say get whomever you can for the first get together & just do it.  I know our first one on the Chesepeake was only a handful of boats, but it was a lot of fun and others heard and wanted to join from as far as a couple hundred miles away.  It took a few years to grow, but definitely now something we really look forward to.  I will say I'm in a marina that is filled (probably over 100) with Rinkers & there is only a small handful that come.  But that is fine, rafting all weekend is definitely not everyone's type of boating & nor do we advertise it in the marina.

& hey, Trich11 can show you one of our first T-shirts from last year's group.  Keep the chat going and I want to see some good pictures from the event this year!

[trich11]

Forunately one of our fellow Rinker owner friends owns a business that prints and embroiders stuff so shirts could be had cheap!!

[Dream 'Inn]

Forunately one of our fellow Rinker owner friends owns a business that prints and embroiders stuff so shirts could be had cheap!!

hmmm...I might need a name/email.  Not sure what we'll do this year.

[bat32]

Thanks for the input Dream.  That was exactly what I was thinking.  Even if we get a few boats we just need to do it and hopefully grow from there.  Wish I could have made it down to Peoria this weekend but just not possible this weekend.  Trich do you know a good place to get a transient slip for the night?

[trich11]

You can most always stay at our club as we typically have a couple of empty slips. Plenty of power, use of the clubhouse and shower room. We charge $.75 per foot and have pump outs every third well. Down side is you have to drive or boat wherever you want to go but the members are always willing to help out in that department.