Book early online and reserve the perfect boat for the summer.

Lakemore ResortLakemore Retreat

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q: “How does the rental process work?”

Once you schedule your boat rental on our online reservation website you will pay the first 50% of the rental rate online in which this will secure your reservation date and time. On the day of your reservation, our staff will bring the tri-toon or fishing boat to the location of your home whether that be on the Lakemore Retreat or Resort properties. Your second 50% payment is due at this time in-person and we will also pre-authorize your credit card for a security damage deposit in the amount of $1,000 for tri-toons and $500 for fishing boats.

Once your second 50% payment has been accepted and the credit card has been pre-authorized, we will run you through a quick safety demonstration, show you how to operate the boat, as well as inform you of the local laws of the lake. This check-in process should take no more than 15-20 minutes. Please bring the credit card that you used to book your reservation online and a valid driver’s license with you. Additional drivers must be 18 or above and need to be present during the check-in process. Signatures of additional drivers and the rentee will be obtained at this time.

On the last day/night of your tri-toon or fishing boat rental, please leave all water sports equipment, boating equipment, and all property of Lakemore Retreat/Resort/Marine inside of the boat. Our staff will pick it up  from the dock at 10:00 AM or 4:00 PM depending on your rental time slot. At this point in time our staff will assess the boat for any damage as well as the cleanliness of the boat. If our staff deems that damage has been done to the boat during your reservation, we will inform you of the costs for the damages and then charge your credit card. If the boat is returned to us in an uncleanly manner then you will be charged a $100 cleaning fee. A boat is deemed uncleanly if any stains, dirt, odor, or soiling attributable to the Lessee’s use cannot be cleaned with our standard post-rental procedures as determined by us in our sole discretion.

After each time a guest rents one of our tri-toons or fishing boats, we take all of the necessary cleaning procedures to sanitize the water craft  in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Q: “What is included in a tri-toon and fishing boat rental?”

These easy-to-use tri-toons and fishing boats are delivered right to your dock, full of gas, and complete with all boating safety equipment ready for you to explore all 400 acres of Arbutus Lake. Our Lakemore Marine staff is trained to make your boating experience as stress-free as possible, by providing you tips and tricks to our boats before you board, supplying you with water sports equipment, and free daily fill-ups to make sure your boat never runs out of gas!

The required equipment included with our tri-toons: registration, insurance, standard life jackets, first aid kit, throwable PFD, horn, emergency paddle, fire extinguisher, docklines, fenders, anchors, and performance life jackets (if asked).

Accessories of our tri-toons include: bluetooth stereo, radio, auxiliary input, depth finder, foldable bimini top, foldable 4 step water ladder, watersports tow hook, Lakemore cooler bag, and a waterproof dry bag.

The required equipment included with our fishing boats: registration, insurance, throwable PFD, oars, life jackets (all sizes).

Q:  “How big is Arbutus Lake and what is the water quality?”

Arbutus Lake is a 400 acre inland lake that hosts swimmers from May through October.  Made up of 5 smaller lakes, all connected by channels, many refer to each section of the lake by numbers 1-5. Lakemore Retreat is located on the eastern shore of lake 2 (the largest of the 5 lakes), on some of the most naturally sandy areas of the entire lake. The Retreat is one of the few lots on the lake that is at lake level, with few or no steps to get down to the lakefront. The Resort is located on the western shore of lake 2, with the largest beach frontage on the lake. Guests at both locations will enjoy a sandy bottom and a gradual increase in depth, which provides the perfect play area for kids and young swimmers. Arbutus lake is big enough for skiing and tubing, but small enough to enjoy the calm waters for stand-up paddle boarding, kayaking, and fishing. The wonderful water clarity is best seen in our drone videos posted in the photo galleries on our website.

Q:  “How busy is Arbutus Lake?”

Arbutus Lake is a relatively unknown lake in Traverse City, MI. and has a reputation for being serene, quiet, and relaxing. A local ordinance is enforced by the Sheriff's Marine Department that restricts high speed boating on the lake between the hours of 7:00 pm until 11 am the next day. This allows our evenings and mornings to be quiet and calm, while still leaving plenty of time to enjoy high speed boating activities during the day only on lakes 2,3,4. Tickets are issued for violations of these ordinances. You can find the map of Arbutus Lake on either of our Lakemore Resort and Retreat websites.

Q: “Where can I get food on the Lake?”

Although there is no food directly on the lake, Peegeo’s is about a mile away from the Lakemore properties and they will deliver your food to you at the Arbutus Lake #5 Park dock. A map of the lake will be placed in your boat and will detail the location of the park’s dock. Peegeo's food is fantastic and their specialties include pizza, hot wings, steak, grilled ribs, chicken, wraps, salads, and hamburgers. This is a great way to have a unique lunch or dinner with family and friends on the boat after a long day of water sports activities!

Q: “Where can I anchor the boat?”

The best place to anchor the boat is on the sandbar on lake 2 or even relatively close to shore while  staying 100 ft away from other residences not affiliated with the Lakemore properties. Anchoring the boat is not allowed in the middle of the lake or even in the channels when crossing lake to lake. This is out of respect  for any other boaters or homeowners on the lake and is in accordance with proper boating etiquette.

Q: “Can I fish off the boat?”

Fishing is not permitted on any of our 21’ tri-toons, but we do offer four 12’ aluminum fishing boats. These  four fishing boats are equipped with brand new Suzuki motors, two of them being 6hp and the other two 10hp. They each have a three person capacity and can be rented by the day or even by the week. One must be at least 18 years old to rent or drive. Make sure to bring your fishing gear, there is a large amount of bass, bluegill, and pike in Arbutus Lake waiting to be caught! Be sure to ask our Lakemore Marine staff for any fishing tips.