If your family is like most, you typically have too much to do and not enough time to do it all. In the summer, the time that’s most important to most of us transcends our to-do lists: time together, spent with family and friends. In the summer, you want enough time to hear the water when it calls you, the sounds of nature, of your children and grandchildren laughing, and of your favorite songs playing. Summer is about finding time to relish the small things. And that’s why, particularly in the summer, we seek out assistance and services to make our lives easier – to take a bit off our plates so that we can make some room to relax.
Enter Carlisle Jones, Commodore of The Reserve at Lake Keowee Marina. Think of Carlisle as our concierge who connects you to the best on-the-water experiences and offers a cadre of services to make your “lake life” simpler, easier, and more enjoyable while you’re at The Reserve. As any good concierge would, Carlisle takes special care of the Marina and the families who use it as a resource, and over the years, many have come to consider him indispensable. He came to The Reserve in 2003, when the Marina opened, and has been the community’s only Commodore ever since.
“Over the years, the Mari
na has expanded our services to meet the needs of a growing membership. Our jobs are to make enjoying the lake as effortless as possible,” Commodore Carlisle explains.
The RLK Marina and its staff, led by Commodore Carlisle, offer the following services to assist you in maximizing your summer season on the lake:
Slips for lease
The Reserve’s Marina is equipped with 200 slips, which can be individually leased on an annual basis. Slip leases include complimentary power and water, one in-and-out service at the marina (your boat is put into the water in April and pulled out of the water in October, at no additional charge). Members can also choose to add hydraulic boat lifts to their marina slips to help protect their watercraft when not in use and keep the hull clean.
Day Docking
Many Members who own their own boats take advantage of the Marina’s daytime docking services. Certain slips are designated as day docks and are often used to park the boat while families enjoy the Pool Pavilion, grab a bite to eat or stock up on some groceries at The Market, check their mail at the Village Post Office, or attend Sunday worship services – all within easy walking distance of the Marina. Some even take a golf cart up to the range to hit a few balls or play a round of golf on the Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course. Often, getting to The Village Center is quicker by boat than by car.
Boat Detailing
The Marina’s most popular service is boat detailing, which normally takes place in the spring when a boat is put into the water for the season. In the fall, the detailing includes cleaning the bottom of the boat before it is placed into storage.
Your Boat’s Ready When You Are
Let’s say you live out of town and want to have your boat ready to enjoy as soon as you arrive at The Reserve. Done! Simply call ahead and the Marina staff will put your boat in the water, top it off with gas, clean it, and inflate your innertubes. When you’re finished, Carlisle and his team clean your boat, cover it, pull it out of the water, and put it back into storage. And, as always, RLK Members can access marina’s dockside water hoses for cleaning at any time, free of charge.
Service Your Boat Without Ever Leaving Your Dock
Many members have their own dock with their own boat. Any service the Marina offers at its own docks can also be done at yours. A popular service is on-water, full-service fueling. A member of the Marina staff will come get your boat, fill it with gas, and return it to your dock.
Watercraft Repair and Maintenance
Carlisle and his team can act as liaisons to manage the necessary repairs or maintenance your boat, pontoon, and jet ski that requires. The Marina staff has relationships with the most trusted companies for watercraft repair and maintenance. For Members who do not own a trailer to pull their boat, Marina staff can pull the boat out of the water and take it for servicing. More minor repairs, such as the replacement of a battery, can be done on-the-spot at The Reserve’s Marina.
Watercraft Rentals
No boat? No problem! The Reserve’s Marina has a variety of watercraft rentals for Members to enjoy, including pontoons (tri-toons), two Cobalt-brand open-bow cruisers, innertubes, knee boards, and skis. Kayak and canoe rentals are complimentary for Reserve Members.
Lessons
Many members who are new to the lake want to ensure they are properly trained and comfortable on maneuvering their boat and solve basic troubleshooting issues that may arise. Carlisle and his team give boat driving lessons, concentrating on all major functions of the watercraft including emphasis in parking and docking the boat. Interested in learning how to wakeboard or ski? Allow the Marina to connect you with an experienced instructor! Lake Keowee is surprisingly calmer than most lakes of its size, even in the summer months, and is an ideal lake on which to refresh your skills and learn new ones.
Fishing Guides & Touring
The lakes of the Upstate – Lake Keowee, Lake Jocassee, and Lake Hartwell – are a natural draw for avid and amateur fishers alike. The Marina staff can connect you with the lakes’ best fishing guides and, many times, can provide their own personal insights and knowledge of the wildlife found in our local waters. The Marina staff is happy to clean your catch for you, which you can then take back to your home or ask the Chef at the Orchard House to prepare to your liking. For those who want to take in nature with a tour, kayak tours of Lake Jocassee are regularly held by RLK’s Fitness Director.
Winterizing and Boat Storage
The Commodore coordinates seasonal maintenance such as “winterizing” a member’s watercraft. The Reserve’s Marina offers complimentary, uncovered boat storage to all Members.
“A month after we bought our homesite at The Reserve, we met Carlisle and bought a boat. We were first-time boaters and knew nothing about what to do. We weren’t comfortable driving the boat because we’d never done it before, and Carlisle has been so excellent of a help. Having him to teach us made us feel very, very comfortable.
We can’t say enough good things about Carlisle. The first time we asked him to put our boat in the water, both batteries were dead and we had a house full of people. Within an hour, Carlisle had two new batteries in the boat, and we were good to go. We had a wonderful week.
Any of the folks at the Marina can help us if we are concerned or have questions. They are all always courteous and respectful, which we appreciate. When our guests leave our home, they say they can see why we decided to build a home here. They all have such a positive experience at The Reserve.” — Erv and Cindy Burbach, RLK Members since 2010
It’s always a great idea to have your boat “summer-ized” by a certified mechanic. With a thorough inspection, they are able to tell if something is out of sync and correct any potential problems before you head out for a weekend on the lake. 
