©2017 Saratoga Photographer.com
By Margaret MacDonald
Hal Raven of Adirondack Cruise & Charter Co. recently purchased a 50-foot boat that will assist in expanding his year-old business to include more offerings on Saratoga Lake.
A busy fall season—total of 806 people were brought on cruises— precipitated Raven’s looking for a bigger boat. He found one through a boat brokerage in Wisconsin.
Built by Paul Raasoch in 2003, the boat was previously used for cruises. It looks like a steamboat might have looked on Saratoga Lake in the early 1900s.
Purchased in February, he negotiated dockage at Saratoga Lake Marina, replaced the canopies, completely sanded and stripped it down.
The boat has a 28-passenger capacity. There is a small serving station and restaurant in back of the boat. An 11-foot beam and shallow draft allow the boat to travel with ease all the way to Fish Creek.
Partnering with lakeside restaurants like Lake Local, Dock Brown’s and Nostalgia will allow the boat to foster a more dynamic sense of community, available to everyone, he said. The restaurants will cater to coordinated themes before cruises depart from the sites.
Specialty cruises for dates like the Fourth of July, elegant dinner cruises on select Fridays and Saturdays and brunch cruises will be begin this season, Raven noted.
The company is also partnering with Saratoga Lake Association to establish a “living history” floating classroom. Classes, taking place May-June, will explore topics such as species’ health, water quality and keeping the lake beautiful for generations to come.
“It’s really a great opportunity,” Raven said.
A christening and naming ceremony is set to take place the first weekend of June.
Scheduled cruises will run at 4:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. through October. Private charters, parties and special events are still available.
Information on booking and reservations can be obtained by emailing adkcruisecompany@gmail.com.