I haven’t been out on Lake of the Ozarks for around 13 years now.  The last time I was out on that lake, it was with a few buddies in an old 25ft Scarab.  It really wasn’t all that rough as long as you were smart, and didn’t get into any of the huge chop from the cabin cruisers.  Back then a 25ft boat was about all you needed to get out there safely. It might beat you up a little, but you didn’t have to worry about swamping if you were smart (but I think you could do it pretty easy if you didn’t know what you were doing).

Fast forward to today…..from what I’ve heard, 45+ft offshore boats and gigantic half-a-million dollar+ ocean going cabin cruisers are the norm on LOTO.  I know people with 30ft boats that say it can get pretty hairy on busy weekends, and I’ve heard of a few 50ft boats up there turning over and sinking over the last few years.  I think LOTO is actually ranked up there as one of the most dangerous lakes.  Not sure if they are all just stories, or if the lake really is that crazy now.

I’d love to get back out LOTO one of these days with my wife and daughter in our Crownline 248BR, but I’m not really sure if that’s wise or not.  I think it would be fun to check out some of the on the water restaurants, and look at some of the amazing houses and boats out on the water.  Tablerock Lake in Southwest Missouri is our lake of choice, and the 248BR handles it fine….but LOTO is an entirely different animal.

How bad is LOTO really?  Are there certain areas that aren’t super rough and full of huge monster boats being driven by bald drunk guys wearing more than enough of gold chains? Ha!!   Would it be nuts to take our 25ft bowrider out there?

Any info would be great!    

The main danger is there is NO daytime speed limit on the Lake of the Ozarks!

There are boats that can (and will) exceed 100 mph.

I take a Cobalt 21 out all the time on LOTO.   On a busy ( think holidays ) weekend the main channel is going to be pretty rough from just the sheer volume of boats and size / speed of many of them.  I just take it slow and steady when the waves are big.  If you are looking to do watersports -  tubing, wakeboarding, etc then getting out early and also heading to the state park is your best bet.  Plenty of coves all around the lake to relax in as well.

I wouldn't be scared of taking a 25ft out there, just keep your head on a swivel in the main channel when it's busy and you will be fine.  

You have much prettier, safer and most importantly CLEANER lakes in MO that you should go to instead.  Been boating all my life from 18-45ft boats, Lake of Ozarks is the last place I'd go.

If in MO you go to Table Rock, other wise go to a real lake and get to northern Wiss or Minnesota.  You'll "get it" when you see them first hand.

PS, don't forget there are fresh water piranha's in lake of the ozarks.  This is not BS.

JFC, nice scare tactic.  Google shows two were found back in 2007 ( pets ) and they can't survive through the winter.  Table Rock is a great lake and WI and MN are also good places to go,  but neither of those states are even remotely close.  

OP, just head to the Gulf of Mexico while you're at it.

I've been on it in a canoe and used to run it pretty regular in a 14ft jon boat.

Course, I didn't get out into the channel and not on weekends.

Table Rock is the answer you seek. Catch some shows in the evening or not.

But if you like that sewer smell while boating you can't beat LOTO anywhere.

If you're looking for skanks LOTO is the place to be!

I'm sure you can get a M2 mounted up and keep things from being too rough... wait this is a real post about water conditions?

I would prefer a 20mm Phalanx CIWS "Goal Keeper"

You don't sink them, you leave a debris field

It's FUN with the right boat

My Family has a place on the 38 mm. I go down a lot in the summer. Holidays are crazy all over the lake. Other weekends if your up above the 23 mm the lake is not as choppy and rough as it is on the lower mile markers. My Fam has a 27 ft Sea Ray open bow and it generally does fine even on the rare occasions I go below the 23 mm, if Im taking it slow. Im usually between the 26 mm and the 48 mm and have no issues.

Being from Michigan and having been on the Great Lakes, it's always amazed me that people would take large boats onto LOTO. The lake reminds me of some of Michigan's small, inland lakes, only it snakes around and stretches forever. I guess when rednecks have money there is no limit to what they'll do.

Double Tap

I was waiting  the wife at the beauty shop, I was looking at a magazine called Hot Boat.

They had an article on a boat that the owner had built on a Batman theme, the cost? $1.2 Million.  Top speed....158 mph

It was built as an offshore racer, guess where they stated.the initial high speed test was going to be, YEP, LOTO.

LINK

Kind of like the yacht in the pond in the movie "Secondhand Lions'.

Sounds fun too!

Well they have races at the lake twice a year

Interesting anecdote
A few years ago, while on vacation in FL. I decided to buy a boat, figured where better place than FL nearly surrounded by water.

Did an online search , WHERE were all (99%) of the boats located ? ? ? ? ? ?

YEP  -          LOTO, about 20 minutes from where I live

Many of the largest boat dealers in the world are at the lake

Buddy of mine had a 38ft Baja, we used to go down there a lot on busy weekends. You could definitely point out the inexperienced boaters and the drunk fucks on poker runs.

Last time down there I was a guest of my brother's at the military recreation area.  One day we had to return the boat we rented.  We had to cross party cove to get back to the rental place.  I though we were going to capsize or be swamped for sure.  The wakes were just ridiculous.  Never again will I go near that place on a holiday weekend.

Tritoon is what you seek. Speed, stability, wrap around seating, big easily accessible gas tank.

We got a place on the Gravois 8 mile mark just down from Coconuts. Big boats with big titties all the time but you can easily find smooth water to the north.

It makes for a rough ride on my jet skis-but it sure is fun.  Down south by the state park, the water was very smooth on one trip and it was relaxing.  

I need to heck out table rock, never been.

Wow, that does look like a badass boat, though!