The Lakeside Life Blog
Lewis Smith Lake Alabama | Smith Lake Alabama
Get your boat ready – it’s almost spring! Groundhog Day 2024 brought news that lake lovers want to hear for the upcoming boating season… early spring! BUT… that also means we only have about 6 more weeks to prepare marine vessels for spring break and beyond. Now is the time, before spring, to put boats in the shop for servicing, maintenance and upgrades. Local shops are overloaded during spring rush and that can sometimes result in serious delays to your boating season. Maintaining and servicing a boat annually protects your investment, and upgrades can substantially help resale value. See a list of suggestions below (in alphabetical order): 1. AFTERMARKET BOAT & TOWER ACCESSORIES - This can be anything from a depth finder to a trailer tail light to board racks for the boat's tower, or even a new tower and so much more. Try these local companies: Duskin Point Marina, MasterPro Audio, Rambo Rambo Marine, Inc., Russell Marine - Smith Lake, and Trident Marina. 2. BOAT DETAILING - unlike basic auto detailing, boats have a gel coat surface over thick heavy fiberglass which is different from metal and plastics used on cars, so different methods, products and materials are needed for repairs, cleaning and refurbishing the finish. Make sure you use a company that is experienced with delicate boat detailing needs. We recommend local companies like Bama Detailing, Duskin Point Marina, MasterPro Audio, Rambo Marine, Inc., Russell Marine - Smith Lake, and Trident Marina. 3. BOAT LIFTS - for a new lift, installation, and good annual servicing to keep your investment safe and sound, get quotes from HydroHoist of Alabama, Free State Boat Docks, MasterPro Audio and Smith Lake Republic. 4. DOCK SERVICE & CONCIERGE - this can be anything from dock servicing, repairs, cleaning, solar installation, dock accessories, marine grade audio/video for outdoor entertaining, etc. Try getting an estimate from local companies who can help like Free State Boat Docks, MasterPro Audio, Smith Lake Republic and Wetsteps of Alabama. 5. FINANCING - looking to buy a NEW BOAT or upgrade to a NEW DOCK? Visit Duskin Point Marina, Rambo Marine, Inc., Russell Marine - Smith Lake and Trident Marina to discuss pricing and consider financing with them locally through banks like Bank of Walker County, Citizens Bank and Trust, Cullman Savings Bank, First National Bank and Listerhill Credit Union. Many homeowners are not aware that they can obtain financing for a new dock. Contact Listerhill Credit Union to get your application underway. 6. INSURANCE - make sure you’re properly covered for the year or re-evaluate your coverage if you've made any changes recently regarding your boat, home or dock. Grant Thomas of Alfa Insurance can help you. (Side Note - Grant's family are long time residents of Smith Lake - check out their company Smith Lake Rentals and Sales for local rental homes and sign up early for rentals as they get booked super fast early each year.) 7. MARINE AUDIO/VIDEO - Upgrade the entire boat's A/V system if it is not performing on its limited stock system, or if the system is older and needing a few upgrades or component additions. Perhaps everything is functioning fine, and the system just needs some tuning, repairs or refurb. Be sure to use professionals who understand the nuances between name brand equipment and how to get the most sound bang for your buck. A company we recommend who has over 35 years experience in high end professional audio is MasterPro Audio with experience not just in marine audio and basic 12V, but also for commercial/home/worship/sports venues, entertainment venues, etc. Ask to hear their demo boat system, on the water from a very far distance - you'll be shocked at what their patented tower speakers and component system are capable of - clean, clear high performance sound ready to energize your day on the lake. 8. MARINE FLOORING - whether it's carpet, engineered marine flooring to upgrade an entire boat, or just pieces of surface material for a back platform, gunwales, or to artfully replace a torn or damaged section, the following local companies can help get your boat looking the best - Duskin Point Marina, MasterPro Audio, Rambo Marine, Inc., Russell Marine - Smith Lake and Trident Marina. 9. MECHANICAL SERVICE for BOATS & TRAILERS - schedule to get your boat serviced, tuned up, de-winterized and ready to take on the season. Local companies we suggest: Duskin Point Marina, Rambo Marine, Inc., Russell Marine - Smith Lake and Trident Marina. 10. TOWING SERVICE - get your annual membership NOW and boat worry free all year. Contact Captain Terry Russeau of TowBoatUS Smith Lake. 11. UPHOLSTERY - repairs or new - contact Bama Detailing or MasterPro Audio. 12. WATERSPORTS EQUIPMENT - new equipment or rentals - try local shops like Lakeside Gear, Pine Valley Outdoor Living, Rambo Marine, Inc., Russell Marine - Smith Lake, Trident Marina, and Triple Creek Marina. Once you've got the boat tuned up, spruced up, fully loaded and ready to go, check out our other informational blogs to make sure you are fully prepared for the best boating season every year. Check back on our blog often as we add new material. HAVE A SAFE AND HAPPY BOATING SEASON!
For more businesses in the categories you are looking for, try our Business Listing - Alphabetical, and our Business Listing by Category, and check out more information in our LOCAL INFO tab. Latest update to this blog: 2/2/24.
2 Comments
1/31/2024 0 Comments 4th of July Events on Smith LakeNOTE: THIS BLOG WILL BE UPDATED ANNUALLY - SO AS SOON AS DATES BEGIN TO FIRM UP FOR A GIVEN YEAR, CHECK BACK IN! Get ready to have some fun this year on Smith Lake for the 4th of July. Most folks are planning a very long weekend due to the holiday falling on Tuesday. Many expect an influx of friends and family to entertain all weekend. There is plenty to do all around the large tri-county lake area. Every Independence Day on Smith Lake is special, rain or shine. We're always praying for summer storms to hold back for the weekend's events. If it's perfect weather, you'll see fireworks big and small all around the lake the entire holiday weekend. Just enjoy viewing small celebrations from the water as you boat home carefully and slowly along the lake area after a long day of fun in the sun. If there is prolonged inclement weather in the evenings, most of the main annual events will either reschedule or cancel. There are several big fireworks shows that have been reported so far, see the list below this blog.
Check back to this list to see if any dates are rescheduled due to weather. If a favorite event near you cancels, watch to see if they revise plans, try out another event nearby on another day, or just thoroughly enjoy your own private celebration including plenty of red-white-and-blue decor (check our Amazon store for ideas in Home Decor). Be sure to stock up on sparklers & fireworks, outdoor games, floats and towables, watersports equipment, backyard grill-out items, boating essentials, a charcuterie board for s'mores, and a homemade ice cream churn and all the toppings. Stock up on ALL the favorites of summertime. Then simply kick back and enjoy the fun, laughter, experiences, and daily wind-downs by the fire pit - MAKE MEMORIES! Also, visit the Smith Lake #spotsonsmith checklist on the map by Sue Clements to see some of our favorite spots on the lake while out boating. No matter how you celebrate, the weekend is truly a favorite for all who spend it on Smith Lake. Check out our LOCAL INFO listings for everything from restaurants to shopping and so much more. Our Cullman, Walker & Winston County areas welcome you with wide open arms, and would love to have you spend some time shopping locally for your weekend of entertaining. Have questions? Reach out! Be sure to "@" mention us on social media OR send in photos of the events you attend. Let us know if you want us to post the photos on social media or if you’d like to be in the blog or magazine. Join the our Facebook Group "Smith Lake Community" to keep up with what's going on around the lake in case impromptu events pop up. Be safe, have a blessed holiday and enjoy! (Please let us know well ahead of any other events that need to be added to the list for the entire weekend and remember to keep us updated as time nears based on weather or other factors. Thank you!) You can find other local area events on our CALENDAR page. Please let us know of any events to add. Latest update to this blog: 1/31/24. Fireworks Shows/Events Listing (top to bottom and from L-R) determined by date from first to last events for the holiday weekend.
Smith Lake Hat Company opened for business in the summer of 2023 with the idea of creating a staple source for quality custom headwear for the lake community. They started simply with what they felt was the best symbolic beacon advertisement for Smith Lake Culture: "the hat." Our team first began to see the hats on Instagram, then Facebook, and soon we found them in a local store. Young owner and entrepreneur Jase Glasscock is excited to give the local market something new to check out in their shopping experience. He has taken all the proper steps to be sure that his brand is one you'll be proud to wear. He formed his LLC, procured the development of the first logo, selection of products and materials, and has started with a logo developed for the first run for 2023. He tells us he is leaving the door open to change up the look and feel of his logo and designs to keep up with changes in styles and fashion as the passage of time requires and as he feels necessary. The company seeks to grow from hats to other apparel items. Since our team first began watching them online in summer 2023, they have already gone from offering the traditional baseball style hat with open weave back and front leather patch with embroidery on the sides, to a summer straw surfer-style hat, then to heavier materials for the fall and winter season for warmth, and have even added another straw "gambler" hat, as well as a hat for the ladies, and a line of sunglasses we have recently found on the website. The company is excited to provide a branded experience of Smith Lake culture with fashionable headwear styles that exude a pride of the lake for locals and visitors alike. Their hats will include patches (leather patches, color leather patches, etc.), embroidery, print and even some new styles of PVC. You'll have to watch as they slowly roll out the lines over time. They intend to provide the highest quality end product for their customers. They take great pride in every hat that ships out or sells in a local retail store. At current, you can find them not only online to order for shipping, but also at the following retail stores:
Join in to support this ambitious new local company. Find all the contact information below, and be sure to follow them on both Facebook and Instagram to keep up with company news and merchandise announcements. Smith Lake Hat Company Contact: Jase Glasscock Crane Hill, AL 256-339-8626 smithlakehatco.com Facebook: Smith Lake Hat Company Instagram: @smith_lake_hat_company Updated: 8/20/23
12/15/2022 0 Comments Boat Show Season 2024A favorite time of year for all those who LAKE is Boat Show Season - occurring at the beginning of every year, usually in January, sometimes into March. For us, it means SPRING is just around the corner. The lake area begins to be in high gear for the next boating season as soon as the clock strikes midnight on New Year's Eve! It's certainly the case for us. Most of the folks in our area enjoy attending several boat shows each year. Favorite shows are within about a 3 hour driving range. Attending shows allows a fun reason to get out and go visit another city, reconnect with other boating friends aka "your lake people," and getting excited for a new season by checking out the vendors - favorite boat brands, marinas, lake life brands and lake-oriented businesses. Attached is the list of 2024 boat shows you might like to attend - in order by date. All shows are a short drive from the lake area. (we'll try to update this listing each year as soon as we get confirmed info, but also keep the contact information at hand so that you know how to reach out annually for additional information, vendor apps, vendor lists, floorplans/maps and tickets.)
For information on more boat shows further away like the Nashville, Atlanta, and Orlando, FL areas, just Google 'boat show' info for the states you're visiting.
Now, just grab your favorite lake folks, pack up the car and head out to the boat shows of your choice. ENJOY! 12/1/2022 0 Comments Things to Do at Smith LakeAccess: First of all you have to get here. Traveling to the lake is quick and easy:
For reference, distances are: from the popular 299 Exit from I65 are: about 40 minutes to Birmingham AL (40 miles), about 1 hour to Huntsville AL (60 miles), and about 2 hours & 20 mins to Nashville, TN (150 miles). Once you have an address of where you want to go, everything is accessible via GPS, but keep in mind that most of the lake is still very rural, so traveling around can be tricky. There are still some dirt/gravel roads in the area, as well as some hard pack roads. If you're veering off main highways and don't have a 4-wheel-drive, just be mindful of road conditions in inclement weather.
Activities: there are so many activities to enjoy on Smith Lake. We'll list a few of our favorites below.
Also, check out the bottom of our blog on Lewis Smith Dam and Powerhouse for information about visiting the Alabama Power Company Powerhouse. If you would like more information about our area, we encourage you to check with the local Chamber of Commerce for each city/county you plan to visit and/or the tourism boards in those areas. In true southern style and hospitality, they will all graciously provide even more detailed and factual information about their specific areas.
We have gathered these facts from numerous sources for the benefit of our community, so please feel free to offer any edits. Call/text us at 256-708-7679 or email us at thelakesidelife@gmail.com
INSTRUCTIONS
6/1/2022 0 Comments RECIPE - Huli Huli ChickenBelow find the article photo from the magazine for one of our favorite lakeside dishes, Huli Huli Chicken. Just message us if you need a copy of the .pdf recipe card for this dish or any that we've printed in the magazine.
|
ABOUTLake Living at it's best! CategoriesAll 4th Of July About Us Advertising Advice Alabama Power Company Apparel Boating Boating Safety Clothing Cocktail Cookbook Digital-edition Digital-edition Docktail Fall On Smith Fishing Food & Drink Giveaway Hats Homes On Smith #HowILake Lake Advice Lake Clothing Lake Decor Lake Gear Lake Goods Lewis Smith Dam Lewis Smith Lake Life On Smith Logo Magazine Info Marketing Modern Living Recipe Recipes Recreation Safety Sides Smith Lake Smith Lake AL Smith Lake Alabama Smith Lake Business Smith Lake Businesses Smith Lake Events Smith Lake History Smith Lake Holidays Smith Lake Homes Smith Lake Life Smith Lake People Smith Lake Sports Smith Lake Things To Do Social Media Sports And Recreation Spring Subscribe Subscriptions Summer The-lakeside-life The-lakeside-life The Lakeside Life Brand The-lakeside-life-team The-lakeside-life-team Things To Do Archives
February 2024
|
The Lakeside Life
767 County Road 437 Cullman, AL 35055 thelakesidelife@gmail.com www.thelakesidelife.com (256) 708-7679 Main (205) 470-8250 Marketing Pinterest: @thelakesidelife Instagram: @thelakesidelife_smithlake Facebook: @thelakesidelife Facebook Group: Smith Lake Community Also check out our stores: The Lakeside Life Store Lakeside Gear MasterPro Audio Amazon Store |
FOLLOW & use some of our favorite hashtags - we look forward to "socializing" with you and learning all about how you celebrate your lake life! Contact us if you'd like to share content with us to publish - stories, photographs, or basic information.
|