Reston Boating
Reston is home to four beautiful lakes, and in the warmer months they're the best amenity this place has. If you live in lakefront housing, you have the option to own an electric pontoon or deck boat — and it's one of the more unusual perks of living here.
Whether you're thinking about buying a boat, just picked one up, or want to upgrade the one you've got, here's what you need to know.
Start with the rules
Reston's lakes are unique bodies of water, and they come with restrictions that will surprise you if you've boated elsewhere. Get familiar with these before you spend a dollar on a boat.
Permits
Reston Association (RA) offers two types of permits to members.
General Access is free for RA members and is meant for people who don't live on the lake and launch from the public boat ramps. The boat has to come off the water after each use, which makes this the right permit for kayaks, canoes, and paddleboards — and almost never the right one for a pontoon.
Permanent Mooring is the permit for pontoon and deck boats that stay docked at your lakefront property. Pricing is based on the square footage of the boat, and you can purchase it through RA's online member portal.
Size and construction
Pontoon and deck boats have to meet size, aesthetic, and environmental requirements:
Maximum 18 feet long and 10 feet wide.
One level only. No diving platforms, crow's nests, or upper decks.
Deck boats have specific construction requirements, and plans must be approved by RA before you start building.
Condition
Boats must be well maintained — no ripped upholstery, sinking floats, or rotting wood. Neglected boats can be removed by RA if the owner doesn't address the problem, so it's worth staying ahead of it.
On the water
All Reston lakes are no-wake zones and electric motors only, with a maximum rating of 5.0 horsepower. That's what keeps the lakes quiet, clean, and safe — no engine noise, no oil in the water, and no one doing 30 knots past your dock at dinnertime.
Rules do get revised. Confirm the current requirements with Reston Association before purchasing a boat or starting construction.
Now let's equip your boat
The Motor
There are a lot of good electric outboard manufacturers these days. I recommend Torqeedo, a German brand that builds reliable, long-lasting motors. My family has run the same Torqeedo for over a decade without an issue. They make several styles and power ratings, so whether you're steering with a wheel or a tiller, you're covered.
The Battery
This is your other big-ticket item. Lithium-ion has come a long way in the last decade, and it's now the right choice for this application.
Two things to get right:
Voltage. Match your battery's nominal voltage to your motor's rating — a 24V motor wants a 24V battery. (Don't be thrown if a fully charged 24V lithium pack reads closer to 25.6V; that's normal.) You can also wire lower-voltage batteries in series to get there — two 12V batteries in series gives you 24V.
Capacity. Measured in amp-hours (Ah) or watt-hours (Wh), this tells you how long you'll run before recharging. I'd start at 50Ah for moderate use. Go bigger if you're on the water often, sharing the boat among multiple people in the household, or don't have easy charging access at your dock. Watt-hours are the better number for comparing across different voltages — just multiply Ah by voltage.
I've been running a LiTime 100Ah 24V battery lately and it's been excellent.
Navigation lights
If you'll be out after dusk, you need them. Hardwiring is a hassle, but there are good rechargeable options that pop on and off easily. Red and green go on the bow — red to port, green to starboard — and white on the stern.
Dock line
Marine line from West Marine or another marine dealer is ideal. If you're grabbing something from the hardware store instead, reach for nylon rather than polypropylene. Nylon stretches, which is exactly what you want in a dock line, and it holds up far better in sunlight. Poly floats and breaks down fast in UV.
An anchor
Worth having for the times you'd rather not drift with the wind — a dinner party on the water, for instance. Make sure it's sized to actually hold your boat. A large mushroom anchor is ideal for the silty bottoms of these lakes.
Get out there
You should be ready to go. Reston's lakes are small oases tucked into a corner of NoVa that doesn't otherwise slow down much. Take some time this summer to use them.
I'll see you out there.
