Jeremy—Jer to his close friends—and Erica Mulinare live in Southwick, part of the Springfield Metropolitan area located in Western Massachusetts near the Connecticut border. Jeremy and Erica are natives of Southwick, but now that Jeremy’s parents Tony and Wendy have property in Vermont, they have adopted this state as their summer home, vacationing haven and their pontoon paradise.
Erica and Jeremy both grew up in boating families, spending their free time in the water whenever they could. Jeremy has been visiting and boating on Seymour Lake since he was a young child, while Erica would spend her time and summers boating and swimming on Otis Reservoir, which is located west of Southwick. Growing up, Erica would see pontoon boats out on the water at Otis Reservoir and would dream of the day when she would own one.
Erica considers herself to be an amateur photographer and she’s best known for her impeccable timing to capture the moment in detail. On average, Erica takes over 1,000 pictures during her time at Seymour Lake in the summer, and she is always ready to return to the water to take more. The couple also own two adorable pugs: Vito, who isn’t too fond of the water, and Lamont, their naturally gifted aquatic pug. Both are frequently the subjects of Erica’s photos and welcomed members of the family.
For the Mulinare family—and extended family—boating continues to be an important part of their lives. Erica’s sister, Tami Hauff, and her family, own a pontoon and spend time on both Otis Reservoir and Congamond Lake in Massachusetts, enjoying the ever-popular boating communities in this state.
Going With FloteBote
With their family traditions and love of boating, the Mulinares’ lifelong dream of owning their first pontoon became a reality when they purchased a 2004 Harris FloteBote Cruiser 220 a little over three years ago. The pontoon is powered with a Yamaha 90hp engine and the family continues to enjoy their ‘toon today.
Known throughout the industry, the Harris FloteBote Cruiser 220 is one of the most versatile pontoons available. Water sports were clearly a consideration in the design of this flexible craft from the Indiana-based manufacturer that is available with performance options such as a full-length extruded keel, lifting strakes, aluminum skin, ski/tow bar and a variety of power choices that can safely support a 150hp engine.
Custom Fit
The Mulinares feel they made the perfect choice and Erica is quick to point out that she loves their Harris FloteBote because of its dynamic color scheme and the overall layout. She particularly loves the front deck, the built-in ladder and the sundeck on the back that provides sufficient room to stretch out and lay down comfortably, the bimini top and the mounted table in the back. When asked if there was anything they would change about the boat, the answer was a resounding “No.”
“We looked at every brand possible and everywhere possible, to find the perfect boat,” says Erica. “The Harris FloteBote is so comfortable that it can support a lot of different people and guests. It is like floating around in our living room on the lake and it’s especially wonderful with the two dogs!”
Perfect Power
The Yamaha F90 is the highest horsepower mid-range engine Yamaha offers and it’s an ideal fit for the FloteBote. The engine features a 16-valve, double overhead camshaft that offers a tight punch of acceleration when desired. The Precision Multi-Point Fuel Injection reliably starts the motor, while offering excellent fuel efficiency. The F90 is known for being a quiet, consistent performer than burns clean to preserve the life and vitality of the water.
For the Mulinares, the Yamaha offers everything they could want and desire in an engine. Designed with the capacity to hold nearly a dozen people safely, and with their love of sharing their pontoon and time at Seymour Lake, they appreciate the power their Yamaha offers. One of the best features of their pontoon, and one of the aspects of boating that the couple enjoys the most is spending time with friends and family on the water, and with the power of the F90, they know that they can navigate the lake with ease.
Seymour Lake
A little less than 250 miles to the north of Southwick, Seymour Lake is a glacial lake that is part of the Clyde River spanning over 25 miles and is famously part of the Northern Forest Canoe Trail. Seymour Lake is three miles long with a width of two miles, and the nearly 169-foot deep lake offers over four and a half miles in surface area. Seymour Lake is rich in fish, especially the brook trout (the only Vermont native stream-swelling trout), brown trout, lake trout, as well as sucker and salmon. The beautiful lake is popular throughout the region as not only a great boating location, but also for the different supported water activities, including ice fishing and snowmobiling during the winter months.
Another pull of Seymour Lake is the vegetation. This is especially true during the autumn months when the deciduous trees’ leaves begin to change colors into rich hues of yellow, gold, red and fiery orange. During the spring months, a large abundance of maple trees begin to sap and fresh maple syrup and candies are available in the area.
Seymour Lake is perfect for the Mulinares, who enjoy everything about the lake, from the richness and abundance of nature and color, to the different activities the water offers them.
A Family Tradition
Erica and Jeremy enjoy the most out of the boating season, while still living in a relatively cooler geographic region of the United States. Unlike the Midwest—known as the heartland of pontooning and boating in general—New England suffers from longer and colder winters, which can significantly cut into boating season. During the summer months, the weather can warm up to a comfortable 80 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit during the day, but will still drop to a chilly 50 degrees at night. Talking candidly of Seymour Lake, Erica says that during the start and the end of their boating season, the water is often too cold for swimming. However, when the temperature is just right and bearable, they love to get in and splash about with their friends and especially Lamont, their pug. Boating season starts when the weather warms up and often ends in the early fall. Typically their last pontoon trip of the season is Columbus Day in October.
Trading Up
To purchase the pontoon, the Mulinares traded in their snowmobiles and motorcycles, realizing that the pontoon would fulfill all of their outdoor recreational activities. Currently, they also own a camper that they use when up at the lake, but rarely spend any time in it, as they are often out on the water enjoying the environment and the versatility of their boat.
Jeremy and Erica therefore optimize the time that they are able to be on Seymour Lake, and regularly spend two weeks in July there. Jeremy’s parents, who also own a pontoon boat, host a large family gathering one weekend in August. Further, they often invite their friends and family to come up with them during their weekend getaways to the lake. The couple says their pontoon is always beckoning them to head north to Seymour Lake so they can continue to experience the boating lifestyle.
“Nothing compares to being on the water, putting your face in the wind as it blows through your hair, driving down the lake, swimming and lounging,” says Erica.
For the Mulinares, pontooning is more than a family tradition and the fulfillment of their recreational dreams. It is a way of life that they cherish, love and enjoy sharing with their friends and family.
