Tahoe tour boat extracted from lake

The Woodwind II at Zephyr Cove on Jan. 6 after being pulled from the rocks. Photo Copyright 2015 Carolyn E. Wright

The Woodwind II will no longer ply the waters of Lake Tahoe.

The severe windstorm on Dec. 11 dislodged the catamaran from its mooring at Zephyr Cove. For days it rested upon the rocks near the South Shore marina. Now it is in the parking lot at Cave Rock boat launch.

Tahoe Cruises, which operates this vessel and the Safari Rose, did not return phone calls.

According to the company’s website, the tour boat would carry up to 50 people between April 15-Oct. 15.

The low water level of Lake Tahoe and lack of dredging at marinas where it could be repaired meant the boat had to be extracted from the lake via a tow truck on Jan. 7.

Because the custom-built boat doesn’t fit on a trailer it will have to be destroyed and hauled away. The boat is 55-feet-long and 40-feet-wide.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report