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Whipped up Lake Michigan

Black_DiamondBlack_Diamond Member Posts: 5,439 ✭✭✭✭✭
in Great Lakes U.S.
Looking like fall/winter weather today.  11+ footers.  

Past owner of a 2003 342FV
PC BYC, Holland, MI
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    TonyWalkerTonyWalker Member Posts: 744 ✭✭✭
    edited September 2014
    The Salt Shaker has had experience on Lake Michigan during our trip of 2010.  Our boat was happy in the big waves.  Turned back on two occasions for the comfort of the crew.  Once back to Charlevoix and the other time back to Frankfort.

    I think the waves we experienced were 8 footers give or take.  The wave period was given by the weather bouy as 6 seconds.  That meant they were traveling at 18 knots.  Sure enough at 18 knots (GPS) we were hanging on the back of one of these big rollers.  Added some more power to get over the top and keep the engines from laboring too much.

    Tony
    Salt Shaker 342
    Post edited by TonyWalker on
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    MarkBMarkB Member Posts: 3,962 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Those are big waves. Wow. 

    Boat Name: King Kong

    "Boat + Water = Fun"

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    raybo3raybo3 Administrator Posts: 5,459 admin
    Nice picture but I would not want to be out there on a day like that.....
    2002 342 Fiesta Vee PC Point Of Pines YC Revere MA. popyc.org     raybo3@live.com
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    Dream_InnDream_Inn Member, Moderator Posts: 7,561 mod
    yeah, usually the crew can't handle before the boat can't.  I'd certainly not want to be out on a day like that!

    Dream 'Inn III -- 2008 400 Express

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    TonyWalkerTonyWalker Member Posts: 744 ✭✭✭

    Check this out!  It is a video documentary of the final voyage of the William Clay Ford from Duluth to River Rouge with a full load of taconite pellets.  The wheel house of the vessel can be visited at Belle Isle in the north end of the Detroit River.  The videos of Lake Superior are astonishing.  Captain Don Erickson in command.  It was the WC Ford with Captain Ericson that ventured out looking for survivors when the Edmund Fitzgerald went down. 

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MsEQwqRtPo

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    terrypageterrypage Member Posts: 165 ✭✭
    I thought lakes were quiet waters.  My 270 would be a submarine.
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    Black_DiamondBlack_Diamond Member Posts: 5,439 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Terry, Lake Michigan is roughly 160km wide and 480km long, add in a nice wind and we can get waves in the 3-5m range, same for Lake Superior too.  This time of year can be great wave watching and we even have surfers fly in when it gets big waves.   Unlike the ocean though, the waves are very steep and close together too.

    Past owner of a 2003 342FV
    PC BYC, Holland, MI
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    JC290JC290 Member Posts: 706 ✭✭✭
    Great watching the ice blow in and out of munising Michigan use to set at the vfw hall there in the winter with my ex wife's grandfather. Amazing what the wind can do on the great lakes
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    terrypageterrypage Member Posts: 165 ✭✭
    I guess that's why they call them Great.   I would love to see them one day. 
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    212rowboat212rowboat Member Posts: 2,591 ✭✭✭✭✭
    yeah... i did some reading up on that mess.... the wave frequency is what is concerns the crap out of me, and why you wouldn't see me attempting passage after the summer is over... no sir...
    click here for faults (BEEP) list
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    Black_DiamondBlack_Diamond Member Posts: 5,439 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Like last weekend: when the CG has gale warnings out and for even commercial shipping to seek safe harbor, you know it's not pleasure boat weather.  If you watched that video, that ship is 750' long and waves breaking over the bow and beam to give you some reference. 

    The legendary fear of the big ore carriers on the Great Lakes are the "Three Sisters" waves that either swamp the deck and sink the boat in seconds or pick up the boat out of the water and they split..again sinking in seconds.  Interesting read if you google it.  Got to have respect for them!

    Past owner of a 2003 342FV
    PC BYC, Holland, MI
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    raybo3raybo3 Administrator Posts: 5,459 admin
    You guys are babies..................lol (just kidding)
    2002 342 Fiesta Vee PC Point Of Pines YC Revere MA. popyc.org     raybo3@live.com
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    Black_DiamondBlack_Diamond Member Posts: 5,439 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Alive babies!  lol

    Past owner of a 2003 342FV
    PC BYC, Holland, MI
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    TonyWalkerTonyWalker Member Posts: 744 ✭✭✭

    BD can say much more about this but the State of Michigan has a "refuge harbor" program along its entire shoreline.  During any storm any vessel is welcome In these harbors regardless of how full they are or if the vessel can not pay for any dockage.

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    RWBLACK6RWBLACK6 Member Posts: 36 ✭✭
    Thanks Tony ;  Enjoyed the video   
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    raybo3raybo3 Administrator Posts: 5,459 admin
    I guess we all know the old saying "better to be a live chicken than a dead duck"...lol
    2002 342 Fiesta Vee PC Point Of Pines YC Revere MA. popyc.org     raybo3@live.com
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    JC290JC290 Member Posts: 706 ✭✭✭
    Tony your right on the refuge harbors but some of them are few and far between. Depending on wind direction some can be tricky getting in to. 
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    Black_DiamondBlack_Diamond Member Posts: 5,439 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Up the east coast of Lake Michigan you have ports every 10-15 miles, Leeland is a port of refuge in the northern part as that section of the coast has long runs between harbors (40 miles in some cases).  it is a State harbor.  There are other places to go if you know the wind/storm directions (and places to absolutely not be too).  Otherwise you just need to get into the rivers/lakes to harborage, if it's that bad out, they will work with you.

    Past owner of a 2003 342FV
    PC BYC, Holland, MI
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    MarkBMarkB Member Posts: 3,962 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Lake Superior is one big Lake. It takes more than an hour to fly across in a jet. It's basically a mini ocean. 

    Boat Name: King Kong

    "Boat + Water = Fun"

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    aero3113aero3113 Member Posts: 8,810 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Here is a pic when we flew over Lake Michigan, it's HUGE!!!!
    2008 330EC
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    Black_DiamondBlack_Diamond Member Posts: 5,439 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Interesting link for any one curious on the lake levels..finally up from some really lean years.   

    http://www.crh.noaa.gov/images/grr/presentations/Elevated_Risk_on_Piers_Due_to_Highest_Water_Levels_in_15_Years_2014-09-24_00-44-55.pdf

    Past owner of a 2003 342FV
    PC BYC, Holland, MI
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