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Great Lakes boating

Black_DiamondBlack_Diamond Member Posts: 5,439 ✭✭✭✭✭
in Great Lakes U.S.
Woohoo!  Got our own board place to chat.  Thanks to Capt. Steve.

Past owner of a 2003 342FV
PC BYC, Holland, MI
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    bat32bat32 Member Posts: 161 ✭✭✭
    I'm out onthe big water this year.  Moved off the Illinois river and now I'm on Lake Michigan.  Any advice would be well recieved. 

     

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    Black_DiamondBlack_Diamond Member Posts: 5,439 ✭✭✭✭✭

    My number one on the Big Lake: Know the weather, not just now, but what's happening for the day.  It can change drastically very fast.  It's not always about what the boat can handle, but your crew as well!  If you have radar / chart plotter / handheld GPS, make some routes to get in from off shore to your marina in the case of fog or bad weather, plot the waypoints manually while out on a nice day.

    You may want to think about what you have for flares, etc.  Since you could be well off-shore.

      There are several bouys to monitor:

    mid lake: http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=45007

    Near shore http://www.tawasbayweather.com/buoys/buoysLM.php

    A lot of nice live radar and weather apps for a smart phone too.  Good as long as you are in range for cell phone coverage.

    If you respect the lake..there are so many great places to go, even if you hug the shore line towards Michigan City (very nice place by boat) and into Michigan.  On the MI side, you are never more than about 15 miles from port to port for food, fuel, refuge and all great stops!

    A great reference book: http://www.amazon.com/Lakeland-Boating-Ports-Michigan-Cruise/dp/1890839078

    Let me know if I can offer more!  Enjoy!

     

    :D

    Past owner of a 2003 342FV
    PC BYC, Holland, MI
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    PartsManPartsMan Member Posts: 246 ✭✭✭
    Lake Erie boater here. BD is right on!
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    bat32bat32 Member Posts: 161 ✭✭✭
    Thanks Diamond.  That's what I have been religiously doing.  NOAA is my right hand man and I'm getting better with my chartplotter every time out but it is definitely a learning curve/   I just shot out to Michigan City the other day for the first time and realized quickly what you mean about what the crew can handle vs the boat.  Just trying to figure out he in Ins and Outs of the area.  It's been a long time since I was the FNG to the body of water I was boating on so I am extra cautious.  Thanks for the web sites I have to check them out.  I'm trying to chart all the points of refuge right now.  Maybe we will se you outside the inlet this year!!

     

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    JoeStangJoeStang Member Posts: 1,116 ✭✭✭✭
    Does St. Clair count as a '"Great Lake" to you guys? If so another freshwater guy here. :)
    2013 276 Cuddy ~ 350 MAG / B3
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    Black_DiamondBlack_Diamond Member Posts: 5,439 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Sure does!  Welcome aboard!

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