Trip from Chicago to Michigan by boat

skennelly

Wife and I are planning on a boat trip up to Michigan...probably up to Grand Haven.  My home port is in Chicago.

Total mileage is somewhere in the 138 mile range one way....I plan on staying a few miles out and following the curve of the lake so in any event not to far away from the safety of a harbor.

Probably grabbing a transient slip half way to break up the trip as well.

I know there are others out on Lake Michigan on this board.  Any friendly advice you could give me?  It's our first adventure in this direction.

TonyWalker

My admiral and I did a one way version of your planned trip back in 2010,  All safety supplies and equipment checked and confirmed.  Monitor channel 16, Watch the weather and sea conditions, know your location in relation to available ports to put in if needed and have a great trip.  Just out of curiosity, what boat do you have?

We have one or two RBOC members who boat in these waters.  They may have additional ideas for you.

 

Tony

Salt Shaker 342

skennelly

@TonyWalker - Yes your advice is exactly what I was planning....just had a safety inspection done with the coast guard and have mapped out all the harbors of safe refuge just in case.

2002 270FV.  100 gallon fuel capacity.  I do trips back and forth to Waukegan a few times a year...but just never been in the direction of Michigan.

I'm considering and probably will rent an EPIRB from Boat US...just to be especially safe.  $65 for the week is a great price.

pearson57842

We boat on Lake Michigan out of New Buffalo.  Have made the trip from there to Chicago a number of times.  Also made the trip to Grand Haven a couple of times.  We actually have a trip planned to Grand Haven at the end of July.  Will be staying in municipal marina there.  Easy walking distance to activities and restaurants from there.  Make sure you allow time for potential bad weather.  Breeze from the wrong direction can build waves in a hurry on the lake.  

skennelly

pearson57842 - Definitely know how the lake can act up quickly thats for sure.  We aren't in any kind of hurry...so if that means ducking into a harbor to wait things out that's fine.  We also are going to stay in the muni marina...good to hear things are walking distance.

We are also going at the end of July week of the 25th.

pearson57842

We leave on the 24th and plan on staying thru Thursday.  Look us up when you get there.  Boat name is Cash Flow.  2004 FV 312.

skennelly

Nice.  I'll for sure keep an eye out and say hello.

jme097

This is a trip I hope to make in my 280 soon. Would trailer it across the state and drop it in in Grand Haven then drive to Chi town though

Black_Diamond

That is a nice route following the shoreline. Depending on weather of course, South Haven is a nice stop (but not if waves out of the west, they surge right up the river). It's a bit of a run, but Saugatuck is well worth a stop. 

If you run the shore to Mich City, then angle up to South Haven/Saugatuck you save some miles and still not too far offshore too. 

TonyWalker

Just fro grins, a story about our visit to Charlevoix in October, our 2010 trip.  The wind was out of the west, directly into the harbor.  The waves would enter and bounce off of the far wall and then rocket back.  Where the two wave trains crossed at intervals, they were really big.  We had Salt Shaker tied down with 13 lines.  Really 10 but 3 of them were doubled.  Standing in the cabin of the boat was impossible unless you held on.  There was a big Marlow there.  The Marlow pulled one of the cleats out of the cement pier.  It was exciting. 

Handymans342

No waves in the Keys Tony