Cruising to Michigan from Chicago.

skennellyskennelly Member Posts: 2,196 ✭✭✭✭
in Great Lakes U.S.
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.
2002 - 270FV Mag 350 B3
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  • ruwallydogruwallydog Member Posts: 92 ✭✭
    Did a very similar trip a few years ago. Headed from Wilmette to St Joes and then worked my way up to Grand Haven with stops in Saugatuck, Holland, etc. Had a blast!!!

    Best advice I can give you is to take your time and don't push yourself to make a schedule or be somewhere on any specific time/date. That seems to be where mistakes happen. We actually ended up having to leave the boat in St. Joe's for a few days before we could work our way back north again.

    If you don't have the Lake Michigan Cruising Guide I would highly recommend it. We used it a TON and it really helped us navigate various ports and arrange for transient slips, etc. Even helped me find a place to put the boat on a lift...but that's a different story for another time. You can pick it up a copy at Westmarine.

    File a float plan
    Have all the right safety gear - An EPIRB in my opinion is a must. You can even rent one but I just ended up buying it.
    Watch the weather
    Have a blast!



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  • skennellyskennelly Member Posts: 2,196 ✭✭✭✭
    @ruwallydog - thanks.  I accidently double posted this topic.  Oops.

    Any case I plan on renting the EPIRB and have my safety gear and plan all set.

    It will be our first big trip...so it's going to awesome.
    2002 - 270FV Mag 350 B3
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  • Black_DiamondBlack_Diamond Member Posts: 5,439 ✭✭✭✭✭
    If you wander into Holland, Boatwerks has dockage for patrons (at end of Lk Makatawa). Yacht Basin Marina has rental slips. 

    Saugatuck is definately a boaters stop. Can anchor out and they have a dingy dock. Fun town!

    Past owner of a 2003 342FV
    PC BYC, Holland, MI
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  • skennellyskennelly Member Posts: 2,196 ✭✭✭✭
    @ruwallydog - Is this the cruising guide you referenced?

    https://www.amazon.com/Michigan-Richardsons-Chartbook-Cruising-Guides/dp/0932647324
    2002 - 270FV Mag 350 B3
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  • Black_DiamondBlack_Diamond Member Posts: 5,439 ✭✭✭✭✭
    This one:

    https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1890839000?pc_redir=T1

    Past owner of a 2003 342FV
    PC BYC, Holland, MI
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  • skennellyskennelly Member Posts: 2,196 ✭✭✭✭
    edited June 2016
    Awesome!  Thanks.  Is there an updated version of this...seems this was published in 1998.
    2002 - 270FV Mag 350 B3
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  • Black_DiamondBlack_Diamond Member Posts: 5,439 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Yes, there is a newer version, it is still several years old but all the info is relevant. Well worth having. 

    Past owner of a 2003 342FV
    PC BYC, Holland, MI
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  • ruwallydogruwallydog Member Posts: 92 ✭✭
    Diamond is correct. That is the one you want...not sure with regard to the version but did notice they had them at Westmarine when I was there a few weeks ago.

    I find myself looking at it all the time dreaming up my next adventure. If I can help in any way just let me know.
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  • skennellyskennelly Member Posts: 2,196 ✭✭✭✭
    Thank you!  Going to swing by Wm this weekend and buy it.

    Thank you both for the advice.
    2002 - 270FV Mag 350 B3
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  • skennellyskennelly Member Posts: 2,196 ✭✭✭✭
    Well finished the cruise...just got back today.

    Chicago to st joe.  St joe to Saugatuck. Saugatuck to new buffalo.  New buffalo back home.

    Boat performed flawlessly.

    Left Sunday during a window of good weather but waves were quite large and trip was slow going.

    Coming home lake was like glass and so beautiful.

    Feel very accomplished.
    2002 - 270FV Mag 350 B3
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  • Dream_InnDream_Inn Member, Moderator Posts: 7,663 mod
    Nothing better than a nice long trip with a perfect working boat!  That is fantastic Skennelly!

    Dream 'Inn III -- 2008 400 Express

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  • bella-vitabella-vita Member Posts: 411 ✭✭✭
    Sounds like a good time 
    2002 Rinker FV 342
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  • jme097jme097 Member Posts: 1,224 ✭✭✭
    @skennelly what boat did you make the trip with? This is something I would love to do
    Boat Name: Knot A Worry
    2007 280 Rinker Express 6.2L B3
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  • skennellyskennelly Member Posts: 2,196 ✭✭✭✭
    edited July 2016
    @jme097 - 2002 270FV Mag 350 Bravo III
    2002 - 270FV Mag 350 B3
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  • nick92675nick92675 Member Posts: 41 ✭✭
    Jumping on this thread - how many days did you do this in?   I just moved to Belmont Harbor, have the whole week of the 4th off and am looking to do a similar trip.   But wife has to work Wed > Fri so I'm trying to get to maybe Holland, New Buff or somewhere w/the train to get her back to the city, then be near a train line for her to meet me again on Fri and make it back to the city again.
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  • skennellyskennelly Member Posts: 2,196 ✭✭✭✭
    @nick92675 - We were gone Saturday to Tuesday.

    Trip was basically like this.

    Saturday Chicago -> St Joe stayed overnight to Sunday.

    Sunday St Joe to Saugatuck stayed overnight to Monday

    Monday Saugatuck to New Buffulo stayed overnight to Tuesday

    Tuesday New Buffulo to Chicago

    St Joe to Saugatuck was the longest cruise time...I believe around 3.5 hours.

    In 2 weeks we are heading back to New Buffalo for an overnight stay.
    2002 - 270FV Mag 350 B3
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  • nick92675nick92675 Member Posts: 41 ✭✭
    nice!  did you guys reserve transient slips ahead of time or play by ear w/weather?  i guess that's my biggest concern with the holiday weekend.    plan for best case scenario and deal w/it if it comes?  or wait till i know we're in the clear and see what's avail then.   
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  • nick92675nick92675 Member Posts: 41 ✭✭
    Black_Diamond said:
    If you wander into Holland, Boatwerks has dockage for patrons (at end of Lk Makatawa). Yacht Basin Marina has rental slips. 

    Saugatuck is definately a boaters stop. Can anchor out and they have a dingy dock. Fun town!
    @Black_Diamond - is Yacht Basin better than Eldean Shipyard? That's the other place I found on Dockwa https://dockwa.com/explore/destination/eldean-shipyard

    Does Holland have ubers/lyfts/taxis/public transit?  How easy is it to get to town (or Amtrak) from either?
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  • skennellyskennelly Member Posts: 2,196 ✭✭✭✭
    @nick92675 - Yes I did reserve slips ahead of time..luckily weather was nice so everything stayed on schedule.  I did speak to a harbor we had reserved at one point because weather might have been coming through and they were super friendly.  The holiday might limit their flexibility.

    But yeah I would plan for best case and reserve your slips and then if weather or delays happen deal with it then.  I think you will find most harbors are pretty flexible.
    2002 - 270FV Mag 350 B3
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  • skennellyskennelly Member Posts: 2,196 ✭✭✭✭
    edited June 2017
    I can tell you this St. Joe doesn't have any kind of transportation and the harbor is pretty far from the town.  We had planned on wondering out, but because of that decided stay and bbq in the harbor.  I also go the worlds biggest / painful splinter from the docks in St. Joe...it was bad.  Thank god for alcohol.
    2002 - 270FV Mag 350 B3
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  • Glassguy54Glassguy54 Member Posts: 588 ✭✭✭
    Alcohol - for disinfecting the wound, right?
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  • WillhoundWillhound Member Posts: 4,208 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I'm sure....but I've always found it works best from inside out. Pushes all the bad stuff out of the wound... :p
    "Knot Quite Shore" - 2000 FV270 (Sold)
    2018 Cherokee 39RL Land Yacht (Sorry...)
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  • aero3113aero3113 Member Posts: 9,044 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Willhound said:
    I'm sure....but I've always found it works best from inside out. Pushes all the bad stuff out of the wound... :p
    LoL!!
    2008 330EC
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  • skennellyskennelly Member Posts: 2,196 ✭✭✭✭
    Agree with @Willhound alcohol worked good from the inside out.
    2002 - 270FV Mag 350 B3
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  • nick92675nick92675 Member Posts: 41 ✭✭
    edited June 2017
    update: things are looking good for this weekend - here's where i was able to get reservations/tentative itinerary:

    <leave chicago sat am>

    sat nite: new buffalo, municipal
    sun nite: new buffalo, municipal
    mon nite: holland, eldean shipyard
    tue nite: st. joe, municipal
    wed: st joe > boaters beach/portage, pit stop, (gas in portage or hammond?)
    wed nite: back home

    couldn't get into south haven, really wanted to.  almost got into saugatuck at tower marine until they told me they had a 3 night min, which didn't work w/my timing.  wife has to be back at work on thurs.

    planning on strapping bikes on the swim platform to explore the towns.  holland is my biggest concern though, i think we're kinda in the middle of nowhere.  hopefully we can uber into town.

    also - do you guys know about this site?   http://lakeeriewx.com/LakeMichigan.html  ton's of great info there, including hourly wind/wave forecasting.  way better than the 12 hour block of sunday, and sunday night that the standard marine forecasts give you.  

    found out about it from a webinar i watched at http://www.glccschool.com/recordings  they also have a really good 3 part webinar on crusing the great lakes.   2 parts about the michigan coast, 1 about the green bay area.  

    also http://greatlakesbuoys.org/ is a great resource for real-time info
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  • skennellyskennelly Member Posts: 2,196 ✭✭✭✭
    Nice trip.  We were in new Buffalo this past weekend and the trip to and from wasn't pleasant with the windy weather we had last weekend.  There wasn't any Uber in St Joe last year...I doubt there will be in Holland.  Watch the weather and be safe.
    2002 - 270FV Mag 350 B3
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  • skennellyskennelly Member Posts: 2,196 ✭✭✭✭
    Oh and the bouys are BS Lol.  We left when the bouys said 2 footers and got caught in at least 4 footers and took refuge in Michigan City.
    2002 - 270FV Mag 350 B3
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  • nick92675nick92675 Member Posts: 41 ✭✭
    i'm cautiously optimistic about this forecast, looking good for most of the lake!  https://www.glerl.noaa.gov//res/glcfs/fcast/mwv.gif
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