Clear Lake IA & a dumb question

[LakeShark]

Now that it feels like spring and temps are in the 60s (although on Friday were supposed to get 8 inches of snow) I have been thinking about summer. Does anyone have experience sailing a Catalina 22 on clear lake in IA? The lake is only 19 feet at the deepest with a median depth of 10 feet. I have a wing keel so if I beach myself I might loose the day trying to get free. Am I foolish to even consider a sailing trip to this lake? What should I look for as a minimum safe sailing water depth in the midwest where most lakes are relatively shallow and have mud bottoms? I know this might be a dumb question but most of my sailing experience has been on the ocean where water depth is less of an issue.

 

[Jackdaw]

You're WAY overthinking this. ;^)

Clear Lake is a great place to sail. The lake is shallow, but uniform. And you only draw 2.5 feet of water. You'll be fine. Don't beach.

 

[LakeShark]

Yeah I know I am way overthinking it but the cabin fever has got me bad and all I have time to do is think. With so many lakes I like to visit a couple of different ones each year. Though in MN the kids favorite thus far is your lake as they can go to excelsior and dock to get ice cream in the afternoon. So @Jackdaw with a 2.5 foot draft should I be concerned even with sailing in more shallow areas like in Lacrosse or elsewhere up here or is the sky the limit (and the gas bill to get there)?

 

[Jackdaw]

The great part of 2.5 feet of shoal draft is that little water gets the powerboaters attention as well. So any place that might be less will normally be well marked on a well-used lake. Take pity on us, with 6 foot of draft we can hit in places that are not marked!

On less used lakes, get a local map or use the Navionics maps. But also remember, 2.5 feet of water is rare away from the shore!

Also, the Fishing Hot Spots maps are great. Depth contours, and bottom types marked, all on a waterproof map.
http://www.basspro.com/Fishing-Hot-...424/?hvarAID=shopping_googleproductextensions
NOAA does not make maps for these inland lakes, but Hop Maps does.

Yes Tonka is great because all the places to stop. Maynards also a favorite of ours in Excelsior. and in Wayzata you can get ice cream near the city docks, or for a great meal stop at Cov.

 

[Jackdaw]

fyi, here is Clear Lake with depth shading starting at 4 feet. Once away from shore you're fine.

 

[Scott T-Bird]

See the Surf Ballroom & the crash memorial to Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens & Big Bobber on "the day the music died". Don't worry about the depth. We sail where the water is far skinnier than Clear Lake. I get nervous when I start to see 6' depth and relax when it's 8'. We never see anything greater than 12'.

 

[JRacer]

See the Surf Ballroom & the crash memorial to Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens & Big Bobber on "the day the music died". Don't worry about the depth. We sail where the water is far skinnier than Clear Lake. I get nervous when I start to see 6' depth and relax when it's 8'. We never see anything greater than 12'.

2/3/59 - The Day The Music Died.

 

[Scott T-Bird]

That song is ingrained. It makes me think of countless trips to Wilmot, Wisconsin during the winter I leaned to ski. No matter what radio stations we had on, you could count on hearing that song 3 times during the 1 hour drive. That's 3 times on the drive to Wilmot, 3 times on the drive home, and countless times on the jukebox heard thru the open doors to the bar (when I was too young to enter - even in Wisconsin)

 

[JRacer]

That song is ingrained. It makes me think of countless trips to Wilmot, Wisconsin during the winter I leaned to ski. No matter what radio stations we had on, you could count on hearing that song 3 times during the 1 hour drive. That's 3 times on the drive to Wilmot, 3 times on the drive home, and countless times on the jukebox heard thru the open doors to the bar (when I was too young to enter - even in Wisconsin)

Holy Cow! Wilmot Mountain - Skied there many a time, originally from Chicago Suburbs. Remember sitting in there drinking beer, it was legal in WI for us at the time, listening to American Pie. Used to Ski Devils Head too! Had a neighbor that usd to race his sports car up there in SCCA events - that was way cool. Small World.

 

[Scott T-Bird]

You just had to be 18. I didn't look 18 even when I was 20 so I was definitely too twerpy to enter when I was 16! You had to have made numerous trips to the Brat Stop, I'm sure! That was our last resort (and sure bet) place to buy beer and Boone's Farm when I was in high school.
Don't get me started on Wisconsin. I LOVE WISCONSIN! If it weren't for Wisconsin, half of my nostalgia wouldn't be worth a damn!

 

[JRacer]

Yea, we were legal in WI but not IL. Used to go to a lot of races in Elkhart lake too. Campgrounds across from the track were an experience for us naïve 16-18 yo's . Prep'd us for life at the fraternity house. ;-)

 

[LakeShark]

S Don't worry about the depth. We sail where the water is far skinnier than Clear Lake. I get nervous when I start to see 6' depth and relax when it's 8'. We never see anything greater than 12'.

Scott T-Bird thanks for the information about water depth. Its nice to know others have sailed in shallower waters before as it means that I am less likely to make a fool of my self when I am the only sailboat on the lake. As for the music selections while I can appreciate those songs I am afraid I only heard them on the "oldies Station" when I was younger so there is not quite the same affinity for them.

@Jackdaw thanks you for the information on the Maps and the resources for lake contour maps. Previously I have only been using the DNR site which is free but not always so user friendly and it only works for MN. I will have to check out the fishing maps as it would be nice to have one along and I could even start a collection for all the Lakes I manage to visit.

https://maps1.dnr.state.mn.us/lakefinder/mobile/