Anybody on here sail in or near Saginaw Bay, MI or Lake Huron?

Apr 25, 2015
282
Oday 26 Oscoda, MI
Trying to get a feel for how many on here might sail in or near Saginaw Bay or Lake Huron? Being new to sailing and hopefully getting done with all my boat projects early spring and launch after I take a local sailing class at the local university (Go Spartans), I would then entertain paying somebody who is a experienced sailor to sail with me for just one day---pay, free food and after sailing, free drinks!
 
Aug 13, 2012
9
Oday 222 Port Austin, Michigan
Love Saginaw Bay and Lake Huron. I have sailed my O'day 222, Niagara, in those waters. My family has a place in the "Thumb." To me, it is close to heaven. It has some of the best beaches with the purest fine sand in the world. It is so pure, Henry Ford use to mine the sand at what is now Port Crescent State Park to make the windshields for the Model T. Because you are on peninsula there are places you can see the sun rise and sunset from the same spot. The sunsets, especially at Caseville are incredible. The water turns beautiful pink as the sun disappears. As always, be careful. Just because they call Saginaw Bay a bay doesn't mean its small and protected . Its huge and as wild and rough as any other part of the Great Lakes. We always launched Niagara at either the Caseville or Port Austin Marinas. I prefer Port Austin since it is larger and been updated, but Caseville is fine and it has more dockage and has several private marinas with many sailboats, which may direct you to someone to assist you. If you are above the Thumb on the Huron side, you might contact the Coast Guard Station at Tawas. They probably have a Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla there that can guide you for assistance. There is also the Tawas Bay Yacht Club in east Tawas (989)362-3137 which may very well have someone to sail with you to mentor you.
 
Apr 25, 2015
282
Oday 26 Oscoda, MI
Ya I was just looking for someone to go out with me for the first time. I might not launch again this year due to some health issues with my wife and a ton of work I still want to do on the new to me 26' (I am too much of a perfectionist sometimes). I purchased a 36 foot slip at Main Pier Marina at the mouth of the Au Sable river which does have a sand beach just outside the marina and yes, I LOVE Lake Huron. Lake Michigan side is way overpriced.
 
Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
I might not launch again this year due to some health issues with my wife and a ton of work I still want to do on the new to me 26' (I am too much of a perfectionist sometimes).
Just GO SAIL.

Perfect is the enemy of good. Sadly there are guys here I am sure will be buried viking-style in the hulls of their almost-perfect but never sailed by them boats.
 

Tengu

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Aug 6, 2012
14
Hunter 410 East Tawas, Michigan
I sail out of Tawas Bay. This is my fourth year on the Lake Huron side of Michigan and I love it. When the big water is getting too rough the Tawas bay is a great place to play around.
 

MIRon

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Jul 21, 2012
6
MacGregor 26M Presque Isle, MI
Wife and I have a MacGregor 26M on the Sunrise Side of Michigan. "Homeport" is Presque Isle.
Over the last two years, we've sailed from the Straits to Harrisville and hope to continue south thru Saginaw Bay and the thumb area.
Classes are great for getting the basics down, but the real confidence comes from experience. So, as long as the boat is sea worthy, get out and sail. Just have to keep an eye on the weather and have flexible plans. Remember, this is Michigan; if you don't like the weather, wait 15 minutes. BTW, there are tons of websites providing sailing forecasts and planning/navigation software.