Apostle Islands - Proper Boat?

higgs · Jun 29, 2011

Are you planning on staying aboard or planning to use the 17 for day sailing?

zeehag · Jun 29, 2011

ok--edumakate us-- where are they and how far is your exposure and what lake is it......or is it a river? are ye packing a tent?

DeniseO30 · Jun 29, 2011

I'd say if you have to ask your not ready or don't feel you have enough sailing experience. Picking weather and wind conditions that fit your comfort level would be the best first choice sailing anywhere. Good luck

Joe · Jun 30, 2011

andersailing said:
I appreciate your concern Denise, but you missed the questions. I was wondering how big the water gets and if a 17' Daysailer would be able to handle the conditions. It's not that I'm not comfortable with my boat, it's that I have no idea what the conditions are like up there. I know a lot of people sail some pretty small boats up there because the islands provide reasonable shelter.

Actually, my friend, you first asked what the "cheapest" boat would be to safely sail in the area. Since that question is basically unanswerable you exposed your lack of experience... and that was why Denise made the comment.

Subsequently, you made your plan a bit clearer... but that is no reason to be defensive regarding Denise's comment.

Please don't be afraid to lay out your plan to us and ask for opinions or helpful advice....

Something like. "I'd like to trailer by 17 foot daysailor up to the Apostle Islands in Lake Superior, but I'm not sure if my boat will be adequate for the area conditions. Any comments or advice from the group would be appreciated. I have been sailing for 'x' years and plan to carry a tent and camping gear with me..."

DeniseO30 · Jun 30, 2011

Well still, it's really more about the person, wind and weather then the boat. I'd go for it! Allow lots of time for weather, take the provisions and gear to "camp out" on or off the boat. Make sure there is contact information for you and check in times for those that should be concerned. Would you be doing this solo? The nice thing about a smaller boat is the fact you can walk to shore without a dingy in tow. You have me wondering about sea kayaking that area. I always wanted to do that on the Maine Island trail but my son moved away.

I'd add that islands tend to create very confused wind and water currents. Look for local information from sailors and kayak outfitters in the area. I'm sure you will find the information you need.
Good luck!

David in Sandusky · Jun 30, 2011

Go for it!

The archipelago shields you from most of the big waves off Lake Superior, unless you choose to sail exposed to the lake. The Islands are red sandstone, so most have great, pink beaches with good sand for anchoring, and an easy pull to beach a boat.

If you are anchoring, you go for the downwind side of most islands, and be ready to move if the winds shift. The exception is the southeast corner of Stockton Island, where two bays offer protection from all but a rare southeast wind.

If you are going to pull the boat ashore like the many kayakers in the area, then be sure to use one of the campsites, and put all your food in the steel box provided, since the healthy population of bears in the Islands will get it if you don't. Check with the National Shore/Park folks who administer the islands about registering for a campsite.

These are mostly sheltered waters, so if you are confident sailing your boat on a large lake, you will be fine in the Apostles.

Scott T-Bird · Jun 30, 2011

I think it depends on your daysailer ...

you don't mention the boat. Lake Superior is a dangerous body of water, water that is very cold, as I'm sure you know. If your daysailer capsizes easily, and you are thinking about doing this on a regular basis (increasing your odds of running across sudden foul weather), I would begin looking immediately for a safer boat. Lake Superior is a much different animal than the warm, shallow lakes of NW Wisconsin.

If you have a daysailer that is safe and you are carefully selecting a single weekend when the predicted weather has a high probability of being just fine, then your comfort level can be increased. Maybe you should think about wearing a wetsuit.

Personally, I think a 17' daysailer on Lake Superior is too marginal to trust for repeat adventures. The summer I lived in Grand Marais, Minn, a family capsized a small sailboat in the harbor and within minutes, 3 of 4 succumbed to hypothermia (in July) and didn't survive. I imagine that the water there was in the low 50's as normal temp for the summer. I am sure it is warmer in the Apostles, but not much.

rgranger · Jun 30, 2011

I have owned larger boats but I now also sail a smaller boat because of the fact that you can go places that larger boats cannot. And in lighter air and shallow water, the smaller boats rule... so just be flexible and don't go out when the wind will be too strong.

Here is a website that will give you a 10 forecast (but only trust the first 5)

http://passageweather.com/

...AND make sure you have a VHF with weather stations and weather alert so you can hear about late afternoon T-storms ect.

Here is a nice inexpensive one... ($47) I have one of these and really like it.

http://www.amazon.com/Cobra-Compact...K8BM/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1309455471&sr=8-5

There is nothing cooler that sailing up to a deserted beach and calling it your own. Go for it.

MrBill_FLL · Jun 30, 2011

this daysailor has ballast? or is easily tipped over.

lakes are notorious for shifty and gusty conditions.

the macgregor 17 has a ballast, and cuddy, which should be fine. but a 420 (or lightning ) would be risky.

+ dry bags for the food and clothes!

I've seen some nice boom tent setups... if you wish to sleep aboard.

nateman · Jun 30, 2011

If you can kayak, i'm saying you can surely day sail... Let us know how it goes, I've searched other forums on the subject. One couple in particular went on a 20' Balboa.

It's definitely a trip I want to take with my O'day! The 13 hour drive is a bummer, but otherwise i'm game!

Are we talking this style boat then?

DannyS · Jul 1, 2011

Our son is enrolled in this sailing school for a week this summer, http://www.nccsailing.org/ and they sail Optis and 420s out of Bayfield. Like others have said, it all depends. Some days you'll get not much more than a ripple on the water and other days you'll see 4 footers ripping down some of the channels. You have to remember that the islands offer protection but they also funnel the wind and create fantastic sailing. What's interesting is that you can be in the narrow channels between islands and have too much wind and then sail out into the open areas and right out of the wind.
Does your Daysailor have a decent engine? I know it's a sailboat but there are times and areas where you'll be motoring to get to the wind or to safety. Also, remember that if you plan to beach the boat and the weather shifts, the calm beach can turn into a rough ride for a beached boat.
I don't think what you are wanting to do is a bad idea, it will be an adventure! Just be prepared and be smart. For a boat your size up there, I'd even think about one of those floats that beach cats have on the top of their masts to keep the boat from turning turtle.
Have fun and let us know how it goes!
BTW my first boat up there was a Cal 20 and I sailed it all over the place! It did have a bulb keel however.

Deleted member 78819 · Jul 4, 2011

The Apostle Islands are beautiful. I've personally never sailed the islands on anything smaller than a 38' Islander but I have friends that pull their trailer sailors up there for weekends from Minneapolis. Seaworthy small boats like the Compac 16 or the Montgomery 17 are safe and stable enough to handle typical weather and waves. I owned a Compac 16 myself at one point and was out in some pretty rough weather on Lake Milacs without undue concern with respect to whether the boat could handle it. The C16 could handle rougher seas than I could... The islands do shelter you a great deal from Superior's open water swells and winds. You can tuck into bays on Madeline, Stockton or many of the other islands for the night at anchor but be sure of the forecast so you don't find yourself on a lee shore. The National Park Service maintains mooring balls and docks in many locations though none are all weather...

http://www.nps.gov/apis/planyourvisit/upload/Boaters_guide.pdf

kenn · Jul 4, 2011

andersailing said:
I was wondering if anybody could tell me what is the cheapest possible boat that they would be willing to use for sailing the Apostle Islands. I have a 17' Daysailer and I'm wondering if it is sheltered enough from the islands that I could sail it up there.

If your skills and confidence are up to it, and you do your research, and respect the weather... hell yeah you could do it. Frank and Margaret Dye cruised in a Wayfarer in much worse conditions. You should be properly equipped, including a VHF handheld and an outboard motor.

If you find you really like this kind of boat adventure, and you want to be able to explore new waters with a minimum of fuss, you can look at a trailerable small cruiser in the 15'-22' range.

Deleted member 78819 · Jul 5, 2011

Kenn makes a great point, you don't want to be without a dependable motor and a hand held VHF radio would also be a necessity. I should also have tossed in a recommendation to bring along a hand held GPS unit. There are a lot of islands up there and it can be confusing...

Apostle Islands - Proper Boat?

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