This is maybe a silly question, but I usually sail on a very small lake, so it's usually not something I run into. How do you determine how far you can travel in your small boat? Specifically, I am planning a trip to Lake Michigan's Grand Traverse Bay in about a week. Straight across the east arm of the bay is about 3 miles. So surely we can sail there even if the wind is not perfect, spend a little time in the town across the bay and sail back. But from the cottage we rented around the top of the Old Mission Peninsula and out to Marion Island looks to be about 20 miles. I am guessing that with decent wind I can make about 3 miles per hour (I have never clocked myself) that makes a round trip a 13 hour deal if we never stop to smell any roses, and I have no desire to sleep on my 170. Is my thinking about right? How do you look at a map and say, "We could do that?" What sort of speed do you think I could make with my 3.3hp outboard? Any thoughts would be helpful, Thanks, John Reply | Print Thread | Edit/Delete
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Cruising Distance
John, Took a look at the specs on your boat. After some reflection, my recommendation is that you stay below Mission Light and close to shore unless the winds are predicted to be below 10 mph. Be prepared to reef if it gets much above that. Your engine should be able to push your boat at its rated hull speed of 5.1 kts but expect to sail much slower on average. http://www.huntermarine.com/models/170/170-spec.html
John, Took a look at the specs on your boat. After some reflection, my recommendation is that you stay below Mission Light and close to shore unless the winds are predicted to be below 10 mph. Be prepared to reef if it gets much above that. Your engine should be able to push your boat at its rated hull speed of 5.1 kts but expect to sail much slower on average. http://www.huntermarine.com/models/170/170-spec.html
Thanks George
I see that you posted a reply on both of the forums that I posted on. I tried to post on this one (small boats) but I ended up on the other one by mistake. I apprieciate your help on this one. I have only been once to the great lakes with my boat. I trailered it to Lakeport on Lake Huron and met with 30mph on shore wind, I didn't even get the boat off the trailer. Since I grew up in Port Huron I know that the wind is not usually that strong in that area, I just picked a bad day. I hope that I get some gentle wind when I am in your area, but if we don't we can find something else to do (did I mention that this will be the first weekend we have spent without our children in 8 years!). Anyway, we are looking forward to a nice bottle of Traverse Bay wine and a relaxing couple of days. Thanks again, John
I see that you posted a reply on both of the forums that I posted on. I tried to post on this one (small boats) but I ended up on the other one by mistake. I apprieciate your help on this one. I have only been once to the great lakes with my boat. I trailered it to Lakeport on Lake Huron and met with 30mph on shore wind, I didn't even get the boat off the trailer. Since I grew up in Port Huron I know that the wind is not usually that strong in that area, I just picked a bad day. I hope that I get some gentle wind when I am in your area, but if we don't we can find something else to do (did I mention that this will be the first weekend we have spent without our children in 8 years!). Anyway, we are looking forward to a nice bottle of Traverse Bay wine and a relaxing couple of days. Thanks again, John
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