Just purchased Hunter 23.5,always daysailed Chrysler 20 on Lake Michigan,plan on sailing up Michigan coast out of East Chicago. What is protocol for getting overnite berths?Who do I hail at harbors?What Channel?Any advice would be helpfull.
Transient berths
- Thread starter DJN51
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We use a cruising guide. Nice because it usually has price per foot along with phone number and VHF monitored channel. The phone is best because you can make a reservation long before within VHF range. Then within a mile or so you can call on VHF to get some help with slip directions and a dock hand.
Don't be afraid to put it on a trailer and pull it up the coast as well! We pull our H240 from our Bloomington Indiana home reservoir to the Grand Traverse Bay on the Eastern shore of the Lake almost yearly. Check out Suttons Bay and Northport for friendly launching points. From there you can easily get to Traverse City, Elk Rapids etc. Great little towns and at $1 a foot transient rate you can't beat the rates!
A Lake Michigan Cruising Guide will contain the majoity of the information you are looking for. The marina phone numbers for all the ports are there. They all monitor channel 16.
There are municipal marinas/ harbors of refuge all the way up and down the lake. Starting with New Buffalo, Benton Harbor/St. Joseph, South Haven, Saugatuck, Holland, Port Sheldon, Grand Haven, Muskegon, Whitehall, Ludington, Manistee, Onekama, Arcadia, Frankfort, Leland, etc. They are mostly 20 miles or less apart.
Great sailing, great facilities... Enjoy the trip
There are municipal marinas/ harbors of refuge all the way up and down the lake. Starting with New Buffalo, Benton Harbor/St. Joseph, South Haven, Saugatuck, Holland, Port Sheldon, Grand Haven, Muskegon, Whitehall, Ludington, Manistee, Onekama, Arcadia, Frankfort, Leland, etc. They are mostly 20 miles or less apart.
Great sailing, great facilities... Enjoy the trip
slips in Michigan
Agree with Doug on the cruising guide. A guide we have was put out by Lakeland Baoating, $40 at West Marine. Expensive but has good info -phone #'s, charts of the harbors, points of interest and an aerial view of the harbor.
You can make reservations on line at some marina's. We have done so at New Buffalo http://www.newbuffalo.com/public-dock.shtml
but even though we did somone took our slip as we arrived after closing and there was no one there to monitor the harbor.
Great harbors up the coast. Boater friendly.
Agree with Doug on the cruising guide. A guide we have was put out by Lakeland Baoating, $40 at West Marine. Expensive but has good info -phone #'s, charts of the harbors, points of interest and an aerial view of the harbor.
You can make reservations on line at some marina's. We have done so at New Buffalo http://www.newbuffalo.com/public-dock.shtml
but even though we did somone took our slip as we arrived after closing and there was no one there to monitor the harbor.
Great harbors up the coast. Boater friendly.
One major advantage you'll have is that your boat is relatively small and relatively shallow draft. This means that you'll often be able to fit into slips or berths that bigger boats would not... making it less likely that they will not have something to fit your boat.
I'd recommend you take a "Safe boating course". The info you learn is critical to knowing how to operate your boat safely on the water. The course should cover seamanship, anchoring, use of the VHF radio - to call the next marina - and calling for help should you need to! The alternative is to read (and comprehend) a good book that covers all these topics. I recommend Chapman's book on boat handling, maintenance and seamanship.
Having cruised L Mich for 25 years, I found that sometimes showing up, especially with a smaller boat, works well. When you are standing there in front of them they tend to work harder to find a spot for you. Generally, you will probably not have any problems until you get into Door County. I agree with the comment about trailering north, where the nicer ports are. It is a long trip up L Mich from Chicago.
Thanks for all the feedback,as Ive sailed Lake Michigan for over 30 yrs,mostly solo don,t ever think" safe boating" has,nt been my creed every time I launch.
There is one exception when reserving a transient slip for smaller boats. During special events and major holiday weekends a marina looking for the best Dollars per Foot return may hold out for a longer boat.
Here on the upper Mississippi there is a great deal of transient traffic. My marina is adjacent to a regional hot spot (Fine Restaurant) so the transient dock space is full for lunch and dinner, as well as with weekend travelers. Without an advanced reservation, you won't get a spot on any summer weekend at this marina. The next one up river is similar.
The marina has written into the rental contract that we are to notify the marina office of any extended trips away from our slip. They reserve the right to use the slip for transient boats.
The marina has written into the rental contract that we are to notify the marina office of any extended trips away from our slip. They reserve the right to use the slip for transient boats.
We Must Have Progress for Progress' Sake
No argument about the convenience and practicality of "calling ahead" by phone or reserving a slip online, but it does take a bit of the romance out of coming into a new harbor, doesn't it?
Isn't it tragic.
No argument about the convenience and practicality of "calling ahead" by phone or reserving a slip online, but it does take a bit of the romance out of coming into a new harbor, doesn't it?
Just found out today that our new marina does this as well, but credits you with $10 worth of voucher towards marina services per night someone else occupies your slip. Of course, they're charging folks through the nose for a transient slip but a little money back is better than none at all.
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