1st Annual Whaler Lake Michigan Crossing

Accounts of trips taken in Boston Whaler boats; organization of rendezvous for Boston Whaler boats
swalch4
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Joined: Mon Jul 16, 2018 4:56 pm

1st Annual Whaler Lake Michigan Crossing

Postby swalch4 » Tue Jul 17, 2018 9:08 am

Anyone interested in a Lake Michigan crossing Aug 11th? Have a smaller 2010 Whaler (17 Montauk) and need to break it in with a Great Lake crossing on a calm day. Been wanting to do this for years.

Depart: Ludington MI 9am ET (same time as SS Badger)
Cross Lake: 2.5-3 hrs (60 miles)
Arrive: Manitowoc WI 11am CT
Lunch and a cold beer & Gas
12 pm SS Badger Arrives Manitowoc
Depart: Manitowoc WI 1pm CT
Cross Lake: 2.5-3 hrs (60 miles)
Arrive: Ludington MI 5pm

Would love to have another Whaler join, or better yet a pack of whalers!

Let me know,

Steve
Last edited by swalch4 on Wed Aug 08, 2018 11:09 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Dutchman
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Location: Kalamazoo, MI (South Haven)
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Re: Lake Michigan Crossing

Postby Dutchman » Wed Jul 18, 2018 10:10 am

Depending on weather I would be game.
PM me
EJO
"Clumsy Cleat"look up what it means
50th edition 2008 Montauk 150, w/60HP Mercury Bigfoot

ShorLine
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Joined: Thu Jun 30, 2016 10:16 pm

Re: Lake Michigan Crossing

Postby ShorLine » Tue Jul 24, 2018 5:29 pm

That date won't work for me, but I would love to do this trip sometime.
However, need a couple of folks to enjoy the ride with me - would not try this alone in the boat....

Cynthia

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Dutchman
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Re: Lake Michigan Crossing

Postby Dutchman » Wed Jul 25, 2018 10:22 am

ShorLine wrote:However, need a couple of folks to enjoy the ride with me - would not try this alone in the boat....

Cynthia


Yea Cynthia I will have a crew mate and won't go at it alone.

We just like more than two boats (4 people) going to prove our Whaler can do almost anything.
EJO
"Clumsy Cleat"look up what it means
50th edition 2008 Montauk 150, w/60HP Mercury Bigfoot

swalch4
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Joined: Mon Jul 16, 2018 4:56 pm

Re: Lake Michigan Crossing

Postby swalch4 » Wed Jul 25, 2018 4:22 pm

Cynthia,

Sorry that date won't work for you.. Summer weekends are hard to coordinate, as they fill up so fast. If you know of any others that might want to join give them a heads up for us. 3-5 or more boats would be neat.

Aug 11,12 still work for me and we're still targeting that if your plans free up. But.. if the waves are much higher than 1ft we would be rescheduling for another date anyway..

Other dates I could go:
Sept: 15,16
Sept: 22,23 (just about still summer!)
Summer 2019

Steve
Skipper of Unnamed Whaler (17 Montauk)
Last edited by swalch4 on Mon Aug 06, 2018 2:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.

msuwhaler
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Re: Lake Michigan Crossing

Postby msuwhaler » Wed Jul 25, 2018 11:07 pm

Hey I would be interested in making the crossing. I will be in Ludington that day. I have a 17 Newport. Let me know the details. How many boats are going so far?

swalch4
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Joined: Mon Jul 16, 2018 4:56 pm

Re: Lake Michigan Crossing

Postby swalch4 » Thu Jul 26, 2018 1:25 pm

@msuwhaler tentative details in 1st message. Once we get a bit closer we will firm any loose ends regarding the trip. Great to have you on board, your're boat #3 so far!

2 people per boat

Steve

swalch4
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Re: Lake Michigan Crossing

Postby swalch4 » Mon Aug 06, 2018 2:17 pm

3 Whalers will be making the crossing out of Ludington this coming Saturday 8/11/18. Let me know if anyone else is interested and we can provide the full details.

Depart: Ludington MI 9am ET (same time as SS Badger)
Cross Lake: 2.5-3 hrs (60 miles)
Arrive: Manitowoc WI 11am CT
Lunch and a cold beer & Gas
12 pm SS Badger Arrives Manitowoc
Depart: Manitowoc WI 1pm CT
Cross Lake: 2.5-3 hrs (60 miles)
Arrive: Ludington MI 5pm

Steve

Tacky79
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Joined: Wed May 03, 2017 1:49 pm

Re: Lake Michigan Crossing

Postby Tacky79 » Mon Aug 06, 2018 4:14 pm

You are all going to be right down the road from Beacon Marine. Maybe Sue will bring down a nice cooler full of beer for you!
2017 Boston Whaler Montauk 190 w/ 150 Merc/Fish Pkg/Bowrail delete/aft seating
1979 Boston Whaler Harpoon 5.2 sailboat with sails and a tiller :D

swalch4
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Re: Lake Michigan Crossing

Postby swalch4 » Wed Aug 08, 2018 10:59 am

@ Tacky79- that would be great! We will be docking at Manitowoc Marina for a few hours.

Any other whaler enthusiast who have been thinking about joining- maybe the weather forecast will change your mind! Looks to be a fantastic day... Mainly Sunny- High of 81

.FRIDAY NIGHT...West winds 5 to 10 kt becoming southwest. Waves
1 to 2 ft.
.SATURDAY...Southwest winds 5 to 10 kt becoming south. Waves
nearly calm.

.SUNDAY...East winds 5 to 10 kt becoming northeast. Waves 1 ft or
less.

So far 3 Whalers making the voyage.
- 150 Whaler Montauk
- 1977 Whaler Newport
- 170 Whaler Montauk

Lets get 4 or 5 boats- whos in?

Steve

Tacky79
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Re: 1st Annual Whaler Lake Michigan Crossing

Postby Tacky79 » Wed Aug 08, 2018 5:59 pm

We just drove through there week after last on our way up to Door County all the way from home here in Denver. The "sea" conditions in Lake Michigan and Green Bay were very different than I see here on lakes in Colorado, so it was fun to experience that in our 190 Montauk. I wish I could have joined in with you guys!
2017 Boston Whaler Montauk 190 w/ 150 Merc/Fish Pkg/Bowrail delete/aft seating
1979 Boston Whaler Harpoon 5.2 sailboat with sails and a tiller :D

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Dutchman
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Re: 1st Annual Whaler Lake Michigan Crossing

Postby Dutchman » Thu Aug 09, 2018 11:04 am

Come on guys just a little drive from Chicago land or Detroit for a trip to cross off your bucket list.
The more the merrier.
Should be a great run with the expected conditions, show us that your Whaler can do it.
EJO
"Clumsy Cleat"look up what it means
50th edition 2008 Montauk 150, w/60HP Mercury Bigfoot

jimh
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Re: 1st Annual Whaler Lake Michigan Crossing

Postby jimh » Thu Aug 09, 2018 9:13 pm

The trip is just bad timing for me. I have been on an extended break from work, but this Saturday I am back downstate to work the weekend. Sorry--can't make this cruise. The weather looks good. Take some pictures and post them.

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Dutchman
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Re: 1st Annual Whaler Lake Michigan Crossing

Postby Dutchman » Fri Aug 10, 2018 1:48 pm

Jim I'm planning on pictures and some video and will let you know next week when i have WiFi again.
EJO
"Clumsy Cleat"look up what it means
50th edition 2008 Montauk 150, w/60HP Mercury Bigfoot

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Dutchman
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Re: 1st Annual Whaler Lake Michigan Crossing

Postby Dutchman » Wed Aug 15, 2018 4:09 pm

So we did go out to Ludington at 6AM on the 11th but had some cancellations and ended up with only 2 boats ready to tackle the "Big" Lake by 9 AM.
We went out and buzzed around the SS Badger leaving Ludington at 0910 hours.
The wind and was higher than forecasted and the wave period verry short causing out little Whaler to slap considerably at 18 to20 knots.
swalch4 and I decided that we need at least 3 boats or more and called of the crossing.
We decided to just explore the shore line here in Northern Lower Michigan a little more.
We first went out to the Ludington weather buoy and watched as the SS Badger headed out 280 W.
We then decided to run to Big Sable Point/Lighthouse from there we went to the Lincoln River outlet and went up the river until a bridge stopped us from going any further.
Back out on the Lake South past Ludington to Pentwater where we tied off and had a nice lunch. It was busy intown as the had their 88 "Homecoming" summer celebration. we got out of there before the parade. Cruised around Pentwater Lake and up the Pentwater river again until we reached a bridge we couldn't get under. It was nice to have our shallow draft Montauks (150 & 170) to do so.
Back out onto the Big Lake and North towards Ludington. Stopped for a refreshing swim and a beer a couple of miles out.
Got back to Ludington and toured the marinas and went up two branches of the Pierre Marquette river. Admired the SS Spartan which is probably a spare parts boat for the SS Badger (the Badger is a National Historic Landmark and the only Steam power passenger ferry operating on all the Great Lakes).
Went back to the outer harbor launch and took the boats out.
We had a great time putting, cruising, and speeding around. We did 60.6 nautical miles per the Garmin chartplotter and my Navionics app on the phone. I used 7 gallons of gasoline I don't know how many gallons Steve used in his 170 Montauk and all in all we had a great time.
Thanks to Marc my crew member and Steve and crew Blake for a nice day and swalch4 for trying to organize this.
We did find out Sunday would have been perfect as the Lake calmed down contrary to the forecasts.
It shows again that with Lake Michigan you never know what it is until you see it and try it.
EJO
"Clumsy Cleat"look up what it means
50th edition 2008 Montauk 150, w/60HP Mercury Bigfoot