Door County, Wisconsin Rendezvous - August 2016

Accounts of trips taken in Boston Whaler boats; organization of rendezvous for Boston Whaler boats
K Albus
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Door County, Wisconsin Rendezvous - August 2016

Postby K Albus » Thu Mar 03, 2016 8:32 am

A rendezvous is in the works for Door County, Wisconsin, in August 2016. Neither a firm date nor a firm location has yet been established. However, it looks as though the last weekend in August leads in early polls (August 27-28). There is a sub-group expressing interest in crossing from Frankfort, Michigan to participate in the rendezvous. The rendezvous is being organized and discussed in the "Everything Boston Whaler" Facebook group run by Jeff Rohlfing. I will post updates here as they become available.

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Re: Door County, Wisconsin Rendezvous - August 2016

Postby porthole » Thu Mar 03, 2016 3:01 pm

That looks to be about 55 miles across open water. What are typical lake conditions in the summer?
Here on the coast we can pretty much count on a SE-SW stiff breeze every day around 2-3pm. Is the weather similar to that on the lake?
Thanks,
Duane
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Re: Door County, Wisconsin Rendezvous - August 2016

Postby Phil T » Thu Mar 03, 2016 4:18 pm

Thanks for posting Kevin.

As I mentioned at Pat's party, I will be attending this crossing.
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K Albus
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Re: Door County, Wisconsin Rendezvous - August 2016

Postby K Albus » Fri Mar 04, 2016 8:41 am

Duane,

Conditions on Lake Michigan vary greatly throughout the summer. The best chances for calm conditions are in June and July, but any given day or weekend can have flat calm conditions. There's not really any way to pick a date ahead of time and expect good conditions for a crossing. You just pick your date and hope for the best. If the waves are any larger than 2-feet, the crossing will likely be cancelled.

Also, the Great Lakes are unlike the ocean in that we generally do not have a swell running. The waves are almost all wind waves, and typically have a much shorter period than ocean waves. While a long-period, rolling two-foot swell would not be a problem, there's little chance of that actually happening here. If we have two-foot waves, they'll likely be close together, resulting in choppy conditions.

porthole
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Re: Door County, Wisconsin Rendezvous - August 2016

Postby porthole » Fri Mar 04, 2016 11:35 am

Gotcha. For we pretty much consider 2 and under as almost being flat.
On the swell side, during some conditions we may get 6-10 foot or more swells with no waves. Those really get people heaving.
Thanks,
Duane
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Re: Door County, Wisconsin Rendezvous - August 2016

Postby Hoosier » Sat Mar 05, 2016 1:05 pm

Is the plan for everyone going to leave from Frankfort?
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Re: Door County, Wisconsin Rendezvous - August 2016

Postby K Albus » Mon Mar 07, 2016 10:15 am

David - the current plan is for the Michigan group to leave from Frankfort. We would like to leave on Friday, August 26. However, the actual departure time and date have not been set. Please feel free to share your thoughts on the departure date and time.

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Re: Door County, Wisconsin Rendezvous - August 2016

Postby Dutchman » Fri Mar 11, 2016 3:56 pm

What speed will you be running from Frankfort? If it is 2 feet or less and several boats are going I wouldn't mind giving it a go in my small one but low 20ties (mph) is a good cruising speed for me and probably to slow for your bigger boats.
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Re: Door County, Wisconsin Rendezvous - August 2016

Postby K Albus » Sat Mar 12, 2016 8:29 pm

The 22 and 23-footers that make the crossing generally cruise in the high 20s. Much slower and some of them have difficulty staying on plane. If you want to make the crossing in a 15-footer, you better hope for two really calm days.

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Re: Door County, Wisconsin Rendezvous - August 2016

Postby Dutchman » Fri Apr 15, 2016 12:16 pm

Kevin
Yea that's what I thought I'll be bogging you guys down, unless you're not in a hurry.
When I run up and down the lower West coast of MI here I run in the mid twenties but that is SH to Saugatuck or SH to St.Joe or Saugatuck to Holland all short hops and normally in the typical 1-3 ft eastern Lake Michigan seas.
Last time I took a little boat to Door I just trailered it and used the SS Badger (as we have to keep that big boat running).
EJO
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Re: Door County, Wisconsin Rendezvous - August 2016

Postby Home Aside » Wed May 04, 2016 1:22 pm

I'll be watching my work schedule closely, had a great time the last time we did it, hoping to attend this time too!

Pat Henahan

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Re: Door County, Wisconsin Rendezvous - August 2016

Postby jimh » Thu May 05, 2016 12:10 pm

As a point of reference to the sort of ride one can have in a 15-foot Boston Whaler boat when trying to maintain fleet speed in some seas, please download and view this short motion picture. The motion picture shows Dave B. in his youth, in his 15-foot classic Boston Whaler, running in the wake of some larger boats, trying to maintain their speed in the open waters of the Great Lakes.

I don't think this file will play in your browser, so you probably will get it downloaded to your local machine and will have to play it from there:

http://continuouswave.com/whaler/movies/154.mpg

As you can see, there is often a air gap between the keel of the 15-foot Boston Whaler Unibond hull and the surface of the water, with the distance at the bow being about six feet and the distance at the transom about two feet. This sort of motion on the boat is not particularly tolerable once the crew advances beyond the age of about 30-years-old.

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Re: Door County, Wisconsin Rendezvous - August 2016

Postby Dutchman » Tue May 10, 2016 9:11 am

Jim nice little video. It is of course in a 15' boat a lot lighter than the new 15 footer and he seems to be alone.
That video shows a typical Lake Michigan chop and I'm well aware of it, but I wouldn't see my boat bounce that much. (hey I have a 190lbs crew up front (who likes the roller coaster ride), My newer Montauk 150 with 265 at the CC and 190 in the bow giving us a boat (assuming same motor weight) that is 1,000 lbs heavier than the old 15 with 1 person, therefore assuming a lot less bounce.
Having that said, I do understand what you are talking about and liked the short video.
EJO
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Re: Door County, Wisconsin Rendezvous - August 2016

Postby StormWarning » Fri Jul 22, 2016 11:15 am

Is this still happening. I would like to Join.

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Re: Door County, Wisconsin Rendezvous - August 2016

Postby K Albus » Fri Jul 22, 2016 1:48 pm

It is still happening. There haven't been any recent updates to the plan. I will post more information when and if it becomes available.

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Re: Door County, Wisconsin Rendezvous - August 2016

Postby StormWarning » Fri Jul 22, 2016 2:32 pm

Great. Is the date of the 27-28th still set. I run a charter boat out of Chicago and want to make sure I don't book that weekend.

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Re: Door County, Wisconsin Rendezvous - August 2016

Postby K Albus » Fri Jul 22, 2016 2:56 pm

That is the correct weekend.

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Re: Door County, Wisconsin Rendezvous - August 2016

Postby Hoosier » Sun Jul 31, 2016 8:36 am

Is the plan to leave Frankfort AM Saturday and to fret urn Sunday? Are there any plans/recommendations for a place to overnight on Saturday?
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K Albus
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Re: Door County, Wisconsin Rendezvous - August 2016

Postby K Albus » Mon Aug 01, 2016 9:55 am

We have not yet decided on a departure date or time from Frankfort. I am planning to return to Frankfort on Sunday.

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Re: Door County, Wisconsin Rendezvous - August 2016

Postby K Albus » Wed Aug 03, 2016 8:53 am

The time has come to firm up the plans on this get together. If you're not part of Jeff's Facebook group and you're interested in taking part in this rendezvous, please respond here. Right now, we're trying to firm up the list of people who plan to cross Lake Michigan, leaving from Frankfort, and whether Friday, August 26 or Saturday, August 27 is the preferred day for making the crossing. Please share your thoughts and plans.

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Re: Door County, Wisconsin Rendezvous - August 2016

Postby StormWarning » Wed Aug 03, 2016 10:21 am

I'm out. Wife made plans for us that weekend.
To bad because this sounds like a ton of fun.

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Re: Door County, Wisconsin Rendezvous - August 2016

Postby jimh » Wed Aug 03, 2016 3:59 pm

From harbor entrance to harbor entrance, Frankfort, Michigan to Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal is 53-miles of open water on Lake Michigan at a heading of 282°-True. I hope the previous good fortune in weather continues.

What time of day is planned for the departure from Frankfort?

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Re: Door County, Wisconsin Rendezvous - August 2016

Postby Hoosier » Thu Aug 04, 2016 8:39 am

I'm planning on it and Friday is preferred.
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Re: Door County, Wisconsin Rendezvous - August 2016

Postby K Albus » Thu Aug 04, 2016 12:22 pm

The departure from Frankfort will either be Friday afternoon or Saturday morning. Rock Island and Sturgeon Bay are almost the same distance from Frankfort. The plans on the Wisconsin side have yet to be firmed up, so it's not clear yet in which direction we'll be heading when we leave Frankfort.

Any chance you'll be joining us, Jim?

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Re: Door County, Wisconsin Rendezvous - August 2016

Postby jimh » Fri Aug 05, 2016 9:28 am

I don't think I will make the crossing, but I may drive down (from Northport) to see you guys depart.

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Re: Door County, Wisconsin Rendezvous - August 2016

Postby Deewazz » Tue Aug 09, 2016 10:06 am

I don't see any reference to where you would be meeting up... Sturgeon Bay? I hope to attend - from Golden Lake in Oconomowoc, WI. As yet unsure..

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Re: Door County, Wisconsin Rendezvous - August 2016

Postby K Albus » Thu Aug 11, 2016 10:04 pm

The plans are starting to firm up. A group will be leaving from Frankfort, Michigan on Friday afternoon (the earlier the better), and heading to Rock Island. I believe we will be rounding the northern part of Rock Island and meeting some Wisconsin guys near the southwest corner of Rock Island. After exploring the Rock Island and Washington Island area, the plan is to head to the Fish Creek area for the night. We then plan to explore the Fish Creek and Chambers Island area on Saturday, spending the night at Fish Creek again. The Michigan group will then head back to Frankfort via Sturgeon Bay on Sunday morning. At least that's the plan so far. Subject to change to due weather.

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Re: Door County, Wisconsin Rendezvous - August 2016

Postby Eagleman » Sat Aug 13, 2016 9:29 pm

If the weather limits your time on the water, Sturgeon Bay area will give you the most dockage and restaurant activity this time of the year. Fish Creek and Sister Bay although great area's could present dockage problems for a larger group. I would suggest contacting the marina's in the area of interest to check on dockage before planning your final destinations. Door County is a wonderful area, safe passage, maybe see the group on the water.
If you land in Sturgeon Bay first choice for dockage would be on the Northside of the channel, this locations puts you nearest to the downtown area that will present an interesting & fun time!
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K Albus
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Re: Door County, Wisconsin Rendezvous - August 2016

Postby K Albus » Mon Aug 15, 2016 9:25 pm

Thanks for the tips. We've done this once before and stayed at Stone Harbor Marina in Sturgeon Bay. We're hoping to check out some of the northern parts of Door County this year, along with Chambers Island.

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Re: Door County, Wisconsin Rendezvous - August 2016

Postby jfr » Mon Aug 22, 2016 10:30 am

After 30 years of sailing, we are now the proud owners of a new 170 Montauk (August 16th). We're looking for an excuse to spend a day or two on Green Bay and would be interested in participating in the rendezvous. Is there an agenda regarding when and where folks are meeting?

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Re: Door County, Wisconsin Rendezvous - August 2016

Postby K Albus » Mon Aug 22, 2016 1:03 pm

Two boats are scheduled to leave from Frankfort, Michigan on Friday, August 26, at about 1:00 p.m. EDT, hoping to arrive at the southwest corner of Rock Island at about 3:00 or 3:30 p.m. CDT, where we hope to join a couple of other boats. We plan to spend some time in the area of Rock Island and Washington Island, and then to head to Chambers Island for the night. We plan to spend Saturday in the area of Chambers Island and Fish Creek, with no particular itinerary at this point in time. The group will include a 30' aluminum hulled Boston Whaler Defiance, a 23' Boston Whaler Walkaround, an 18' Boston Whaler Outrage, and a 23' Pursuit Offshore. Anybody is free to join up with us and hang around with us at any point along the way.

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Re: Door County, Wisconsin Rendezvous - August 2016

Postby Hoosier » Thu Aug 25, 2016 7:15 pm

This adventure has been cancelled due to the weather forecast that calls for rain and thunderstorms over the weekend.
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K Albus
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Re: Door County, Wisconsin Rendezvous - August 2016

Postby K Albus » Thu Aug 25, 2016 7:39 pm

Thanks for posting that, David. Unfortunately the Michigan to Wisconsin crossing is off for this year. Not sure if any of the Wisconsin people are still getting together. We'll try again next year.

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Re: Door County, Wisconsin Rendezvous - August 2016

Postby jimh » Wed Aug 31, 2016 9:14 am

The winds and waves were favorable for a Lake Michigan Crossing on Friday. Saturday was a rain out. There was very little wind so the rain system just stayed in place and rained all day. Sunday saw fair weather return with moderate wind and seas.