crossing the big pond


beanerwi

New member
I am looking at heading across from Wisconsin to mainland Michigan for a quick ride. Thinking of leaving Kewaunee, WI and heading to Frankfort, MI. Any suggestions would be appreciated. I drive a 353 Fastech which cruises at 50 very easily and the chart plotter lists the trip at 55 miles. Things to look for and to look out for? Thanks, Pete
 
Just watch the winds the day before and day of your crossing. I have crossed in glass to 4-5 ft waves. The large waves are not fun. The NOAA.gov is a great resource for the Great Lakes off shore forecast. Also the buoy data is very useful to determine wave size and forecast. It's a fun trip, you will be able to see the shore of western Michigan at 20 miles out. Frankfort is a great town with a lot to discover on foot. Jacobsons Marina is a great choice, clean and well run. Plan, cross when weather is good and enjoy!
 
Watching a few weather forecasts is the key. Usually if winds are less than 15mph, the ride will be okay. Anything more, and things can get bumpy. (I second the NOAA marine weather and buoy websites to get a sense for wind and wave heights.)

The good thing about Lake Michigan, at least the area you'll be crossing, is that it's deep. The only possible collision is a log or another boat, but paying attention should eliminate such a boo-boo.

I trust you'll have a GPS. If that decides to not work half-way through, make sure your compass is calibrated properly so you can manually steer to the correct heading. Even though you'll see land, you also want to be headed towards the harbor entrance and not 10 miles south/north of it.

If you're not using an autopilot, it's a good idea to show a crew member how to steer the compass heading so you can take a break. Even 5 minutes to stand up and not be focusing on the compass needle will do wonders to recharge your ability to concentrate.

I've crossed Lake Michigan more times than I can count, and it's one of the most enjoyable experiences in the right weather conditions with properly functioning electronics. Cocktails are nice as well, but be sure to bring plenty of bottled water in case something doesn't go as planned, and be sure to know where safety items are in case you need to quickly ditch.
 
As a Michigan boater I look forward to making the trip to your side of the "pond". I've spent quite a bit of time in the open waters of Lake Michigan on our side of the lake and you really have to be paying attention. I second all the comments about being very aware of the weather and waiting for the right time to make the crossing. It can change out there very quickly and the NOAA forecasts are not always accurate. I also tend to add 1 foot of wave height to the buoy reports as that seems to be more accurate. The winds are often the key. Anything more than 10 knots and you may have some significant waves. Fog is also an issue, especially early in the season and it isn't always reported. Pay attention to the temp/dewpoint spread. If it's less than 3 degrees fog is a real possibility. If you don't have any experience in low visibility boating it can be a humbling experience. If you have radar, use it on a short range (3/4 to 1 mile) so that you don't "miss" a target. Remember that some sailboats and other small boats don't always show up on radar so slowing down in the muck is a really good idea, too. Make sure the VHF radio is working well also in case you have a problem. Let us know how it went!
 
All good input. We're crossing with a small flotilla MI to WI last week of August. Safety in numbers, we hope. Any seasoned crossers with thoughts on typical expectations this late in season?
 
All good input. We're crossing with a small flotilla MI to WI last week of August. Safety in numbers, we hope. Any seasoned crossers with thoughts on typical expectations this late in season?

Late August is great boating, but of course you need to check the forecast before heading out.

I've crossed the lake 4 times this season already, and some things I usually do:

* Make sure there's more fuel than I'll reasonably need
* Full water tank
* Share your float plan with somebody on land; I text that person when leaving the harbor and let them know when they should call the Coast Guard if they don't hear from me by a particular time
* If you don't want to be out in the dark, know the sunrise/sunset times
* Have extra oil and gear lube on board
* Keep drinks cold

I'm happy to hear you're crossing with other boats; if this is a relatively infrequent activity, you're right--there is strength in numbers.
 
We crossed last year from Sturgon bay Shipping canal early june and 1 foot - we were lucky. You are crossing at the narrowest point and should take couple of hrs. if you cruise around 30. We used our GPS Garmin for our journey to Leland by passing the Manitous - a beautiful cruise. Then on into Northport Marina. Take a dingy if you have one. We had EPIRBs from West Marine for $300. fixed mount and hand held VHS. 2007 31 PC is for sale if interested. 231.620.7482 Gary
 
Beaner - sure wish I’d seen your post earlier. Based on your timing, we and 3 other boats from our marina in Elk Rapids probably passed within days of one another crossing from Elk Rapids to Washington Island. Spent a great week harbor hopping north-to-south. Had a wonderful time in Sister Bay, Fish Creek, Egg Harbor and Sturgeon Bay. Return trip was from Sturgeon Bay channel to Frankfort before returning home. MI to WI crossing was smooth as glass. 3-4’s in the return. Our 27PC was a champ. The Big Pond deserves respect, but crossing - especially with company and a rock-solid Formula - is quite doable and a ton of fun!
 
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