Attention Michigan Boaters

[BMWboatski]

First season in new home on the water. Inland lake, just bought first boat, 2003 Four Winns h200. Excited to get on the water as I watch this ice melt away.

My question is what's the date range for the first launch of the season?

 

[RotaryRacer]

Re: Attention Michigan Boaters

I wouldn't put it in the water until at least March 31...typically you would want to wait until mid-April.

 

[BMWboatski]

Re: Attention Michigan Boaters

I'll meet ya half way early april sounds good

 

[ne7800]

Re: Attention Michigan Boaters

Ahhhh boating season in michigan it might not be long but it sure is a fun 3 weeks lmao

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Attention Michigan Boaters

wait till atleast the last freeze is gone. then be carefull of ice. now need to get in a hurry and damage your boat.

 

[TerryMSU]

Re: Attention Michigan Boaters

Watch what your neighbors do. They will likely have the most experience. Trailer boats have a different set of issues than docked boats do. Trailer boats will easily freeze the motor, but you can avoid that by storing it in a slightly heated garage. If you are putting it in for the season, you may get some help from the thermal mass of the water around the boat. Still, I wouyld wait until at least early April. Again, watch the neighbors.

TerryMSU

 

[Bondo]

Re: Attention Michigan Boaters

Watch what your neighbors do.

Ayuh,... Perfect Answer,...

 

[BMWboatski]

Re: Attention Michigan Boaters

Sounds good, no need for me to be the first boat out in my first season. I'll keep an eye on the neighbors nothing wrong with being the 3rd boat out. haha

 

[garry454]

Re: Attention Michigan Boaters

BMW, I boat on LSC, but the big thing that dictates for me is debris.... If your lake has any rivers feeding it, be careful of the debris. It takes a week or so after complete ice out to flush out the debris well enough for me to head out.

I can't watch my neighbors...... saw a sailboat go down the Clinton River past my house this weekend.....the guy went all the way out to Strawberry Island and back!!! I'm not heading out there yet!! LOL

 

[cbavier]

Re: Attention Michigan Boaters

BMW: I'm five miles from North Higgins State Park and it will be the end of May before I splash. Of course your weather is much warmer down there than ours by about two weeks. I have splashed a week earlier before but then I always feared freezing after pulling the boat. It's just not worth the worry. If your ever up my way. I'd love to boat with you. I am surrunded by Houghton, Higgins and Lake St Helen. PM me and I'll send you my address and telephone numbers. They are still Ice Fishing here but the warnings about unsafe Ice are starting to sound so it won't be much longer.

 

[SuzukiChopper]

Re: Attention Michigan Boaters

Can you guys send some of that weather my way?? At the rate we're going it's going to be the end of June before we get to play on the water! Either that or it's going to warm up so fast that we're going to have flooding.

 

[eliminat0r85]

Re: Attention Michigan Boaters

Yea man I'm just getting into wakeboarding. about to rent a house off a canal in anchor bay. Been boating on LSC all my life i would say wait till at least mid-april. Not to mention we have the threat of a snow storm coming so maybe now it's more like late april. It's always after easter thats for sure. Inland lakes are a bit different, never trust the shoreline, thats the area that thaws out first. For an inland lake i'd definitely wait till late april. or if you're gonna do it earlier wear a good wetsuit because it will be cooold.

LSC barely gets up to 60 by memorial day half the time, but The Sni is usually great.

Out of curiosity i work out that way what lake are you off of in commerce, upper straits?

One question for that other guy who said he boated on lake st. clair, are there any better spots to wakeboard besides the sni?

 

[cbavier]

Re: Attention Michigan Boaters

Eliminator welcome aboard iboats

 

[22E6441]

Re: Attention Michigan Boaters

the ice is gone from lake ontario and the hamilton harbour, but I haven't seen any boats out yet.

I'm waiting to see what my neighbours do....once I start seeing other boats out, then I figure it's safe for me. This is my first early spring with a boat.

 

[garry454]

Re: Attention Michigan Boaters

Yea man I'm just getting into wakeboarding. about to rent a house off a canal in anchor bay. Been boating on LSC all my life i would say wait till at least mid-april. Not to mention we have the threat of a snow storm coming so maybe now it's more like late april. It's always after easter thats for sure. Inland lakes are a bit different, never trust the shoreline, thats the area that thaws out first. For an inland lake i'd definitely wait till late april. or if you're gonna do it earlier wear a good wetsuit because it will be cooold.

LSC barely gets up to 60 by memorial day half the time, but The Sni is usually great.

Out of curiosity i work out that way what lake are you off of in commerce, upper straits?

One question for that other guy who said he boated on lake st. clair, are there any better spots to wakeboard besides the sni?

Better than the Sni (Chenal), ooh boy, it's hard to find a better place than the Sni to do just about anything!!

That little stretch of water is such a nice place. Whether you are tubing, boarding, or just want to find a quiet place to anchor and eat.

Sometimes though, we will head over to the Middle Channel, but I guess that's traffic dependant.

Hope to get out there soon though!! (as I look out at a snow storm!!!!)

 

[eliminat0r85]

Re: Attention Michigan Boaters

Better than the Sni (Chenal), ooh boy, it's hard to find a better place than the Sni to do just about anything!!

That little stretch of water is such a nice place. Whether you are tubing, boarding, or just want to find a quiet place to anchor and eat.

Sometimes though, we will head over to the Middle Channel, but I guess that's traffic dependant.

Hope to get out there soon though!! (as I look out at a snow storm!!!!)

well yeah i know most people like it because the wind is kinda blocked, sometimes it gets packed though. who knows this year it may be different with the way times are around here. Yeah i was all amped to go buy a jet ski this wknd too. oh well next month im sure there won't be anymore snow.

 

[BMWboatski]

Re: Attention Michigan Boaters

Long Lake right next t cooley lake and union lake.

 

[eliminat0r85]

Re: Attention Michigan Boaters

oh yeah i definitely know where that is, nice little lake out in the burbs.

 

[cbavier]

Re: Attention Michigan Boaters

Mine comes out of Winter Hibernation Saturday. I won't get it Summerized though until after first of May. 26 Dg here right now this morning. Sunny though and they're calling for near 60 dg. Going to the river today fishing.

 

[mike64]

Re: Attention Michigan Boaters

Hey Neighbor!

I bought my first boat last April, got her in the water for the first time May 5 on Cass Lake. No too bad of a day, about 60. I had the lake to myself-- only saw one other boat the whole time. So if you watch the neighbors, you might not get out until June . If you like having the lake to yourself, this is the time of year! Just take a little extra care because if you have trouble and get stranded, there may not be a boater nearby to tow you.

Another great time to beat the crowds is a weekday after Labor Day weekend. A lot of people must automatically put the boats away even though there's a lot of great weather left. I was out on Cass on a perfect 90 degree Wednesday in mid September and it was a blast. Maybe 2 other boaters and the water was like glass (Cass is usually choppy, even on still days because of the wakes from all the other boaters).

I mostly went to Cass Lake last year because it's got 4 launch spots and a nice big lot, and my State Park pass let me in there without having to pay for another lake pass. One thing I noticed last summer is that the launch was always open, even 4th of July weekend, until about mid-July. Then I started seeing "Launch full" signs all the time at Cass, even when I got there early morning. Seems a lot of boaters don't get it together until mid-summer. Pontiac Lake became our backup lake after that. Maybe you have access to a private launch so you don't have to worry about beating the crowds though.

Long Lake is a pretty little lake, I considered trying some fishing there last year. Think I'll get a lake pass this year. Have a great boating season and welcome to the area!