Mooring vs Beaching in Great Lakes

[Huron Angler]

Just curious who's done this and how did it work out?

I have a 16' Starcraft SS(aluminum) and I'm gonna be on Lake Huron for 10 days of sanity-preserving vacation starting this weekend.

The boat has a pretty good sized splashwell and ample freeboard. I will also be adding a float-switch bilge pump in addition to my manual pump(running on separate batteries).

The area is between Alpena and Presque Isle harbor right on the big lake. My dad has never done this but I am game...being that I don't have big bucks into the rig like he has with his boats.

And yes...I could trailer it every day and be fine. The drive to the launch is about 20 minutes. I'd like the option of being able to jump in the boat and go whenever we want.

We have 150' of dock that is not in the water currently. I could take the time to put in 2-3 sections at 50' each...but my vacation would be over by the time I did that.

The area is normally calm if the wind is blowing west to east, it just picks up quite a bit when it shifts to NE or E and has a very long fetch across from Canada/Manitoulin Island.

I'm considering keeping it moored bow-out in 5-10ft of water with two anchors off the bow and a line running to shore(tied to a tree or rock).

My only concern with beaching it is the size of the rollers that come in when the wind shifts. I'd feel better having the boat out past the cresting swells.

Any experiences/advice regarding this?

 

[AndrewsArk]

Re: Mooring vs Beaching in Great Lakes

We anchor in Lake Michigan all the time, but only when we're on the boat. I think what you would want to do is have an anchor on the rear also to keep the boat from beaching. How are you going to get to it?

 

[rottenray]

Re: Mooring vs Beaching in Great Lakes

We beach in Erie and Ontario. You need to keep a weather eye out for strong winds toward shore. I have an older Crestliner so I don't really care about bottom scratches or rubs. I drop an anchor off the stern while coming in then after tying off the bow line to something on shore I adjust the anchor rope to set the anchor. This serves two purposes, one is it keeps the stern from swinging and having the boat wash up parallel to shore and it also is an easy way to launch. Just get aboard and pull the anchor rope and it will take you right out in the lake. Use as long of a rope as you can because the longer the rope the better the anchor will hold. I compromise on rope length if there are people trolling close to shore that could get tangled if to much is out.

 

[RicMic]

Re: Mooring vs Beaching in Great Lakes

I had a boat I moored for months at a time. I recommend a bungi or the special one they make just for that in the anchor line, it makes the boat ride so much smoother.

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: Mooring vs Beaching in Great Lakes

We anchor in Lake Michigan all the time, but only when we're on the boat. I think what you would want to do is have an anchor on the rear also to keep the boat from beaching. How are you going to get to it?

I will probably just wade out to the boat, we do have a 17' canoe I could use as a tender to bring gear and kids to the boat.

I could also just bring the bow in and beach it to have people climb aboard.

Thanks for the replies, I will probably look into getting a proper mooring anchor setup with the bungi attached as mentioned.

 

[sublauxation]

Re: Mooring vs Beaching in Great Lakes

Don't put to much faith in the bilge float switch. I just installed one a month ago and last weekend had it tied to the dock. About 2AM a storm blew in, dropped a couple inches on us. I thought about going out to check on it but figured it'd be fine with the float switch. Wrong! Went out about 8 AM and she was floating so low I was almost afraid to climb in. Reached down to the bilge and the brand new switch was stuck. I tapped it and the bilge did kick on, pumped water out for over 2o minutes.

 

[pmillar]

Re: Mooring vs Beaching in Great Lakes

Do you have a full mooring cover to put on it when you're away? I had my boat (Crestliner) up north on an inland lake for about 10 days with no problem. But I cringe at the possibility of dealing with a problem in the middle of some rollers or swells... which wasn't a concern where I was.

The trip sounds like fun so maybe you can just watch the weather closely and put it on the trailer if storms are possible.

 

[75TowerOfPower]

Re: Mooring vs Beaching in Great Lakes

What about dropping a larger block of concete or an engine block. We have two steel drums full of rocks with chains tied around it and a caable to clip a bow line to. We actually have a cabin on Manitoulin Island on Lake Kagawong and we keep out bow riders or pontoon boats out there when the dock is full or the lake is low. It works well and unless the rope breaks she will be there in the morning.

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: Mooring vs Beaching in Great Lakes

I don't have a mooring cover...actually not even a bimini yet. If I were leaving the area I'd want one but I will be able to check on the rig 24/7 as I will be sitting by a fire on the beach when not out on the lake.


I will be testing the float switch, thanks for the heads up on that. Glad you were able to get the water out in time.


I'd like to drop something heavy out there and keep a mooring buoy...I will see how it goes and will look into that for next year if all goes well.

My dad has a Kubota that I can use to haul the rig back onto the trailer if worse comes to worst and the swells build up.

Thanks for the info, good ideas and experience

 

[blifsey]

Re: Mooring vs Beaching in Great Lakes

We leave our boat in the water while camping at lake here in Georgia. While definitely not a great lakes, the wake action from busy traffic can get pretty intense along the shore. For last 6 or 7 years I've used an anchor buddy (the special bungee anchor rode) to keep boat away from shore and floating in deep enough water that it doesn't hit bottom as wakes/waves come in. I connect anchor buddy to bow of boat. I also connect a piece of 5/8" line from the bow end of anchor buddy to stern of boat (using a tied inline loop to cleat) and then on to shore and tie it off there to a tree. When we want to take boat out, I can pull it closer to shore into shin deep water. I disconnect the boat at bow and stern leaving the anchor out with anchor buddy and shoreline intact. I put a couple of bright orange ski buoys to mark it. When we return to campsite, I use boat hook to grab the anchor buddy/shoreline and reconnect. I have an additional anchor I keep on boat so I always have one with me when out.

Our lake bed is mostly red Georgia clay which my wife hates walking on. So, I also drop a 2X6 supported by 6" PVC bolted perpendicular to 2X6 for her to walk out to boat on. Plus, it keeps us from tracking the red mud all into the boat.

 

[blifsey]

Re: Mooring vs Beaching in Great Lakes

I'd like to drop something heavy out there and keep a mooring buoy...I will see how it goes and will look into that for next year if all goes well.

The way I describe in post above, the anchor buddy keeps the line tied off to shore taught so anchor stays in place without boat. At lease on the lakes here...the wave action you get might be way more than I've experienced.

 

[FunInDuhSun]

Re: Mooring vs Beaching in Great Lakes

I'd like to drop something heavy out there and keep a mooring buoy...I will see how it goes and will look into that for next year if all goes well.

We used an old engine block as a mooring anchor and it didn't move in the 8 years we had it. I think a lot depends on the bottom and how exposed the area is to weather.