Where would you go? (Western Mpls suburbs)

[strokeoluck]

We're new to boating and live out in the southwestern Minneapolis suburbs, out in the Chaska/Victoria/Waconia area. We have a Bayliner 185, two kids (9 and 10) and hope to do a little water-skiing, tubing, hanging out on sandbars, catching lunch at a waterfront restaurant, etc. Ideally we wouldn't travel far for all of this (we trailer the boat).

Where would you go to get all this in one lake out here? AND...any tips on where to find the sandbars?

Yes, I know Minnetonka is the mother of all lakes, but I'm awfully nervous about being a first-time boater, in a relatively small boat out on that lake w/busy launch ramps, lots of traffic, lots of waves, etc. From what I hear Minnewashta and Lake Waconia are decent, but I don't really know how to find the good little spots to hang out. I don't want to just drop anchor in a bunch of weeds and ask the kids to get out and have fun. My son would probably enjoy it, but my daughter would freak out.

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[strokeoluck]

Re: Where would you go? (Western Mpls suburbs)

Gotta be someone out there that knows the Mpls lakes...right?

 

[Pierutrus]

Re: Where would you go? (Western Mpls suburbs)

How about Mille Lacs Lake?

 

[Navy Jr.]

Re: Where would you go? (Western Mpls suburbs)

Yes, Lake Waconia. There's a large island and on its southwest corner is a place you can beach at. I see folks take their dogs there to play fetch in the water. For dining, you can tie up at Lola's on the Lake (I think that's what it's called), assuming they're still in business.

There's a public DNR access on the east side of the lake with two ramps and lots of parking.

Minniwashta is nice. It's substantially smaller than Waconia. The major problem there is its two boat ramps are very shallow. The larger access (more parking) is extremely shallow with a long shelf of weeds you must navigate over to get into the main lake. Some people use their trolling motors. The lake access is part of the Carver County Park system, so you need to pay a fee to launch there ($5 each time in last year's prices, or buy an annual pass for $30). I don't think there's any place to beach your boat.

Except for Big Island, I'm not aware of many areas on Lake Minnetonka that people beach at. On weekends Big Island is the party hot spot. Lots of rocks in and along the shoreline of Mtka. This is one particular lake where a GPS/Sonar unit with a lake mapping chip will pay for itself the first time out.

If you are indeed new to boating, I suggest you take the new and improved MN DNR safe boating course if you haven't already, especially if you go to Lake Minnetonka. There are lots of navigation and hazard buoys on the lake, not to mention lots of other boaters.
http://www.boat-ed.com/Minnesota/index.html.

I took the course again this past weekend as a refresher before taking my boat out for its spring commissioning on Lake Minnetonka this morning. What fun! A Wednesday in early May, and I just about had the entire lake to myself. I'm retired, so I don't go near Mtka at all on weekends.

For those who see this and frequent Gray's Bay access, Phil Dahl and his golden retriever, Lady, now 11-years old, are back. She loves to play fetch in the water, and Phil loves the ramp entertainment, if you know what I mean.

 

[strokeoluck]

Re: Where would you go? (Western Mpls suburbs)

Thanks a lot Navy Jr! I wasn't aware that there was a boat launch on the east side of Lake Waconia, I was only familiar w/the one at the little marina to the west of Lola's (very steep ramp and pretty tight down there; wasn't nuts about launching there as a new boater). We'll definitely take a cruise and check out that launch area. And thanks for the tip about Minnewashta; I didn't know it was shallow and didn't know about the weeds.

As for Lola's, yes it's open - and we really like it. I was never in there when it was called something else, but apparently they spruced up the "old boathouse" feel and it's sort of "shabby chic". Some people told us they got lousy service there but I think it may have been a function of opening issues; they're always busy when we go in there. I inquired about renting a slip there but it was too $$$.

We didn't take the class you mentioned, but we did take the U.S. Power Squadron boating course and found it helpful.

Thanks again!

 

[Navy Jr.]

Re: Where would you go? (Western Mpls suburbs)

You're so welcome. We often visit Lake Waconia as we are near I-494. We'll look for your Bayliner 185 out near the island. Ours is a cobalt blue over sandstone Lund 1750 Fisherman with a "60th anniversary" decal on the sides.

The boat launch, by the way, is less than a mile north of the golf course on the east side of the lake.

 

[jkust]

Re: Where would you go? (Western Mpls suburbs)

I live in Maple Grove and haven't done too much intown boating but we did have a good time at Medicine lake in Plymouth. It is pretty big and deep for an intown lake. You pay I think $5 to launch and unless you have a trolling motor, or an outboard you can tilt way up, most folks walk their boats out about a half of block or so since it is so shallow. We also live less than a minute away from Weaver lake public access which is a good access. Weaver is the deapest lake in Hennepin county but is somewhere around only 200 acres so it gets crowded. We haven't quite tackled Minnetonka yet eather but the gps with lake chip is cheap insurance for sure.

 

[strokeoluck]

Re: Where would you go? (Western Mpls suburbs)

We checked out the boat launch on the east side of Lake Waconia. As I said we're new to boating, but my wife couldn't stop talking about how great this launch area was! I think she likes it so much better because the only other lake I've launched at was Lake Bavaria which has an all sand launch area, so the SUV and the trailer got pretty dirty. Lake Waconia is a five minute drive for us so my guess is that's where we'll visit most often. But...we'll see.

And we'll keep our eyes open for you Navy Jr.!

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Where would you go? (Western Mpls suburbs)

Any of the lakes within the Twin Cities metro area are very busy on weekends so I suggest you expand your horizons a little and head to Hastings or Prescott and enjoy the Mississippi and St Croix Rivers. Although there too you may find a fair amount of weekend traffic, there is a lot more room to enjoy the water and there is always a place to hide if you want to get out of the traffic. The St Croix narrows at the Kinnickinnic Park on the Wisconsin side and there are plenty of spots to tie up where you can swim and get out to meaner around and visit with the other boaters. One word of caution is that you best understand the bouy system. The corpse of engineers guarantees a nine foot navigation channel between markers. Get outside those markers and you run the risk of hitting a wing dam which obviously is not good for the lower unit. This is primarily an issue on the Mississippi but river maps show the locations of those dams (which you can't see by the way because they are under water). You can run from Hastings on the Mississippi to Redwing without passing a lock and dam, and you can cruise the St Croix from its junction with the Mississippi at Prescott to Hudson, WI and StillWater, MN. That is about 80 miles of water and if that's not enough, lock through and head for the Gulf of Mexico. You could also just lock through at Red Wing and go down to Lake City. Lots of open space down there too.

 

[strokeoluck]

Re: Where would you go? (Western Mpls suburbs)

Thanks Silvertip. We'll see how we do w/our first several boating experiences and then maybe we'll venture over to the river. I've heard from others that it's a good place to go boating. Thanks again - to everyone.

 

[Navy Jr.]

Re: Where would you go? (Western Mpls suburbs)

I'd love to take up Silvertip's idea and cruise the river, but...

I was a newbie boater last year (and I will continue to consider myself a newbie boater until I get at least three years under my belt!), so I'm avoiding the river system.

Not quite ready to press my luck with commercial traffic, locks and dams, submerged logs, and other recreational boaters navigating on a current.

I stopped one day last year out of curiosity to look at the boat launch on the Minnesota River near I-35W and noted there isn't a dock, and there were a lot of rocks along the shoreline. I imagine loading my boat on the trailer will be a little more challenging with the river current. And, even though it isn't required, I'd like to have at least a hand-held VHF radio on board to monitor commercial vessels. Finally, as Silvertip mentioned, there are navigation rules. One needs to be aware of the U.S. Aids to Navigation and the Western River System (if on the Mississippi River). My knowledge of it is mostly from books and classwork, with my only practical experience being on Lake Minnetonka where there are many buoys.

There are enough nice lakes in the region to hone my boating skills. The river isn't the best place for me to get Stupid Human Tricks out of my system. It can wait until I'm really ready. Maybe I can go out with someone who has this experience on their boat first. Ah, yes, my brother-in-law!

 

[strokeoluck]

Re: Where would you go? (Western Mpls suburbs)

The river isn't the best place for me to get Stupid Human Tricks out of my system. It can wait until I'm really ready. Maybe I can go out with someone who has this experience on their boat first. Ah, yes, my brother-in-law!

That's the crazy thing about boating. So many boaters seem to have some sort of experience; they grew up around boats, or they've been out fishing for years w/a relative, etc. Aside from a few recreational cruises and water-ski trips around a small lake (maybe six times total; and I was just a skier or a passenger) I have absolutely no familiarity with boats. So I'm doing my best to take it slow.

 

[strokeoluck]

Re: Where would you go? (Western Mpls suburbs)

Navy Jr., we launched at the Lake Waconia public ramp tonight and it was pretty choppy even though it wasn't that windy after 5 pm. One of the fishermen departing at the ramp told me "this is mild compared to what it's usually like out there."

Is that accurate? We took a ride around the lake; it was relatively calm on the west side of the lake, but very choppy on the east side.

 

[Navy Jr.]

Re: Where would you go? (Western Mpls suburbs)

Well, in my mind this has been an unusually windy spring here in the Twin Cities area.

If it is choppy on Lake Waconia, imagine what it is like on Lake Minnetonka. The difference is that most of the ramp accesses on Lake Minnetonka are in protected bays, whereas the access at Lake Waconia is not. And with the access on the east side of the lake, it is protected only by an east wind, which is rare. Most of the time, the breeze comes from the north, west or south, but rarely from the east. Even on Minnetonka with its protected bays, launching and loading can be tricky on windy days. This is why you don't see many boaters on any lakes in this kind of weather.

There will be plenty of calm days to boat. Of course, many of our fellow boaters will recognize a calm day when they see it and also decide to go out at the same time. Your idea of practicing at the ramp now is very valid. On those days when it is busy, you will come off as an old pro!

I also responded to your other post in the Boat Topics & Questions (Not Engine Topics) board. You need to know that your experiences are indeed common to what many others have had, so don't despair. For fun, read my own funny story under Stupid Human Tricks posted last week!

In summary, I'm sure all who read this will agree that you are going through those first time "shoot happens" events that happened to all of us when we first started out. This is my second year and I find I can't take anything for granted. Everything I learned last year makes more sense this year, but that doesn't mean I am "Man who knows everything!" After more than 30 launches/loadings, I am still nervous every time I go out. And I hope I never lose that feeling...

All the best. -Ken

 

[strokeoluck]

Re: Where would you go? (Western Mpls suburbs)

In summary, I'm sure all who read this will agree that you are going through those first time "shoot happens" events that happened to all of us when we first started out.

That's good to know, even if it feels like I'm the only idiot out there right now. The guy that helped us was extremely nice, and you could tell they were in a rush to get out fishing when they first started loading up. But once he saw we were rookies he put everything into slow motion - very kind of him. I still can't get over how easy the various fishermen made it look. I'll bet if I timed them the whole thing was less than two minutes from the time they started backing up until the time their buddy had the truck pulled into a parking spot. Amazing.

Thanks Ken.