# Cheboygan, WI to White Lake, MI



## Aircooled (Dec 20, 2004)

I've just purchased an Oday 26 and plan to sail it across from Wi to Mi in late April. 

I'm not a native to Michigan so I dont' have a lifelong knowledge of spring wx patterns. Am I planning to do this in a month with decent windows of wx, or am I planning to attempt this too early?

I'm not new to sailing and I'll have a good crew, but this is my first L. Michigan crossing.


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## Denr (Feb 7, 2001)

This is hardly a month worth of sailing, I would think with a NE wind this would be a 15 hour trip, stop being a *****!


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## Aircooled (Dec 20, 2004)

******?*

That'll get you an ass kicking at the dock.


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## Irwin32 (Jul 1, 2001)

I don't think aircooled was saying the voyage would take a month - he was wondering if April might be a bad month to find a weather window to make the trip. 

There can be some fierce storms during April and strong NE winds can kick up some very steep 7 or 8 footers or more. However, if you are flexible, I would think you could find a 15 hour weather window to shoot across. It'll be a cold trip as water temps will probably still be in the 40s.


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## sailortjk1 (Dec 20, 2005)

Just what Irwin said. Very cold with lake temps. in the 40's. I don't care what the thermomoter says, when the wind is blowing across a cold lake you are going to be cold. Plus this is a completly open water crossing. Once you head out of Cheybogen and make the commitment, you are not going to have anywhere to duck into and no protection.
To answer your question, my opinion is yes, April is a bad month to be cruising across open waters on Lake Michigan. But hey, thats just me.
White Lake is a great destination, but I would wait.


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## Aircooled (Dec 20, 2004)

*Thanks*

Thanks for the advice. I'll take it as good advice and wait a month to mid-late May and stay flexible about the wx window.


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## Irwin32 (Jul 1, 2001)

The port is actually Sheboygan. Cheboygan is in Michigan on Lake Huron, south of Mac Island. Are you new to sailing, Aircooled?


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## Aircooled (Dec 20, 2004)

*Thanks*

Irwin32, thanks for the correction. I'm not new to sailing, just new to the Great Lakes Region. I'm a SoCal sailor transplanted to the midwest by Uncle Sam.


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## Irwin32 (Jul 1, 2001)

I guess all I would say to an experienced sailor coming into the Great Lakes is not to underestimate them becasue they are "inland". Ted Turner had to eat his hat. 

I have done some S, Cal sailing during the winter. It is a light wind area, as are the Great Lakes. The difference, I think, is that when it does blow on L Mich waves are very steep unlike the long swells i saw in S. Cal. * foot waves out there were nothing, but on L Mich it is quite a ride. The other thing that will be different are thunderstorms and lightning that are part of Great Lakes sailing. If you do more than day sail, you just have to learn to deal with them.


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## locrian13 (Feb 5, 2002)

I remember a story about someone in from CA who was crewing in a Lake Michigan regatta...the Bluenose, I think, so named because it is late in the season and the weather is often cold and temperamental. At any rate, he spent many hours before the race looking down his nose at Lake Michigan and its sailors, wondering what this weenie little lake could possibly have to offer a sailor such as himself.

One ripped off toenail and several gashes and bruises later (not to mention probably a minor case of hypothermia), he informed all present that they could take this &#$(*!$ Lake Michigan sailing, he was going back to CA. And there was much rejoicing (and chanting of "WUSS WUSS WUSS WUSS").

Now, that's not to say that Lake Michigan isn't a fantastic place to sail. It really is. But as Irwin said, don't underestimate it, and don't underestimate the weather.


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## Denr (Feb 7, 2001)

And don't be a *****!


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## tommyt (Sep 21, 2002)

This trip can be made with little problem in late April as long as you schedule by the weather window and not a calendar. Also, know that it is going to be v-e-r-y cold and dress for it.

We made a trip, including a lake crossing, the second week of June last year. To give you an idea of the changes in weather, we left Traverse City with 30 kts from the SSE and made the quickest trip we had ever done to Grand Traverse Light that morning. Then we turned for Leland and spent the entire afternoon beating into 8 footers to arrive there late in the evening. Great sailing day, and because we were sailing fairly close to shore for most of this the temps were not bad. Shore temp was 85, water temp 48, boat temp in the high 50's for the most part. One great day of sailing.
Second day to Washington Island, Wi was clear, crisp, same water temp, 5-8 kts of wind, land temp on both sides in the 80's, boat temp 56.

Third day the wind totally disapeared, temp in Wi and Mi was close to 90, water temp still the same, boat temp 58, lots of fog, motored to Northport with barely a ripple on the lake.
Fourth day Northport to Traverse City, quite morning in the 80's with 5 kts of wind, boat temp 60. Arriving in TC the wind kicked up to 20 kts, and we stayed out and sailing at the base of the bay in warm temps and great wind.

In these cases NOAA was right on every day. They were wrong on the 3rd and 4th days when we started, but they corrected their forecast for reality. Kind of like TV weathermen get it right the closer they get to the storm.

We dressed in 3 layers and were fine because we planned for the cold water temps and the sun not being able to keep us warm. If we would have packed shorts and tees because of the on shore weather we would have frozen our bottoms off.

Just looked at a temp map of the north lake and most water temps are in the low 30's. It will take until July to get to high 60's.

Bottom line, be flexible enough to go with a good days weather window and dress for downhill skiing and you will be fine. All this assumes that the boat is sound for the trip. 

Have fun

Tom Mallery
Splash Dance


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## Aircooled (Dec 20, 2004)

*Great info*

TommyT, thanks for the info from personal experience. I'll take it.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

*Denr Senior member - Some sailors really are assholes!*

Hey! Aircooled, 
I just finished reviewing  some of the past threads posted be ya good old _dock mate_, "Denr". He's got crude comments towards lots of folks, do ya think! I think I'm gonna code that guy on my threads to ignore list. 
Just wondering,  Did you guys ever get to meet? At the dock, I mean? If so, sorry that I missed it, sounds like it could have been fun. Nay! hell I bet he's too old to still be fun.
hooyasailor said it,  
have fun, sail safe, 
See ya around.


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## T34C (Sep 14, 2006)

I moved my boat last year from Milwaukee, WI to Sturgeon Bay, WI in mid May. I can tell you the lake went from a mill pond one day to 60kts of wind and 10+ ft seas. We were holed up in Sheboygan for 24hrs to let the weather pass. For fun we sat in the boaters lounge and watched the waves break over the sea wall and spray over the top of the 60 ft. lighthouse on the end.

As already stated, don't under estimate just because it is called a "lake".


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## sailaway21 (Sep 4, 2006)

34, it's from last march.

hooya-try to find a more recent question that someone is actually interested in before you start calling names. It was Denr's attempt at humor. Stick around. Be cool. Talk sailing. Butt kicking is 3 doors down on "fight club".


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## tommyt (Sep 21, 2002)

Sailaway,

Well said!

Tom


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