Flick on Erie

Made an offer on a boat in Grand Haven If the offer goes through need to make the descion do I bring the boat back to Lake Erie the first week of November or store it and bring it home the the Spring. What's the weather generally like on the east coast of Lake Michigan in early November? Don't mind the cold, just more concerned about the winds and waves. Is Grand Haven to Detroit a three day trip? Good places to stop for the night? I'm not opposed to staying on the hook.
Boat will be a 43'-

bcampion

What is the range of the boat and speed? Many ports are closing up for the season so you need to make sure you can get fuel, When I had my boat I could run in moderate seas at 25 knots and I would make about 210 - 240 NM day 10- 12 hours. late in the season daylight is a shorter, Mackinac I to Detroit is 280 NM plus the distance to Grand Haven Detroit to Put-in-Bay is 60NM

You would need most likely 3 good weather days to make the trip,

__________________
Bc

From the Helm

You can have fine weather, you have to watch your forecast but give yourself an out. Less seasonal ports where you can get fuel. Charlevoix, call ahead to make sure you can get fuel at Ward Brothers (bridge may be call only at that time of year, but the ferry is still running so the bridge is too!) From Charlevoix you need a clear weather window to get through Greys Reef and on to Mac City, that's 60 miles so check the forecast. From Mac City you have a jump to Alpena, then you can make a run down Lake Huron where I've never stopped!

If you need a pro captain to either take the ride for you or run with you PM me and I can hook you up with an experienced guy that will not screw up your boat.

sammi

Ask Captain McSorley what the weather is like on the Great Lakes in early November.

From the Helm

Capt McSorley was the Fitzgerald Captain?

cedarholm

He's the one.

The witches of November sunk him.

I don't have the experience
to say yeah or ney to your proposed trip.

Can you truck it over?

Not sure I'd take an unfamiliar boat on that trip.

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Cedarholm

jhebert

The worst weather on the Great Lakes occurs in the first two weeks of November.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Lakes_Storm_of_1913

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Edmund_Fitzgerald

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Carl_D._Bradley

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Daniel_J._Morrell

Frazman

you'll be fine as long as you do a short (1 day) shake down cruise to get any kinks out. Is it safe to assume the boat is fairly new (reliable)?

I did the cruise very early in the season a few years ago and didn't run into any issues. Just make sure you call ahead for fuel.

__________________
-Captain Matt



Tiara 4000 Express
Seadoo GTX
Brig RIB w/ Yam 40hp

mbgator

We keep our boat in Ludington and the marina closed on the 16th of October. No fuel, no elec. I believe that Pentwater and Manastee are the same. That would be the #1 concern after weather.
And the prevailing wind pattern is out of the north-west right now, it gets real snotty on the lake this time of year.
You'd be running into the weather the entire run up the coast, or taking the weather on the beam.

ericinmich

That boat didn't happen to be a 43 Bertram did it?

If so, I also looked at it..

Flick on Erie

Yep, Sounds like that is the boat, I made a back up offer but looks like it may be sold to the person who made the first offer. I haven't seen it yet. What was your opinion? Looked clean and well maintained from the pics but I was concerned about the 6v92's. With 550 hp and 1800 hours they are probably near done.

As to those who responsed to the weather, thanks. I was trying to determine if I needed to consider storage in that area, but I probably had the cart before the horse.

ericinmich

She was in great shape...

We saw the boat on Sat. AM. Nice condition. Really nothing needing to be fixed (carpet a bit old, but not terrible). Clean everywhere. Engines had no witness marks indicating major work. A tad bit of oil around the stern bildge, but likely from the hydraulic lift. The generator was probably done (2400 hrs or so). We made an offer on Sat. and were told that one was also on it's way (or in hand) from someone in Ohio (likely you).

When our broker presented the offer on Mon. AM, he was told that the bank had alreay accepted an offer (even though on Fri. PM there wasn't any offers in hand). It was from someone on Louisiana, sight unseen. Our broker was pissed because our offer was for more... likely the winning offer only went through the banks broker so they wouldn't need to split the commission. They wouldn't show our offer to the bank... The other guy flew up on Fri, did a sea trial & survey... and now she's gone!

We both lost out on a nice boat.

We've got our eye open for something in that size and price. There's a Viking 45 out there (great lakes boat) that may work, but it's got more hours.

Flick on Erie

I had a appointment to see the boat on Saturday October 10. The broker called on the 9th and said that the bank had accepted a offer and it wasn't worth me making the trip. The following Monday the broker told me to make an offer because the accepted offer wasfrom Californa and they felt the guy would back out. As of yesterday they were waing on oil samples but felt the deal would close. So the search continues. I have a 31' hatteras Sportcruiser. My 1st choice would be a 41' Hatteras but I'd also look at a Viking, Bertram or Post.
Good luck!