Newbie Wannabe in Chicago

[Coffeeguy]

Hi,
My name is Erich and I currently live in a western suburb of Chicago. My goal is to purchase a boat next spring (April) and begin the process of moving aboard. My big question at the moment is are there any marinas that allow live aboards around Chicago. The only one that I have found is in Ottowa on the IL river which is not where I want to be. Plus it is 2 hour drive from my coffee shop. I am open to driving an hour or so for my commute. Any suggestions on where to look would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks guys and glad there is a community like this to help us newbies.

[Enrique100]

Originally Posted by Coffeeguy

Hi,
My name is Erich and I currently live in a western suburb of Chicago. My goal is to purchase a boat next spring (April) and begin the process of moving aboard. My big question at the moment is are there any marinas that allow live aboards around Chicago. The only one that I have found is in Ottowa on the IL river which is not where I want to be. Plus it is 2 hour drive from my coffee shop. I am open to driving an hour or so for my commute. Any suggestions on where to look would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks guys and glad there is a community like this to help us newbies.

Well, the thing about Chicago is the water freezes and it's damn cold. So all the marinas on the lake in the city close in November. If you're in the city, 31st Street Harbor has a great setup for liveaboards in summer, that's where I keep my boat. Newest facility, decent showers, washer/dryer, reasonably quiet too (less than 50% full) except for weekends.

For year round, you may have to look at River City if you can somehow get a slip there, or Hammond Marina used to do winter in-water storage but not sure if they still do. Good luck, it's not something a lot of people do around here year-round.

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Erich.

[Coffeeguy]

Enrique100, thanks for response. I definitely am looking at Hammond. Apparently they have bubblers in the marina. Also the marina in Ottowa has bubblers and allows full time year round live aboards.

[Kita]

Liveaboard full time Chicago? Man that's hardcore, brrrrrrrrr. I am in central FL & am planning to head south a bit....it gets COLD when the wind blows & they don't call Chicago the windy city for nothing!

[River Cruiser]

I spent 2 days at Heritage Harbor,Marina in Ottawa, Illinois and it is a excellent, well managed fairly new facility. I talked with the HarborMaster about liveaboards and they make provisions for filling water tanks and have in the slip pump out. They consolidate all the boats that stay in during winter and put de-icers in to keep the ice away. If I was to leave the upper Mississippi River this would be close to the top in a new home Marina for me.


Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[Coffeeguy]

Originally Posted by Kita

Liveaboard full time Chicago? Man that's hardcore, brrrrrrrrr. I am in central FL & am planning to head south a bit....it gets COLD when the wind blows & they don't call Chicago the windy city for nothing!

Yeah I have been definitely gathering all the information I can about living aboard in a cold climate. FL and south would be nice. Maybe one day.

Erich

[Coffeeguy]

Originally Posted by River Cruiser

I spent 2 days at Heritage Harbor,Marina in Ottawa, Illinois and it is a excellent, well managed fairly new facility. I talked with the HarborMaster about liveaboards and they make provisions for filling water tanks and have in the slip pump out. They consolidate all the boats that stay in during winter and put de-icers in to keep the ice away. If I was to leave the upper Mississippi River this would be close to the top in a new home Marina for me.


Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

I will have to give them another look. Prices seemed pretty good I just didn;t want to have to step and unstep my mast every year to get there from the lake.

Thanks for the info,

erich