Western Michigan slip fees / mooring options ?

[Westcliffe01]

Ok, so I have been offered a free sailboat by someone who has more boats than he can use. Its an Oday 27 model year 1976. Its obviously not a very valuable sailboat, but could be a nice start to the sailing experience in the Great Lakes area. Its too wide to tow legally in the state (9' vs 8'6") and there is no trailer but I could potentially build one.

So before accepting this offer I have been investigating where I could practically keep such a boat on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan. I think that ones exploration options are much greater on Lake Michigan than what they are on the eastern side of the state (Lake St Claire, Lake Erie) given that one shoreline is Canada and would involve customs and immigration. I have to imagine it will also be less crowded in Lake MI, vs the highly populated areas around Detroit, Monroe and Toledo.

So far I cant find any affordable slips off Lake Michigan. High water levels this year have resulted in the closure of some large marinas, putting hundreds of established customers out of a slip. Marinas do not even list their slip prices, one needs to submit a form to get a quotation. Looking at yacht clubs, it appears that to join is going to cost about $1500and then dues would be approximately $800/yr thereafter. However, membership is not a guarantee of getting a slip, it seems there are waiting lists and committees who decide on how to award the slips on an annual basis.


I have found one boatyard in Muskegon which appears to have moorings, but the cost of the moorings seems to be higher than the cost of a slip in the Monroe area on the astern side of the state. Muskegon is close to a 3 hour drive 1 way from where I live, so having the boat on a mooring seems riskier given that one cannot respond immediately to any sort of emergency.


Im curious if there are members on this forum who keep sailboats in one of the harbors on the Western side of Michigan who could set me straight regarding my first impressions ? I don't think it would be worth while to keep a 27' sailboat if the slip fees would be equal on an annual basis to the value of the vessel ? It seems if I was spending a lot more money, then the fees of keeping the boat somewhere would be more proportionate ?


Thanks for your thoughts...

[Westcliffe01]

Having done a considerable amount of poking around and leaving text messages and calls on non answered phones, I have been able to glean a little more information.....

Cheapest site I found so far on the East side is a combo marina / campground on the raisin river in Monroe. Their 23' slip is $900 for the season, April to October. Length over 23' is $30/foot extra. so $1020. I have not been able to determine whether they offer winter storage yet.

On the western side of the state, the best I have found so far is a small Marina in Grand Haven, MI River Haven Marina Inc. The seasonal rate = LOA x $36/ft so $972 for a 27' boat. Cable, wifi included. They have a boat lift and offer repair services, shrink wrap, indoor or outdoor storage etc. Their web site is a bit of a disaster.... Made from a template with 90% of the template text still left up. Photo links not working etc... Will leave a message to see if they have slips available.

"Coastal Zone Marina", also in Grand Haven. Docks generally suited to boats 25' or shorter with a few slips up to 30' and some space to tie up for longer vessels. $1500+ for the season April 15 to October 15. No launch or retrieval facilities on site. AC power and water available at the docks. They are full .... Parking seems to be a problem on weekends...

[DanielPerry]

I HIGHLY recommend anchoring permanently. It is legal (check the local regulations as to how long you can stay in one spot) to anchor a boat anywhere as long as you arent:

blocking a channel in any way
blocking or crowding an access (like a boat launch) therefore impeding access from that launch to a channel.

My Rules:
No anchors with self tripping channel in the anchor's stock (most common I believe on Danforth type anchors). If theres a channel there so the ring or shackle can slide towards the anchor "fins" then wire that SOB channel closed so that ring stays at the end of the anchor stock. Wire it TIGHT. If youre on this anchor and the wind suddenly dies and reverses, theres an extremely good chance your anchor will drag.

When winds go variable I put out a bow and stern anchor, aiming the bow towards where any significant waves could come from. if we have a more or less constant wind predicted (even if its forecasted to shift over the day) you can (when anchoring in sand or clay) literally leave it there without worry.

Appropriate diameter line, and a good heavy length of chain (for you at least 15 or 20 ft.) Shackles ziptied or wired so the pins dont turn. Make sure your scope is at least 5:1 and when it blows hard just let out some line until you reach a scope of 10:1. Keep in mind the boat will swing as the wind shifts, so watch out for shallows and other ****.

[roverhi]

More important than finding a slip is what you are going to do with the boat when the water gets hard. Boat will have to be hauled out on shore for the off season so you'll need to figure out where you can find space for the boat. This late in the year would anchor out as there is only a month or two left in the sailing season.

Slip rents seem really cheap. I'm paying $400 a month for a slip for my 28' boat in SoCal. Would take a weekend or two to do a marina tour to see what the facilities are, availability and talk to the management. A marina with haul out facilities and storage would be a plus for me. Been a few decades since I lived in Western Michigan but understand Saugatuck will be the most expensive and hardest place to find a slip.

[CFS Klopas]

Forget about anchoring long term anywhere in SW Michigan, there is no such thing. $1000 for a summer is going to be on the low end, as you saw I pay $2400 for Summer and $1400 for Winter near Chicago and I could easily spend double that. I paid $6k for the boat. So yes, you should be prepared to spend more on your slip than the boat is worth if you can't trailer. The only possible alternative is some kind of small inland lake, but I have no idea where.

[DanielPerry]

I agree that you shouldnt anchor out in lake michigan where it's exposed, but if you can find a place where you're sheltered I can say from plenty of experience anchoring that you would be OK. My boat is currently anchored (ive got two out now and will be re positioning the anchors soon for the N/NNE wind). If you have the time to check and reposition your anchors daily then its VERY WORTH IT.

figuring out the haul out for winter is definitely now top of the list, but do not let anyone tell you you cant anchor. Ive done it all over lake michigan, down the mississippi, along the gulf coast, and in the bahamas. we have excellent sand and clay here that is very secure and will save you a lot of money. Just make sure you spend some money on two good anchor set-ups.

[DanielPerry]

Looking at Grand Haven area on the maps I see many options to anchor. Let me know if you are curious about trying this ( I could possibly come down and help you anchor out, I also have a couple anchors you could use). Good luck and dont let the "can't" attitude sway you. Ive been doing just fine.

[SCarns]

If you're worried about economics of boat ownership, I'd say pass on the boat. The cost/expense ratio is not a valid indicator of anything. What until gear needs to be replaced and watch the costs soar. The true value of a boat is how much you enjoy it and will use it. If you're heart isn't into it, it will become a burden and the value goes down drastically from there. You'll be looking for someone else to give a "free" boat to.

Over the years, you'll easily out-spend the "value" of the boat. The leading indicator of where to keep it should be the ratio of how you plan to use it compared against what you can afford. Driving back and forth from the Eastside to the West will cost gas and time. Do you really want the burden of boat ownership? Or are you just interested because the boat is free?