Racine Wi to Cleveland

[DFP51]

Hello. My wife and I just purchased a 1994 Catalina 320 with a wing keel in Racine, Wisconsin to replace our 1985 O'Day 28. After a bit of hemming and hawing, we have decided to sail her back to Ohio rather than having her transported. One of the reasons we bought the Catalina was to do some extended cruising, and this is the perfect opportunity to do that. So far, our cruising has been limited to weekend trips to the islands and Huron.

I've been on Lake Erie pretty much my whole life, and my wife has been sailing various places most of hers. We have sailed together on the O'Day and a previous Seidelman 25 for about ten years. So we have done it enough to know we aren't good at it yet, but we are getting better, lol. Except for some ASA courses we took in Traverse City 3 years ago, neither of us has sailed Lake Michigan or Huron.

I am starting to plan out the trip. We have allotted 16 days total, with what I am guessing will be 10-12 days of sailing. Target date to leave is June 13. We are planning on staying in marinas each night. I have a Richardson's guide for Erie, and smaller paper charts for Huron and Michigan. Plus a new axiom chart plotter.

Any advice from you Huron and Michigan sailors, or Great Lakes cruisers in general, would be greatly appreciated. I would be particularly grateful for advice on harbor/cruising guides, marinas/areas to avoid, current water depths, prevailing winds, etc.

Thanks in advance.

[kayakerChuck]

Welcome aboard!

That should be a great trip. In June 2021, we brought our O'Day 30 from Benton Harbor, MI, to Detroit. We left June 2.

Be ready for any temperature. It could be COLD, it could be hot & sweltering. On the northern lakes, be ready for fog at any time of day. Warm moist air gets blown over the lake & makes fog.

I can't speak to the WI side of the lake. The Michigan side has lots of picturesque little towns with nice, state harbors. All are worth a visit. Some have farmer's markets and or music on Friday or Saturday. Avoid Leland. It's a very neat place to visit, but the harbor entrance is prone to silting. Beaver Island is a great place to stop.

Northern Lake Michigan is full of lighthouses. They mark reefs, shallows, and other unfriendly things. Pay attention and have a plan.

Mackinac Island is worth a stop. Rent a bike & see the sights outside of town.

Harrisville, MI is REALLY trying to attract cruisers. The have music in the park at the harbor on Friday nights.

The St Clair and Detroit rivers are fun. You will probably be motoring. There can be LOTS of traffic. In places, there are "middle grounds" in the middle of both rivers. It's possible to be in the middle of the river, with only 3 or 4' of water depth. When in any doubt, follow the freighter channel.

Be prepared to motor. We sailed about 5 hours TOTAL on our trip. Our average apparent wind was almost always under 5 knts, but sometimes over 30.

[rognvald]

Fast or short trip?
Rognvald

[DFP51]

@rognvald, thinking two weeks

@kayakerchuck, thanks for the insight

[rognvald]

Originally Posted by DFP51

@rognvald, thinking two weeks

@kayakerchuck, thanks for the insight

Are you willing to night sail in good conditions?
Rognvald

[DFP51]

Yeah, we would like to get at least one full 24 hour sail in on this trip (weather permitting). We will have a third crew member with us for the first week or so. he has some sailing experience, but not a ton. But should be able to stand a watch in reasonable weather.

[rognvald]

OK, D,
One thing to remember that June on Lake Michigan/Lake Huron has a great potential for bad/unsettled weather/big winds and leaving from Racine you'll be on a lee shore until Sturgeon Bay. That's why I mentioned night sailing since you can get a good leap to counter those days you'll have to sit in harbor. When we sailed to Canada in 2018 and transited the Lakes and the St. Lawrence, we had hoped to leave in May but bad weather forced our departure to the middle of June and we left Winthrop Harbor, Il. just before nightfall with an approaching front(rain/wind) from the South on our tail. Night on LM is cold and after sunset we quickly went from the 70's to the 40's on the Lake but the sailing was great and we had a close to beam reach and pulled in the next day at Kewaunee Harbor when things got nasty with the approaching front. It cleared the next day and we sailed to Sturgeon Bay and anchored on the west end of the canal in a nice anchorage on the south side. Then, Green Bay to Washington Island. . . WI to Beaver Island . . Beaver Is to the Straits of Mackinaw where we anchored on the south shore before the Mack bridge in prevailing winds. Then, left at night(40's) and sailed the east coast of Huron through the night and moored at a marina North of Saginaw Bay(?) then straight to the Detroit River(11 knots on our GPS under bridge) anchored for a while in Lake St. Clair and then straight across Erie to one of the Islands in Lake Eerie(?- a big lighthouse) where we anchored and then to the South of the main entrance of Cleveland Harbor along a park(?).
Everything depends on the weather but I wouldn't call it a difficult sail. Remember, there are very few bail out points for a keel boat on the east coast of Huron and if it gets nasty you'll have to "weather the storm" if you don't plan properly. If you need any other info, I'll have to dig out my log book since I've written this from memory.
Good Luck, Rognvald

[DFP51]

Rognvald, the first part of your trip seems pretty close to what we are planning. The boat is at Skipper Buds in Winthrop Harbor right now in fact. The broker is going to move it to Racine so some new electronics can be installed and some other work can be done. I have been debating heading up the Wisconsin coast and crossing the Lake on the northern end (up by Bailey's Harbor) or shooting pretty much straight across from Racine or Sheboygan. Either way I will be following the shore line for a few days. Not sure there is really a "better" option, just take a look at the weather and make the best plan possible. Supposedly prevailing winds are S/SW in mid to late June which makes me think going North first would be more pleasant. We will see.

[rognvald]

Originally Posted by DFP51

Rognvald, the first part of your trip seems pretty close to what we are planning. The boat is at Skipper Buds in Winthrop Harbor right now in fact. The broker is going to move it to Racine so some new electronics can be installed and some other work can be done. I have been debating heading up the Wisconsin coast and crossing the Lake on the northern end (up by Bailey's Harbor) or shooting pretty much straight across from Racine or Sheboygan. Either way I will be following the shore line for a few days. Not sure there is really a "better" option, just take a look at the weather and make the best plan possible. Supposedly prevailing winds are S/SW in mid to late June which makes me think going North first would be more pleasant. We will see.

Hi, D,
There's nothing to be gained crossing the Lake from Winthrop. And, by heading north along the coast, you will have many bailout points along the coast during unpredicted weather or unplanned stops as well as the opportunity to sail through beautiful Green Bay and the archipelago of Door County where you can anchor in a protected cove just past Kapps Marina on Washington Island and when departing, head toward Beaver Island passing the beautiful and isolated islands in the North End of the Lake created during the last Glacial period. Then, you can hop to the Bridge at Mackinaw and plan your next stage. By the way, when you stop at Beaver Island, anchor fairly close in the NW corner of the little bay in about 12 feet of water in sand and weed. If you need anything else, let me know. I sailed those waters for 25 years. Cheers, Viajero