2011 Lake Michigan, Huron, Superior shakedown cruise

markrinker

New Member
Jul 19, 2011
325
Lake Union - Seattle, WA
Boat Info
2000 410DA
Engines
Caterpillar 3126
Hello new Club SeaRay friends - a little about a recent trip...

My wife Marti and I have been avid Minnesota boaters since 2003. Both of us spent summers on Iowa lakes (Spirit and Lost Island, respectively) and spent our childhoods on the water, inheriting the 'water gene' from our parents.

We married in 2000 and after a few years of motorcycling, decided that boating was a better way to enjoy our recreational time with kids, family, and friends. Our first boat was was a 2000 Larson 185. I bolted a 4bbl carb onto the 4.3L and found a few more MPH before dropping a valve, and decided that 'hotrodding' was best left on land. Next we had a Maxum 2100, followed by a Regal 2500LSR, and from 2006 until last summer, a Crownline 250CR. I guess we like alot of variety while boating, and wanted to try everything from wakeboarding boats to small cruisers along the way!

Our longest trip until this summer had been our first annual August anniversary boat trip in 2006 - a 250 mile trek from Stillwater, MN to Dubuque, IA in our brand new Crownline. What a great way to break in the new 350MPI engine - hours and hours on plane, taking in the sites of the mighty Mississippi. We trailered that boat all over for five seasons, experiencing the St. Croix, Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers, Lake Minnetonka, Lake of the Woods, and Lake Superior, although our cruising capabilities were limited on the 'big water' with no electronics aboard.

This August, we celebrated 11yrs of marriage with our now annual boat trip, trading the Crownline in on a SeaRay 410. Attached is the cruising route we took, starting out from Skipper Bud's in Sturgeon Bay, WI and visiting the Michigan ports of Petosky, Mackinac Island, DeTour Village, Sault Ste Marie, Marquette, Houghton and finally arriving at Bayfield, WI.

All in all we had a very trouble free trip, with just a few difficult docking situations due to high winds. A scuffed swim platform and a slightly 'reshaped' bow rail have been the only small bruises of our big boat learning curve. For the most part, we enjoyed great late August weather, mostly sunny and warm. One day we had absolute glassy flat calm conditions - on Lake Superior of all places - running 1900rpm making ~28mph for an entire afternooon. What fun!

We only contended with big chop twice during the whole adventure...our first crossing in following seas from Washington Island to Petosky (...I found the wave crest surfing and trough wallowing to be great fun, my wife did NOT), and the very last day from Houghton, MI to Bayfield - when we took the wind and weather off our nose for nine hours to cover 80 miles - the slowest and roughest experience of the entire trip. Of course the very next day, Lake Superior weather changed as we rested up in port..and to think we were trying to 'beat' the inclimate weather that was predicted, we only ended up 'beating' ourselves!!! (When in doubt, wait.)

Mastering the electronics is an ongoing process, but we have found our new GPS, chartplotter, and radar to be great confidence builders when poking our noses out into rough seas with many miles between us and the next destination. We are learning where to look for the best weather reports and in general are very conservative boaters when it comes to weather and schedule - something my Dad instilled in me as a pilot.

We are looking forward to next season in Bayfield, WI and have future plans of relocation to Seattle, Washington area in the next few years. Maybe the 410 will join us there, maybe a new pilothouse style liveaboard boat rather than a condo...we like alot of new destinations and variety when it comes to boating!


PICTURES HERE


Mark and Marti Rinker
Elk River, Minnesota
"The Lost Islander" - 2000 SeaRay 410DA
 
Last edited:
Mark, great pictures of one of the most beautiful areas of the world for boaters. As a former MI boy, I have been to many of the places you visited.

BTW, if/when you and Marti relocate to Seattle you'll find the boating out here looks pretty much like the boating you experienced. Lots of small islands, blue waters (a bit more salty!!), blue skies and green trees. And wonderful people.

Thanks again for the pics, and Happy New Year.
 
Mark and Marti - great pics of what I think of as God's Country - as having spent most of my boating life on the Western Great Lakes. I wrote my USCG Masters License while working for the Wash Island Ferry Line - many years ago.

Thank you for sharing and wishing you a safe and wonderful New Year, exploring great waters with your new boat (she is very nice!)

Dave and Keri
 
Hello new Club SeaRay friends - a little about a recent trip...

My wife Marti and I have been avid Minnesota boaters since 2003. Both of us spent summers on Iowa lakes (Spirit and Lost Island, respectively) and spent our childhoods on the water, inheriting the 'water gene' from our parents.

We married in 2000 and after a few years of motorcycling, decided that boating was a better way to enjoy our recreational time with kids, family, and friends. Our first boat was was a 2000 Larson 185. I bolted a 4bbl carb onto the 4.3L and found a few more MPH before dropping a valve, and decided that 'hotrodding' was best left on land. Next we had a Maxum 2100, followed by a Regal 2500LSR, and from 2006 until last summer, a Crownline 250CR. I guess we like alot of variety while boating, and wanted to try everything from wakeboarding boats to small cruisers along the way!

Our longest trip until this summer had been our first annual August anniversary boat trip in 2006 - a 250 mile trek from Stillwater, MN to Dubuque, IA in our brand new Crownline. What a great way to break in the new 350MPI engine - hours and hours on plane, taking in the sites of the mighty Mississippi. We trailered that boat all over for five seasons, experiencing the St. Croix, Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers, Lake Minnetonka, Lake of the Woods, and Lake Superior, although our cruising capabilities were limited on the 'big water' with no electronics aboard.

This August, we celebrated 11yrs of marriage with our now annual boat trip, trading the Crownline in on a SeaRay 410. Attached is the cruising route we took, starting out from Skipper Bud's in Sturgeon Bay, WI and visiting the Michigan ports of Petosky, Mackinac Island, DeTour Village, Sault Ste Marie, Marquette, Houghton and finally arriving at Bayfield, WI.

All in all we had a very trouble free trip, with just a few difficult docking situations due to high winds. A scuffed swim platform and a slightly 'reshaped' bow rail have been the only small bruises of our big boat learning curve. For the most part, we enjoyed great late August weather, mostly sunny and warm. One day we had absolute glassy flat calm conditions - on Lake Superior of all places - running 1900rpm making ~28mph for an entire afternooon. What fun!

We only contended with big chop twice during the whole adventure...our first crossing in following seas from Washington Island to Petosky (...I found the wave crest surfing and trough wallowing to be great fun, my wife did NOT), and the very last day from Houghton, MI to Bayfield - when we took the wind and weather off our nose for nine hours to cover 80 miles - the slowest and roughest experience of the entire trip. Of course the very next day, Lake Superior weather changed as we rested up in port..and to think we were trying to 'beat' the inclimate weather that was predicted, we only ended up 'beating' ourselves!!! (When in doubt, wait.)

Mastering the electronics is an ongoing process, but we have found our new GPS, chartplotter, and radar to be great confidence builders when poking our noses out into rough seas with many miles between us and the next destination. We are learning where to look for the best weather reports and in general are very conservative boaters when it comes to weather and schedule - something my Dad instilled in me as a pilot.

We are looking forward to next season in Bayfield, WI and have future plans of relocation to Seattle, Washington area in the next few years. Maybe the 410 will join us there, maybe a new pilothouse style liveaboard boat rather than a condo...we like alot of new destinations and variety when it comes to boating!


PICTURES HERE


Mark and Marti Rinker
Elk River, Minnesota
"The Lost Islander" - 2000 SeaRay 410DA

SHHH, We don't want it to get too crowded up here:lol:
 

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