Lake Michigan - Chicago area

Bear Paws

Bear Paws

Active Member
Aug 29, 2010
109
Chicago - Lake Michigan
Boat Info
2017 57 Predator
2020 Williams 325 TurboJet
Engines
Volvo IPS 950’s
Looking to get back in the mix on Lake Michigan. Debating a lot of things (gas vs. diesel, marina, broker or private party) but pretty much decided on 04/05 390 or 420 Sundancer. Probably won't leave the Great Lakes. Any thoughts or advice?
 
We are looking to get back into boating as well. A good friend took me up to Kenohsa, WI to look at the SouthPort marina where he keeps his boat. I liked it so much I put a deposit on a 40 ft slip for next season.

You need to watch all the added fees in the Chicago area, Kenosha is an hour drive from my work and an hour and a half to home so it really is a no brainer. Plus Racine and Milwaukee are very boater friendly towns.

Keep me posted on what you end up doing.

-Harry
 
Go North, do not leave the Great Lakes. It has the best boating variety you can find.
420DA gets my vote.
 
I agree with Coach...we were in Chicago harbors for several years and really enjoyed it. However, we moved to Southport in Kenosha this past season and it's been really nice (and we live 2-3 miles from our old harbor in Chicago). In Chicago you pay for the privilege of being in Chicago and being able to sit on your boat and enjoy the cityscape, and you pay additional for electric, water, dockbox, etc. We pay less in Kenosha for a larger slip that includes all amenities, and we have the pool, indoor and outdoor hot tubs, workout facility, etc. The tradeoff is that you obviously don't have the city nightlife, etc if that's what you're looking for. It's worth visiting the marina if you've never been there.
 
Michigan's west coast is hard to beat. Great harbors every 10-20 miles and reasonable prices on just about everything from service to meals.
 
Check out Prairie Harbor Yacht Club in Pleasant Prairie, WI. I am moving there next season from the Des Plaines River. It is a private yacht club but has some rental slips available. Northpoint Marina with 1,500 slips is right next door on the Illinois side of the border. Hammond IN is another marina worth considering if you rather be closer in to Chicago.
 
Kenosha to Milwaukee is golden. Wish I was still up there (during the summer). Whether you’re hoping from marina to marina or making a long trip, it's always reassuring to know that the marinas are close together and open to transient traffic.

Turd, sorry for not including MC, In. Most of the time I was there I was chasing my soon to be wife around the beach. Went for a few walks through the Zoo.
Did you do any off roading over by the power plant when you were growing up. Got chased away more than a few times on dirt bikes....
 
New Buffalo is very nice - great marinas, great town, fantastic beaches and warmer water than the west coast of LM. Its like being on vacation every weekend
 
Hammond & MC are nice. Sand beaches and both have casino's nearby. Hammond's is in the marina (24 hr resturants, entertainment) and 16 miles from Navy Pier.
 
Second Jeff's comments.
Hammond is very convenient to all of Chicago Area.
I am in the Western Suburbs, Clarendon/Darien Area and make it to Hammond in 45 min or less.

Good beaches, easy access to Michigan and no 25% non Chicago Resident Surcharge in the Chicago System.
I was there for 20 years.

Dan
 
Add another on to Hammond. From what I gather a lot of the improvements have been made the past few years.

Security is top notch, great facility, close to Chicago/Boaters Beach, and the casino is next door. Yacht club is great, and reasonable prices at the fuel dock.

What more could you ask for?
 
Amen to that Scott. But add on further drive time, and it really eats into a limited weekend already on the boat.
 
Question for you guys on the west coast side (northpoint/kenosha/racine/waukegan/etc) - how does the boating compare the beaches of NW indiana? we've been on foot to pretty much all the area marinas from kenosha down around to new buffalo - but only out on the water in the NW ind/MI area. are there good places to anchor/swim a la boaters beach?

we live in the city, but are trying to figure out where we want to slip (looking to be in for next season). we're assuming we can't get into any of the chicago harbors w/the wait lists as new boaters.
 
I was talking to a neighbor of mine about marinas and he said that Jackson Park was adding/refurbishing slips so he was thinking about going there. Check it out if they are adding new slips you might be able to get one without going through a waiting list.
 
We like Reefpoint in Racine. The marina is not crowded, maybe 60% full. You can walk to downtown and there are some nice restaurants and shops. The festival park is right on the causeway and there are several events during the summer. There is a reasonably sized beach just north of the marina, but WI doesn't have anything comparable to western MI. The marina has a pool and restuarant on site, and Skipper Bud is finally doing some upgrades.

320Bob, I've been looking at Prairie Harbor for a couple of years, what influenced your decision?
 
Brutus C Paw said:
...320Bob, I've been looking at Prairie Harbor for a couple of years, what influenced your decision?
Click to expand...

The Admiral and I liked the smaller size, the slips have a pillon separating both sides, the fairways are wider than Northpoint, the people there are more like us in age and demeanor than our current marina, the facilities include the pool, and the price was about the same as what I am paying on the River. It is also a shorter drive for us compared to Kenosha or Racine. From Bellvidere, the distance difference is probably negligible. If we had to buy the slip (it's a documinium association) I wouldn't have considered it but they have several that they only rent.
 
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