Lake Michigan, pontoon boat

Status
Not open for further replies.

lenarw79

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Nov 23, 2014
Messages
31
I have 20' pontoon boat, I live in chicago. Can I use my boat on Lake Michigan or is too big for my boat?
 

vans

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Sep 26, 2004
Messages
78
I've seen many 12' fishing boats out there, just be smart and watch weather, our family uses South Haven as our closest port, we trailer a 22' bowrider 50 miles from our house to landing, we always check weather/wave height before leaving, even then we have driven there and turned around and went home a few times because it was to rough to go out, 3' is my max and even then it's not much fun getting beat up.
 

ssobol

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Sep 3, 2010
Messages
503
I have boated on Lake MI off southern MI in a 11' RIB, a 16' RIB, and 22' cruiser.

Certainly there are days were you would be fine out on a pontoon boat. Of course, there are also days that a 50'er is not big enough. A concern would be getting caught out too far when the weather turns and trying to get back in a pontoon in 3-5' waves.

It also depends on where you launch. Coming out of St. Joe MI harbor the waves in the channel are generally 2x what you find once you are outside. So the worst part is getting in and out of the harbor.
 
Last edited:

1216bandit

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Aug 18, 2008
Messages
214
It is not if Lake Mi is too big or if your boat is too small..you can run your boat on any body of water under the right conditions. Days with the right conditions for your boat are very few on that lake. To enjoy the pontoon on that lake you pretty much need dead calm or nothing more than a light breeze . Just monitor the weather and when in doubt dont go out.
 

muskyfins

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jun 7, 2012
Messages
578
I have spent lots of time on the big pond. I have seen glass calm and I have seen 6+ footers that made my a$$hole pucker. More importantly, I have seen the conditions change extremely fast from one to the other. Depending on how fast your boat is, I wouldn't be more than 30 minutes from shore in a pontoon. And of course, portable, floating VHF radio and some type of GPS.

That being said, on a calm day, she should be no problem. I have skippered a solid top pontoon in 25-30 mph winds and solid 2 foot white caps on large inland lakes. It wasn't fun, but it worked. I wouldn't want to push it any further than those conditions.
 

diveman05

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Jun 27, 2012
Messages
91
Spent a little time on Lake Michigan in our 24' boat. Not a pontoon but for a lake that size its equally small. All I would say is know your NOAA weather reports and lake conditions. Wind direction is also a big one but overall you should be fine if you're smart about it. Being in Chicago the wind should be in your favor most of the time I would think. I'd stay close to the inlet/outlet though in case if something blew in so you could get to safety fast.
 

Scott Danforth

Grumpy Vintage Moderator still playing with boats
Staff member
Joined
Jul 23, 2011
Messages
47,300
I have been boating on Lake Michigan and the bay of Green Bay since I was born. I have been out in a variety of boats from 12' to 34', from small run-abouts to row boats with tillers to bass boats to cuddy cabins to express cruisers.

I have run from Sheboygan up to Washington Island and back in a pontoon several times. I have also gone from Green Bay to Washington island in both a pontoon and an old 12' dunphy many times

sometimes the water is glass smooth, sometimes the weather changes and you can get 6-8' seas. I can tell you from first hand experience being in water that went from smooth to 7' rollers in a 15 minute period of time in a 19' bow rider with the bow canvas on, and stuffing the bow into every wave with a wall of water coming over the windshield while the bilge pump is running and and not keeping up while you just puckered the upholstery up your backside is not fun. If there is a chance that the wind will pick up later in the day, make sure your back in well before that.
 
Last edited:

jbcurt00

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Oct 25, 2011
Messages
24,829
Its been over a year, w a complete boating season come and gone.

Lenar didnt update this topic at the end of the season.

Its clearly been more then 90days w no activity, please take note of and follow the 90day guideline for determining an inactive topic.

This one is

Closed
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top