Cruising West Lake Erie in a group . . .

[Lucky Dogs 2]

Western Lake Erie Ohio area, with our Four Winns pocket cruiser.
( 248 Vista ).

We bought this boat end of summer 2010.
We would like to cruise around the area, and spend overnights different places. Sight see, as much as we can on weekends.

This is what we are looking into . . .

We would rather explore by cruising with others. Not alone.

If you would like to cruise with others like us, and explore other areas and marinas in a small group, let us know.

It would be better to plan the trip and cruise together with a couple of other boats. We could all put our knowledge together and build our confidence up together.

I'm talking about visiting Toledo, Detroit, Windsor, Lake St. Clair, and a few other locations around the Western Lake Erie area.

I work well with chart plotters; I have a chart plotter in both our boats. I'm OK with paper charts but need more practice. We have cell phones and of course both boats have VHF radios.

We can look up destinations on the internet and plan our trips ahead. But, it would be a little safer to travel in small groups. We can all go our own ways once we get to where we are going. Sight seeing, casino?s, whatever. Have a meal together maybe now and then, and enjoy each others boating stories, etc.

When it is time to cruise back home, we can meet again and cruise together.

Looking ahead, I'm seeing a couple of couples or families cruising together, and sometimes 5 or 8 boats all cruising together. Who knows?
New to cruising the area or not, all invited.

Send me some feedback. Let me know your ideas on this.

Thanks,

Lucky Dogs 2 -

 

[choochooharley]

Re: Cruising West Lake Erie in a group . . .

That sounds like a great idea....It would take some of the edge off for new boaters to the lake or those who are too timid to try a cruise on thier own....There are a few issues that I think would need to be addressed....What if a boat breaks down does the group assist and tow the stranded boat back or wait for assistance to arrive before going on...also with going into canada by boat its not as simple as it used to be....but it sounds like a great ides...just curious where abouts in western Ohio

 

[Lucky Dogs 2]

Re: Cruising West Lake Erie in a group . . .

If a boat brakes down in our group . . .

As with any other boating mis-hap, we would do what we can at the time to help whoever is in distress.

We would discuss this while we are planning the trip before hand.
Towing insurance, leave one boat beheind with them, tow them ourselves, etc.

We would have to keep in mind that the next time it could be us who brakes down. Besides, most of these trips would only be a couple of hours or so. I'm not talking cruising to the Bahama's from Ohio, or doing the Great Loop trip.

More later . . .

Lucky Dogs 2 -

 

[choochooharley]

Re: Cruising West Lake Erie in a group . . .

That might be something id be interested in. What is home port for you mine is lorain.

 

[Bluepike]

Re: Cruising West Lake Erie in a group . . .

If you are going to dock your boat at a marina, you will find that many of them set up rendezvous like you discribe. Another source would be to join your local Power Squadron or a Yacht club. They also like to cruise in groups. By going in a group like these, you can oftentimes get discounts on fuel and overnight docking as well.

Have fun!

 

[Lucky Dogs 2]

Re: Cruising West Lake Erie in a group . . .

We dock the boat at a campground marina where our trailer is a little ways out of town. They don't do anything organized in boating there. Most everybody go fishing. Smaller older boats, not cruisers.

The docks are older and a little run down, but they work ok for us.
No club house, bulitonboard, etc. We do have a very nice pool through.

We like it there because it is smaller and very quite.

It is a couple of miles up Portage river. If the lake is ruff, we can enjoy a little cruise down the river and back. Just before the lake outlet there is a free set of city docks and a park. We walk the dogs there now and then. Across the street there is a Windy's. We bring lunch back and eat it in the park or on the boat at the docks.

It is a really nice area, very nice people, and not really busy little town.
Sort of a country setting.

Then again, we don't have all the benifits of a big marina, tons of noisy boaters around us or a fancy resturaunt that we have to spend our monthly quota at.

There is good and bad in everything. We like our little setting there.

I thought it would be nice to meet other boaters from marina's around the area and learn more about the cruising points of interest also.

More later,

Lucky Dogs 2 -

 

[Dick Sorensen]

Re: Cruising West Lake Erie in a group . . .

Everything you are searching for and more is available thru your local chapter of the United States Power Squadron. There are chapters in Fostoria, Marion, Port Clinton, Sandusky and Toledo. All of these 'squadrons' have a very active 'group' cruising agenda and are extremely open to welcoming new boaters. Examples of the summer cruising program for our squadron (Columbus) has a Ohio river cruise from Cinncy to Louisville, a 9 day cruise thru the Trent-Severn Waterway in Canada, Labor Day Cruise to Lemington, A cruise to Vermillion, couple of get togethers on central Ohio lakes, etc. All squadron feature along with the actual cruising they have winter educational and social programs. Check out the national site and then contact a group in the area closest to you.....you'll feel right at home. Enjoy.

 

[grunt]

Re: Cruising West Lake Erie in a group . . .

Sounds great to me also, i usually put in at cullen park in toledo ohio, i love runnin around out there.

 

[Lucky Dogs 2]

Re: Cruising West Lake Erie in a group . . .

Thanks for the tip.

One of the couples at our camp ground is a power squardren person.
I'll have to look him up in the spring and ask him some questions about cruising around in a group.

That would be a good bunch to learn about the area from.
They would know all the spots to stay away from.

My wife and I did a 40 mile streach on the Ohio river this last summer.
We towed the small boat down with the motor home and camped at the Merietta fair grounds. Right next to the public ramp, with full hook ups.

We went down river to just before the first lock.
Then we went up river from there, through the first lock, ( willow Lock ), and turned around right before the next lock. That was alot of fun.

I'd love to get the big boat down there and take a couple of days cruising.
Those tugs pushing barges were really impressive.
( 3 barges wide by 5 long ).

Lucky Dogs 2 -