Grand Traverse Bay

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LakeHouse4305

New member
We are still looking to buy a C Dory but in the meantime have been bareboat chartering. Last summer it was out of Vancouver in a Ranger 27 and before that from Sydney, BC in a Carver 43. There doesn't seem to be a lot available here in the Midwest except for a company in Traverse City that offers a Mainship 30 and CHB 35. However, I believe the cruising area is limited to the Bay.

So my questions are: is it worth it to cruise the Bay - - seems a bit tame after the Gulf Islands but it's close. Secondly, are there any bareboat charterers that I am missing? The only other one I have seen is up in Gore Bay with two PDQ 34's. That would certainly be a nice area but it is much further for us. Thanks.
 
The marina on Madeline Island in the Apostles use to charter out some vessels in the 32' range, I think. Don't know if they still do though. BTW, which Bay are you talking about? I enjoy cruising around Door County on the Green Bay side, however there are some nice places along Lake Michigan as well. (From Algoma down to Chicago.) Fun times going up or down the Mississippi River as well. All kinds of smaller lakes that our C-Dorys can fit on as well in Northern Wisconsin. A little farther away, but within a Day's (400-600 miles) drive from Madison, Lake Kentucky, Lake of the Ozarks, Lake Cumberland, Dale Hollow, Tablerock, Mark Twain Lake, just to name a few. House boats can be rented along the Mississippi, or any of those other lakes I just mentioned. Colby
 
I live here and there are dozens of destinations for a charter from Harbor West
area just outside Traverse City including the Bay, south to Frankfort and north in
Lake Michigan to Charlevoix, Beaver Island, Mackinaw and to Drummond Island
plus what's in between.

The question is do you qualify and how much time do you have?

Check it out here
http://www.greatlakessailingco.com/grea ... -charters/

Aye.
 
Thanks for the link to Great Lakes Sailing Co.; I had missed them in my search. As to time and qualifications - - well us retired folks have unlimited time and I guess with ASA 103/104/105 we could take one of their sailboats and as graduates of the Chapman School of Seamanship their Sabre 36 is smaller than we are used to but looks pretty nice.
 
No need to impress me w/credentials. Great Lakes Sailing Co has forms to
put your past impressive stuff on. They also have you 'onboard' demo your
skills, get a hefty deposit from your wallet before setting you free with one
of their bareboat charter fleet. In case you don't 'measure up', you get the added
daily fee for hiring your own Captain. If you're the 'real deal', you'll be fine and
have a great time on Lake Michigan (Lake of a thousand moods).

Good luck, have fun, spend lots, don't miss Leland (world's best fish chowder and
fresh whitefish is at "The Cove") on the west coast of Leelanau County and
remember the water is sparkling clear, inviting but doesn't warm up until Fall.

Oh, don't spend too much time on your first trip. You won't want to go home.

Aye.
 
Check out the "destinations" tab on the greatlakessailing link Foggy posted. It's a pretty decent guide to whats around.

We've cruised GTB in our Precision 18 twice a year for the past six. We think it's a great area. Just picked up a CD22 with the intent to expand our limits. Now looking forward to points outside the bay.

As for the North Channel, Canadian Yacht Charters out of Gore Bay has a lot more than PDQ 34's. You see their boats all over up there. And yes, it is "a nice area".
 
Lakehouse,
I think that GTB and the North Channel are very different from each other. I only know GTB from the shore. The North Channel I have cruised in the remote past [60's-70's], and we have had a cottage in southern Georgian Bay [30.000 islands] since '73. Same topography, same Laurentian shield granite. North Channel cruising is mostly anchoring, tying up to the shore, and being without a lot of creature comforts. To be sure, there are towns [Gore Bay, Little current, Killarney] and lodges available, but most people cruise up there to commune with nature, not with a lot of people.
You can get a literal picture of the place, I imagine, by googling North Channel cruising. Last publication I recall with a spread on it was Boat US a couple of years ago. Reviewers usually identify the North Channel as one of the world's premier cruising grounds.
Take your pick, you cannot go wrong!
andy
 
Agree w/Andrew. While we have sandy beaches, bluffs and more marinas near
quaint towns, North Channel and Georgian Bay have uninhabited islands (30K to
our inhabited dozen or so), rocks, boulders and widespread wilderness.

There seem to be an infinite number of coves and remote anchorages Ideal for
shoal draft C-Dorys and kayaking in those northern Canadian waters. It's
definitely world class cruising grounds highly touted and recommended. Just
make sure you have updated chart plotter cartography and GPS. Cruisers with
any serious medical problems should realize this is a remote wilderness for the
most part.

Aye.
 
Ok guys, you've convinced me! We'll drive further but go out of Gore Bay and do the North Channel. We rented a house in Parry Sound a few years ago and really enjoyed the area but didn't get a chance to go to Manitoulin Island and explore there. As a bonus the strong $ will go that much further (except for fuel!). Maybe next year we will do GTB. Thanks for all of the input!!
 
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