Whaler Central - Boston Whaler Boat Information and Photos

Posted by wjsherid on 04/28/09 - 3:22 PM

All -
Going up to a buddies cottage near South Haven May 16th and am looking for a neat place to go explore for the day. Ideally would drop in and explore, find a restaurant that I can tie up, grab a beer...explore some more...

I am originally from Muskegon, and have recomendations for places there and north...but am somewhat unfamiliar with anything south of Holland.

Thanks,
Bill

Posted by bruser on 04/28/09 - 5:41 PM

Saugatuck would be good spot, run the river from Lake Michigan up to the 196 highway bridge. You can go further up the river (Kalamazoo) but the channel is narrow and shallow. Its a good putt. If the Lake is calm you could go north to Holland 7 miles or south to South Haven 10 miles. In Saugatuck there are quite a few resturants to choose from.. Coral Gables, the Butler to name a couple.
The town is pretty artsy, lot of shops, etc.

Posted by sfergson727 on 05/04/09 - 6:33 PM

If you go to Saugatuck, try the lake perch at Walley's. I've never been disappointed. But Bruser is dead on with his suggestions also.

We might take our whaler up that way sometime in May as well, (we boat out of Michigan City, IN) but I would really like to take mine up to the straights of Mackinac this year.

Posted by sfergson727 on 05/13/09 - 5:20 PM

I have to retract my recomendation for Saugatuck. We struck some submerged pilings this past weekend, causing over $1K of damage to the whaler. Fortunately I was only going at idle speed or else the damage would have been much worse. There were absolutely no visible markers to indicate the hazard to watercraft. If you go to Saugatuck, make absolute certain that you stay in the channel and bring current charts.

On the positive side, Travelers insurance has already cut a check to us, so hopefully my new whaler will be back to new condition shortly. Nothing worse than the sound of metal dragging unseen across the bottom of your boat.

Edited by sfergson727 on 05/13/09 - 5:22 PM

Posted by bruser on 05/13/09 - 6:47 PM

SF727:
sorry to hear about the problem, good you have insurance to cover the damage. Where abouts were the pilings?, river near Lake Mi or farther up into Saugatuck

Posted by wjsherid on 05/14/09 - 10:38 AM

Yes sorry to hear that. The weather is looking a bit ominous for a day trip on Saturday, but we'll see as I am still going up to SW from Chicago Saturday morning. I want to do a photo shoot of my boat to build the ultimate Personal Page :-)

If you could make me aware where that area was, I will definately steer clear.

Posted by Jeff on 05/14/09 - 11:03 AM

There is a group of us getting together on Memorial Weekend in Grand Haven if anyone would like to join. Still unsure if it will be Saturday or Sunday but I will be there Friday - the following Tuesday and on the water as much as possible.

Posted by wjsherid on 05/18/09 - 11:24 AM

Jeff -
I will be in Muskegon all weekend with my Whaler....if Lake Michigan is flat, maybe I'll take a run down to Grand Haven. Besides our whaler, my folks have a larger boat on Muskegon Lake in Bear Lake Channel. Give me a call if you end up in Muskegon.

Posted by Jeff on 05/21/09 - 7:37 AM

Well it looks like I will be launching out of Grand Haven / Harbor Island ramp around 10 - 11 Saturday.

Anyone else, I will be on radio monitoring channel 68 and the name on the boat is "Hells Bells" or, you can call me on my cell at 248 - - 376 - - 5662.

Bill, Where is Bear Lake? Are you talking about Muskegon Lake?

Posted by sfergson727 on 06/08/09 - 8:19 AM

#10

Sorry it took so long to get back to all of you. The area I was in was just east of the 1st bridge over by the Kilwatin museum ship. I suppose the pilings were probably above the water last year, and are just inches under the water now.

After looking at the charts, there are apparently submerged pilings on both sides of the bridge throughout the kalamazoo river, so use extreme caution if you go there.