Lake Michigan Overnight

ric · **Posted:** Tue Jan 21, 2014 9:35 am

Oh, god.. that's horrid I wouldn't sleep in there let alone any woman I care about. Need to recover those cushions and get the bumpers out of there! It's a bedroom not a storage shed.

sjross17 · **Joined:** Wed Sep 11, 2013 1:08 pm **Posts:** 24

Ben,

Thanks. I was looking at that shoreline inn. Looked like it was next to a different marina than the one near dockers right? Any idea if that is within walking distance?

Also, are the transient slips easy to get or do they book up during the summer?

I noticed you guys take lots of trips up the Michigan coast - looks like a blast! Summer can't get here fast enough!!!!

-Scott

sjross17 · **Joined:** Wed Sep 11, 2013 1:08 pm **Posts:** 24

ric wrote:

Oh, god.. that's horrid I wouldn't sleep in there let alone any woman I care about. Need to recover those cushions and get the bumpers out of there! It's a bedroom not a storage shed.

Ric,

LOL, Agreed! You don't like the 1990's flowery print??? The bumpers I pulled out, but the rest remains a dungeon. Can't wait to fix it up!

I found a TV on amazon that looks like it's a low current draw. How long can you run the TV on your battery or do you use a generator?

Bliss36 · **Posted:** Tue Jan 21, 2014 10:06 am

Quote:

Thanks. I was looking at that shoreline inn. Looked like it was next to a different marina than the one near dockers right? Any idea if that is within walking distance?

Scott,

No need to walk when you can pull right up to their courtesy docks in the back pictured here:

Dockers is located in the Harbour Towne marina complex.
http://www.htownemarina.com/
Looks like they have launch ramps and trailer storage available. Cap'n Morgan showed us this place, and hopefully he can add some insight into which marina is better for transients and launching from first hand experience. In the summer most Michigan marina's fill up quickly so it's always a good idea to call ahead and reserve a slip

Ben

ric · **Posted:** Tue Jan 21, 2014 10:10 am

sjross17 wrote:

ric wrote:

Oh, god.. that's horrid I wouldn't sleep in there let alone any woman I care about. Need to recover those cushions and get the bumpers out of there! It's a bedroom not a storage shed.

Ric,

LOL, Agreed! You don't like the 1990's flowery print??? The bumpers I pulled out, but the rest remains a dungeon. Can't wait to fix it up!

I found a TV on amazon that looks like it's a low current draw. How long can you run the TV on your battery or do you use a generator?

I use a 12v TV. It's 24" 1080p and draws 42 watts so 3.5 amps. It currently runs on the dual battery engine bank (factory 12v cigarette outlet) so I can easily run it without worries for around 10 hours before I want to start the engine (70 amp hours of power on that bank). My house bank is 220 amp hours of power (two 240ah 6v golf cart batteries) that runs the 2000w inverter that powers the AC/heat. That will run the air for around 8-10 hours if you're easy on the settings. This spring I'm going to wire in a dual 12v accessory outlet in the cuddy that's powered by the house bank so I can charge cell phones and run the TV without fear of not starting the engine from a dead battery. LED nav lights are also a must if you anchor out, their power draw is nothing compared to standard nav lights with bulbs.

If all else fails, I keep a Honda EU2000i under the sink

As far as "in boat" entertainment goes, pick yourself up a Roku 3, throw your cell phone into wifi tethering mode, and boom... any tv show/movie you wish. I run my TV with a custom made Android device that basically turns my TV into a big tablet and I use a small logitech keyboard/touchpad mouse combo. It's a little flaky, this summer will probably switch out to a Roku. They run of 5v 1.5 amps so basically just any USB cell phone charger works. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meJAYqFanF8

sjross17 · **Joined:** Wed Sep 11, 2013 1:08 pm **Posts:** 24

Quote:

Most Michigan harbor towns have lodging within quick driving distance of the marina's, with an abundance of Bed and Breakfast lodging in most towns if a hotel is too far away. We also really like Whitehall Michigan just north of there, but there are less amenities...it's very peaceful there but doesn't have many hotels that I saw.
Would your wife like something like this? http://whiteswaninn.com/
Here's another possibility with a nearby marina called Ellenwood Landing with a few transient slips http://theweathervaneinn.net/ Marina http://www.ellenwoodlandingmarina.com/marinaSlipSale.htm

I saw that there was a room for sale at the weathervane inn. Have you ever stayed there? Looks nice on their website. I looked at that bed and breakfast too and it looks pretty cool for a night. I'll start sending some of these links to my wife so she can start planning.

Thanks again for your help! It's nice to dream of the sand and water when I'm freezing my a$$ off this winter.

Sweet upgrades on your boat by the way. That plasteak flooring is really cool. I was considering that last year to replace my carpet in the cabin. Does it seem to hold up pretty well?

ric · **Posted:** Tue Jan 21, 2014 3:17 pm

I'm kind of obsessed with my cuddy cabin. I dream about the day I live on a body of water that can support a Vista.

myty16 · **Joined:** Wed May 29, 2013 1:23 pm **Posts:** 7

I live and boat out of Muskegon. Nice area to boat. Summer days the boats fill up the arms on the big lake side and the state park area on the Muskegon lake side. If the big lake cooperates you can cruise to Grand Haven or Whitehall. Dockers is either a boat ride or car ride from the Shoreline inn.

sjross17 · **Joined:** Wed Sep 11, 2013 1:08 pm **Posts:** 24

myty16 wrote:

I live and boat out of Muskegon. Nice area to boat. Summer days the boats fill up the arms on the big lake side and the state park area on the Muskegon lake side. If the big lake cooperates you can cruise to Grand Haven or Whitehall. Dockers is either a boat ride or car ride from the Shoreline inn.

Do you know if the slips at Shorline Inn can be rented for a few days? I didn't see on their website if they can be rented if you stay at the hotel. Looks awesome if we stay there or in harbour town marina. I think I would prefer to be docked right next to the bar though!! :mrgreen:

How long is the boat ride up to Grand Haven or Whitehall?

myty16 · **Joined:** Wed May 29, 2013 1:23 pm **Posts:** 7

Don't know. Pretty sure they have a few transient slips. May want to give them a call. Probably about a half hour or less to Grand Haven or whitehall by boat. Any other questions about the area let me know, I'll do my best to help you out.

aguyindallas · **Posted:** Tue Feb 04, 2014 6:07 pm

I havent been around in a while, but this looks like a great place for me to chime in.

I have spent MANY nights at the slip on our boat and comfort IS the key. My wife would rarely come down and stay overnight with me. Usually, its me, TxVista and a couple others from our dock. One night, I talked her into coming down for the night and she said ONLY if we go out on the lake and stay on the hook, NOT at the slip. I realize that this may not be an ideal situation for you and your setup/wife. The funny thing is that my wife DOES NOT CAMP. Somehow, staying on the hook, she slept better than ever. Me...crappy nights sleep. It was windy and all I could think about was the anchor coming loose and waking up to my boat banging the shore.

Point of it...make it comfortable and have SOMETHING planned to do to pass some time. Watch TV, take along a board game or card game to have fun. Play a drinking game, play something....and have fun.

ric · **Posted:** Tue Feb 04, 2014 6:17 pm

aguyindallas wrote:

all I could think about was the anchor coming loose and waking up to my boat banging the shore

Been there, done that. One of our famous summer Florida thunderstorms hit overnight. Winds of 50+ mph are common. Ripped the anchor loose and the winds pushed us to shore. Luckily here in Florida we just have sandy lakes that are quite shallow near the shore so the outdrive dug in before we hit anything. The biggest anchor fortress sells that fits in my anchor locker is on the list of things to buy this summer.

BoaterDan278 · **Posted:** Tue Feb 04, 2014 8:21 pm

I haven't been around IFourwinns for a while either. I just noticed this thread and also noticed that Ben did a very nice job of providing you with information about Muskegon. Thank you Ben. I live in Muskegon and keep my boat at Hartshorn Municipal Marina. Terrace Point Marina, the Marina adjacent to Shoreline Inn does not rent transient slips. They may still rent slips with a hotel room, but I think the marina is completely full. Harbor Towne Marina historically doesn't have transient slips as they are condominium slips. Great Lakes Marina, which is halfway between Dockers Restaurant (adjacent to Harbor Towne Marina) and The Lake House (adjacent to Terrace Point Marina), does rent slips. They are a nice facility with a pool, decent floating docks and a couple bars and light fare restaurants within walking distance. My marina is a short distance from both restaurants and rents transient slips. We are not as close to any bars or restaurants as Great Lakes Marina, but it is a nice place. I always launch my boat at Fisherman’s Landing which is on the East end of the Lake. ‎Their address is; 538 E Western Ave, Muskegon, MI ‎ phone: (231) 726-6100. I did not notice if anyone mentioned that Muskegon Lake is connected to Bear Lake via a channel. Bear Lake is a good sized Lake nice for tubing or other water sports. The channel is a bit shallow, but would be no problem for you, just stay in the middle. The Bear Lake Tavern is right on the channel and is a very nice place for lunch and/or drinks. If you are seriously coming to Muskegon, let me know. I will tell you about several other attractions on the lake. Dan

sjross17 · **Joined:** Wed Sep 11, 2013 1:08 pm **Posts:** 24

aguyindallas wrote:

I havent been around in a while, but this looks like a great place for me to chime in.

I have spent MANY nights at the slip on our boat and comfort IS the key. My wife would rarely come down and stay overnight with me. Usually, its me, TxVista and a couple others from our dock. One night, I talked her into coming down for the night and she said ONLY if we go out on the lake and stay on the hook, NOT at the slip. I realize that this may not be an ideal situation for you and your setup/wife. The funny thing is that my wife DOES NOT CAMP. Somehow, staying on the hook, she slept better than ever. Me...crappy nights sleep. It was windy and all I could think about was the anchor coming loose and waking up to my boat banging the shore.

Point of it...make it comfortable and have SOMETHING planned to do to pass some time. Watch TV, take along a board game or card game to have fun. Play a drinking game, play something....and have fun.

Thanks for the advice! The cabin is in for a major overhaul this spring! I'll try to do some before and after shots. More than likely she would feel much more comfortable staying at the slip - but just in case I was looking for a marina close to a hotel. We both like to party it up a little :mrgreen:

- but it's been difficult this past year with a newborn. When we plan to make a couple weekend getaways this summer, baby will be with grandma and we will be looking for some rest & relaxation.

sjross17 · **Joined:** Wed Sep 11, 2013 1:08 pm **Posts:** 24

maryannII wrote:

I haven't been around IFourwinns for a while either. I just noticed this thread and also noticed that Ben did a very nice job of providing you with information about Muskegon. Thank you Ben. I live in Muskegon and keep my boat at Hartshorn Municipal Marina. Terrace Point Marina, the Marina adjacent to Shoreline Inn does not rent transient slips. They may still rent slips with a hotel room, but I think the marina is completely full. Harbor Towne Marina historically doesn't have transient slips as they are condominium slips. Great Lakes Marina, which is halfway between Dockers Restaurant (adjacent to Harbor Towne Marina) and The Lake House (adjacent to Terrace Point Marina), does rent slips. They are a nice facility with a pool, decent floating docks and a couple bars and light fare restaurants within walking distance. My marina is a short distance from both restaurants and rents transient slips. We are not as close to any bars or restaurants as Great Lakes Marina, but it is a nice place. I always launch my boat at Fisherman’s Landing which is on the East end of the Lake. ‎Their address is; 538 E Western Ave, Muskegon, MI ‎ phone: (231) 726-6100. I did not notice if anyone mentioned that Muskegon Lake is connected to Bear Lake via a channel. Bear Lake is a good sized Lake nice for tubing or other water sports. The channel is a bit shallow, but would be no problem for you, just stay in the middle. The Bear Lake Tavern is right on the channel and is a very nice place for lunch and/or drinks. If you are seriously coming to Muskegon, let me know. I will tell you about several other attractions on the lake. Dan

MaryannII - Thank you very much for the info! I really appreciate it. We are definitely planning on making the trip to Muskegon this summer (hopefully a few times). I will call the marina's before we plan to make the trip just to make sure they have slips available. Great Lakes Marina sounds good - I will check it out. I'll let ya know when we are making the trip and ask about the other attractions. More than likely, we will be laying in the sun, having a few drinks and exploring. I am dying for summer to get here!! This weather is killing me!

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Lake Michigan Overnight

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