www.iFourWinns.com

Talk about a great trip!

I first want to thank Don Chambers for putting this on, as well as the guys at Team Crownline. There were 80 boats in participation this year. Hats off to Woggy718 for giving us a full loop cruise, and guiding us on the way back.

The weather wasn't the greatest. The forecast for the Chicago area on Saturday was 84 and sunny, and it turned out to be far from it. The NWS had put out a small craft advisory on Lake Michigan. It ended up being a cold, stormy day overall, but we still had a GREAT time!

Our day Saturday started out with some great room service Saturday morning.



I should have gotten a picture of Devin's face when he saw all that food!

It took quite a while to launch 80 boats at the Worth, IL ramp.





But we still made the best of it,





Here's Woggy's 248



Thankfully we both have full camper canvas, unlike this guy in a Baja we caught waiting for the ride to start, with an umbrella!



We started out on the Cal Sag channel, and then up the Chicago Ship & Sanitary Canal.







About 45 minutes or so into the ride, we caught our first glimpse of the Sears Tower. Note the overcast skies



We passed by a rowing team,



and here is where Devin said Kung-Fu Panda lives....

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2007 358 T-5.7GXi IB
Previous Boats
'08 H240, '08 V318, '04 268, '04 225

This, is what boating, is all about...







It was nice to see all the flags out...



Right before we entered the Chicago River Lock to head to Lake Michigan, we had to pass under a firehose shooting out a TON of water!





Not all the boats locked through and went out onto the Lake. I was in the first group that did, with about 25 boats or so. There was still a small craft advisory out on the lake, with 2-4 ft chop.

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2007 358 T-5.7GXi IB
Previous Boats
'08 H240, '08 V318, '04 268, '04 225

We were right at the front of the lock, and the first boat out when the dockmaster let us out.







Downtown Chicago in my wake...



Buckingham Fountain from a distance. Every time I've taken my wife by there in the car, it was either in the dead of winter, or they were making repairs. I'm very happy she was finally able to see it.



Look at the storm clouds rolling in...



We even saw Somali Pirates, at the Field Museum!!



Some ducks, right off Woggys swim platform, next to our boat. I sure wish we had water this clean in Central Indiana!



There were about 20 or so boats docked up with us in the harbor having lunch. We were the last boats there, everyone else tried to beat the storm and headed back down the Chicago River.

_________________
2007 358 T-5.7GXi IB
Previous Boats
'08 H240, '08 V318, '04 268, '04 225

Looks like a good time was had by all.

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One of 4 Previous (Sold) Boats:
2000 Four Winns 268 Vista

Current Boat: 2004 Chaparral 235 ssi cuddy

Here's a nice shot of Woggy and I docked for lunch, right before we left.



The lake seemed to calm down after the front passed by, and it cooled off by about 20 degrees. We were only going to be on the lake for 13 miles, headed to the Calumet River.

Here's us leaving downtown behind.



Not more than 5 minutes after that picture was taken, you couldn't see downtown. The entire lakefront was blanketed in a thick fog.

Devin was exhausted though, and not even the driving rain or the pounding waves would keep him awake.



Here's the southern most water intake crib we passed,



And you can barely make out Woggy's 248 ahead of me, making our way through the storm.



The rain pounding the lake...



And we finally made it to the Calumet River,



No one told me we'd be passing South Beach!



I think someone had fun! (You can barely make out Woggy if you look out my back window)



Here's what the temperature was when we got back to the ramp....84 and sunny huh!



All and all a great cruise, and a great day. This will definatly be remembered for years to come! We plan on doing it next year, and would love to get together with a smaller group of boats to try this summer when its warm out!

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2007 358 T-5.7GXi IB
Previous Boats
'08 H240, '08 V318, '04 268, '04 225

Looks like a blast. Great pics and thanks for sharing.

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Current Boat: 2000 Four Winns 298 Vista
Previous Boat: 2000 Carver 406MY

Wow, what a trip! It looked fantastic from all the pics!

Thanks for sharing!!

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Jon & Rhonda

'88 235 Sundowner
5.7L OMC Cobra
'01 F150 4.2L

Didn't realize the loop cruise was this weekend or would have tried to go.

WOW!!!!

What a fantastic trip, rain or shine. You just cant beat a good family/friends trip like that.

Lucky dogs!!!

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Current Boat:
2004 Sea Ray 320 Sundancer "Nauti Luvin'"

Previous Boats:
1999 298 Vista "Seas The Day"
2008 H200SS "Nauti Luv"
2006 Tahoe Q4

Very Cool. Thanks for sharing!!!!

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Todd
1988 Four Winns Horizon 200
AKA "Summer School"

Thanks for posting this and I love the pictures. I really would like to make that trip sometime but have never boated on the Chicago river or Lake Michigan. My wife and I both agree it is something we would like to try but I would have a lot of questions. Keep us posted if there is a trip put together later in the summer.

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2008 Vista 278 Volvo Penta 8.1 Gi 375 hp
1999 Horizon 220 5.7 GSi

Flyer51--Where are you from?

Capn Kevin--I had so much going on these past few weeks at work, I should have sent you and Jim R a PM. I would like to do this later this year, when its warmer out and less debris floating in the water.

I started this with a full tank, and topped it off when I got back home. I used just under 24 gallons to go about 70 miles, so about 2.92MPG. Not to bad.

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2007 358 T-5.7GXi IB
Previous Boats
'08 H240, '08 V318, '04 268, '04 225

I'm in central Illinois and boat on Lake Shelbyville. We are in downtown Chicago 4 or 5 times a year and in fact just got back from a conference there on the 17th. I would love to do the cruise but worry about things like towing into Chicago with a 28 ft cruiser. I looked on the map where you launched and it looked like it wouldn't be too much trouble. I'm guessing it would be about a 2 1/2 hour tow for me. Definitely keep me in mind if you try to put another one together. I would like to cruise the river and perhaps stay the night in the harbor or on the hook weather permitting.

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2008 Vista 278 Volvo Penta 8.1 Gi 375 hp
1999 Horizon 220 5.7 GSi

It looks like there were 5 Four Winns boats registered, did the other 3 make it ?

http://www.chicagoloopcruise.com/index. ... ndees.html

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One of 4 Previous (Sold) Boats:
2000 Four Winns 268 Vista

Current Boat: 2004 Chaparral 235 ssi cuddy

Both the 220SS and the 245 Sundowner were on the ride, I did not get a chance to meet up with them. The SL boat was a 242, and Jerry didn't launch it. He rode on the dealerships Baja.

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2007 358 T-5.7GXi IB
Previous Boats
'08 H240, '08 V318, '04 268, '04 225