I am available for deliveries, also known as on-water relocation, from Spring through Fall – weather permitting. I am very familiar with the waters surrounding the State of Michigan and beyond and regularly run boats across to Chicago and Milwaukee. I have experience with boats up to 150 feet in length and can help you get your vessel to its new home.
To find your trip distance, you can use Google Maps to get a rough estimate. please estimate HIGH, especially when estimating a trip to the East Coast to account for Mohawk and Hudson river bends. You can also use WaterwayGuide.com to find distances between ports.
I am also very aware of Lake Michigan’s dangerous temper. I know how quickly she can change from nice to naughty and that she holds more sunken ships per square mile than anywhere else in the world. Lake Michigan is unpredictable. And if you don’t show her the respect she deserves, she’ll be happy to teach you a lesson in boating safety.
On a trip from Michigan City to Ludington, I rode next to the boat’s new owner as he drove north. We had great weather and he seemed to be a fairly experienced skipper so when we got to Holland I asked if he wanted to let me off and continue without me. I thought he might be interested in saving the money for my time. He said “Nope.”
I told him I was perfectly happy to go along for the ride, but that he seemed to be a capable Captain. His answer caught me off-guard, but it also made perfect sense. He said, “You’re here in case something goes wrong.”
It’s wise to have a first mate on any trip since a health issue or fall could leave the boat adrift with an unconscious passenger. However, if you are not experienced with Lake Michigan’s open water, crossing it is not something to take lightly. There are a million things that can go wrong while underway, and the weather is just one of them.
Here are some of the boats I have run on Lake Michigan in the last 20 years, and some of the trips I have taken. The photos in the Vessels I’ve Run gallery may not be the exact boat since there have been cases where I did not have time to get a picture. However, the vessels in these images are the exact make, model, and length as the boat I ran for a client.
Enjoy!
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