Western Islands of Lake Erie Summer 2021

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pitchpolehobie
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Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
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Western Islands of Lake Erie Summer 2021

Post by pitchpolehobie »

Anyone sail western Islands of Lake Erie? Planning a weeklong trip out. Interested in where to launch in the Sandusky area and then what are good spots in the Islands to dock / anchor. Thinking about 6 nights and a mix of anchoring / docking / mooring.

I know of mooring & docking @ PIB.
Middle Bass I think has a marina?
Kelleys Island has a few marinas - which one to use, which has good showers?
Putinbay has mooring and docking?

any other island worth checking out? We're pending a trip into Canada if we can handle it logistically and weather permits. Open to ideas & suggestions.
2002 MacGregor 26X: Remedium
Tohatsu 25HP
Cruising Area: Inland Ohio, Lake Erie
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Starscream
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Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: Montreal, Quebec. 2002 26X - Suzi DF90A

Re: Western Islands of Lake Erie Summer 2021

Post by Starscream »

Can't help with Lake Erie. Our stomping grounds are the St. Lawrence River from Kingston to Montreal, and Lake Champlain . If you're ever around those areas, let me know and I can recommend a bunch of things for you.

The 1000 Island region of the St. Lawrence, between Kingston and Brockville is just amazing, full of things to do and see. If you have the US equivalent of the CBP Roam app, which allows us to cross the border without checking in to a physical location, then it becomes easy to back-and-forth to both sides of the river.
svscott
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Re: Western Islands of Lake Erie Summer 2021

Post by svscott »

I'm interested in responses about this also. I am based out of Erie, PA and have sailed thousands of miles around Presque Isle Bay and within a 50 mile radius North to Canada and East into NY from here but I'd like to venture out and explore other locations.

My son just turned 9 and hasn't been to any big amusement parks yet so I think sailing ~150 miles to Cedar Point would be awesome. Driving or trailering to Sandusky only takes a few hours of easy driving across I-90 but the adventure loving side of me wants to go via boat... sail to Ashtabula, OH on day 1 then Cleveland on day 2 and Sandusky on day 3. I imagine seeing the skyline of Cleveland and then the roller coasters in Sandusky come into view and get bigger and bigger as we approach would be very exciting from the boat.
1987 26D - Three Hour Tour; 1998 26X - to be named
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NiceAft
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Re: Western Islands of Lake Erie Summer 2021

Post by NiceAft »

starscream wrote:
If you have the US equivalent of the CBP Roam app, which allows us to cross the border without checking in to a physical location, then it becomes easy to back-and-forth to both sides of the river.
I don’t believe that’s true during the pandemic. Maybe I’m wrong?


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ris
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Re: Western Islands of Lake Erie Summer 2021

Post by ris »

Middle Bass Island has a state park marina with about 150 slips. We were there in 2019 after September 4 and there were only 10 boats in the marina. After Labor Day everyone quits boating. You can catch ferry rides to the other islands. We only spent 2 nights on the island.
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pitchpolehobie
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Re: Western Islands of Lake Erie Summer 2021

Post by pitchpolehobie »

svscott wrote: Sat Jan 23, 2021 11:11 am I'm interested in responses about this also. I am based out of Erie, PA and have sailed thousands of miles around Presque Isle Bay and within a 50 mile radius North to Canada and East into NY from here but I'd like to venture out and explore other locations.

My son just turned 9 and hasn't been to any big amusement parks yet so I think sailing ~150 miles to Cedar Point would be awesome. Driving or trailering to Sandusky only takes a few hours of easy driving across I-90 but the adventure loving side of me wants to go via boat... sail to Ashtabula, OH on day 1 then Cleveland on day 2 and Sandusky on day 3. I imagine seeing the skyline of Cleveland and then the roller coasters in Sandusky come into view and get bigger and bigger as we approach would be very exciting from the boat.
Fantastic, I'd love to sail up in the Presque Isle area. Ive spent a weekend up in Erie over the summer and had a blast - I think the main street was shut down for a concert & had some good food @ "Squid row"? I spent a lot of time in the Youngstown area so its not too far away. How does the 26x handle on Lake erie?
2002 MacGregor 26X: Remedium
Tohatsu 25HP
Cruising Area: Inland Ohio, Lake Erie
svscott
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Posts: 269
Joined: Fri Aug 12, 2016 8:35 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26D
Location: Erie PA

Re: Western Islands of Lake Erie Summer 2021

Post by svscott »

pitchpolehobie wrote: Sun Feb 21, 2021 4:14 pm

Fantastic, I'd love to sail up in the Presque Isle area. Ive spent a weekend up in Erie over the summer and had a blast - I think the main street was shut down for a concert & had some good food @ "Squid row"? I spent a lot of time in the Youngstown area so its not too far away. How does the 26x handle on Lake erie?
You must have been here for either Celebrate Erie or the Roar on the Shore Motorcycle Rally - probably Celebrate Erie because the whole of downtown Erie would be filled with motorcycles and leather clad motorcycle enthusiasts (myself included!). The "Squid Row" restaurant/bar that you're referring to is officially named Calamari's but it's only one of many worthwhile places to eat/drink in downtown Erie.

I've only put a handful of miles on the X so far and I don't have a firm grasp on its abilities yet but my 26D has acceptably handled everything I've subjected it to and she's never let me down. I always keep an eye on the forecast and don't go out when wind is more than about 25 mph. I stay out of the lake and only sail on the bay when wind is over 18 to 20 mph. The Lake can be quite dangerous when weather kicks up so be wise and choose the proper weather window and the sailing can be superb.

Presque Isle Bay is great for day sailing and hosts sailboat races on Wednesday nights and Sundays. I haven't raced my boat yet, but it interests me and it's always fun to be out sailing when the racing fleet is out there. The bay is great to day sail on but you do need to pay attention to your charts because there are a couple inconspicuous shallow areas that aren't too friendly on the daggerboard's fiberglass! The Lake needs to be respected, but shouldn't be feared...in fact last August a buddy who I met on a Macgregor FB group (he actually accompanied me in the trip to Long Island, NYC to retrieve my 26X last September) sailed his older 15' Venture beach cat about 50 miles from Dunkirk, NY to Erie and met up with my family and I who were anchored and swimming at the beach right outside the channel to the bay. The catamaran didn't have an engine so we side tied his boat to the 26D and towed him through the channel and into the bay then untied the boats at a nearby marina where he had a hotel booked two minutes walk from his Venture.
Here are a couple pics of his catamaran and Three Hour Tour.

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1987 26D - Three Hour Tour; 1998 26X - to be named
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