harbors and beaches at Benton Harbor and South Haven, MI

I intend to get my Hobie 16 into Lake Michigan near Benton Harbor and South Haven, MI. First: any harbor hints would be helpful. Second: can I leave the cat on the beach overnight?
Thanks

I had similar intentions with my H14 when moving to the South Haven area. The only spot setup for Hobie sailing seesm to be Weko beach in Bridgeman. There you can launch directly into the lake, but you are not allowed to leave the boat there. This is over an hour for be pulling a trailer.

It is even worse in South Haven. I looked into the beach rules and the only way you can leave a boat on the beach over night is during a city sanctioned regatta. On top of the that the launch into the river is on the bad side of the draw bridge. Every day I think about tying to tack up that river, but I just think it is unrealistic.

Check out "Sec. 58-88" in this link:

http://www.south-haven.com/csh%20folder ... r%2058.htm

I have been considering petitioning the city to have a Hobie regatta from June to September. I suspect that will not work.

The lake is so close but so far away.

I spent a week camping and sailing out of Weko Beach last summer with my two kids and they allow me to leave my H21 SE on the beach all week long as long as I was camping too.They did ask me to leave my trailer at my camp site.Park your boat next to the property marker of Warren Dunes State Park,but stay on the Weko Beach property.Watch out for the trees by the entrance of the launch lane.The management and park people were very understanding and polite.The camp sites were nice too.I hope to return there this summer.Watch out for the weird local man-bitch...don't let him give you advise....
Bill 404 21SE

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Bill 404 21SE

Not ideal, as you will have to pay $$$, but in this economic climate, you might want to suggest the St. Joseph City Government look at Glencoe & Wilmette, IL - about 100 Hobies (and hundreds more kayaks/Lasers/Windsurfers) are kept on the beach in Wilmette and about 50 in Glencoe - at many hundreds of $$$ each. If good fun hasn't gotten you anywhere, maybe creating a new revenue source for the city will....
That Beach in St. Joseph is one of the prettiest I have ever seen on Lake Michigan. It is a terrible shame to let it go to waste.

I think my first post about Weko came off a little harsh. Weko beach is great and we are lucky to have ONE beach that understands what small catamaran sailors need. The camp ground looks very nice, but I never stayed there.

One other big plus -- PWCs are not allowed. No worries about a swarm of those all over the beach. I just wish I had something closer.

RKC: Do you have any contacts from Glencoe & Wilmette, IL? I would like to present something to the City/Harbor master here in South Haven, but I suspect they will ignore a "nobody" who just shows up at the door without any details. I would like to know how much they make in Illinois at those beaches and what other things would be considered, such as insurance or other considerations.

I don't have any specific info, but the people who work down at the Wilmette beach have been very open and helpful. The entire operation is run from the Park District. They also have rentals for people w/o boats - which might be something for MI cities to think about (it's how I started before I got the Getaway). I'm not a Wilmette resident, and so my fees are higher - about $700-$800/year (plus about $200 for winter storage - which saves me the cost of a trailer/hitch). I think residents pay about $500 - and about half that for Lasers/Sunfish/Kayaks/Windsurfers. I wish I had the exact fees, but my paperwork is at home and I can't find the info on the net...

Here is the Wilmette contact info:

Wilmette Sailing Beach
Gillson Sailing
Lake Avenue at Lake Michigan

General Information (Lakeview Center):
847-256-9656

During Sailing Season:
847-256-9662

Lakefront Manager:
Holly Specht, CPRP

Assistant Lakefront Manager:
Tim Amorella

Muskegon MI has an area that allows beach cat parking. It is on two areas of public beach, muskegon lake or inside the breakwall on lake MI (where CRAM has a regatta). Last year I counted close to 20 cats lined up along the posts and locked down. They would be another "city" taking in some revenue on a what is mostly an un-used corner of beach. You must have sitcker on the boat or they will impound it costing big $$ to get it back.

I know of no overnight beach cat parking from Muskegon south to Weko.

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1989 Hobie 18 Worlds Boat, Magnum Wings & Spinnaker
1987 Hobie Holder 20 #273

dale.vanlopik"at"att"dot"net

I like your post, It is very helpful and interesting for every one. I want to add one of my thoughts about it, according to me i think that They had asked me to leave my trailer in my camp site.Park your boat next to Warren Dunes National Park, the property markers, but remain in the Weko Beach property.

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Property Management

Thanks for sharing some info. I think we must visit this Wilmette Sailing Beach in Michigan. My friend there told me that it's a must see place especially for those who love kayaks and windsurfers.

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Bob Morton
numerology chart book reader

That's a great part of lake Mich. As a property owner there, I know of no other puplic launches then the st,Joe river and black river. You might check into Van Buren state park. That's just south of south Haven. I know there's no ramp but they might allow beach access. It would be a good destation as they do allow camping. Hope this helps. I plan to return my new aquired 18 to the beach after a winter rebuild.

KDJ

Hi KDJ,
thanks for the info. Where will you be rebuilding your Hobie 18?
I could use some tips on re-finishing my pontoons.

Swell Gal

wow this is the best post i have seen yet .
i was starting to think that all Hobie's in this area were dead. i live on the lake between the two st joe and south haven and sail out on the lake almost all the time but never see any Hobie's out .i agree that we should have a regatta on lake Michigan st joe or south haven i would help some one set it up. the only place to race that i know of is in Kalamazoo at Austin lake you can race there every week in the summer on tues day night .their are people of all skill levels . they will have there regatta early in the season and it will be two days. you will see 16 17 18 and tigers on austin lake and there is a nice place to put the boat in.

c caliban, I'm down by Hager shore road. I just moved up to a hobie from a lazer. So I have a learning curve. Curently have refinnishing it in INDY and will take it out here first, before moving back to the big lake. Hope to see some sails next year.

Hey,KDJ
Since your boat is in Indy, bring that Hobie down to Lake Monroe this fall and I will bring one of my Hobie's too for a fun weekend of sailing.Or let's plan a trip to Weko Beach next spring?
Bill 404 21SE

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Bill 404 21SE

I live on the fire drives just north of hager shore road . Last month I took my tiger down to south haven so south haven harbor can be navigated . I went flying down the channel with spinneker flying once I got down to the bridge I went head to wind and parked and watchedfor the bridge took the boat out at jb landing.