Boat Storage - Lake Michigan

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I am looking to purchase a vessel in the Chicago area, but will only be using it for about a month or two for the next 18 months. I am looking for a secure but inexpensive place to store it anywhere on Lake Michigan (beginning in the spring of 2019). Any ideas?

Kind regards

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[O C Diver]

You might want to add some more details to help refine what you're looking for.
Power or sail
Catamaran or monohull
Size (length)
Outside storage or inside storage

Ted

 

[Donsan]

First, welcome to TF.

You have quite a few options but doubt if any of them are inexpensive. If you really care care about the boat, recommend storing it in heated winter storage. We kept our boat at Onekama Marine in Michigan. Beautiful place but kind of in the boonies and we like boonies. Some of the more popular spots include Muskegon, Charlevoix and Manitowac WI. You need to be a little more specific as to what you looking for.

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings eh?
Welcome aboard boyo. Yup. As Mr. OC said, we need more information AND pictures please. I'm assuming you will eventually import your vessel to Canada and thence to "The Rock" so perhaps starting your voyage in the Spring of 2019 and moving her closer to home might be in order.


It is very roughly 400 miles from Chicago to the top of Lake Michigan (Mackinac Island). Maybe 60hrs run time @ 7 knots.



As Mr. D noted, your options will not be inexpensive but I'm fairly sure you would be able to find heated storage (good idea!) almost anywhere along or beyond Lake Michigan.

 

[Gmarr]

When do you want storage to start/end? About where? Heated/unheated?

If you are buying it already in storage and you have to take delivery in the spring- you could probably work a sweet deal to leave it where it’s at if you aren’t putting her in the water.

If you want to drop her in the water and use her but traveling to do so, you may wish to consider where you will Access from so it’s not a chore. I think we need more info to best help you. I live in chicago and used to dock in Racine Wisconsin which is about 20% -30% less than chicago- but the commute was a bitch...so I’m paying more to have her 10 minutes away.

 

[Rufus]

In addition to those already mentioned....Wisconsin: Racine, Sturgeon Bay. Michigan: Northport, Charlevoix . There's also a storage facility at Saint Joseph's Island at the far NW corner of Lake Huron....west end of the North channel....some very nice boating in that area.

 

[Comodave]

There is nothing wrong with unheated storage, we store our boat inside in unheated storage. We winterize it and no problems. There isn’t any heated storage near us but we have inside unheated storage one mile from our home. It makes it very easy to work on the boat through the winter.

 

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Thanks to all of you for your response, lots of good information to chew on. Greatly appreciated indeed.

Cheers

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