PARADOX

+1
I been out at NJ with some bad a$$ seas, Hawai in big swells, on the Med. all over Florida, with 7-8 footers but the only place I had white knockles was on that "little lake" called Michigan.

PARADOX

Just saw that, and I thing that's inside the brake water at Navy Pier, (but I could be wrong of the location, but it is inside of "something" )

http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/g...0-footers.html

Sideskraft

I should have pics posted by the weekend. I'm detailing things right now. I need to replace the oil pressure gauge (Medallion black/orange in the square bezel), so if anyone has an idea where I can find one (1984 Formula), or where I should post, please let me know!

REDS32

Bought my boat up there ran it up there twice . Ran up there a couple times with friends I thought it was like a dream. Guess I had great weather . My worst run was from haulover to bimini . I prayed to god more than once that day . I know no one will admitt it but you get more flat days on a lake than your going to get offshore that's why I think you need more boat in the ocean. I've seen pictures where lakes can kick up and kill you quick but the ocean is wicked out of no where it can hit and just swallow you up. Again my experience with lake boating was great . I just think for day to day the oceans rougher.
My opinion only

CC&H2O

Found this thread with a search, and read it all as it is of interest to me, shopping for a new boat along the original posters lines.

Sideskraft - good luck with the new boat.

We just sold a boat, '07 Trophy 2502 which has quite the bow flare as well as rides high in the water. We've had it in S. Haven / on Michigan in 5+ seas, lake can be downright unfriendly. Boat went fine, but loosing the horizon in the swells gives you an idea of the wave height Mich can produce, south as well as north. We were in Boyne on Lk CHX last Labor Day wknd with Gale warnings up and winds hitting 60+. Poking at fast idle to a protected harbor to pull the boat (weather predicted to hold for several more days) I had waves breaking over the boat. With full cockpit canvas up I was getting soaked, while my nervous wife with chase vehicle watched from shore as I disappeared from site between swells.

Yes, they call them lakes, but don't let that fool you, as someone stated above they're inland seas - without the salt. The swells on them seem sharper and closer together than "open water", having sailed off Maine and VA.

Lot of good info here folks, thanks to the OP for starting and those that provided input, I'll keep it in mind as the search goes on.


B

Sideskraft

If all goes as planned, me and the wife should be on the water (Port Sheldon/Grand Haven area) tomorrow morning. The last thing I've got to do is apply the MC numbers on each side. With 5 mph winds forecasted, I don't expect any big waves, so Lake MI should be cool, calm and collected. She's never been on the Great Lakes, but I have the feeling she's gonna enjoy it (I can't imagine any Formula NOT liking it). If any of you will be out there, look for the popular red/white/black/grey (popular Formula color scheme) F3-LS with very low tinted windshield. I would attach some pics that the previous owner took, but I can't see how to add an attachment from my documents (only gives an option to attach a URL image or link).

jbraun2828

I just got off the lake a couple hours ago and it was not calm. Was getting worse on the way back to grand haven. We all got pretty wet, was fun though. Hopefully is lays down a little for your maiden voyage. Good luck.

86242ls

iTrader: (4)

I have the gauge you are talking about, mine worked fine when I upgraded to new ones. Pm me your email and I can send you a picture of it. let me know if you need any other gauges? or parts for that matter.

SHAWNA

Hey Sideskraft,
Hope you had a great first experience on the big lake. I would have liked to come out and meet you Saturday, but I hauled the Pantera up to our little place in Whitehall for the weekend and took a spin down to Muskegon Friday. It was a frikin' gorgeous day. I find that the best boating days are usually work days! Looking forward to crossing paths eventually. Look for the green eyes.

Shawn Arnold

Sideskraft

What a great day to be on Lake MI! Everything went well with the boat, and for a 21 footer, the old Formula did a great job with the heavy seas. Going into the wind I kept her around 1500 RPM and we had a nice cool shower in a few of the big swells that sucked us down. Going back with the wind I got her up on plane and ran around 3000 RPM and she handled great. One time we hit a wave just right (or wife thought wrong) and we got some air. She screamed in fear but the F3 didn't skip a beat. I did see what looked like a 26ft Baja Sport and a 29 Powerquest running together getting major air as they went into the wind -- very cool. I don't know how big the waves were in the mid-afternoon, but the winds were really howling from the northwest and there were whitecaps everywhere. It's a neat feeling to put along and you get the sensation that you're being swallowed up inside some big swells, but you pop right out with the nose to the sky and realize that this is what these boats were made for. I think that some good trim tabs will be on my list of must haves for next season, to keep that knife leading edge cutting the waves in these bigger seas. I was heading back in at the Pigeon Lake pier and the wife said "let's go out for five more minutes" (in the waves), so I gladly turned around and we got to enjoy the wonderful Lake MI swells again. I took a bunch of pics (including wave action in open water) but it appears that the moderator has disabled pic attachments in my account. How do I enable the pic attachment feature?