So I just accepted an offer in Chicago and will be starting in the city in March. Now, what to do with the boat? Can anybody tell me what the boating scene is like in Chicago, how expensive it is to own a boat there, how often can you boat in the city on the big lake given the weather?

I have a 25' Active Thunder and have been boating in Lake St. Clair for the past 3 years.

To take it with me or sell it?

Take it with. We are across from Chicago and started out with a 25' Checkmate and took it across to Chicago several times. Besides it is an A/T!

Take it with.

What part of the city you moving to. North or South?

I had a Tantrum for two years. Most of us go to Indiana to do our boating. Chicago is very anti boater. I visit only a couple times a year. The water is almost always worse downtown. There isn`t a single place you can get off the boat and make your way to the beach. I got kicked off 6 beaches in one day.. one place even called the cops, somehow people think they own the lake front.. long story. Also no restaurants or bars accessible by boat.

You`re gonna get beat up in a 25' boat downtown. Indiana with a south wind is much better but its hardly ever flat.

My 2nd boat was a 33Outlaw and the ride was 100x better. The A.T. is not a Lake Michigan boat imop. It would hit so hard I thought it was going to break in two.. plus I went thru drives like it was going out of business.
Most of the time you`ll be trying to figure out how to keep it in the water:





This is the playpen: its mostly protected by breakwalls but again deep and no getting off the boat and to a beach. so if you have kids that don`t go over too well. if you don`t its a nice place to get your drink on.





BTW everything in $hitcago is expensive. launching, getting a slip for the night, parking, etc.
Its run by Democrats so they rape the people and come up with new ways to tax people everyday.

I agree with most of above but here are a few options to avoid high costs: one is launching at one of the launches downtown and day boating. Last time I launched I think it was $20 or $200 for a season pass. It is, however, imperative to get there early before the lot fills up. Overnight parking for truck and trailer is not allowed, so the only option is to take your rig to the Marshalling lot at McCormick place which is a huge pain. Another option if you really want to stay overnight and enjoy Chicago is to launch on a suburban launch and lock through to the lake. Slips are expensive (1.85 per foot plus $15 for power). "Cans" or buoys at Monroe are only $.80 a foot but there is no way off the boat except the park district shuttle which also charges.
Chicago is a beautiful city from the water but not very boater friendly. No places to park or dock, even if you are planning on stopping at a restaurant.
It is an experience locking through to the river and back out to the lake but you are really stuck with day boating and staying on the boat. If you plan for that ahead of time it can be a lot of fu. If you want to be able to park and get off the boat, forget it. It will only be an annoying disappointment.

there is always the chain, http://blarneyisland.com/

Me personally if you dont have a big flashy boat and 100k to flash around,oops that was bach in the 80's now it's flashing gold and platnum credit cards you aint $hit.. also you will get beat up if the winds kick up,,i have seen the props of a friends 40' searay!..you can boat the illinois river which stretch's from lake mi to star rock but their are a few other rivers and locks involved..some people frown where i likr to go boating which is the chain o lakes..you can go here to check it out,,their isa also the fox river that runs into the chain o lakes..the water is not the cleanest but its alot of fun and plenty of places to eat and dock your boat,,,lots of sand bars and tie up's to other boaters which are all friendly..here is a web site to check it out go to photos. http://www.funonthefox.com/
also check out Blarneys island.thursday to sunday their rockin,its a bar that is in the middle of the water,,thursday nights they have jet boat races and after tham its party time with live bands and such..if you live in the city and you leave your boat either dry docked or in the water you could always take the metra trane in to fox lake and walk across the street to ben watts marina and if you keep your boat their just jump in and go..

That's silly

North Side or downtown...