Hot Boat Weekend 2014
 

Making plans to go this year! I checked and Brower park is sold out. Anyone have any suggestions on where to stay in the area? I haven't decided yet Tent or Hotel. Depends on whats available and close by.
Also do the boat ramps fill up on that weekend. I would like to launch about 10:00 am Fri morning and put the boat back on the trailer at approx. 8:00 pm. Same thing for Saturday. Would that be a problem?

+1

This will be a first time for myself... and curious about this also.

Just curious, where and when is it at in Mi?

Hot Boat is always the weekend after Labor Day on the backwaters of Hardy Dam in W MI, just south of Big Rapids.

Brower Park is "the show" but I personally like the ramp at Sandy Beach state Park down by the dam much better.

Consumers Beach is the carnival and not kid friendly..some may disagree but I wouldn't take my kids there.

Up river there is a sand bar - allegedly where it all started - where the small hot rods tend to hang out.

It's a pretty impressive event….there is some very serious stuff, large and small, that can be seen up there.

Oxbow is a good camp ground with a good ramp. And it's just across the river from the party

I haven't been to Oxbow in years, but the last time I was there it was nice.

The park right at the dam is a nice ramp, and pretty well protected from wind, waves, and current but I don't believe you can camp there and the ramp is steep which seems to freak some people out. Parking can be tricky.

Brower Park is upriver - closer to Big Rapids - but it's my least favorite. Lots of (enforced) rules, and the last time we put in there we filled the sea strainer with weeds…but it's "the place" because it's the easiest to get to if you are coming off the highway.

RiverRidge is a bit farther upriver and has a nice ramp, but I have never put in there. It looks to me like a long rig will have issues and it doesn't look like parking is convenient. The ramp is in a no wake zone which is nice and there is food, restrooms, and a store right there.

Sandy Beach is just upriver from the dam is a county park with camping. The ramp is fairly well protected from the prevailing wind, in/out and parking is easy. The reason I like it the best is because the ramp is a nice gradual slope; my boat floats early and a steep ramp puts my bow under the bow stop.

If I was staying at a hotel in Big Rapids I'd still launch at Sandy Beach…If you get off at the Brower/River Ridge exit you can turn south just west of RiverRidge and Sandy Beach is only a few minutes away.

This is assuming you have a big boat and want to do all the water; if you've got a flat or a hydro I'd either put in at The DNR ramp across from RiverRidge, the ramp just upriver from the sandbar (where 131 crosses the river) , RiverRidge, or Brower - in that order.

There are more places to put in, but these are the ones I'm familiar with. The nice thing about HotBoat weekend is if you even get close you'll see boats and people who'll help point you in the right direction.

If you're staying at Oxbow or Sandy Beach, or using the ramp at the dam and want sit down food and drink you're only a few minutes from "downtown" Croton. There's the Driftwood, which is a bar and has bar food. The Red Anchor has good food, the pours for the drinks are generous, and the servers are easy on the eyes. Parking with a trailer is easier at the Anchor as there's a vacant lot next to it; you'll be parking on the side of the road at the Driftwood. There's another place called Happy Grillmores but I don't know anything about it other than it seems to change names every couple summers.

cheers

s

Great info, Thank you!

No thanks necessary…enjoy the show.

Make sure you get some info on the river. From the dam to the M20 bridge is very easy..really only a couple spots to worry about, good rule of thumb is hang to the middle or high bank..stay to the outside of the island..you'll see people go between the island and the shore but I don't.

Upriver from RiverRidge / M20 Bridge it's gets trickier but is still manageable if you use some common sense (which is always in short supply that weekend) …there are some tricky spots that look ok but aren't. Get some direction from someone.

Watch for stuff in the water..lots of activity will churn stuff up from the bottom & recent rain will wash things in to the river. If you pay attention you should be fine.

I stop at the the 131 bridge. It gets really narrow/rocky/stumpy upriver from there. Others don't, but I like my stuff….

Just reserved a slip at River Ridge for September 5th and 6th (fri and sat). Excited to finally get out to "Hot Boat"

You might have trouble launching at River Ridge. You might be able to launch there if your tow rig is short. If your towing with anything with a long wheelbase you might want to look at launching at a different ramp. Pull up River Ridge on Google Earth and you will see what I'm talking about. You pull down a long winding hill then have to pull up to the left and back into the ramp, no much room. We launch at Oxbow with a 38 Fountain Sport Cruiser and have never had a problem. We also stay at River Ridge out on one of the T docks. I can't believe we are already talking about Hot Boat Weekend! It doesn't even feel like summer is here yet. Another word of advise is to watch out for several no wake zones between River Ridge and the dam. Welcome to Hot Boat!

There are only 2 no wake zones. Both are marked if you're paying attention.

RiverRidge is at the north end of the furthest upriver zone which goes from just north of the M20 bridge to a bit south / down river of RiverRidge.

The other is downriver from RiverRidge a ways …going downriver its a right around the island, a left, and another right and you're there….it's just up river from Brower Park.

Again, I've never put in there but Knotcrazy confirmed what I had thought…nice ramp but tough for a long rig…The park is relatively new and very nice,

I have a camp site at Brower, you got my Ph number, hit me up when it gets closer and we can go ripping around,unless I break bad between now and then I will be out tearing it up, Smitty

Will do, Bro

We have stayed at Oxbow for the past 4-5 years. Site is nice and the launch is plently long and deep. As mentioned it is right across from the party.

FYI to anyone else, Oxbow only has 1 or 2 sites left + a couple rustic sites (tent only). As of today.

Just booked a camp site at Oxbow. Cant wait!!

Your inbox is full

Cleared out.

Sweet!

We should try to get a group run on Friday evening....

We stayed at River Ridge 3-4 years ago with the 32', had no problem launching or parking, nice facility but the docks don't have power.....It's a good time have fun

Thanks for the Info. Looked at the launch on Google Earth and it appeared that it would work for my 25 footer.

I have always wanted to but haven't yet put shore power on my boat. Seems that I would rather spend money on chrome and braided hoses. ( I know Crazy!)

I hope the weather is good like it was last year. I have a site at Brower park.

Lets get them BIOTCHES all naked and drunk WILLY!!

I plan on coming out this year. This will be my first year going, it sounds like it could be a good time.

On site 131 at Brower, look us up, on the water 272 Baja that runs with the big dogs called "never enough"

I am no big dog but am looking forward to meeting some new people out on the water. I will be there Saturday morning. Is there any place to get gas on the water?

There is gas available at RiverRidge which is just upriver from Brower Park. They've got nice facilities and it's in a no wake zone so there's not much drama other than boat traffic.

Last time i checked it was 87 octane at river ridge.

There are some REAL big dogs out there actually (120+ mph), I can run with the 90 mph crowd so running with the big dogs is a stretch but either way hope to see you there!!

90 octane would be ok. I have never run 87 and wouldn't feel comfortable doing it. I will make sure its full before I put in and then I should be fine.
Thanks for the heads up.

Well guys, looks like I won't be makin it to Hot boat this year. After a couple wide open runs Saturday I ended up with a motor full of water. Im thinking blown Headgaskets. Was runnin 7 lbs. pro charger on stock 502

That really sucks dude!!

FYI -

I was at RiverRidge today. Pump says "Premium Pure 90" which I'm assuming means no alcohol.

Also FYI -

Brower Park sits on the inside of a long curve in the river

There is a log that has floated "up" i.e standing on end….it looks like it's about the size of a fence post…it's on the outside of the curve downriver from the straightaway that goes upriver towards RiverRidge.

You can see it as long as your paying attention.

upriver from River Ridge store around the second bend in the river on the left ( west ) side there is a log floating end up about 50 ft from shore. I was going around a slower group of boats and didn't see it until it was way too late to adjust the position of the boat by much.
The boat was aimed to hit it at the point of the right sponson. I was able to adjust my heading to take it down the tunnel - I did it perfect. Didn't touch the hull or the prop. I was doing 85. OH and I was 100 fto away from the slower pontune boats. If I hadn't looked twice at the other boats giving me the thumbs up I might have seen the log earlier. OH and it is real deep there so I was in no danger of running aground.

Floaters and other debris is common on the river, especially after rains which we've had a lot of this summer.

The log "floating" on the outside of the Brower bend is stuck there, floating end up & has been there most of the summer from what I understand. I didn't have anything to mark it with or I'd have hung something on it.

RE. fuel at RiverRidge…they take plastic but not Amex.

I'll be there Wed afternoon. Lots 149, 160 and 161 as always everyone stop by and have a couple cold ones.

Hey All,

Thinking about going to this on Saturday. Will be heading up from the Kzoo area. What is the best place to put in for the day and pull out that night? Boat is a Baja 280 so I am 30' LOA and 36' on the trailer.

Sounds like there are a lot of areas in a river to be careful. Is it shallow, I am not fond of tearing up drives and props. Anyone want to show a newbie the area?

Dont worry too much about logs, there is about 18 miles of river to run. Its a great place to boat. My favorite launch is Brower park, $6.00 for truck, $6.00 for boat though. Oxbow and River Ridge are cheaper I think. Any place will be busy this weekend.

Have any address that I can pull up on GPS to get there?

Brower park 23056 Polk Rd. Stanwood,MI 49346

I will be there Thursday afternoon with my Magnum