CoolSpot

Brad, we are interested in any Shootouts style formats around the country. But I understand from a friend of mine that runs a flat bottom-style boat there that the lake is about 4 feet deep. Any issues running offshore boats in that water?

kvogt

If you are running outboards you are fine. Otherwise don't run your best props and keep an eye on your strainers to keep them from filling with silt.

CoolSpot

Thanks for the feedback but that won't work out well. Too bad, we would love to have another shootout venue and I love Chicago in the summer.

32 Active Thunder

I have boated down at the chain for 20 plus years I currently run a 38 sea ray sunsport with 500 efi's if you know the chain you will be fine not to worry!!!

Brad Zastrow

You are hearing from people who are looking at killing this event. Very negative people. Where we are running in the center of the lake is plenty deep at 6 to 8'. Where they run the 1/8 mile drag races on Thursday nights north of the Island is only 4' deep. We are going down the middle of the lake one mile course and a one mile shutdown if needed There are 47 Fountains with triples that run that lake with NO issues. I have run my MTI for years out there. I have never even dinged a prop in 20 years on Grass Lake. There is nothing to hit on Grass Lake as the bottom is all muck even if you stray off to close to shore.

Brad Zastrow

Shogren test his boats out there all the time. He told us at the Thunderun this past weekend he was testing a 45 Cig running 120 mph on Grass Lake two weeks ago.

Larry Gempp Jr.

I live on Grass Lake. Every weekend 500+ large boats with deep drafts go through Grass Lake with no issues....There were a couple Fountains, a Formula, and a Donzi testing this past Sunday for the shootout. I cannot wait to see the boats that are coming!

kvogt

http://funonthefox.com/depth-maps.html

Depths of lakes on the chain.

Wasted Income

Good link, but I'd personally check the Navionics web app.

http://webapp.navionics.com/?lang=en...y=%7DyyaGdabyO

Click the button in the lower left and select "sonar charts". These charts are updated daily with aggregate depth finder data from real boaters. It's pretty sweet.
http://www.navionics.com/en/sonarchart

Brad Zastrow

I can assure you that lake is deeper than the what is being shown. 6-8' is where we are running. John Groth who runs the Blarney Island Drag Races just crashed his 135 mph hydro last week at the finish line north of the Island. He just told me the boat sunk in 6' of water for the recovery. There is no bottom to the lake as it is all silt for about 100 feet. There is simply nothing to hit even if you find the shallow areas. There are very large crusiers who go the Island all the time where it is far more shallow than where we are running our offshore boats that draft very little. There are a lot of boats that are going to come to this event and good time will be had by all.