Inland Waterway Northern Michigan

[MalIbuCPA]

Wife and I were thinking of taking the boat out of our lake in and going up to the inland waterway (crooked lake to Lake Huron) and was wondering if anyone has taken their Malibu through it?

We have a 95 Response and my wife doesn't seem to understand why I am nervous about going through rivers the first time with a SS prop.

anyway if anyone has taken their Malibu through it can you give me some idea of how it went?

Where did you start?

Where did you go?

Were there any "hairy" areas? or areas to avoid?

Did you spend the night somewhere?

Where is the best sandbar?

How was it manuevering the 2 Locks?

Any help would be appreciated...

[luvtheBU]

I don't live there but I can give you my .02 when boating in the rivers. First of all do you know the average depth? Do other boaters travel the river, if so find a nice one and stay behind them in their wake. Or ask someone who knows the channels to take you up and back your first time, believe me the scenery changes coming home. If you are solo just take it easy and remember if you see ripples chances are where the ripples are breaking is sand, rocks or some other hidden danger stay to the side before the waves break you are probably in a deep channel depending on how fast the water is travelling and watch your depth meter. 2 ft is scary as heck but it is doable never go fast thru 2 ft till you are sure, sure, sure that 2 ft is the only obstacle. Take a couple oars with you, I have 2 plus a great big old wooden oar that when in doubt it goes first to check the depth ahead.

Our river has a ton of sand bars and the channels between them changes frequently, but honestly I love boating in the river, the current carries the rollers away faster and the water is always warmer. Sometimes to get to the sweet spot I have to just idle thru a couple areas but for the most part you get used to watching the current and the way it flows and how it breaks over rocks and sand.

Best advice find someone to follow, my first time up the river I got behind a wakesetter and followed them all the way to our spot.

Goodluck and have fun, I'd tell you not to stress out about it but that would be useless advice cuz I know you will.

[Sixball]

I haven't but have friends who have. The river is well marked some of the lakes are big so if it is windy it could get rough. The lakes are where you will need to pay attention for shallow water. I think you can find lake charts on line. check on Mi. DNR I think under fishing. If you look on line there is a bunch of info.

There are many places to stay over night. My bud had a SSlxi. It is well travailed should have no problem and is a good time from what I heard.

[onamission]

Did it 3 years ago with 5 boats. We started in Conway on Crooked Lake and made our way Cheboygan and stayed there for the night. Next day we took the locks and went out into Lake Huron and then headed back to Onaway. Michigan DNR site has maps and info or you can just Goggle Michigan Inland Waterway. You will need to know how to read channel makers, Crooked, Cheboygan and Indian rivers are like a highway, a constance flow of boats in each direction with places to stop and eat along the way.

We stayed at the The Inland House in Conway and the Fleetwood Inn in Cheboygan, both had docking or mooring facilities.

Link to a few pic's of our trip.

Edited August 8, 2009 by onamission

[luvtheBU]

You guys are so lucky, what an awesome adventure to undertake.

[MalibuNation]

You guys are so lucky, what an awesome adventure to undertake.

Lot of choices when it comes to water in MI.

Michigan Lakes Maps By County

PS luvtheBU, love your avatar.

[MalIbuCPA]

Did it 3 years ago with 5 boats. We started in Conway on Crooked Lake and made our way Cheboygan and stayed there for the night. Next day we took the locks and went out into Lake Huron and then headed back to Onaway. Michigan DNR site has maps and info or you can just Goggle Michigan Inland Waterway. You will need to know how to read channel makers, Crooked, Cheboygan and Indian rivers are like a highway, a constance flow of boats in each direction with places to stop and eat along the way.

We stayed at the The Inland House in Conway and the Fleetwood Inn in Cheboygan, both had docking or mooring facilities.

Link to a few pic's of our trip.

Thank you for the information, the pictures look great. We are probably heading up for LAbor Day weekend. Going with a nother couple who have done the river with an IO and said the Bu will have no prob.

Probably going to throw in at Burt lake in order to avoid the 3 hour crooked river part of the waterway.

Looking forward to the trip.

What are river essentials besides a spare impeller and a good drink?

Thanks

[Baddog]

Did it 3 years ago with 5 boats. We started in Conway on Crooked Lake and made our way Cheboygan and stayed there for the night. Next day we took the locks and went out into Lake Huron and then headed back to Onaway. Michigan DNR site has maps and info or you can just Goggle Michigan Inland Waterway. You will need to know how to read channel makers, Crooked, Cheboygan and Indian rivers are like a highway, a constance flow of boats in each direction with places to stop and eat along the way.

We stayed at the The Inland House in Conway and the Fleetwood Inn in Cheboygan, both had docking or mooring facilities.

Link to a few pic's of our trip.

Thank you for the information, the pictures look great. We are probably heading up for LAbor Day weekend. Going with a nother couple who have done the river with an IO and said the Bu will have no prob.

Probably going to throw in at Burt lake in order to avoid the 3 hour crooked river part of the waterway.

Looking forward to the trip.

What are river essentials besides a spare impeller and a good drink?

Thanks

From the photos it looks like jackets are required, especially with this crazy summer.

[MalIbuCPA]

Did it 3 years ago with 5 boats. We started in Conway on Crooked Lake and made our way Cheboygan and stayed there for the night. Next day we took the locks and went out into Lake Huron and then headed back to Onaway. Michigan DNR site has maps and info or you can just Goggle Michigan Inland Waterway. You will need to know how to read channel makers, Crooked, Cheboygan and Indian rivers are like a highway, a constance flow of boats in each direction with places to stop and eat along the way.

We stayed at the The Inland House in Conway and the Fleetwood Inn in Cheboygan, both had docking or mooring facilities.

Link to a few pic's of our trip.

Thank you for the information, the pictures look great. We are probably heading up for LAbor Day weekend. Going with a nother couple who have done the river with an IO and said the Bu will have no prob.

Probably going to throw in at Burt lake in order to avoid the 3 hour crooked river part of the waterway.

Looking forward to the trip.

What are river essentials besides a spare impeller and a good drink?

Thanks

From the photos it looks like jackets are required, especially with this crazy summer.

Of course... the coldest july on record for MI

[Baddog]

Did it 3 years ago with 5 boats. We started in Conway on Crooked Lake and made our way Cheboygan and stayed there for the night. Next day we took the locks and went out into Lake Huron and then headed back to Onaway. Michigan DNR site has maps and info or you can just Goggle Michigan Inland Waterway. You will need to know how to read channel makers, Crooked, Cheboygan and Indian rivers are like a highway, a constance flow of boats in each direction with places to stop and eat along the way.

We stayed at the The Inland House in Conway and the Fleetwood Inn in Cheboygan, both had docking or mooring facilities.

Link to a few pic's of our trip.

Thank you for the information, the pictures look great. We are probably heading up for LAbor Day weekend. Going with a nother couple who have done the river with an IO and said the Bu will have no prob.

Probably going to throw in at Burt lake in order to avoid the 3 hour crooked river part of the waterway.

Looking forward to the trip.

What are river essentials besides a spare impeller and a good drink?

Thanks

From the photos it looks like jackets are required, especially with this crazy summer.

Of course... the coldest july on record for MI

And "they" are all crying about global warming.

[msuwaterski]

Did it 3 years ago with 5 boats. We started in Conway on Crooked Lake and made our way Cheboygan and stayed there for the night. Next day we took the locks and went out into Lake Huron and then headed back to Onaway. Michigan DNR site has maps and info or you can just Goggle Michigan Inland Waterway. You will need to know how to read channel makers, Crooked, Cheboygan and Indian rivers are like a highway, a constance flow of boats in each direction with places to stop and eat along the way.

We stayed at the The Inland House in Conway and the Fleetwood Inn in Cheboygan, both had docking or mooring facilities.

Link to a few pic's of our trip.

Thank you for the information, the pictures look great. We are probably heading up for LAbor Day weekend. Going with a nother couple who have done the river with an IO and said the Bu will have no prob.

Probably going to throw in at Burt lake in order to avoid the 3 hour crooked river part of the waterway.

Looking forward to the trip.

What are river essentials besides a spare impeller and a good drink?

Thanks

My family has a cottage on Crooked lake (Oden Island) and we have been going up the river for years. I would recommend putting in in Crooked Lake as the Crooked river is a fun and relaxing cruise with good places to stop for food and swimming. I would recommend stopping at Spanky's in Alanson for some Ice Cream along the way. Make sure you have a few dollars cash available for the locks on the Crooked river which are a fun experience to go through. We have an early 90's Sunsetter and have never dinged a prop in the river. Make sure you watch the weather though. Burt lake and Mullet lake are very big puddles and if you get caught up in a NW wind you're in for a pounding. Enjoy and be safe!

[onamission]

Did it 3 years ago with 5 boats. We started in Conway on Crooked Lake and made our way Cheboygan and stayed there for the night. Next day we took the locks and went out into Lake Huron and then headed back to Onaway. Michigan DNR site has maps and info or you can just Goggle Michigan Inland Waterway. You will need to know how to read channel makers, Crooked, Cheboygan and Indian rivers are like a highway, a constance flow of boats in each direction with places to stop and eat along the way.

We stayed at the The Inland House in Conway and the Fleetwood Inn in Cheboygan, both had docking or mooring facilities.

Link to a few pic's of our trip.

Thank you for the information, the pictures look great. We are probably heading up for Labor Day weekend. Going with a norther couple who have done the river with an IO and said the Bu will have no prob.

Probably going to throw in at Burt lake in order to avoid the 3 hour crooked river part of the waterway.

Looking forward to the trip.

What are river essentials besides a spare impeller and a good drink?

Thanks

My family has a cottage on Crooked lake (Ogden Island) and we have been going up the river for years. I would recommend putting in in Crooked Lake as the Crooked river is a fun and relaxing cruise with good places to stop for food and swimming. I would recommend stopping at Spanks in Alanson for some Ice Cream along the way. Make sure you have a few dollars cash available for the locks on the Crooked river which are a fun experience to go through. We have an early 90's Sunsetter and have never dinged a prop in the river. Make sure you watch the weather though. Burt lake and Mullet lake are very big puddles and if you get caught up in a NW wind you're in for a pounding. Enjoy and be safe!

I'll second the Crooked river, its more fun the Indian River, Pickerel Lake is nice too.. I would also take a spare prop and puller on any trip.

[luvtheBU]

You guys are so lucky, what an awesome adventure to undertake.

Lot of choices when it comes to water in MI.

Michigan Lakes Maps By County

PS luvtheBU, love your avatar.

WOW...now I am really jealous, you probably have kick butt youth hockey programs too Huh???? Moving might be in my near future if my hubby decides 20 yrs is enough of a military career, Montana doesn't have a lot of options job wise. I love having access to the river every day without having to tote the boat to a lake which is 75 miles away but we have to make money too. Looks like you guys have lots of access to whatever water you want to be on.

So tell me how's the lake front property there, pricewise?

[Baddog]

You guys are so lucky, what an awesome adventure to undertake.

Lot of choices when it comes to water in MI.

Michigan Lakes Maps By County

PS luvtheBU, love your avatar.

WOW...now I am really jealous, you probably have kick butt youth hockey programs too Huh???? Moving might be in my near future if my hubby decides 20 yrs is enough of a military career, Montana doesn't have a lot of options job wise. I love having access to the river every day without having to tote the boat to a lake which is 75 miles away but we have to make money too. Looks like you guys have lots of access to whatever water you want to be on.

So tell me how's the lake front property there, pricewise?

You might consider Minnesota. It's the land of 10,000 lakes (and one fish, apparently).

[Sixball]

Job hunting is not the best in Mi. right now. I lived in Great Fall for two years and always thought I would retire out that direction. I ended up in MI.

Lake front property varies a great deal The big city's can be Hi but we got on this lake for a steal. I looked even further north but it was evan more unless you went into the U.P. We wanted to be within a couple of hours of big city's.

oh ya youth hockey is big in Mi. We even have a fair pro team.

I bet you can get lake front property right now for a bargain compared to just two years ago.

[Sixball]

luvtheBU do you go to Holter lake? We had a boat on the lake but that was a long time ago I was going to Charles M. Russell Hi school.

It was one of the prettiest lakes we loved the Gates of the mountains.

I will stop the Hijack now Sorry.

[Slayer]

Job hunting is not the best in Mi. right now. I lived in Great Fall for two years and always thought I would retire out that direction. I ended up in MI.

Lake front property varies a great deal The big city's can be Hi but we got on this lake for a steal. I looked even further north but it was evan more unless you went into the U.P. We wanted to be within a couple of hours of big city's.

oh ya youth hockey is big in Mi. We even have a fair pro team.

I bet you can get lake front property right now for a bargain compared to just two years ago.

I bet you can get lake front property right now for a bargain compared to just two years ago.

True Fact. House next to me was purchased 2 years ago in foreclosure for $154k.....a real piece of crap I might add......just appraised for $120k. No public access either.

[msuwaterski]

You might consider Minnesota. It's the land of 10,000 lakes (and one fish, apparently).

Minnesota advertises themselves as the land of 10,000 lakes and it is true. However, when you include the UP, Michigan has more lakes than any other state. Also, now is a great time to buy lakefront in Mi. We bought our lakefront home 4 years ago for $275k and it just appraised for $163K two months ago. Houses are selling for mid to high 100's lakefront now. It's a kick in the groin for us but in the end we love our house and plan to raise our kids here so it's not that bad. Plus, our Malibu sits just 80ft from our house on the lift ready to use anytime the sun it out. I'll be surfing tonight around 7.

[luvtheBU]

luvtheBU do you go to Holter lake? We had a boat on the lake but that was a long time ago I was going to Charles M. Russell Hi school.

It was one of the prettiest lakes we loved the Gates of the mountains.

I will stop the Hijack now Sorry.

I haven't been to Holter since I discovered the river which was in 1999, Holter is gorgeous but it is really rough of skiboats the wind is always blowing and unless you have a couple days off in the middle of the week you have a lot of traffic on the lake.

[luvtheBU]

I would love to sell our houses here and move. I cannot even imagine a better place than a lake front home to raise kids. Sorry hijack over. You all are lucky and what a beautiful place to live have fun on your trip.