Detroit River speed limit?

[Carl C]

Is there a speed limit on the Detroit River? How about Lake St. Clair? The Great Lakes?:anchor: :starfish:

[goatee]

not as far as i know

[Doug G]

Actually, there is a speed limit on the river. From the Windmill Pointe Light, which is just north of the mouth of the river, to the southern tip of Belle Isle, is a no wake zone. Now, that doesn't mean that it is enforced. I have seen a zillion boats go through there are various speeds, throwing various sized wakes with no enforcement from the CG. Of course, every time I go through there at speed, I get chased down. :rolleyes: I would be especially careful if you are in Canadian waters, as they enforce a bit more vigorously. I don't know if there are any limits beyond the Ambassador Bridge, I don't get down there too often

[mattyboy]

most inland lakes and rivers have a 45 mph speed limit on them, the question is will they enforce it??

http://www.waynecounty.com/sheriff/regulations.htm

[Carl C]

most inland lakes and rivers have a 45 mph speed limit on them, the question is will they enforce it??
http://www.waynecounty.com/sheriff/regulations.htmThe speed limit on our local lakes is 55 mph unless it is set lower. I'm wondering if this is statewide or countywide or what. I can't see there being a speed limit on the Great Lakes. I was looking forward to ripping up and down the Detroit River but it looks like that may not be possible. I'm still curious about Lk. Saint Clair. Does it have a limit? How are the cops out there? Also, how about Torch Lake, Lake Charlevoix, Grand Traverse Bay. I'm new to the bigger lakes and don't want to get in trouble.

[joseph m. hahnl]

http://www.waynecounty.com/sheriff/regulations.htm


That sucks! That no wake zone seems to go on forever. How many miles is it?


joe

[Carl C]

That sucks! That no wake zone seems to go on forever. How many miles is it?
joe
The river is about 24 miles and it looks like most of it is no wake.:frown:

[Sam]

I'm sure if you dusted off some old law book you could find a speed limit on LSC but trust me I see boats ALL the time ripping past my place doing 80, 90 and even over 100 mph.........no joke. The cops won't bother you as long as your not acting stupid. Like running to close to shore, other boats or in a no wake area. If you really don't want to their attention wear a PFD :) . I called the Macomb County Sheriff's marine divison and left a meesage asking the question, I'll post the answer if they call back.

Sam

P.S. Thanks for the Xmas card :) .

[Rootsy]

Carl,

EVERY inland lake in Michigan is 55 mph unless posted slower... not quite sure if there is a "buffer" zone on the great lakes... and i am not sure if st. clair is lumped in with the big 5 either... sooo st. clair is a sketchy area for me... Sam and others surely know more than I when it comes to the great lakes and st. clair...

But, every time i've been on lk st. clair and the st. clair river we've generally been exceeding the state speed limit, at times by 20 mph + without any issues what so ever...

well there was this time.. at gull island.. where there was a 24 el pesc, a 16 classic and an 18 classic roped together off of a channel bouy... the coppers kinda frowned on that one... :rolleyes:

[olredalert]

-------I resemble that remark,,,,Jamie!!!!..........Bill S

[Ranman]

From what I understand, on the Great Lakes waterways (thus including LSC), there is no speed limit once your 1 mile offshore. It's either 45mph or 55mph within the 1 mile. This law is not overly enforced in areas like the North, Middle and South channels, etc, but can be is so desired. Also, I think the Detroit river is only no wake as described by Doug G above (from mouth to Bell Isle Bridge on the US side) and not the whole length.

Are we going to see you out there this season?

[myfinancialadviser]

as far as i know and have seen there is no speed limit on lake st. clair. ive done a few poker runs where the sheriff was on a boat enjoying the day and i can tell you that a bunch of those boats were going 80 - 90 + mph's...
the only time ive seen the sheriff pulling people over has been when leaving bar areas... ive seen them keeping and eye on boats taht have been tied up at the bar for like 3-5-10 hours... always stop the people on there way out for obvious reason.
sorry so long..... again, no speed limit that i know of or plan on abidign by

[Carl C]

I Don't drive drunk. It's not worth it. So it looks like as long as you act responsibly anything goes on St. Clair. I'll have to study the river charts and check that out carefully. Once you are south of the river, Put-In Bay and Cedar Point are right across the end of Lake Erie!:yippie: Thanks y'all, I can't wait.:bighug:

[Ranman]

right across the end of Lake Erie!

If only it were that simple.:cool!:


From a watercop perspective, LSC is vey elaxed compared to the enforcement on the small congested inland lakes. That's not to say they won't break your ass if you do something stupid though...

If your a reasonably responsible boater and you have a clue as to what you're doing out there your loud pipes, MC numbers, speeds, etc, will be fine.

Looking forward to the '06 season.

[myfinancialadviser]

Once you are south of the river, Put-In Bay and Cedar Point are right across the end of Lake Erie

carl c,
thats the most optomistic view i've ever seen about shooting across lake erie from the river to put in bay....
ive done that ride a bunch of times, and everytime its been a coin toss... good going down, look out coming back!!!!
How many of you guys have made that run in a 16 or 18 classic?
I salute you!

[Carl C]

Once you are south of the river, Put-In Bay and Cedar Point are right across the end of Lake Erie
carl c,
thats the most optomistic view i've ever seen about shooting across lake erie from the river to put in bay....
ive done that ride a bunch of times, and everytime its been a coin toss... good going down, look out coming back!!!!
How many of you guys have made that run in a 16 or 18 classic?
I salute you! Ah, but that's what the VHF weather channel is for. You can always spend the night in a motel. I have this cool "Waterway Guide-Great Lakes 2005" with charts and info on EVERY marina on the Great Lakes and connecting waters including which ones have a motel in walking distance. I don't think I'd cross Lake Erie in a 16 or 18 but I'm hoping my 22 is up to the task. This IS an entry level off shore boat isn't it?
www.waterwayguide.com

[myfinancialadviser]

that 22 probably rides just as good if not better than alot of 24-27 offshores. erie can have its good days, if i had a 16 or 18 i would shoot across as along as it was first thing in the morning or early evening (and good weather of course).

[Ranman]

The main portion of Lake St. Clair will be a handful for your 22 much less Lake Erie. You can follow the weather reports, but that big lake can sneak up on you.

We'll have to pop your cherry on LSC first, then you can decide from there. :D :D

[TuxedoPk]

The main portion of Lake St. Clair will be a handful for your 22 much less Lake Erie. You can follow the weather reports, but that big lake can sneak up on you.


I'm going to have to go with Randy on this. When I ran with him at Madcow Lake St. Clair felt like a giant washing machine at times.

[Doug G]

I wouldn't cross Lake Erie in a 22 on a bet. I've crossed it in a 35 Magnum Express, and we got the bejeezus kicked out of us. I've started across in a Trojan 11 Metre express, calm winds, and suddenly, the wind kicked up, and we got the bejeezus kicked out of us. I did the Mills race a few years back, 50 mph winds hit us in the middle of the night, 8-10 footers, I said more than a few prayers that night. If you get good weather, great, but that bad boy can change in an instant.

[Carl C]

I'm going to have to go with Randy on this. When I ran with him at Madcow Lake St. Clair felt like a giant washing machine at times. I have a week-end business so most of my boating is on weekdays when things aren't so crazy. I've been boating forever but only on small "washing machines". So, I do indeed have a lot to learn and I can't wait to get started. I will take a couple week-end days off this summer to attend local Donzi getogethers. Afterthought: It seems that the rythmic waves of the Great Lakes might be easier to navigate than the every which way washing machine waves that St. Clair probably has.

[TuxedoPk]

It seems that the rythmic waves of the Great Lakes might be easier to navigate than the every which way washing machine waves that St. Clair probably has.
Unless you're one of those people who enjoys getting the bejeezus kicked out of them I'd suggest just going to a local boxing gym and having someone kidney punch you repeatedly. You'll get the same feeling and it will help to break that 'addiction' to petroleum that our grand poh-ba was talking about in the State of the Union :)

Randy-How long were we in the Great Lake- 5 minutes- before we said F-this and turned back to go for lunch?

Our classics are great and may run as well as some larger boats, but in my opinion that doesn't make them a comfortable or fun ride in certain types of water.

[gold-n-rod]

Call me an inland lake "weenie", but I much prefer cruising the smaller, calmer lakes to getting the **** beat out of me on the big lake.

I do try to get out on the big lake, but only when it's FAC (or close to it).

Boating is not an activity I wish to have to nurse myself back to good health after a day's outing. Guess I'm just a puzzy. :wavey:

[Carl C]

Call me an inland lake "weenie", but I much prefer cruising the smaller, calmer lakes to getting the **** beat out of me on the big lake.
I do try to get out on the big lake, but only when it's FAC (or close to it).
Boating is not an activity I wish to have to nurse myself back to good health after a day's outing. Guess I'm just a puzzy. :wavey: I have to try it Randy and if I really take to Great Lakes boating then I may have to move up to a larger boat. How can I fit a ZR and a F-350 into the budget????

[Rootsy]

I grew up outside of Monroe... My parents lived almost exactly 5 miles from the water and i spent a few college years working at Toledo Beach Marina... i've boated the western basin of lake erie for nearly 30 years... least that is how long i've been around boats... So let me add this...

I've made the trip to the bay in my 16... on a calm day, i knew the marine forcast well before hand and experience with the water made my decision... But she can kick up in a heartbeat... Generally waves run 3 - 5 feet with any sort of on shore OR offshore wind of any significant magnitude. if the wind is out of the west you best plan on shallow water. Also plan on getting a few miles offshore before the water gets rough... if the wind is out of the east.. you might as well stay home unless you have a cruiser... it'll beat you to death. Be careful wehre you venture without knowing the water out of the mouth of the detroit river... and on a west wind day.. if you venture in too close you may very well be biting the bottom in the troughs of waves...

The lake is so shallow on the western basin that wave periods are very close together... short and choppy... and cruiser traffic out of anchor bay, monroe, luna pier and toledo will make it a washing machine also... this adds to the torment.. and you can easily stuff a boat if you don't know what you are doing and you are trying to run on top of them to keep from getting tossed around in the waves... my uncle had a 33 inland seas cruiser most of my years growing up and most days on the lake that i'd call "normal" i could go down and see water all around then come up and see nothing but air... this is an all steel hull boat btw... a pig... it'll bounce a fiberglass boat around like a ping pong ball...

Weather can come up in a new york second and if you are out on the open water... safety isn't just a hop skip and a jump. it is NO WHERE you want to be in a storm... i've been caught in a storm on lake erie... 7 miles offshore walleye fishing... in a 19 foot clyde wooden boat... waves were 2 - 3 one minute and then you heard the weather and saw the clouds forming before your eyes... before you could haul anchor and get the motor fired you were in 5 - 7's and by the time we made it 3 miles from the mouth of the River Raisin we were in 7 - 10's.... yeah that was fun... think literally.. the intro to gilligans island... we are talking 10 to 15 minutes MAX. weather comes in fast and furious down there...

I've also seen storms blow up and people high tail it to any safe port they could find... seen 30 foot cruisers that look like someone vandilized them with a baseball bat inside and out, thankful to have made it into the channel in one piece... yet another boat was on the beach 200 yds away and it literally sank in the sand... it took 3 wreckers to pull it out... it can be merciless...

all i am trying to say here is that don't just take off with charts across the western basin.. it isn't just another body of water... and it gets REALLY choppy out in the Bass islands (put-in-bay area) and port clinton area... personally i would want to run with another boat....

anyway that's just my humble opinion... i've seen good days and ive seen some realy ugly days.. average days are 1 - 2's in the morning and generally pushin 3 - 4's by late afternoon and rougher the further you get offshore if there really is any wind at all... if there is no wind it'll be flat as glass but these days are few and far between...

i don't want to have to go to any funerals or hear of anyone lost or boats damaged or what not... know what i mean? use common sense and the brain... no the balls... it's nothing to just take off half blind into...

JR

[Carl C]

Rootsy, those are some stories. I will tread lightly and cautiosly. I may not make the put-in-bay run this year. I will do Grand Traverse Bay and venture into Lake Mich. I will also tow it to my cabin in Oscoda and sample Lake Huron a little. I'd also like to take it to Mackinac Island and under the bridge. (Straits of Mackinac)

[Sam]

Give me a break Jamie this coming from a guy who heads straight into 5' freighter wakes :biggrin.: " i don't want to have to go to any funerals or hear of anyone lost or boats damaged or what not... know what i mean? use common sense and the brain... no the balls... it's nothing to just take off half blind into..." Shhhhhh, don't worry I won't tell Patti, :wavey: .