boating to cedar point?

Anyone drive a boat from detroit/metro detroit as your means of transportation to the park? I always wanted to do it, but I don't own a boat, I know how to drive one; just never had a "destination" so to speak. Can you rent them and take them to Cedar Point and back, how does that work? About how long does it take to get there, and do you just drive in the general direction of the park or do just some how end up there or do you have a little rout you take? I guess I need to find someone thats done it before or can point me in the right direction to where I get some info. (Yeah blonde brained + boat = disaster).

I have taken my craft to CP on several occaisions - however with the increase in fuel charges, it is far more economical and faster to go by car. Depending on the craft - one way from Detroit can take 2-4 hours (At a fast clip). It is much more beneficial, and enjoyable to stop at Put In bay and spend the night there.

Oh and due to the shallow water of Lake Erie, the surface is often turbulent. Don't expect a smooth ride unless you're in a very large craft.

I've been a Lake Erie boater for 30 years, please don't attempt at trip by "driving" in the general direction of the park and hoping to somehow end up there. Lake Erie is much to dangerous of a body of water, with too much commercial and pleasure traffic, to attempt the trip with your level of expertise.

Take an approved Basic Seamanship course from the Coast Guard or Power Squadron and learn about coastal navigation, GPS navigation, rules of the road, etc. before heading out from Detroit.

You can find out about boater education here.

Can't help you with boat rental, but if there is a company in the Detroit area that rents boats, expect it to be very expensive. Personal water craft are around $100 dollars an hour, so a boat rental would probably cost significantly more.

I would have to second Pete's reccomendations. If you're not a licensed captain - or have at least 10-15 years of Lake erie under your belt, it would be best left up to hiring a charter. I've seen storms kick up out of nowhere on that lake. It certainly isn't good to traverse the lake in a craft under 20' in length either, which is what you find at most rental facilities.

Sorry to "wee" on your charcoal, but there is a reason the average joe does not often do what you're asking about. Whatever you decide, please ensure you have a GPS, adequate safety gear, and if possible an Epirb. (expensive but saved my a$$ once)

Good luck

Hey thank-you, I wouldn't know any of this if I didn't ask. Experience equals wisdom. Better I asked than just been a dummy and attempted to see if I could make it huh?

No Prob Ivy! Hope it helps ya make an informed decision.

Peace

It wasn't a real boat trip (technically it was), but 

last year my brother and I camped at Bayshore Estates

and brought his canoe.  We took a camp site along the bay 

and paddled the canoe from the campground to the south

end of the CP main parking lot and back between the 

causeway and the chausee!  What a great work

out that was!  We were a little sore the next morning for 

Coaster Mania, but it was a cool experience.  My profile

features one of the many pics we took on that excursion!  

I know this may be a pretty stupid question but how different is Erie than other lakes to boat? I know the lakes i use dont have as much heavy commercial traffic but is that the main difference?

I have taken some boating classes but I am not a good enough boater to go on my own yet. I have spent a lot of time boating and sailing off the coast of So Cal is boating on lake Erie tmuch different????

Well Lake Erie can be very interesting as said in above. One main reason is it is so shallow and you need to know the routes and depth so you won't ruin your boat. A few years back on my brother's boat while we were on the islands or sand bar islands where the Ottawa River empties out a few miles out we seen some idiot boater try to take a short cut through one of them and need less to say he needed a tow back with his engine prop ripped apart. Yes the storms can come out of no where and can be very nasty and kick up nasty waves.

Muirite, the main difference you will find boating on Lake Erie compared with coastal So Cal is the wave length. Because Lake Erie is the shallowest of the Great Lakes it tends to have very steep seas, especially compared to the Pacific Ocean. A six foot sea on Lake Erie will seem much more intense than a six foot sea out on the ocean.

That, and Lake Erie is notorious for intense summer squals. These can feature intense sustained winds of 50-60mph with gusts up to 80mph. If you want to read an interesting story of a cruise through a squal line on Lake Huron look here.

From the song White Squal:

"Now it's a thing that us old-timers know,
in a sultry summer calm
There comes a blow from nowwhere, and it goes off like bomb
And a sixteen thousand tonner can be thrown upon her beam
Whle the gale takes all before it with a scream"

I remember that Squall on Lake Huron - I was in Alpena that day (docked with mooring whips thank god). Was not a good day to be out on the lakes...

I agree, crossing Lake Erie is not for beginning boaters.

Try the Pelee Island Ferry from either Kingsville or Leamington Ontario (both about 30-45 minute drive from Detroit, lake crossing can take 3 hours, so don't be in a hurry ). I have not done it myself yet, know others who have taken the ferry right across to Sandusky and enjoyed the trip. The ferry takes vehicles, bicycles or just people.

I always thought it would be interesting to take my bicycle to Cedar Point from here in Canada, but I guess they do not allow bicycles on the CP causeway. Too bad.

Do a search on the Pelee Island Ferry for more info.

Bicycles are not allowed on the causeway, but you could go a couple miles down the road and take the Chausee into the park.

I think that Chausee trip adds a LONG ride to the park (not sure length but I believe it was significant)

It is 4.3 miles going the causeway, 10.9 using the Chausee. With a bike, you're talking about an extra hour, tops.

I havent taken the Chausee since i was a child to go to CP. Although it does have some pretty houses I wouldn't mind living in along there.

I'm glad that this thread exists, now I can ask a question.
My dad has been boating for 35 years, and we own a 27' boat that we take out several times a week in the summer. I've almost convinced my parents to go to Cedar Point as an alternative to our yearly Lake of the Ozarks Missouri trip, as CP has Lake Erie. Is there anything else they should know about boating there before they attempt it? Also, can they get a weekly boat slip rental at the CP Marina? Thanks in advance!

cycamps, that is a very good question. And btw, I don't think the ferry option is for me, I would rather it just be me and my husband, or me and another couple.

CP has a daily (overnight transient) dockage fee, but as far as a weekly rate they might. If www.cedarpoint.com doesn't have the rates posted, call the marina (very nice friendly folk there).

There are some sunken hazards in the areas between the causeway and the chausee. Most good charts would list these. This would be extremely important if you're mooring at Castaway Bay.

Other advice... pending the algae blooms, take lots of freshwater showers after swimming and don't let the lake water stay in your ears too long.

Face it, if you have to ask can I boat to Cedar Point, you can't.

You need to know how to handle a boat, and it sounds like Lake Erie is worse than Lake Michigan in terms of waves. I have a 14" Sea-Doo jet-boat, and I dislike taking it out in Lake Michigan, so you need a big boat.

Not just a big open bow boat, or a small cruiser it sounds like, but a decent sized cruiser or aft cabin boat for safety.

If you want to boat to CP look at Castaway Bay and the boats docked up there, that's about what you will need. $100k or more, or renting it...probably a couple thousand dollars.

I am just saying.....its not that easy to boat in a big lake...on my small craft. But a large boat, not that many people have a boat that nice / seaworthy.

But you could find a boat I am sure and fix it up and get to CP for $15 grand and pull up in that :)