Planning

I'm in a winter planning mode trying to figure out how to best prepare for a possible voyage across Lake Michigan next summer.

I'm reading charts, looking at weather history (wind speed/direction for seasonal trends, not guarantees), talking with sailors who have done (albeit in races on larger boats) what I want to do, and learning Garmin's Homeport application and my new Garmin GPSMap 78sc.

It seems to me that my first effort on big water should be short, so that first trip will be a bit more than 10 miles along the Lake Michigan shore from Muskegon Lake to White Lake. (I'm still figuring out Homeport so the detail of this image is not very good.) The magenta line represents a track from Muskegon Lake northward to White Lake. The plan is to sail to White Lake, raft up with another boat for the night and return to Muskegon the next day. I'd like to do this trip as early in May as possible, and do longer day-sails as conditions allow throughout May.

Another trip I am looking forward to is crossing Lake Huron's Saginaw Bay. I'm thinking from Caseville, MI to Tawas City, MI in early June. Tawas City hosts a festival in June with a "traditional boat" gathering the first weekend of the month. The trip across Saginaw Bay is about 20 miles, give or take depending on wind speed and direction.

The Saginaw Bay trip would involve the sail across, two nights (maybe three) in Tawas City (probably in the State marina), and sail back to Caseville (weather permitting).

Discussing a Lake Michigan crossing with more experienced sailors has been encouraging. None of them said, "Don't do it." Several suggested other trips - not necessarily using Sheboygan, WI as the destination - that will be worth looking into for later in the summer. (Sheboygan is my destination as that is where a Welsford Boats get-together is tentatively planned for sometime in July.)

So, I continue to study, plan and add to Gardens' kit, fully aware that planning on paper in the cold, dark months of winter is not the same as getting out there and sailing!

Additions to the Kit

Gardens needs a lot of gear, accessories, and trinkets. The list is pretty long and seems to grow faster than I can cross items off.

So, here are recent additions to the Kit:
Garmin GPSMAP 78sc West Marine had it on sale for $100 off, so how could I resist?

Anemometer This one was very inexpensive but it works and will help me re-learn to gauge wind speeds.

Michigan’s BEST LAKES Fishing Maps Guide Book Not what one might normally find in a sailboat kit, but it lists 90+ inland lakes over 1000 acres (there are thousands of smaller lakes in Michigan). While the maps are “not to be used for navigation,” they provide depth contours, launch ramp locations, and other information that will be useful for planning day-sails or camp outings.

Another tool I’ve added to the “planning kit” is the Midwestern Region Climate Center’s cli-MATE Database that can be searched for local historic weather data and patterns. Of particular interest and use to sailors is the Wind Rose tool which can create illustrations of wind speed and direction for specific locations. While it is a good tool, it took me a bit of practice to pull out the data I think is useful. You do need to register as a user (no charge). There is a Product Guide to help.

No photo but here is the link to Midwestern Regional Climate Center’s cli-Mate Database

How much is enough?

Discussions on John Welsford Small Craft Designs FB page re battery life and power needs of handheld VHF radios opened the door to what I’ll call “Supplemental Power Supplies.” Small, particularly open, boats do not often, usually, have a ship’s power system - primarily because such small craft do not carry much in the way of electronics. (Yes, I know I am painting with a large brush and that last statement is a sweeping generality. And, yes, given what I am contemplating for Gardens may mean I should consider some elaborate ship’s power…)

What came up in the discussion were portable car jump start batteries. Twelve or fourteen years ago I used one of these to power a GPS, fish finder, and VHF radio on my 24’ Columbia Challenger sailboat in the California Delta. That device was about the size of a shoe box and would provide power for a long weekend of long days on the water. How I managed to forget about that device is a mystery to me…

A comment in the FB discussion stated that jump starters come as small as a couple decks of cards and provide enough power to charge handheld radios, smartphones, cameras and other small electronics. Obviously, the technology has evolved over the last 14 years or so.

Research, beginning with “car jump starters,” has taken me down a rabbit hole - there are so many such devices (car jump starters, booster batteries, battery packs, power banks, and more) ranging in size from toaster-sized jump starters with air compressors to cigarette lighter-size (think Zippo lighters) external batteries for cell phones and other small electronics. Of course, the capacity of these devices covers a wide range as well - as do the prices.

Another complication came about with responses to the question, “How to figure out how much battery capacity is needed?” Do a power budget - listing all the planned electronics and how much current they draw, was one approach. Find the largest battery you’re willing to haul in and out of the boat and plan your electronics around that, was another. A third was, Duration. How long you need power will color all other decision re electronics. So, more than one way to skin a cat…

In short, I am overwhelmed with the choices… On top of which, I don’t know much about electricity, 12V or otherwise. So, back to studying the basics… Maybe then I'll be able to answer, "How much is enough?"