WiskyDan
Jetboaters Captain
- Messages
- 1,014
- Reaction score
- 1,734
- Points
- 207
- Location
- Jackson, WI
- Boat Make
- Yamaha
- Year
- 2018
- Boat Model
- 242 Limited S E-Series
- Boat Length
- 24
Looking for some feedback from those that have experience boating on Lake Michigan in the Milwaukee area - roughly from Port Washington in the north to St. Francis in the south. We rented a slip at McKinley Marina over the Labor Day weekend in 2021 and had a fun time on the Milwaukee river and inside the break wall between the mouth of the river and the marina. We're considering a dry-stack option right where the river empties onto the lake but would love to have feedback from those that frequent the area - or have frequented it in the past.
We're mainly concerned about being able to have somewhere to anchor and relax near shore. There are some beaches north of the river entrance but they are not protected by the break wall and if the wind is whipping up it can be rough. Then again, the wind normally comes out of the west around here so the near shore areas "should" be calmer? We've heard that boats raft up by Bay View Beach which is south of South Shore Yacht Club and inside of the break-wall. Anyone have experience with this area?
Here are some pros/cons that I can think of:
Pros:
- Shorter drive than Oshkosh for us and almost all of the guests that usually come out with us.
- Option for heated storage at same marina for winter so less trailering of the boat.
- On windy days we can stay on the river.
- The downtown restaurant/bar scene on the river is pretty fun.
Cons:
- Temps are always cooler near the lake.
- Water temperature rarely gets above 70F - from what I've been told.
- On-water social scene is not as festive as the lakes in the Oshkosh area?
- Fewer sandbars/beaches - or maybe not?
- Not as much stuff to do/visit as the Oshkosh area - or maybe not?
- The entire river is no-wake.
Any feedback would be appreciated!!
We're mainly concerned about being able to have somewhere to anchor and relax near shore. There are some beaches north of the river entrance but they are not protected by the break wall and if the wind is whipping up it can be rough. Then again, the wind normally comes out of the west around here so the near shore areas "should" be calmer? We've heard that boats raft up by Bay View Beach which is south of South Shore Yacht Club and inside of the break-wall. Anyone have experience with this area?
Here are some pros/cons that I can think of:
Pros:
- Shorter drive than Oshkosh for us and almost all of the guests that usually come out with us.
- Option for heated storage at same marina for winter so less trailering of the boat.
- On windy days we can stay on the river.
- The downtown restaurant/bar scene on the river is pretty fun.
Cons:
- Temps are always cooler near the lake.
- Water temperature rarely gets above 70F - from what I've been told.
- On-water social scene is not as festive as the lakes in the Oshkosh area?
- Fewer sandbars/beaches - or maybe not?
- Not as much stuff to do/visit as the Oshkosh area - or maybe not?
- The entire river is no-wake.
Any feedback would be appreciated!!
Last edited:
