Chicago Air & Water show - Aug 16, 2015

[OperationROL]

Who's up for a meet-up next weekend for the Chicago Air & Water show? The event will be held on both Saturday and Sunday, but my crew will only be able to make Sunday. I know that @JCampbell usually attends this and has a great spot to anchor and enjoy the show. The show center is at North Avenue Beach and runs from 10am - 3pm. I am planning to launch at the Worth, IL public ramp and head down the Cal Sag canal to Lake Michigan. I will then navigate up to the North Avenue Beach area. I will probably launch at 7:30 am or so to ensure enough time to get down to the lake and through the locks. After the show, I will return to the launch via the Chicago River through downtown Chicago. Who's up for this?

@Speedling, @Wake08, @RxH2O, @buckbuck, @pumps and hose, @Nathan Bryant, @Steve & Heidi, @Justin G., @JC6275, @Aaron Stammet, @RiverRat, @GTBRMC, @dan144k, @scot71, @scot71 wife, @Eric Popper, @BryanW

http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/dca/supp_info/chicago_air_and_watershow.html

 

[pumps and hose]

totally interested let me see if I can get a sitter...will be long day for kiddos.

 

[pumps and hose]

nevermind on shift...work sucks!

 

[RiverRat]

I'm interested....

 

[RiverRat]

I've got a cousin coming in from Phoenix and we're planning on heading out to the Mississippi for a few days. Depending on when we go this might be possible.

 

[GTBRMC]

Who's up for a meet-up next weekend for the Chicago Air & Water show? The event will be held on both Saturday and Sunday, but my crew will only be able to make Sunday. I know that @JCampbell usually attends this and has a great spot to anchor and enjoy the show. The show center is at North Avenue Beach and runs from 10am - 3pm. I am planning to launch at the Worth, IL public ramp and head down the Cal Sag canal to Lake Michigan. I will then navigate up to the North Avenue Beach area. I will probably launch at 7:30 am or so to ensure enough time to get down to the lake and through the locks. After the show, I will return to the launch via the Chicago River through downtown Chicago. Who's up for this?

http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/dca/supp_info/chicago_air_and_watershow.html

Sounds like a great time, but we are going to be out of state next weekend. But don't feel bad for us, we'll be posting boating pix at our destination.

 

[dan144k]

I am not going this year, we are out of town for the weekend. The show is incredible form the boat. Also people go on friday, they do almost the complete show as practice on friday, and a lot less boat traffic.

 

[Speedling]

We actually just started planning for it.
From our usual spot we launch at, it's almost 35 miles following the shore one way. Probably 32 straight across. I don't know if that's a good idea to be honest, but getting away from the back will be a breeze when it's all over!!
Still, if I figure 70 miles, that's a long ways, so we are looking at alternatives.

 

[JCampbell]

We actually just started planning for it.
From our usual spot we launch at, it's almost 35 miles following the shore one way. Probably 32 straight across. I don't know if that's a good idea to be honest, but getting away from the back will be a breeze when it's all over!!
Still, if I figure 70 miles, that's a long ways, so we are looking at alternatives.

Just trailer to Worth and launch with the rest of us. With the early launch we can get on the show line at center. The jets break right over us when we park there!

 

[Speedling]

@JCampbell you actually getting the family to come this time?

 

[scot71]

I would love to join you, especially after getting to watch the Blue Angels practice for it last year, but we have plans to get back on our home lake next weekend with some friends. I guess this is one more date I need to put on the calendar for next year.

 

[Speedling]

We should be going.
once on the lake switch to vhf 68 to find each other?
May bring my parents as they have never been on my boat before! Some of our planning will revolve around them so I will keep you informed.

 

[JCampbell]

I will be on the flight line at show center

 

[Speedling]

Wait, so you guys go east from worth out to the big lake and up that way? I was thinking going through the locks in the morning would be easier? Am I wrong?

 

[OperationROL]

Yes, I believe the earlier you head out the better.

 

[BryanW]

Navionics has the mouth of Burns ditch hugging the shore west to Wolf lake, then up to North beach right at 31.1 miles, Straight across gets it down to 30 miles. Launching from East Chicago, Calumet Harbor gets it down to 19.6. Having done a few long jaunts a couple of weeks ago from Portage to Michigan City, Portage to New Buffalo I can say 30 or 20 can be a bear if the wind is kicking. We ended "cruising" a couple of hundred yards off shore at 12 mph back from Michigan City heading into a 25 mph west wind... slow and wet in a 21', and actually slow in a 35' I passed who was further off shore.

 

[OperationROL]

Navionics has the mouth of Burns ditch hugging the shore west to Wolf lake, then up to North beach right at 31.1 miles, Straight across gets it down to 30 miles. Launching from East Chicago, Calumet Harbor gets it down to 19.6. Having done a few long jaunts a couple of weeks ago from Portage to Michigan City, Portage to New Buffalo I can say 30 or 20 can be a bear if the wind is kicking. We ended "cruising" a couple of hundred yards off shore at 12 mph back from Michigan City heading into a 25 mph west wind... slow and wet in a 21', and actually slow in a 35' I passed who was further off shore.

Good insight. I have a time constraint that launching at Calumet Harbor would help with. It would only take me 10 more towing minutes to launch from there vs. Worth. Hmmmm......

 

[BryanW]

at $49.99 Navionics for an iPad with GPS is amazing. It won't autopilot your boat, but will chart and route with the same detail as their plotters. Wish I could make the airshow this year, but I'm booked that weekend. I am heading up over Labor Day if anyone is out on Lake Michigan I would love to meet up. Enjoy the show... I always liked counting the rivets on the wing skins from out on the water. Sometimes I think the pilots purposely go extra hard over the boats just 'cause they can.

 

[BryanW]

Good insight. I have a time constraint that launching at Calumet Harbor would help with. It would only take me 10 more towing minutes to launch from there vs. Worth. Hmmmm......

As long as the lake is kind it seems like a slam dunk. I can't see a way from Worth to North Ave that would be only 10 mins longer. Unless of course you have the flight mod on that 242... As the crow flies from the Worth ramp its also 19.6 miles ;-)

 

[OperationROL]

I mean towing to Calumet from my house is only 10 minutes longer than towing to Worth.