Brian, seriously, I got a great idea for you. If you have some vacation...take it. Get in the boat and putt yourself to saginaw bay the long way. Give yourself 2 weeks, hit a few harbors on the sunset side, spend a couple days in the Mackinaw area (you'll want to spend more), then bounce your way down the sunrise side, I recomend Presque Isle, Black river, Harrisville, Tawas, then cross Saginaw Bay (you dont want to go up in there anyways) to Port Austin or around the thumb to Harbor Beach. If you can point you bow toward blank horizon and get where you need to go w/o GPS, you dont deserve enything bigger then a Johnboat. tongue.gif I'd suggest stopping some where right BEFORE the Detroit area. This is so you can cruise on through without trying to find harbor in that area. Stock up on fuel and try not to stop anywhere before youpass the power plant, if ya do, make it Canada. Beond that, its Lake Erie, sinc yourself up and point your boat toward Middle Bass. 30-40 miles across open water would be a great test of your seamenship. smile.gif
If you honnestly wanna do this, let me know, I'll help you put together the info you need, find sounding charts, and teach you to navigate open water with a compass if ya dont know how.
Trust me dude,t hat trip would be great...unless you dont get along with your family. tongue.gif