255 XD on Lake Michigan

[kolb_jk]

Moving to mid-west. Is the 255XD good on Lake Michigan?

 

[GTBRMC]

Depends a lot on location and conditions. Protected bays and mild weather? Absolutely. 30 miles offshore in afternoon thunderstorms? Not recommended. Where are you considering taking your 255XD? Lake Michigan is huge and has many different conditions somewhere on the lake at any given time.

 

[JetBoatPenguin]

I grew up boating on the lake and on powerboats we had deep v hulls...and even then we turned back at times depending on the weather. Had some good times with a whaler there and even made runs from Harbor Springs to beaver island to camp. But be well equipped to run offshore...

 

[kolb_jk]

Depends a lot on location and conditions. Protected bays and mild weather? Absolutely. 30 miles offshore in afternoon thunderstorms? Not recommended. Where are you considering taking your 255XD? Lake Michigan is huge and has many different conditions somewhere on the lake at any given time.

In Chicago at one of the marinas, don’t plan to venture offshore too far.

 

[GTBRMC]

Chicago waters can def be boated in a jetboat, but you do have to keep an eye on conditions. Can get very choppy & confused conditions there. @Julian and @OperationROL and several others have a lot more expereince in those waters than I. Maybe they can give you more specifics.

 

[kolb_jk]

Thanks look forward to hearing from them. Really like the boat and all capabilities/options it has.

 

[Julian]

Boated plenty in lake Michigan .... but prefer inland lakes. Michigan is too unpredictable.

 

[kolb_jk]

What 25’ to 28’ boat would you recommend for Chicago are LM waters?

 

[nesnah2]

You'll be fine. I've been boating Lake Michigan just across from you in southwest MI, and it does great. I'm adding trim tabs this year to help out even more.

 

[kolb_jk]

Which specific brand of trim tabs?

 

[nesnah2]

The LectroTab kit that shows up in the group buy section.
https://jetboaters.net/threads/lectrotab-–-yamaha-group-buy-now-through-oct-2020.30013/
It was like $950 with shipping, and I think the 24' and 25' use the same kit. If you decide to pull the trigger, email that dude Russ first. He's a huge help.

 

[HangOutdoors]

I have boated in lake Michigan plenty of times in my 21' AR 210. It is very doable, till it is not. Been in calm waters to 4-5' footers getting back in when the weather went south fast, definitely rough coming in and very dicey. Watch the weather, watch the wind. You will be fine. There are a lot less boating days if you are going to be keeping it in a Marina.

I would Highly recommend the following:

1. Trim Tabs. Call Russ at LectoTab. Ask for him specifically and tell him about your boat and the waters you will be boating in. There are three types of controllers SLC, MLC and ALC. Game changer since I put them on my boat. I also boat in Lake St. Clair the big rivers and Lake Erie. He can also cut a custom size depending on what the thinks is best for your use case.
2. VHF Radio 25w with long antennae. I have two Standard Horizon hand helds but will be adding a fixed unit. IF you do venture out and something happens, you need the range. You will have areas where you lose Cell coverage.
3. Install a second bilge pump, 750 or higher, if you don't have one. Lake Michigan is not where you want to be a few miles or more away from shore in bad conditions taking on water.
4. If you don't have a Flare gun on board I would recommend one.
5. If you have maps on your system, I don't recall if your model does, that is great. Otherwise, get a chartplotter at least a small one and mount it in. I have had it where the Navionics on my phone had an issue for whatever reason, only in Lake Michigan.

You will have a great time. First time you have calm or almost calm clear blue/green water on a nice day it will be fantastic.

 

[dapowerelectric]

If it makes you feel safer I live in Maui and use it out on open ocean (Hawaii) and it handles like a champ.
I’m not familiar with Lake Michigan but doubt it gets much rougher than Hawaii!
Mon trim tabs available for the 255xd, they won’t fit cause you have the surf pointe.

 

[HangOutdoors]

Good point on the trim tabs, forgot about surf pointe.

 

[Anerbe]

Hello group, are any of you with the 255xd available for an experience ride and/or drive either by traverse city or SE Michigan area? Many of the boat stores local in TC are not fans of jet boats, and it’s difficult to even try one in MI.

Thanks in advance!

Ernest

 

[Coult45]

Check out this link, and maybe post there as well. Might have better luck getting folks to see it...

https://jetboaters.net/threads/considering-a-jet-boat-perhaps-need-a-test-drive-ride-look-here-volunteers-needed.34434/

 

[Anerbe]

Check out this link, and maybe post there as well. Might have better luck getting folks to see it...

https://jetboaters.net/threads/considering-a-jet-boat-perhaps-need-a-test-drive-ride-look-here-volunteers-needed.34434/

Thanks for the link!

 

[blueturtle]

Hello group, are any of you with the 255xd available for an experience ride and/or drive either by traverse city or SE Michigan area? Many of the boat stores local in TC are not fans of jet boats, and it’s difficult to even try one in MI.

Thanks in advance!

Ernest

I am in SE MI. My preferred lake is lake Fenton. I could probably provide a demo ride on my 255xd.

 

[n0mad17]

Hello group, are any of you with the 255xd available for an experience ride and/or drive either by traverse city or SE Michigan area? Many of the boat stores local in TC are not fans of jet boats, and it’s difficult to even try one in MI.

Thanks in advance!

Ernest

I’m picking up a 255XE on Thursday and hoping to have it on Silver Lake by Sunday. I have plenty of boating experience, but this will be my first jet boat. I experienced the same thing with TC dealers. I think they associate jet boats with 90’s Sea Doo boats. The inland lakes of Traverse City seem like the perfect application for jet boats and I’m putting quite the wager on it. I’d be happy to take you for a ride after I get comfortable with it

 

[Anerbe]

I’m picking up a 255XE on Thursday and hoping to have it on Silver Lake by Sunday. I have plenty of boating experience, but this will be my first jet boat. I experienced the same thing with TC dealers. I think they associate jet boats with 90’s Sea Doo boats. The inland lakes of Traverse City seem like the perfect application for jet boats and I’m putting quite the wager on it. I’d be happy to take you for a ride after I get comfortable with it

thanks for the offer! The shoreline of the traverse bay has gotten so shallow off the peninsula that it’s a complete pain to trim up an outboard, and forget about an inboard.