Engine Co 454

Where are some places to launch? Any public ramps with decent parking space?

MarkSmith

Launch at Ben Watts on Rt. 12 or State park.

I have been boating there for 18 years and have not had a problem. Buy a map of the water with the depths anywhere in town before launching.

SmilingBob

I have been on the chain all of my life and never had a problem. There are some places worse than others but as stated earlier a map helps. There are also LOTS of good people that boat on the chain and are here on the board also, if you let them know when you are planning on coming I am sure you would have lots of offers to show you around.

10x

I boated there from 1981 to 1985, never tore up a drive or prop. Then I sold my "jetboat", bought a Cigarette, chewed up both props the first time out, went out on lake Michigan and never came back, "with the Cig that is"

Engine Co 454

Are there any good boating events next season, I am going to miss the River Shiver. Something in the Summer?

Boomer 880

You can go to www.funonthefox.com and get a calendar of events, a listing of all marinas and restaurants, and a message board. This should give you a great place to start.

gerritm

Don't forget Blarney's Island and the drag boat races every Thursday night from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Can't miss this on a trip to the Chain. This is a classic, must do.

iamjoe

I went out on the chain for the first time in years a couple of weeks ago. We started in McHenry and went all through the Northern end and back South through Grass Lake, the Pistakee Lake and Bay and then back down the river.

I was surprised by the highend hardware running around out there. I was surprised by the amount of PWCs running in every direction, not paying attention to anything or anyone around them. I wasn't surprised (although I had forgotten) the atrractive brown color of the water (disipates as you go further North).

Overall, it was a great time! If I end up staying in Chicago I would certainly look for a boat to keep there and use occasisionally on the big lake.

My advice: launch at the state park in Fox Lake, be careful where you go (follow the other boats) and have a gas! Its a fun place

Chain Runner

i love it! im out there almost every sunday, some saturdays, and most thursdays. like everyone says, if your not a tool and obey the markers, youll be fine. we only ran into trouble when we tried to cut across the no wake in pistakee and the depth finder was reading 1.5...think we should have noticed? there are a lot of nice boats that have no problem out here, 42' fountians, 36' eliminators, etc...see these guys all the time hauling ass! (i hear the 36' eliminator does 170???) something like twin 1025hp motor...either way it sounds ridiculous.

park at any one of the sandbars on a sunday, hop in the water, and enjoy the ladies! but like they say, if you drive dont drink, we got rolled 4 times this year and we were good everytime. shut down the exhaust by the cops and dont act like a fool, youll be fine.

No speed limits on the lower river also, thats a blast!

MarkSmith

[QUOTE=Chain Runner;2285597] (i hear the 36' eliminator does 170???) something like twin 1025hp motor...either way it sounds ridiculous.


QUOTE]

Yeah, RIGHT!!!! Who has a 36 Eliminator?

Brad, help me with this one.