15 ft. Boston Whaler (70hp) or a 12ft. alumnacraft (7.5) on Lake. Michigan? (near shore) Is it safe enough???

me and 2 of my cuzins took a 10 ft zodiac with a 6hp motor out on lake michigan one day and it was a blast! the waves were huge! we agreed to take my alumnacraft next time, but I'm afraid that it would be dangerous because I already fell out of it once and nearly got ran over by it. Now we have a nice Whaler, but I'm not sure if that would be safe enough to take out to lake michigan either. We would go out about 1,500 ft. at most, but i'm not sure.15 ft. Boston Whaler (70hp) or a 12ft. alumnacraft (7.5) on Lake. Michigan? (near shore) Is it safe enough???
You can cut a whaler in half with a chainsaw and both halves will float. When I was a kid, We ran one of these on a lake for skiing. distance from land isnt an issue, esp on a nice day.



however, If you cant navigate, I'd keep land within sight.



Stay safe and have fun!
Yes but be alert. I have seen a 17 foot boat (flats style) get over run and sank by a small wave that came out of nowhere. Wear a life jacket and have a radio and flares.15 ft. Boston Whaler (70hp) or a 12ft. alumnacraft (7.5) on Lake. Michigan? (near shore) Is it safe enough???
Nice, you have the Whaler. It's a fine, very safe boat and if you're going out in decent weather you'll be fine. If there are whitecaps on the lake, be careful. The Whaler is unsinkable so if you do capsize, stay with the boat. Stay sober, carry a vhf radio ( you can get help on channel 16) and have fun. wear your PFD and you'll be fine.
I think you answered your own question about boating safety because most major injuries or fatalities are from being smashed under one that suddenly flips or being tossed out of one and getting run over or becoming prop fodder. The relatively small Zodiac is actually very wide for its length and more wave worthy than either of the two boats you mentioned because an inflatable tends to flex with the waves, has an extremely low center of gravity, and isn't as easily flipped over as a hard-hull boat.



You can safely go out on Lake Michigan, the ocean, or a relatively small inland lake in a canoe if you use a little common sense, don't go out in waves your craft (or your seamanship) can't handle, and stay close enough to shore so that you won't get caught out in a quick change of wind or weather. Of course, the PFD is always a must; but it won't help at all when your boat is coming at, or down, on you from a poor decision or moment of carelessness.



My best advice is to study some good online sources for boat-handling tips, basic navagation rules, how to take waves, and other good advice before going out in anything. Unlike most cars that generally handle about the same, all boats take some "getting used to" because each one will handle very differently in different situations. After you've learned all the basics, learn your boat by carefully getting the feel of its handling strong points and weak points. As a retired rescue diver, there have been many times when I've taken a little 14' aluminum semi-V with a 20hp outboard into waves that had capsized 25' ski boats. Just remember that a little knowledge and skill combined with a lot of common sense will do more for you than the boat itself will do.15 ft. Boston Whaler (70hp) or a 12ft. alumnacraft (7.5) on Lake. Michigan? (near shore) Is it safe enough???
We put a 225hp merc outboard on our 15ft whaler. Never took it to top speed due to chiming but it wont sink.