Windsurfing around Detroit

maria.niederhoff · Joined: 20 Apr 2015 Posts: 1

Hi all together,

just moved from the north coast of Germany to lovely Michigan. Men that's a lot of water here and Wind! I wonder is it worth it to bring my Windsurf equipment over.

Does anyone have a tips for me where to go for after work windsurf sessions around Detroit? I tried to research for local Windsurf shops to ask for hints but seems to be hard to find this guys....

I live in Royal Oak and work in Redford.

and would be extreme happy to get answers from the wind fan locals here Wink

Thank you so much.

jingebritsen · Joined: 21 Aug 2002 Posts: 3371

try the national forum. this one is most frequented by new england folks. btw, i know nothing about detroit ws scene.

http://www.iwindsurf.com/forums/viewforum.php?f=1

geohaye · Joined: 03 Apr 2000 Posts: 1437

Welcome to MI, Maria!

Hook up with the Grosse Pointe Windsurfing Club at the Grosse Pointe Yacht Club. They can help give you windsurf spot suggestions, and they sponsor events.

Their big US Windsurfing 2015 Windsurfing Regatta is coming up on June 20!:
http://uswindsurfing.org/event/2015-grosse-pointe-windsurfing-club-regatta/

Older, but cool, article:
http://www.grossepointenews.com/Articles-i-2011-06-30-244720.114135-Windsurfing-becomes-popular-on-Lake-St-Clair.html

Do a search on the iWindsurf homepage for Detroit, MI. The premium iWindsurf stations at Belle River, Grosse Pointe Yacht Club, and Lake St. Clair Metropark, are quite popular with locals.

gschuel1 · Joined: 04 Apr 2005 Posts: 56 Location: Narragansett, RI

Windsurfing & Stand-Up Paddleboarding in Michigan
http://miwindsurfing.com/

Brian_S · Joined: 11 Jun 2005 Posts: 249 Location: SE Michigan

Guten Tag Maria,

Between Royal Oak and Redford, you might not find many good sailing sites, but as mentioned, there's a group in the Grosse Pointe area, and another group near Metro Beach. Grosse Pointe is a little closer, but Metro Beach is still only about 35 minutes from Royal Oak.

There's a Yahoo group for Metro:
https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/MiWindsurf/info

and there's the MI Windsurfing site for the whole state:
http://miwindsurfing.com/

Welcome to Michigan Awesome!

sav1 · Joined: 20 Sep 2008 Posts: 50

I grew up North of Detroit and there are no good sailing sites in the area. Your best bet is to drive to either Lake Huron(kettle point) or Lake Eire (point pele) for waves. Proximate to you Metro Beach is the best flat water option but keep your gear packed until Oct.-Dec.

ClausSurfpNet · Joined: 12 May 2015 Posts: 9

Hi together, i am also from Germany and i think of Moving to royal oak
The youtube Clips of kettle Point and the other Spot i Found locked quite windy and wavey...which made me some Hope...it Looks still Cold though, but in the Spots Would work frequently...it Could be an Option...today ist really windy and i Would go to try Cass lake close to Royal oak...but i have no Car Sad

. Going back to Germany Next weekt, but probably coming back here later again...is it frequently windy here or do i have to get into SUP Ing the lakes ?
Any wavesailors around Detroit ? Or am i Going to be a complete ALIEN with my Passion ?

Brian_S · Joined: 11 Jun 2005 Posts: 249 Location: SE Michigan

Claus
There are 'wave' sailors at Kettle Point (Ontario), on Lake MI (a 3.5 hr drive from RO) and at da Reef on Lake Erie (a 4 hr drive). It's not quite Hookipa though.
If you are interested in bump 'n jump or flat water sailing, then there are plenty of places to sail.

ClausSurfpNet · Joined: 12 May 2015 Posts: 9

Thank you Brian and all the others...well it Sounds still Resonable to me, but i Need more Details...whats the Most frequent Sail / Board size for the flat Stuff ? And how often Do you go SAiling here ? I think the good days i will find them in a Holiday somewhere else...for me its Important that i can Sail sometimes to keep up the Fitness and feel free on Any water.. And that there is someone else Doing the same..i Petty much Know all the European Surfspots, but i dont Know wehere and when to,go over here..also the freelancing work i can do in Germany ... I still dont Know about flexible work over here... I just Fell in Love with someone from Royal oak...and Thats really Important for me to Not have a distance Relation for a loooong Time...so i will have to descide if i leave my beautiful German surroundings...with all the many possibilities for sailing and mountainbiking...i thank you all a Lot for Any Information..you help me to find out what i have to Do...is there Any frequent windy Spot i can reach within a day Or two ? Something like "lake Garda" with thermal wind ? Or some "Channel" Or sea/Land windsystems that work in Summer on a Daily Basis ? I Would Even go for a Huge Kite to get into Planning...if there were 12 Knots..but i dont want to wait Weeks and weeks if i Move somewhere ...

ClausSurfpNet · Joined: 12 May 2015 Posts: 9

It Would help me if someone Whois also addicted to surf Would Tell me about the past years...how often which sail was possible...and where..where do you go on a surftrip if you live here ? Always by plane or anything frequently working Thats reachable by car ? Are the forecasts exact ... Possible to tell if its Worth to drive to kettle Or pele ? I guess a drysuit is a good thing to have over here...thank you so much !