Lake Erie Small Craft Advisory (2024)

FAQs

What is considered Small Craft Advisory for Lake Erie? ›

A Small Craft Advisory may also be issued when sea or lake ice exists that could be hazardous to small boats. Eastern (ME… SC, Lake Erie, Lake Ontario) - Sustained winds or frequent gusts ranging between 25 and 33 knots (except 20 to 25 knots, lower threshold area dependent, to 33 knots for harbors, bays, etc.)

Small Craft Advisory: Boat Size

The National Weather Service does not specifically define a Small Craft with regards to the size of the boat. Experience of the operator, type and size of the boat and the overall condition of the boat are all factors that should be considered.

sunny. Waves 1 foot or less. See Lake Erie open lakes forecast for Sunday through Tuesday.

The shape of Lake Erie's lakebed, its shore and the human-made structures along the shore influence the path of circulation. While at times Lake Erie can be flat and calm, as wind blows across Lake Erie's surface, energy is transferred from the wind to the water. This energy generates currents and builds waves.

WHAT DOES A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY MEAN? Sustained winds offshore greater than 22 knots or frequent gusts of 25 knots or greater are expected or are occurring; or combined seas of 10 feet or more. Winds and seas of this magnitude will create steeper waves that could create dangerous boating conditions.

It turns out there are three classes of small craft. The first is 16 to 26 feet in overall length, the second is 27 to 39 feet in length, and the third is 40 to 65 feet in length. All are regarded as small craft. Therefore, any boat under 66 feet is considered a small craft.

There is no precise definition for small craft. Any vessel that may be adversely affected by Small Craft Advisory criteria should be considered a small craft. Other considerations include the experience of the vessel operator, and the type, overall size, and sea worthiness of the vessel.

A small craft, in a marine context, is any vessel or conveyance that floats on or operates on the water and is under 197 feet (60 meters) length overall (LOA).

Personal Water Craft are considered by the Coast Guard to be Class A inboard motor vessels and as such must adhere to the same Coast Guard regulations and standards as any other powerboats in this category, such as they must have a fire extinguisher on board, and must have an appropriate sound signaling device such as ...

According to Mark Thorton, who runs the weather blog LakeErieWX Marine Weather, the tallest officially recorded wave was 14 feet, but he says it is likely that higher wind speeds near Cleveland produced much higher waves.

How deep is Lake Erie? ›

The average depth of Lake Erie is only about 62 feet (210 feet, maximum). It therefore warms rapidly in the spring and summer, and frequently freezes over in winter. The drainage basin covers parts of Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York and Ontario.

ODH recommends avoidance of all contact with the water including swimming and wading. Pets should be kept out of the water. There are no current Recreational Public Health Advisories at any Lake Erie beaches in Ohio.

During the 1960s, Lake Erie was declared a “dead lake” due to eutrophication and pollution. The children's book, The Lorax, written by Dr. Seuss, actually included the following line referring to fish: “They will walk on their fins and get woefully weary in search of some water that isn't so smeary.

Watershed's surface: 209,000 square kms. Lake Superior is the largest, cleanest, and wildest of all the Great Lakes.

Killer Beauty. The shorelines of each Great Lake are distinctive and stunning, but Lake Michigan stands out as the deadliest of the five Great Lakes. Lake Michigan has had over 250 recorded cases of swimmers caught in rip currents since 2002.

There is no precise definition for small craft. Any vessel that may be adversely affected by Small Craft Advisory criteria should be considered a small craft. Other considerations include the experience of the vessel operator, and the type, overall size, and sea worthiness of the vessel.

Regardless of size or use, all motorized vessels are subject to NYS boating laws and regulations. Whether it's a yacht or canoe (yes, there are electric and gas-motorized canoes), it must be registered with the DMV before its launch on Lake Erie.

Minimum size for walleye is 15 inches. No minimum size for yellow perch.