Travel days for cruising our motor yacht are a lot different than the RV. More planning is required, and the United States Coast Guard recommends we file a Float Plan with family. This way if we don’t show up or contact them they can contact the Coast Guard to start a search. We have only authorized our kids to make that call as we are in daily, or near daily contact with them. They know where we are, what we are doing and where we should be.

Click here to download the USCG Float Plan.
Phone numbers for USCG offices can be found here.

We plan to splash in at 10 am. With this one, the hard part is I really don’t know how long it will take to splash. We have three bridges we need to open for us. Two of them are not an issue, they just won’t open from 7a-8a and 4p-5p. The third one though is a railroad bridge. They need a two hour notice to open the bridge. They are pretty specific about the time as well. I think I will go for 11:00 am and see if I get lucky.

Our route is below.

Initial Plan
Date: 07/10/23
Route name in Aqua Maps: To Sheboygan (07/10/23)
Crew: Captain Scott, 1st Mate Rita, Crew Noah
Nebo Link: Click here (this will be actual after the start time)
Start at: 11:00 am
End at: 4:30 pm
Total Time: 5:20
Distance: 55.3 miles
Fuel Plan: 80 gallons
Mid stop: Port Washington
Long stop: NA

I like to check the weather a few days, day before, and day of before we make our final “Go” or “No Go” decision. Day of weather checks won’t be documented here since my goal is to publish the travel day plan the day prior. If we decide on a “No Go” decision that weather prediction info will be documented.

Weather Prediction
Date/Time Check: 07/09/23 @ 4:15 pm
Leaving from: Milwaukee @ 11 am

Windy (ECMWF):
Wind: 13 mph, gusts to 17 mph, out of the SW
Temp: 75 degrees
Waves: 1′ from the SWS, 1′ SW swell with 2.7 sec period
Predict Wind (PWG):
Wind: 11 mph, gusts to 18 mph, out of the SW
Temp: 71 degrees
Waves: 1′, direction 109 degrees, wave period 1.8 sec
Windfinder:
Wind: 13 mph, gusts to 18 mph, out of the SW
Temp: 76 degrees
Waves: 1′ from the SW, 1 sec wave period
Ventusky:
Wind: 13 mph, gusts to 18 mph, out of the SW
Temp: 73 degrees
Waves: NA
Wunderground
Wind: 11mph, out of the WSW
Temp: 84 degrees
Waves: NA

Arrive at: Sheboygan @ 4 pm

Windy (ECMWF):
Wind: 21 mph, gusts to 27 mph, out of the SE
Temp: 71 degrees
Waves: 3′ from the SE, 0′ SW swell with 0 sec period
Predict Wind (PWG):
Wind: 22 mph, gusts to 36 mph, out of the S
Temp: 72 degrees
Waves: 1′, direction 169 degrees, wave period 1.9 sec
Windfinder:
Wind: 15 mph, gusts to 20 mph, out of the SW
Temp: 83 degrees
Waves: 1.4′ from the SW, 3 sec wave period
Ventusky:
Wind: 16 mph, gusts to 20 mph, out of the S
Temp: 77 degrees
Waves: NA
Wunderground
Wind: 14 mph, out of the S
Temp: 85 degrees
Waves: NA

Weather Prediction
Date/Time Check: 07/05/23 @ 6:40 pm
@MIlwuakee @ 10:00 am
Windy:
Wind: 9 mph gusts to 14mph from SSE
Temp: 77 degrees
Waves: 1′ with 0′ swell, 2.6 sec
Predict Wind
Wind: 6 mph from SE, gusts to 14 mph
Temp: 66 degrees
Waves: 1′ from 244 deg, 2 sec
Windfinder:
Wind: 6 mph from WSW
Temp: NA
Ventusky
Wind: xx mph from the xx, gusts to xx mph
Temp: 77 degrees
Wunderground
Wind: 9 from the west,
Temp: 79 degrees

Weather Prediction
Date/Time Check: 07/05/23 @ 6:40 pm
@Sheboygan @4:00 pm
Windy:
Wind: 17 mph gusts to 24 mph from the south
Temp: 74 degrees
Waves: 2′ with 0′ swell, 1.3 sec
Predict Wind
Wind: 4 mph from SE, gusts to 16
Temp: 67 degrees
Waves: 2.2 from 171 deg, 2.9 sec
Windfinder:
Wind: 13mph from SSW
Temp: NA
Ventusky
Wind: 3 mph from the NE
Temp: 72 degrees
Wunderground
Wind: 9 from the west,
Temp: 86 degrees