Boat Clubs in South Haven, MI

The boat clubs we list in South Haven are Carefree Boat Club and Freedom Boat Club. Membership gets you access to a shared fleet without owning, maintaining or storing a boat yourself.

July and August are usually the best months for boating from South Haven’s Black River harbor onto Lake Michigan. Southern Lake Michigan’s average surface temperature reaches the upper 60s in July and low 70s in August, while South Haven’s municipal marinas operate from April 15 through October 15.

Check the marine forecast even on a clear morning. Along Michigan’s Lake Michigan shore, the lake breeze increasingly influences afternoon winds as summer approaches, and thunderstorm gusts are the most likely source of strong winds in spring and summer. Spring and fall can still provide good outings, but the water is cooler.

Source: South Haven Municipal Marinas (southhaven.org)

From South Haven, you can boat the Black River, South Haven Harbor and Lake Michigan, or paddle the Bangor to South Haven Heritage Water Trail. Black River Park is the local public put-in, with an improved boat ramp and a separate carry-in launch for kayaks and canoes.

South Haven Harbor is slow-no-wake, making the riverfront passage suited to an easy cruise. The dredged entrance channel runs between the piers into Lake Michigan, the open water choice. Small craft can continue upriver beyond the harbor, while the Heritage Water Trail offers a quieter paddling route from Black River Park.

Source: NOAA Office of Coast Survey (nauticalcharts.noaa.gov)

From South Haven, boaters can make Lake Michigan day trips to downtown Saugatuck, Holland’s Lake Macatawa and St. Joseph Harbor. In Saugatuck, the Kalamazoo River leads to transient slips and Coghlin Park’s Shoppers’ Dock for short-term access to downtown dining and shopping. At Holland, Ottawa Beach Marina sits just inside the Lake Michigan channel on Lake Macatawa, beside Holland State Park and within walking distance of beaches and a restaurant. In St. Joseph, West Basin Marina is just inside the pier heads, near Tiscornia Park, with transient slips and a shuttle to downtown.

Source: Saugatuck/Douglas Area Convention and Visitors Bureau (saugatuck.com)

Michigan requires a boating safety certificate rather than a recreational boating license for anyone born on or after July 1, 1996, operating a motorboat over 6 horsepower. A child under 12 may operate 6 to 35 horsepower only with a certificate and direct onboard supervision by someone at least 16, and may not operate more than 35 horsepower.

For personal watercraft, no one under 14 may operate. Ages 14 and 15 need a certificate plus either accompaniment by a parent, legal guardian or designated adult 21 or older, or operation within 100 feet of one; operators born after December 31, 1978, need a certificate. A renter who completes livery safety training may use the written rental agreement as a certificate only for the listed rental dates. Michigan DNR administers the program.

Source: Michigan Department of Natural Resources (michigan.gov)

Michigan boaters should follow Michigan Department of Natural Resources rules on life jackets, sober operation, registration, personal watercraft and invasive species. Carry a Coast Guard approved life jacket for each person; children under 6 must wear a Type I or II jacket on an open deck while underway. Operating with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 or higher is illegal. Unless exempt, watercraft must be registered and display a decal. PWC operators must be at least 14, with certificate and supervision rules for ages 14 and 15, and PWCs may not operate from sunset to 8 a.m. Before launching or transporting, remove plants and debris from boat and trailer, and pull drain plugs and drain all water before hauling; local no wake rules may also apply.

Source: Michigan Department of Natural Resources, michigan.gov/dnr (michigan.gov)

The legal minimum depends on vessel class and power: Michigan has no minimum operating age for a motorboat of 6 horsepower or less. For more than 6 horsepower, unsupervised operation starts at 12 with a boating safety certificate. Under 12, operation through 35 horsepower requires that certificate and direct onboard supervision by someone at least 16; stronger boats are prohibited. Personal watercraft require age 14. Ages 14–15 need a certificate and either a parent, legal guardian, or designated adult 21 or older onboard, or within 100 feet while that adult operates another personal watercraft; independent operation starts at 16. Certificates are compulsory for motorboat operators born on or after July 1, 1996, and PWC operators born after December 31, 1978. Rental operators set their minimums, so confirm when booking.

Source: Michigan Department of Natural Resources (michigan.gov)

Alongside the boat clubs on this page, South Haven has 6 boat rentals, 8 marinas and 1 boat dealer.