Dan J.S. wrote:

I have a 25 foot pontoon boat (bennington). Trying to decide where to dock
it for the 2006 season.

Choice #1. Madison, Wisconsin - Lake Mendota. For most part, very quiet
lake, good swimming, best 4th of July fireworks in the Midwest. bad - 2 hour
drive from my house, no restaurants, not much boating to do except for the
two lakes.

Choice #2. Fox River, Illinois. In McHenry, Illinois. 15 minutes from my
house, great restaurants on the river, 50+ miles of boating. Bad- lots of
traffic on the river, people drive like crazy, lots of drunks, it would take
me 1 hour plus of boating to get to a good swimming hole.


To throw into the mix, I have a 3 month old baby boy, so driving to Madison
is really not the best of options. On the flip side, I feel boating could be
safer in Madison.

Any thoughts on this?



It sounds like you have a trailer and tow vehicle so you could always
look at smaller, closer, lakes like Shabbona (sp?) and Koshkonong (think
I got that right!) and still have the flexibility to trailer to other
areas for special events like the 4th of July?

It's been a while since I lived up there (McHenry County) so I don't
know which lakes still have dockage available. I kept my 18' bowrider
on Brown's Lake in Racine County for four years. The "marina" was sold,
torn down, and now a few nice homes are there a few steps from Hwy 11.

I guess you have written off Geneva and Delavan?

Dan