Looking for opinions on the SS Badger ferry

[twowheeladdict]

Who has taken it?  Thoughts?  Sea state while crossing?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ZMx6u8zKW0

[fotoguzzi]

Take the overnight trip and get a birth. We had a great time but it was a long time ago like 2007?.. I have a lot of stories but I lost all my pics to a computer SNAFU back then.

[grebmrof]

I've taken it a few times, using a car and later a motorcycle...smooth ride, bring your own tie downs, and figure 8 loops.  You should enjoy the trip, whether you take the overnight or grab a room when you land.  Sure beats going through Chicago or over the top into Upper Michigan.  It isn't cheap though...

[Tkelly]

They didn’t have the overnight deal last summer,check the website. Enjoyable ride on an historic vessel.The Lake Express is also a good trip unless lake is rough.Definitely beats Chicago.

[Chuck in Indiana]

The Kid and I did it going to the Michigan rally a few years back. It was pleasant enough..

[OldMojo]

Took it last year. They were doing one trip over and back per day. At the time, (August) they were booking out a month ahead of time. Our trip was very smooth and uneventful. A full boat will make for a somewhat crowded boat.
Beware - they pack the bikes on very tightly. I was doing the limbo between my and my neighbor's handlebars to get my front wheel tied down. It loads/unloads from the stern only, and bikes are the first on but last off.
It was an interesting journey that I think everyone should experience at least once.
The only other large ferry I've been on that I can compare it to would be the Chi-Cheemaun on Lake Huron. The Chi-Cheemaun is a much nicer boat.

[twowheeladdict]

Thank you all for the responses.

So, from the time you have to show up in the parking lot until the time you roll away on your bike how many hours have passed? 

I will be on the Road Glide with tour pack installed.

I did the Chi-cheemaun a few years ago on the Trophy SE.

[Sykestone8886]

I’ve taken the badger several times on trips out west I thought it was a great experience. Summertime it crosses twice a day. I also used the sleeper rooms on the late nite crossings and slept like a baby, I would recommend it, anything beats dealing with the Chicago madness!!!

[OldMojo]

I would figure on 6 hours. The crossing is 4 hours, and I believe they ask you to be on line an hour prior. Another hour for fudge factor. Loading goes slower than unloading. Bikes are loaded angled along the sides of the hull rather than at the bow peak like they do on the double-ended ferries. Vehicles then come in behind, thus blocking the bikes in.

[Motormike]

I loved it! Big boat, loads of history.  They don't make em' like that any more.  Just do it.  Who knows how much longer they can keep the old gal ship-shape.  I was on a Road Glide as well.

[kirby1923]

Looks like a good trip segment!

The last ferry ride I remember fondly was the ferry ride from Blenheim (South Island NZ) to Wellington, (North Island), There was a group of eight bikes onboard a very windy day w/high seas in the straight.

We tied our machines down and before embarking, went for a bite. When we returned the bike tie-downs were doubled by the crew!

I knew right then we were in for a wild ride!

I was the only one in our group that didn't get seasick..wild!!

:-)

[SLDMRossi]

If they're running overnight service, the berth/room reservation...as mentioned by others...is imperative. The last time I went I thought I'd just sleep in the back of my pickup truck, beneath the bed cap. No go. No one's allowed down below once the ship sets sail.

I unfortunately ended up spending the night in a deck chair because all the berths were pre-booked by the time I got upstairs.

Steven Rossi

[normzone]

If they're running overnight service, the berth/room reservation...as mentioned by others...is imperative.
Steven Rossi

I think this is a better idea than [fotoguzzi]'s suggestion to "get a birth".

No telling what that could lead to - college fund, or dealing with colic, or even twins.

[fotoguzzi]

Ah Norm, your great! I hate when people spell things wrong and now I'm guilty.

[John Ulrich]

I saw a picture of it recently getting a layer of paint and should be looking good in 2022!   Great way to relax!

[twowheeladdict]

Thank you everyone.  I need to look see when the reservation window opens.  I don't care for locked in schedules, but this is going to be a great trip if the weather cooperates.

[normzone]

Ah Norm, your great! I hate when people spell things wrong and now I'm guilty.

I'm grateful for the opportunity to snark - I have so few entertainments these days.

 

[ccoli]

Judi and I now live about an hour north of Manitowoc. If anyone's in the area stop in and visit.
All contact information available at mgnoc or wmgr.org

[brider]

I didn't watch the entire video (I'll do that later), but a very good family friend of ours was the Captain of the Badger for several years. Years after that stint, he helped prepare a proposal to convert it to some kind of other commercial configuration, but it sounds like that didn't pan out.

He told many good stories from those days, and he was relatively young for a captain. After that, he spent time (or maybe it was during the months the Badger didn't run) as a pilot on the Great Lakes, taking international shipping from I think the Soo to Chicago. THOSE were some good stories, with some tremendous storms he had to negotiate, screaming orders to crews who spoke little english sometimes.

[Tom]

There's also a time zone change.  If you go Manitowoc to Luddington you lose an hour.  Only makes a difference if you take the last departure and get in early by losing an additional hour.  I ended up take a nap at the nearest rest stop on the way down to Detroit.