Weather Forecasts

NOAA Great Lakes Portal »Wave Heights, weather for each lake, etc.
Harrison - Dever Crib » Realtime meteorological data for the Chicago area.
South Lake Michigan Buoy »
National Weather Service Forecast » from NOAA.
National Weather Service » Five day forecast for the waters beyond five nautical mile from the Chicago shore.
US Army Corps of Engineers » Weekly Great Lakes Water Levels.
Weather.com » Weather facts and forecasts, maps, radar, and satellite imagery.

Yacht Clubs, Harbors, and Marinas

Regional Boating Information

Illinois DNR » The Illinois Department of Natural Resources page for Boat Licenses, Permits, Registration & other Information. Resources include: online registration, PDF forms, and more.

Wisconsin DNR » Information on registering and titling your boat in Wisconsin.

Michigan Secretary of State » Download forms to register and title your boat in Michigan.

Chicago Harbor Information » Operated by Westrec, this website contains all the information you need regarding Chicago Harbors including mooring application forms, harbor rates, etc.

National Boating Resources

US Coast Guard EPIRB Information » Emergency position indicating radiobeacons (EPIRBs), devices which cost from $200 to about $1500, are designed to save your life if you get into trouble by alerting rescue authorities and indicating your location. EPIRB types are described on this page.

US Coast Guard Documentation » Vessel documentation is a national form of registration that provides conclusive evidence of nationality for international purposes, provides for unhindered commerce between the states, and admits vessels to certain restricted trades.

Boater Education Courses » Safe boating courses will improve your water safety and boating skills and may qualify you for a discount on your boat insurance. Obtain your boat safety certificate issued by your state government. Test how much you know about boating regulation and boat safety, free of charge.