No gas motors are allowed on Beck Lake- I see canoes, Kayaks and small rowboats - oops- sorry- electric trolling motors are allowed on Beck according to the Forest Preseve website- I don't know if there is a size restriction though- perhaps someone else can answer that.........
It's difficult at times to get a 12 ft rowboat into beck because of the extremely shallow boat launch. You might still be able to get your boat in though. In the past I've seen sailboats launched there :shock:
As long as you have 4wd to get back far enough it wouldnt be a problem. There was a guy that launches a 1970's 17' fiberglass tri hull with the motor removed and replaced with a trolling motor. That boat was huge, and must have weighed a ton.
I also helped a guy launch his aluminum 14'er while I was launching, and his front wheels on the truck were 4 feet out into the water, but it worked well. Once it was that far back the boat just floated off.
I recently lowered my trailer so that the platform is only about 16" off the ground at the back. It is still 3-5 inches above the water when the 20' long trailer is all the way in. I dont back the car in the water though. Also look before you back in. There are severl big chunks of concrete, and asphalt just off the launch. Hope this helps.
I launch my 15 foot smokercraft there. As long as you put your back tires into the water you might be ok, the ramp is very shallow. but it gets deeper pretty far in the water. 4x4 might be a must like said.
I think you are mistaken. Thats a Dupage county thing, I believe. Beck is in Cook. I am pretty sure that the "no inflatable of any kind" rule applys to Beck as well.
Not to say I havent seen a few kids out there in an inflatable a handful of times. If the local CPO stops by, they would be in trouble.
Theres actually a sign right at the ramp at Beck that spells it all out pretty clearly.
Thats the unfortunate thing about moving out here, i had to sell my 9ft 'toon that is legal in just about every other state. They are fantastic, durable, fun... i dunno why CC wont allow them as "inflatables". hell, they are built specifically for fishing. In 6 yrs i've never once heard of anyone ( in Colo) ever having any kind of accident with one. And thats out of THOUSANDS on the states rivers/lakes all year long. heck, mine was Class III rated and plenty capable. No tree limb or stump was gonna pop it. So now i'm in a kayak, which I will sell for another 'toon once we move back.
I guess I havent read the sign since I started launching a few years back. That is interesting. So you guys are saying that they are really allowing hard bottomed inflatables now? You're still going down if both chambers fail.
As far as a pontoon goes (if thats what you mean by 'toon), I always assumed they would be ok as long as you only used an electric motor. :?
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