Legal canoe/kayak launch on Detroit river?

**Timothy** · May-04-12, 01:13 PM

I'm looking for a spot to launch a canoe, preferably as far upstream as possible.

I know some people use Maheras Gentry Park or Belle Isle, but launching from a park in Detroit is illegal.

Does anyone have a house on the Fox Creek canals that wouldn't mind letting me launch from their backyard once in awhile?

**Johnnny5** · May-04-12, 01:28 PM

Originally Posted by Timothy

I'm looking for a spot to launch a canoe, preferably as far upstream as possible.

I know some people use Maheras Gentry Park or Belle Isle, but launching from a park in Detroit is illegal.

Does anyone have a house on the Fox Creek canals that wouldn't mind letting me launch from their backyard once in awhile?

Launching from Belle Isle is illegal? I've launched and kayaked there twice and was never bothered. It might be a law on the books, but I've never heard of it being enforced. There are boat launches at the end of Alter Rd and one at St. Jean, but both will cost between $5 and $10 [[I can't remember which charges what).

muskie1 · May-04-12, 01:42 PM

The only real Kayak launch I of know is far downstream, at Bishop park in Wyandotte.

**laphoque** · May-04-12, 01:46 PM

It's ~~probably~~ definitely not illegal. ~~I couldn't find any laws saying so.~~ Riverside Kayak does tours from there. Also you're allowed on nearly all waterways in the state no matter what the various corporate goons might say.

**Jimaz** · May-04-12, 01:47 PM

Originally Posted by Timothy

I'm looking for a spot to launch a canoe, preferably as far upstream as possible.

I know some people use Maheras Gentry Park or Belle Isle, but launching from a park in Detroit is illegal.

Does anyone have a house on the Fox Creek canals that wouldn't mind letting me launch from their backyard once in awhile?

It's not the Detroit River, but Utica installed a public floating canoe launch on the Clinton River last year. Pictures here.

Shortly after installation, the Clinton flooded, lifting the launch off its moorings. It suffered some minor damage when the flood receded but it's perfectly safe and usable.

It's somehow affiliated with Outdoor Escorts, a canoe rental business. Their website says you can paddle to Mt. Clemens from there.

**laphoque** · May-04-12, 01:58 PM

Here are the applicable laws I have found:

You need a life jacket & at night a lantern.

You need a permit to moor your boat, can't throw trash in the water, etc.

**Chinman** · May-04-12, 04:32 PM

michigan law states that all lakes and rivers are open to the public. if someone bought all the land around a lake and called it theirs then they would be wrong.
sure, they don't have to give you access. but, if you dropped from a helicopter onto the lake, they have no right to kick you out.

**Johnnny5** · May-04-12, 05:32 PM

Originally Posted by Chinman

michigan law states that all lakes and rivers are open to the public. if someone bought all the land around a lake and called it theirs then they would be wrong.
sure, they don't have to give you access. but, if you dropped from a helicopter onto the lake, they have no right to kick you out.

That is simply not true. The laws vary greatly on Michigan's inland lakes and rivers, but there are many privately owned lakes in Michigan and even if you dropped from a spaceship you would still be trespassing on some of them. Basically the Great Lakes and all connecting waterways [[and the bottom lands) are owned by the State of Michigan and open to most public uses. Most inland lakes bordered by private property grant ownership of the bottom to the surrounding land owners [[In a pie shape to the center of the lake), but if the lake has public access or a navigable entrance anyone is allowed to fish, dive, kayak or swim anywhere in the lake. The hunting rights on most inland lakes are the sole right of the bordering landowners [[But not always). It gets even more complicated on rivers as some are deemed navigable [[And therefore open to the public) and others are not and are the property of the bordering land owners.

**Eastside** · May-04-12, 07:52 PM

Go to the foot of Alter Road in the Creekside Community on the far eastside. There you will find a free boat launch with plenty of free parking. The launch puts you in the canals and they lead to the Detroit River.

Enjoy!

**Landman** · May-04-12, 08:32 PM

Originally Posted by Eastside

Go to the foot of Alter Road in the Creekside Community on the far eastside. There you will find a free boat launch with plenty of free parking. The launch puts you in the canals and they lead to the Detroit River.

Enjoy!

Its not a free launhc. It is owned by the guy who lives in the red bungalow right next door. Its an on your system. See the green box atthe entrance. Grab envelope, put fee inside, fee's are on the envelope, Put car license plate # on envelope, then slide envelope into slot in the green box.....Landman

**Timothy** · May-07-12, 12:52 PM

Thanks everyone for the tip about the Alter Road launch. That is exactly what I was looking for. Somehow, despite being in that area often, I've never noticed it.

As for the question about whether it's legal to launch from a park: Last fourth of July, Keith Flournoy, who I believe is the director of Belle Isle, and a police officer went around ejecting all the canoes and kayaks from the ponds and canals [[there were many, as it was a holiday, and I was among them). I wasn't sure what law I was breaking [[Mr. Flournoy and the police officer probably didn't know either) so when I got home I checked and saw:

"No houseboat shall be allowed in any basin, canal or channel of any park or part thereof; nor shall any person launch, set afloat or take from the water any navigable equipment on any river, canal or channel, bank, berm, wharf, pier or dock without first obtaining a permit from the recreation department."

in Section 4-2-4 of the Detroit City Code.

I would think a canoe or kayak would count as "any navigable equipment."

**Anonymous** · May-07-12, 01:26 PM

While a kayak might not be "navigable equipment" for the purposes of that section of the Code, the Code also provides a catchall a few sections later:

"The recreation department shall have authority to establish such other rules and regulations as may be deemed advisable to promote peace, health or safety. It shall have authority to call on the chief of police to assist in enforcing all such rules and regulations as may be deemed necessary."

That's about as broad as it gets.

**laphoque** · May-18-12, 07:50 AM

I skipped right over that line because it began with houseboat. That's why IANAL. I tried to find kayaks or canoes in the recreation department fee schedule [[which you have to use Google to get to because the link is dead and it doesn't appear they've uploaded a new schedule for 2012). I guess you might call to the recreation department. Kayaks might be like marijuana: legal with a permit, but there is no permit.

Navigable Equipment

Maybe if you went without a paddle?

**jolla** · May-18-12, 08:38 AM

Originally Posted by Landman

Its an on your system.

You mean 'honor system'.

**gazhekwe** · May-18-12, 09:28 AM

The permit is the key here. I was wondering, as we have had an annual canoe launch from Belle Isle for a couple three years now, with no problems, but there had to be prep for the canoes to cross the border and come back, so permits must have been arranged as well. Try calling P & R and see about a permit. I bet it is a liability thing, though it is hard to see how the permit would help that.