[tomehmke]

Peter,
I sail from West Harbor west of Sandusky and would suggest that you check out the marinas in that area as well. There are several quality marinas located on the West Harbor channel and I think it is a distinct advantage to be able to get out onto the lake quickly and be right "downtown" in the cruising area around the islands. I have little experience with the Sandusky Bay. We usually make a pass by Cedar Point, but seldom enter the bay because of the shallow water you mentioned. Most of the boats that I see leaving the channel out of Sandusky Bay are heading west toward the islands, so why not cut back on some of the sailing time to get into that area by being closer? Just a suggestion. If you are interested, I can give you the names and phone numbers of a few quality marinas which cater to sailors.