How late in the year can you sail south out of Canada?

[My Wind Lass]

I experienced the trip going the opposite direction about 12 years ago when we bought our boat in the Chesapeake and sailed it up to Montreal. We ran out of vacation time dealing with the closing of the sale, etc. so we had the choice of trucking our boat north ($5,000+ were the quotes from Solomons Island to Montreal) or sailing it up on weekends and leaving the boat at marinas during the week. The trip ended up costing us about $3600 all in including gas back and forth each weekend but both my wife and I agree it was one of the best experiences we ever had. We met so many great people and learned so much about our boat in those first 8 weekends. We saw so many great places and enjoyed one of our best trips ever to New York (staying on a mooring at the 79th street boat basin). If you have the time to do the trip, you will not regret it. Sure you can truck the boat and have access to it down south, but will you ever get the chance again to see that great expanse between Georgian Bay and Florida?
My advice to you would be to wait until the spring, spend a few weeks cruising in Georgian Bay and the North Channel (according to the book of the same name, one of the best "places to sail before you die"), then sail her down through the Great Lakes to Oswego and follow the Erie canal to NY, along the Jersey shore to the Delaware canal, down the Chesapeake and beyond. I would even join you for the first week or two if you'd like up in the Great Lakes. You will see more variety and experience more amazing things than you will ever see just staying in one area.
Or you can drive the interstates. Your choice!

[Vasco]

If the boat's in Georgian Bay, it's a long way from the Erie Canal. Looks like next year. The Canal can be boisterous early (May/June) in the season depending on the winter run-off. The water can really roar at the locks and the spillways get scary. Also some locks might be closed due to high water. Make sure you check the state of the canal.
New York State Canals

[CloseQuarters]

Trucking option is dependent on beam and height to navigate highways and over passes. I trucked a 36' x 13' wide x 11' tall boat from Georgia to Lake Ontario. The trucks Ng company will dertermine the route and ere are special escorts required for any part of the trip. I have always had good luck with Andrews Trucking from Niagara Falls area.

[SV Bacchus]

All great recommendations and love the personal referrals for trucking companies. Nope, not getting beat up in the cold & wet and miss the fantastic cruising areas and trip down the canals. Then the Chicago and down the mighty Mississippi has stirred up the mix.

Do I truck it and get started now then offer to crew with others later or do I buy it and leave it then enjoy the trip of a lifetime?

Oh, and the tax avoidance thing, excellent point and may be a deciding factor.

Great input everyone, thanks so much, it is appreciated..

[doublewide]

the limiting factor is the date they close the Erie Canal.

[SVTwilight]

+1 for trucking to FL, it will almost surely cost you less than piloting the boat to FL and you will be sailimg away sooner!

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, ticocan, & Close Quarters.

[fguptill]

It is already too late to head south from Canada in a sailboat, and this is doubly true if the boat is new to you. Trebly true if you are new to sailing.
The trip you envisage is a great experience. I highly recommend it, but wait until you have acquired the boat, learned how to use it, made most of the inevitable modifications and can depart on your own schedule- not one dictated by the weather.

[Elie]

You can dismast and proceed to the Oswego to Troy barge cannal. This cannal ends on Hudson river at Troy(Ny). Frome there you can step your mast by yourself close to Albany (A Yacht club equiped with a good crane. Or your can have it stepped for you at one of the many marina on the Katskill river: Des do undred of mast every year and they are really good at it. Then you can proceed toward New York then south along New Jersey Seashore to Caoe May(or Henlopen arbor on the other side of the Delaware Bay. From there you can navigate up the Delaware Bay and enter a cannal to would let arrive to Norfolk and the Intracoastal waterway. It might be a bit cold at this time of year, but doable. If your are Canadian, there a few thing to keep in mind.
1- A valid passport and no criminal record: US custom will refuse entry to the USA if any blemish on your personnal record.
2- You have to guet a DTOP sticker(A sort of annual tax of $27.00) for custom services;
3- A cruising permit is mandatory ;
4- A good insurance responsability coverage in case of accident with an American(Sueing is a national sport in the US!)
5- Ownership paper for the boat.
Is is also very good to have a towing insurance, in case of grounding: Cheap to get, that will spare you unbelievable towing fees in case of problem.
I have done this trip from Lake Champlain and in my opinion is quite doable till end of november, the scenery is fantastic and services are avalable everywhere. Naturally, you need to have a minimum knowledge of navigation, boats, engine, etc...

[Divevac]

Georgian Bay to Buffalo is 1 week minimum going 24\7 or 2-3 weeks daylight only and weather-dependent. I don't think there are locks at Sarnia to negotiate. However water and daylight are getting in ever shorter supply.

If you get this far this fall, the water in the Erie Canal should be fine until they close Nov 20th-count on 8-10 days across to the Hudson depending on your tolerance for motoring in the dark (soon to be 5:30 pm). Motoring to NYC is not an issue but I'd step the mast at the east end of the Erie Canal where facilities, labour and experience are plentiful and inexpensive (vs the complete opposite at NYC).

Even on the ICW, heading south during hurricane season (Sept-Dec) wouldn't appeal to me at all. Remember Matthew? Its still spinning 85 kts midway between Newfoundland and the Azores.

You have one more vote for trucking or waiting until spring. If you elect for spring, the quickest route to the Erie Canal from Georgian Bay is the Trent-Severn canal system-a delightful 6-9 day inland scenic cruise. Port Severn is Georgian Bay and the south end at Trenton (home for me) is 38 nm from Oswego another 18 nm south to the Erie system at the eastern end of L Ontario.

While this fall is theoretically still possible, you better bring lots of woolies! Trucking appears cheaper to me than all the stress, crap weather, aggravation, hurricane potential, etc. Priceless!

[mottseng]

Where in Georgian Bay?

[SV Bacchus]

Well, trucking wins out. 2nd is waiting until Summer. Trip of a lifetime, shouldn't miss it except to get the boat early and start sailing now..

[Pete O Static]

If it were me, trucking it would be my last resort. I have done the Erie Canal to NYC and then sailed down to Cape May and into the Chesapeake. Had a blast.

Along with Georgian Bay and the Trent Severn, that trip offers up some fantastic sailing areas (including a dry lock that will take your boat over a road on rails ) that you will likely never see again if your backyard is Florida. Life is a journey to be experienced. Well worth the wait till spring in my opinion.

Best of luck whichever way you go!

[SV Bacchus]

And THAT, Pete, is what is killing me! The trip of a lifetime that may never happen if I don't take advantage of this opportunity.

My target boat has been sold, outbid by another who wanted it more. There are many up there and the GL is my new shopping ground so hopefully the trip will happen anyway..

[Pete O Static]

Originally Posted by SV Bacchus

And THAT, Pete, is what is killing me! The trip of a lifetime that may never happen if I don't take advantage of this opportunity.

My target boat has been sold, outbid by another who wanted it more. There are many up there and the GL is my new shopping ground so hopefully the trip will happen anyway..

If you find anything on Lake Champlain ( Vermont and New York ) and would like someone to stop by to take some pics or otherwise take a closer look, feel free to PM me. Would be happy to take a look for you.