New York State canal system gps

[jackw553]

I just got a boat and want to equip it with a decent instrument for depth and location. I will be traveling the nyscs and maybe into NYC via the Hudson. I'm wondering what I am really going to need to make the cruising safe and secure and stress free. Any suggestions are helpful!

[reduc]

You could provide more info on the boat, draft, etc. Depending on your plans....maybe a handheld chartplotter is the cheap/easy/reasonably safe option. Could be overkill for what you are doing - or not. A decent set of paper charts is never a bad idea - at least to review the areas you may be heading.

What kind of boat, where are you starting, and what are the plans?

[Matt Johnson]

The canal is kind of hard to get lost on. I think it's about 100' wide. A cell phone's gps will tell you where you are along it.... beyond that, not much else is needed.

Matt

[Tetepare]

Originally Posted by funjohnson

The canal is kind of hard to get lost on. I think it's about 100' wide. A cell phone's gps will tell you where you are along it.... beyond that, not much else is needed.

Matt

Then why is there a published guide?

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome to the CF, Jack.

[valhalla360]

For the most part...don't run into the brush on either side and you will be fine. It's entirely possible and safe to run the canal with no GPS. If you aren't sure where you are pull into the next free dock and ask where you are.

Often the GPS showed us running down the tow paths, so the available charts aren't that accurate anyway.

Hudson River needs a bit better but even a cellphone with a navigation app is adequate if that's the limit of your cruising. At that point, it's more of a preference (do you want a big day light visible screen, waterproof, etc...)

[boatpoker]

Cruising the NY State Canal System

[CaptTom]

Originally Posted by Tetepare

Then why is there a published guide?

They give distances between locks and towns, services available, bridge clearances, contact information, etc. You use them more like the road maps of old.

Much more helpful than a GPS chartplotter, which as was mentioned, sometimes shows you steaming along solid ground.

Your cell phone GPS and the guide liked above are really all you need. Maybe there's even an app, haven't checked in a while.

[Ardbeg]

As already mentioned, get the Canal Guide. When I did the canal in 2012, I hit bottom 3 times, twice mud and once rocks. I draw 7 feet. You have not said the boat you have. Makes a difference. I would say, get yourself a good depth finder for sure. Shoaling is an issue that you cannot always see on charts. As for GPS, my boat is Raymarine for electronics. As someone else mentioned, in the canal I often found my chart plotter showing me on the land part of the canal system. The water is quite narrow in many places so easy for GPS to be a bit off. Bottom line, you can never have too much pertinent information before you put the key in the ignition. I also assume you have taken some boating courses?

[Ardbeg]

I just realized that I have two user names somehow. Catalina 065 = Ardbeg.

[admiralslater]

I know I am going to get grief for this post ,but in 82 I did the barge canal and the Hudson from Oswego Ny .to NY.NY. With a shell road map a seafairer 3000 ,no vhf , a Car stero one cassette each of beach boys ,Debussy and David Bowie . Got the waterway guide in New York and went to the Bahamas and back . Best year of my life ( life is still good ) .
I was 19 .
It is possible to over think some things

[Suijin]

When I was 19 I sailed through the Grenadines without charts. Does not mean it was a good idea or that I would not have enjoyed myself more if I had had them.

Sometimes "overthinking things" is better than not.

[admiralslater]

Not really suggesting that it was the best way to do it ,but perhaps our desire for a guarantee of success can hold us back. There is a happy medium . BTW when did you do that .

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by jackw553

I just got a boat and want to equip it with a decent instrument for depth and location. I will be traveling the nyscs and maybe into NYC via the Hudson. I'm wondering what I am really going to need to make the cruising safe and secure and stress free. Any suggestions are helpful!

Good eye sight and a VHF to call the lock tenders.

[Chawes]

Did it with a Garmin 440S . Sometimes boat was on land . Kinda spooky and then it would correct. Very important to follow channel markers in Hudson.