Transit Lake Ponchartrain to Lafayette

[seasalt2012]

Will be helping a buddy of mine bring his 29 C&C from lake ponchartrain to lafayette.

I was wondering if anyone has had any experience with the locks? Wait time? Etc.

I'm hoping to complete the transit in two days of straight sailing/steaming. Any/all advice much appreciated. This is my first long distance transit on a sailboat, and I have work on the tuesday following (we are leaving early friday morning)
Thanks!

[bobconnie]

With the traffic your gonna see ya might allow a little more time then what you are planning. We have taken a day and a half to get from The lake to Houma, just because we were small and the traffic was Large ! LOL so just don't plan to tight a trip cus it may very well take more time ! just a thought.

[seasalt2012]

Thanks Bobconnie! I'm hoping to complete it in three days (friday, saturday, sunday). I leave for sea on tuesday, so must be back at home in Galveston on monday. Do you think I would be cutting it that close?

The only ETA's I have ever done have been on the ship, at sea, where we can usually maintain a constant speed without many delays. I believe its 140 miles or so from new orleans to lafayette. at 4 knots avergae is what I'm guessing she'll make, 1.4 days is my total steaming time if we are able to make 4 knots the entire way. I'm guessing at least 3 hours per lock of wait time, unless I'm mistaken. But, I do not have any experience with inland navigation other than 2 weeks on a line haul barge running from houston to beaumont.

[tamicatana]

you can't get directly to Lafayette.

You'll have to travel south, locks etc. to ICW, thence to Cypremort Point, which is the closest place. It's not very direct. Unless you think you can get up the Vermilion or the Teche, and you can't on a sailboat as far as I know

[marc2012]

It is 161 mikes to the vermillion river from NOLA.Also not aware of marinas in lafayette .

[tamicatana]

I meant to say, you can't get directly to Lafayette unless you go up the Vermilion.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by seasalt2012

Will be helping a buddy of mine bring his 29 C&C from lake ponchartrain to lafayette.

I was wondering if anyone has had any experience with the locks? Wait time? Etc.

I'm hoping to complete the transit in two days of straight sailing/steaming. Any/all advice much appreciated. This is my first long distance transit on a sailboat, and I have work on the tuesday following (we are leaving early friday morning)
Thanks!

Boats and schedules are always a bad combination regardless of route. Make a plan B (...and a C, D...) in case things dont go as planned...which they almost certainly wont.

You will be motoring a lot on this route and around some big traffic so your life could well depend upon the engine. How long since the boat was run a significant distance under power? Very common for sailboats to sit and develop fuel problems. Make sure your buddy changes fuel filters and gives it a good long test run under load. Pack lots of extra filters and impellers too.