Great Lakes or bust!

[tnollr]

I have a39 foot sloop with a 7.3 draft and 65 foot clearance. I want to get from Solomons Island MD to NY Harbor in late April. I need best route. this is the beginning of a pleasure cruise. would like to head north to the C&D then from there??? I need help.

[Vasco]

From C&D down the Delaware Bay around Cape May and up the coast to Sandy Hook. You're too high to take the shortcut through the Cape May Canal. It's about 120 miles from Cape May to Sandy Hook.

Are you asking about anchorages along the way or what. When I used to do the trip I'd anchor just around the corner of the east end of the C&D and then shoot down to Cape May. Anchor in the Harbor and then up to Sandy Hook. I never stopped along the way on that leg although some do in Atlantic City. Once you get around Sandy Hook you can anchor in Horseshoe Bay (I think that's the name) or go into Atlantic Highlands.

[valhalla360]

To NY, it's pretty simple down the Delaware Bay (make sure to time the tides or it can be a long day). At NJ, you have run outside but there are a few ports you can duck into to get off the ocean.

To get to the Great Lakes, you need to drop the mast or you need to go the long way around to the St. Lawrence.
- If you take the Oswego Canal, I think you need to get down to 20'
- If you want to run the whole Erie Canal, you need to get down to 15'.
- I'm not sure about the draft restrictions but 7.3ft might be pushing it.

[CaptainBW]

The Erie Canal is a great trip, especially if you have time to spend at the towns along the way. Your draft won't be a problem.


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