taking the boat from the great lakes

[irwinsailor]

CSY I guess that would be your choice. I like what I have and will be keeping it.

[Trecksail]

OK, I haven't done it yet unfortunately, but have you considered heading through Chicago to the Mississippi River down to the gulf? I would love to do the St. Lawrance or the Erie as well, but is seems to me like for us on Lake Michigan it would be a much quicker and safer trip down this away. Now again, I would kill to be able to do the Northerly trip and out to Bermuda and down from there ( and just keep going ), but if timing/storm seasons are a concern, this might be a thought.
Joe

[irwinsailor]

I did plan on going through Chiacgo and down the river system. But it sounds like a boring trip. I would much rather take the erie canal but that requires that rig to come down and it is a big rig and I do not pay for work to be done on my boat. So the St Lawarance is the last option. From the replies that I have received here the erie is option is looking much better to me and it was my preference.

[irwinsailor]

The erie canal route is looking very good to us. Where can I find information on this trip. How many ways are there into the canal? Where can I find information on marinas that can pull the sticks? Thank you.

[GordMay]

From the West, you enter the canal at Bufalo, or Oswego - then exit at Troy (juncture of Hudson River).

Goto:
The New York State Canal System:
http://www.canals.state.ny.us/

Marina List: http://www.canals.state.ny.us/exvac/...bcmarinas.html

New York State Canal System Cruising Guide ($19.95 + Shipping & Handling)
http://www.canals.state.ny.us/exvac/.../orderform.pdf


NIAGARA RIVER
(Western Gateway to Erie Canal)
Anchor Marine
1501 Ferry Rd.
Grand Island, NY 14072
(716) 773-7063

Beaver Island State Park
2136 West Oakfield Rd.
Grand Island, NY 14072
(716) 773-3271

Harbour Place Marina
2192 Niagara St.
Buffalo, NY 14207
(716) 876-5944

OSWEGO CANAL
Canalview Marina
141 South First Street
Fulton, NY 13069
(315) 592-2474
www.cityoffulton.com

Oswego Marina
3 Basin Street
Oswego, NY 13126
(315) 342-0436

(LAKE ONTARIO)
Wrights Landing Marina
41 Lake St.
Oswego, NY 13126
(315) 343-8430

Oswego International Marina
19 Lake Street
Oswego, NY 13126
(315) 343-0688

[irwinsailor]

I have been looking at the information that Gord provided (Thank You Gord) and I see that the Hudson river is not included. I looked for info for the Hudson but so far have not found much. Is there a web page with maps?

[Jentine]

Follow the buoys down or up the river. You can't get lost.
Jim

[Jon D]

Check out

http://www.hvnet.com/features/rivera...otor_chart.htm

and

http://www.hvnet.com/

if you go to the interactive map it's pretty neat -- wish they had that in 94....

Also remembered where we stepped the mast - on the way down the Hudson - it was

#41 on the map
Hop O'Nose Marina
Catskill, Greene Cty. $1.50/ft $5/ft 12'

and according to my wife as I didn't recall we unstepped the mast entering the canal in Tonowanda NY near Buffalo. It wasa guy with a really funky crane that had the best touch we have ever seen pulling a mast.

[irwinsailor]

Very helpfull Jon. I will spend time looking it over tomorrow. I hope that more wil post Thank you to all.

[irwinsailor]

Here is my revised plan. Buy the erie canal cruising guide, go to our boat and get the east coast chart book and see if it covers the Hudson river . I will need to find out where to un step and restep the masts. The more I looked into taking the st lawarance the less it appealed to me. I think this new route will be safer and shorther. It will put us where we want to be. To tell you the truth it was they way that I wanted to go all along but I did not want all the work of the rig. Thank you all. Is there anything more that I need to look at?

[GordMay]

Re-install your mast (Hudson R.) at:
Castelton Yacht Club - Do-It-Yourself with manual crane (small fee).
Hop-o-nose Marina (40 miles South in Catskill) - Have it done professionally Tel. (518) 943-4640

[irwinsailor]

my mast is very heavy and 74' long can I realisticly do it myself with a manual crane? I had to hire a boom crane here.

[GordMay]

Having handled it at least once, YOU might be in a position to tell us, whether or not YOU can handle it on a manual winch/crane.
I’d expect your extrusion to weiogh in at something like 4 or 5 Lbs/foot & hardware etc.
74' x 5# ≈ 370# + total

BTW: The crane dock is alonside the heavilly trafficed river. There is usually other boaters around to help.

Suspect you'd be better off hiring the job.

[irwinsailor]

Gord, I don't think I will take the chance and do it alone. I will do all that I can and have some one lift the pole. I hate spending money that I can use cruising but where would I be with a damaged mast, boat or body.

[irwinsailor]

I picked up my east coast charts for the boat yesterday and spent 15 minutes with them. Wow I will need to be o my toes like I have never been before. Man is there a lot going on by the time you get to sandy hook.