NY canals single handed

[RborealFrippery]

Good Evening,

When journeying south, I an planning to use the NY canal system to journey from the great lakes toward the Hudson river on a 30 foot boat. I have a few folks who have expressed interest in going with me for the stretch involving locking through, but in general I am not 100% certain that any of them are coming for sure. I am planning to call up a few of the lock masters to get a second opinion but I was also going to ask here: it is generally safe / legal to make the journey alone? I have seen one other thread on here with mixed responses, indicating that either a certain number of crew is legally required, or that it will be very difficult to control the boat without someone at each end. Furthermore I can not find any indications of anyone having tried it on the cache of knowledge that is youtube - so my doubts remain. If anyone else in this community has done it, can you provide any strategies for locking through? Grab one line amidships? Loop two lines around cleats?

Thank you for your thoughts

[SCarns]

I did the Erie Canal in 2004. There were a number of single handers going through. Take rubber gloves as standard locking procedure is to stand amidship an hold one of the installed lines inside the lock. The lines are nasty with lock slime, hence the need for the gloves.

If you friends don't want to join you, it's their loss. The NY Canal System is an unforgettably great time. The Hudson River Valley is gorgeous.

[valhalla360]

What boat and what single hand experience do you have?

An agile captain on a smaller boat that has good control while docking and easy access to the midship cleat...it can be done.

I would still recommend a 2nd hand as a lot better option. Not just for you but for others.
- We've seen a few boats get out of control when the water rushes in the round sided boat starts swinging back and forth. Lines at the bow and stern help with this.
- If you miss the bollard, you need to throw it in reverse, back up and take another pass while others are waiting to enter. With two people, the bow person can move along the deck as you pass by plus the stern person may have a shot at it before having to pull back and take a completely new pass.
- While handling the rear line, I have access to the helm and can use the engine in some situations to take some strain off the lines.

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, RborealFrippery.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by RborealFrippery

Good Evening,

When journeying south, I an planning to use the NY canal system to journey from the great lakes toward the Hudson river on a 30 foot boat. I have a few folks who have expressed interest in going with me for the stretch involving locking through, but in general I am not 100% certain that any of them are coming for sure. I am planning to call up a few of the lock masters to get a second opinion but I was also going to ask here: it is generally safe / legal to make the journey alone? I have seen one other thread on here with mixed responses, indicating that either a certain number of crew is legally required, or that it will be very difficult to control the boat without someone at each end. Furthermore I can not find any indications of anyone having tried it on the cache of knowledge that is youtube - so my doubts remain. If anyone else in this community has done it, can you provide any strategies for locking through? Grab one line amidships? Loop two lines around cleats?

Thank you for your thoughts

Have good long fender boards. As I recall there are ladders built into the lock walls that give a means of holding on with you amidships. speak nicely to the lock masters. They can make it a slow rise or fall or hell. If you feel like you arrived at the same time as a loud mouth A-hole, wait for the next opening. You should be able to just hold onto the wrongs with a boat that size.

[alley]

I've been through the NY Canals several times going between Lake Ontario and various Finger Lakes. Plan to venture west to Lake Erie next year and east to the Hudson a couple years after that. We were able to handle our Alberg 35 with just two of us aboard. Don't know if I would want to try it single-handed.

Locking up puts much more turbulence in the locks than when going down. Your boat will want to move fore and aft as well as try to yaw around. With two aboard, we needed a line fore and aft as well as someone on the throttle to help us hold our position in the lock.

Forget rubber gloves -- get heavy leather work gloves instead. The lock walls are slimy and also have their share of zebra mussels on them. Those little buggers can be sharp as razors, so the heavy gloves are a must.

In the locks there are fixed cables attached both top and bottom. Easiest here is to either hook with a boat hook (if your hook is strong enough) or to wrap a dock line around it so you can slide up/down the cable with it with the occasional tug to adjust your distance from the wall. Alternating between these cables are ropes that are attached at the top but simply weighted at the bottom. These you would grab with your (gloved) hand or place a loose turn around a deck cleat or bollard. (Hose your deck off right afterwards so the green slime doesn't dry. It's a beast to get off once that happens!)

There are ladders in the lock walls that can also be used as attachment points as you lock through. The ladders are recessed, so they won't stick out and bite your boat, but they are spaced quite widely and if it's a busy day in the locks you may not be able to get next to one.

Lockmasters are generally cheerful and helpful. A good portion enjoy a quick chat as the waters fill or drain. They're also a good source for local information if you want to find a place to tie up for a quick lunch ashore or to overnight. (The locks only operate during the day and are closed at night.) Also, be aware that not all of the locks have the same operating hours. The ones on the Oswego River tend to close several hours earlier in the evening than the rest of the system.

Fenderboards are nice to have, but you can get by with just fenders if your storage space is limited. You'll be scrubbing the muck off of your fenders after your canal transit, though. Did I mention that the lock walls are nasty?

I didn't see if you are a sailor or power boater. If sailing, you'll also need to worry about how to secure your mast while transiting the canals, as most bridge clearances are just over 15 feet. We use a set of mast crutches that fold up so we can store them in a cockpit locker when they're not being used. Otherwise you may have to leave your crutches in a marina somewhere for disposal or to pick up on your return trip.

There is a web site that has all of the details regarding the New York Canals that you should bookmark. You can also sign up for their email broadcasts to get the latest information on closures and status. If a lock is closed for emergency maintenance (happens regularly), the email list is probably the most timely and accurate. Calling the central office number listed on the web site has produced mixed results for me in the past.

A bonus is that NY has suspended canal fees for 2018, so the ride is free this year. We'll be taking advantage of that and heading up to Lake Ontario from our home port in Watkins Glen this summer.

If you have any other questions, feel free to reach out directly to me.

Tom

[stormalong]

+1 on it all depends on the lockmasters. They can make it fun or a nightmare. All you can do is hope that they are in a good mood and not late for an appointment.

[Cadence]

Those Lock Masters speak to each other. They know when you should arrive at the speed limit if early they just don't open. I'm sure one's attitude also follows with them.

[CarinaPDX]

I came up the Hudson and through the Erie Canal in 2009 - all single-handed. It was not a problem for me, but it was not my first canal either. The locks are some of the easiest to transit, and are no problem if you know how to do it. That said, noobs can and do lose control which can have consequences, so learn how to do it right before starting out. It is far more a matter of technique than brute force.

I have never used fender boards, and don't feel they are necessary. They can greatly reduce wear/damage to the fenders however, so they are a good idea if you are so inclined. I strongly recommend buying two large spherical fenders, in addition to the usual tubular shape. Rig one in front of the tubular ones and one aft, such that they form a straight line of contact to the lock chamber wall; this will help to keep the boat from twisting with the turbulence. This is especially important with a bowsprit, as the twisting can put it into the wall.

The most important thing for a sailboat is to get the mast unstepped/stepped safely, and especially secure it well for the passage. Before you leave home base you should make supports/bracing for stowing the mast for the canal transit. (It can be done later, either by paying someone to make them for you or doing it yourself but it is easier to just do it before you leave.) You should support the mast in at least 4 places - the more the merrier. The supports should be side braced as well - in rough water on Oneida some masts have been lost overboard. Materials can be cheap - mostly 2x6s, old carpet or towels, and cheap bolts - once used they will be discarded unless someone can store them for you. Put some thought into this. Also, just pay for yards to step and unstep the mast - I unstepped at a DIY on the Hudson and although it worked out OK I wouldn't do it again.

It is a really wonderful trip - please don't just rush through. Instead leave early so you have time to enjoy it, stopping frequently and enjoying the experience. Many of the cities and towns have entertainment and festivals, and there is plenty to see within walking distance.

Greg

[SVTatia]

Originally Posted by alley

...I didn't see if you are a sailor or power boater. If sailing, you'll also need to worry about how to secure your mast while transiting the canals, as most bridge clearances are just over 15 feet...

Also, if you are crossing Oneida Lake, make sure the mast is well secured as the local power boaters will try hard to flip it over the side.

[CarinaPDX]

@SVTatia: It is not just the powerboaters. Oneida is about 20 miles long and oriented E-W, with a prevailing W wind. When entering in the west it can look benign, but by the time the eastern breakwater comes into view things can be pretty dicey - that 20 mile fetch is wicked. Coming from the east it required a bit of courage to exit the protection of the breakwater - I seriously considered turning around and giving up for the day - but it just got better (this was a normal day, no bad weather).


Greg

[Howler]

As I understand, you’re going down. That’s a lot less turbulent than going up. You enter a full lock that is gently emptied. The other way is rougher. I know the Welland Canal, for example, requires more crew going up than down. I live near Locks 32, 33, etc. The lock keepers are generally friendly and helpful. Some of the locks have vertical rods so you can attach with a loose bowline that will slide down as the lock empties.

Bottom line, regulations to the contrary aside, seems quite doable. Going up would be different answer.

[Volkeno]

It's not hard to go through a lock single handed. Just never secure a line to a deck cleat. A woman was killed in Seattle after she tied a line to a cleat and it ripped out and hit her in the head.
If you are on a sailboat one line can go around a winch and you adjust them as you go up or down.
The lock masters will help if you ask. If the lock is large enough you can tie to another boat with more crew, or help them handle lines. That is the easiest way which I have done many times.

[a64pilot]

Lock cleats

Only time I have ever damaged my boat was after the lock cleat was torn out or broken, not sure which, bow swung around putting Solar panels into the lock wall, had to throw off the lines and ride it out in the lock not attached to anything, was a Rodeo for awhile.

[taxwizz]

Try leaving a can of beer at the top of the lock wall.
Magic.