Asking advice from seasoned cruisers for route ideas

[mcgann454]

Finally in the position to start the loop this fall. Selling our 42’ project that will never end and looking to purchase. Not the best time price wise, but finally sold the business and we are ready. We live by Chicago and are looking at two almost exactly the same boats. One is in New Orleans and one is in New York. We’ve boated on Lake Michigan for 12 years, so lake weather does not intimidate us. We are good at go/no-go on the big lakes.

We want to bring the boat back to the Chicago area for the summer to do some final prep on the boat before starting. So the big question would be do you go to Mobile and upstream to Chicago or up to the Erie Canal and into Ontario and around the top of Michigan in the spring? We want to get back to Chicago as early as possible. Can’t fit the 15’ bridge on the western Erie Canal, but the 19’ bridge on the south side of Chicago is not an issue.

Any comments welcome. Thanks in advance.

[Montanan]

Recommend using truck transport from either location to Chicago so as to have it available to finish the refit and be ready to go when you are, instead of transporting it on its hull when the weather is cold.

Or just refit the vessel at its current location and then start your trip from where you purchased it.

Why take on a long commute, just to bring it to Chicago during inclement weather?

[mcgann454]

Sold the house already and in an apartment until the end of may. Would be living on the boat. Insurance won’t let me be below 32 degrees 7/1 to 11/1.
Just need to add a Davit to the swim platform and want to add some electrical upgrades. Love electrical upgrades!!!😁😁😁

The boats are 53’ pilot houses. Special permit, but I may look at that.

[donradcliffe]

Forget taking either boat back to Chicago to work on in the summertime. Summertime should be spent enjoying the 1000 islands and the 10,000 islands.

Spring comes late in the Erie Canal. If you buy the New York boat in March you will be have several months to work on it there until the canal opens.

We went up the Hudson, through the Erie Canal to Oswego, then through the Trent Severn Canal, which was one of the highlights of the loop. Got to Chicago in September, and then let winter chase us down to Florida. The lowest bridge was in Chicago.

Coming upriver from New Orleans in the spring you will be fighting high water and swift current. Not a problem in a go fast boat, but painful in a trawler.

[mcgann454]

Yes, I got to thinking after the first post and the New York boat would be easy to start from. We just have to figure transport for personal items and especially the dinghy. Big Uhaul. 😀
I Like it!
My favorite boat is in New Orleans, though. It would be a bit behind the looper pack. I’ll rethink my plan. Was hoping to spend one more full season with the friends in the homeport.

Keep ‘‘em coming and thanks for shaking up the thought process.