Boating up the St Lawrence - currents/horsepower required?

[SuW]

Originally Posted by hamburking

However, there is a Mirage 35 I like very much...
There is also a Saga 35 I really like...

Both look like nice, well cared-for boats!

Well, my advice would be to buy the cheaper boat, but that one is nearly 40 years old, so you might need to do some serious work on it in the near future. There are a lot of Mirages around and the two owners I have spoken to seem to love them, although they look a bit shabby if they haven't been looked after.

It really depends on your finances and your planned use. If you can afford the Saga without going into significant debt, you'll have to spend less time fixing or replacing things perhaps.

I imagine the experience on board either would be somewhat equivalent. I like the full enclosure on the Saga and the bigger engine. I don't like the false "price drop" of the Mirage, he's not going to get $39K for it anytime in the future, imo.

Only you can decide if all the fancy stuff is going to add to your life.

[stibbles]

Originally Posted by Rowglide

Welcome! Freshwater sailing capital of the world! You'll have plenty of time over the winter to figure out where you want to keep your boat. We have lots of options in the area depending on boat size.
As Hamburking says Wolfe Island is worth the trip. On a nice day its worth taking a bicycle.
I am also available for local info if you need it. I keep my boat in Bath, just west of the city.
Rowglide

Thanks also Rowglide!

Yes, I agree about Wolfe Island. We went over last weekend to go to the corn maze. We did, indeed, unwittingly find ourselves dropped off at the winter dock somewhat in the middle of nowhere, but then the owner of the Wolfe Island record label correctly identified us as lost at the side of the road and gave us a lift to our destination - great Canadian hospitality!

[Mike OReilly]

Fun to see images from my old stomping grounds. We were based out of Belleville for a few years, and spent much time in and around the 1000 Islands area. Beautiful area. A little crowded, but gorgeous and easy cruising.

[hamburking]

Originally Posted by stibbles

I neglected to mention that I did manage to get a bit of sailing in this year after arriving in August. I picked up a 50 year old O'Day DS17 for not too much and have been keeping her at Portsmouth

LOL...Having no boat this summer gave me ample opportunity to sail with my daughter aboard her Siren 17. Going back to a small boat was great fun. Last year she "dry sailed" it out of POH, but after putting the mast up and down so many times, plus all the launching and hauling for each trip, I convinced her (by paying) to keep it in a slip at KYC this past summer.

When she was crew on "my" boat, she was reluctant to do much (besides having a good time)...but on "her" boat, there was always work to be done. I was happy to be the helper and she learned a ton. And she was glad to have me aboard when it got really windy, and not just because I make good ballast.

The highlights of her summer were nights spent on her little boat out in the islands.

I think it goes to prove that any boat can be fun, big or small.

[las marias]

I'm wondering how the OP managed going up the seaway?

I'm planning on taking my 25ft sailboat with a 9.9 outboard from Montreal to just past Cornwall in a few weeks and wondering if I'll have any issues with strong currents?

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by las marias

I'm wondering how the OP managed going up the seaway?

I'm planning on taking my 25ft sailboat with a 9.9 outboard from Montreal to just past Cornwall in a few weeks and wondering if I'll have any issues with strong currents?

Yes, you will. You could face up to 3 knots downsteam currents, so subtract that from your normal speed.

It could be a long, slow ride, but you should still be able to do it, especially if you seek the slacker waters. I assume your boat doesn't draw a lot, so you can get into more shallow water where currents tend to be lighter.

[Ardbeg]

I think you will find out fairly quickly as the channel going upstream from Beauharnois can be a challenge. Other than that the only other massive current I remember was below the first US lock in Cornwall. I have a 40 hp Yanmar and needed all of it. I went up in 2017 which was a flood year, may be this year with no high water, it might be easier. I also wonder if your boat is long enough to go in the Seaway. I would check that first. It seems to me 28 feet is the lower limit?

[las marias]

Thanks Mike. Draft is 4ft so if I can keep out of the main channel most of the time I'm hoping to get a bit more speed. (Not that I'm in any kind of a hurry at all! )

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, las marias.

[EarlWer]

Originally Posted by las marias

I'm wondering how the OP managed going up the seaway?

I'm planning on taking my 25ft sailboat with a 9.9 outboard from Montreal to just past Cornwall in a few weeks and wondering if I'll have any issues with strong currents?

If you need a hand, let me know. Do the OPP have boats on the St.Lawrence?
I want to get to my boat in Ontario and I think that taking a boat may be my best bet ;-)

[las marias]

Update... We made it from Montreal to our home port just past Cornwall, Ontario. Left at 7:30am on Friday and arrived at 4:30pm on Sunday, stopping in Valleyfield and Cornwall (Ontario boating restrictions were lifted just in time for us to book a slip at Marina 200).

Currents in the Beauharnois Canal were strong but not crazy. The strongest current was under the International Bridge approaching the US locks. I think I stared at a single buoy for 15 minutes, wondering if we were even moving but our little Honda 9.9 chugged along like a champ the whole time and used way less fuel than I'd expected.

Only hiccup was the 5 and a half hour wait to get into the first lock at Beauharnois. Got there at 10:30am and didn't get out the second lock until nearly 4pm which meant we had to push hard to get to our slip in Valleyfield before dark.

The trip would've been about 4 hrs shorter but coming out of Cornwall we came up to a bridge that looked iffy with 32ft clearance so I turned around, backtracked and went all the way around and back into the main channel.

Overall it was a great "sea trial" for my new-to-me sailboat. Would've been a little less stressful if the lockmasters didn't stick us in the tiny canals between locks with enormous cargo ships both times!

[Mike OReilly]

Sounds like you did really well, and it was a great trip. Good on you .

[SuW]

Good for you!
Thanks for the reports about the currents and wait times.

Yeah, the Canadian Seaway locks are presently restricted to one opening am and one pm for recreational craft, up and downbound. 4 openings per day.

I think the US Snell-Eisenhower locks opposite Cornwall are more obliging.

[las marias]

You're right SuW... I got lucky at Snell and Eisenhower and the doors were open and waiting for me as I arrived. The US locks are $30 each... Pro-tip: Bring Canadian cash as they charge the same amount in both currencies.

[SuW]

Originally Posted by las marias

You're right SuW... I got lucky at Snell and Eisenhower and the doors were open and waiting for me as I arrived. The US locks are $30 each... Pro-tip: Bring Canadian cash as they charge the same amount in both currencies.

lol a dollar saved etc.

The US lock guys are always very helpful and cheerful. We went to great trouble to tie up on their rather vestigial upbound waiting dock and a guy drove out in his truck and said "Come on in folks!"

Welcome to Lake St. Lawrence! Nice sailing although rather limited tacks in the prevailing wind and current, interspersed with freighters.

We used to sail out of Crysler Park Marina. We'd often spend an hour or so going back and forth looking at the same buoy!