mast on deck in Buffalo

[Gianfranco]

Anyone know where I can drop my sailboat mast near Buffalo.
Store on deck to go down the ERIE canals?
Sure many marinas but, at $9 a foot and my long stick of 55/60 ft... = $500+++
This is not affordable to me. Any club near with the facility ?
Appreciate any Idea.
Thank you
Gianfranco

[pcmm]

You do realize that the Erie Canal closed for the season on Oct 12th, 2022?

[Rumrace]

No water my bud. And 500$ is end of season ramalamadingdong.

[Gianfranco]

sorry Idid not mention that I am looking at May 2003 as, soon as, canals open

[Rumrace]

I don’t know if you can still run south through Lake Champlain. Same problem mast down and back up always adds up. A nights mooring extravagant pump out bills. I’d say $800.00 is a bargain.
Chicago South Or St Lawrence Sea Way.
Just a thought. I’m an old Scuba instructor. Know the Lakes well. There are over 5,000 shipwrecks the majority which sank in November. You need to get off the Lakes. That said you’ll almost always see a group of divers on the west edge of Toronto Harbour diving the Sligo in December. But divers are nuts.
Winter in Toronto or Buffalo may be your best bet.you’ll need bubblers plastic etc.

[pcmm]

Are you a member of a yacht club? you may be able to leverage reciprocals to help. but $500 is roughly right. You'll pay that again at the end in the Hudson to restep the mast. Just part of the cost of the trip.

[rslifkin]

Originally Posted by pcmm

You'll pay that again at the end in the Hudson to restep the mast. Just part of the cost of the trip.

IIRC there's at least one very cheap option for re-stepping with a gin pole on the Hudson, but it's DIY. If a DIY re-step is in the cards, it's only the Lake Erie end that's likely to be expensive.

[pcmm]

Originally Posted by rslifkin

IIRC there's at least one very cheap option for re-stepping with a gin pole on the Hudson, but it's DIY. If a DIY re-step is in the cards, it's only the Lake Erie end that's likely to be expensive.

That would be Castleton Yacht club. Agreed. If you are comfortable DIY'ing the stepping of your mast. then their $50 charge is great.

[Gianfranco]

Thanks for all the info..Plan is to go South next may