taking the boat from the great lakes

[bobola]

Gunner,

I wish I had your problem(s) – which way to cruise south after early retirement, canal or seaway?!

Wow, where to start with suggestions & ideas?

The first thing I would do (if I was in your boat shoes) is ensure that the Eire canal and its locks can accommodate your 8’ draft. Gord says yes and he’s most likely right, but doublecking this now might be worth the time before you make plans to drop the masts.

Going the seaway route sounds like fun but it sure is a long way as opposed to the canal. If you went that route it would be nice if you had someone on board as crew who has done this trip previously. There must be some sort of crew finding web site devoted to great lakes shipping/sailing out there? At that point it might make sense to head for Bermuda and then further south into the Bahamas and then across the Gulf Stream. These are big distances but you can’t go the ICWW (too shallow) route and just offshore you would be fighting the gulf stream all the way south. The added plus to a trip like this is that you could think of it as a pilgrimage trip to the location where Gosling’s rum is made, and you could check out all the treasure Teddy Tucker discovered over the years.

I recall reading an online web log of a sailboat trip from Bayfield, WI out to the Atlantic. I will find it again and post the link for you here. As I recall that boat owner headed for the British Isles and he may very well have gone the seaway route?

Bob…

[irwinsailor]

Is Gozzlings that good?

[canucksailor]

a brief comment - if I recall correctly from earlier posts, this boat has an eight foot draft...the Erie Barge Canal and large segments of the ICW are out of the question...
There is also a requirement for miminmum crew for locking on the St. Lawrence - I'm not sure, I believe there must be three aboard to lock through. That needs to be checked.
I might suggest, as a resource, that Gunner contact some of the tall ship groups, see what advice they can provide him. http://www.tallshipsadventure.org/ would be one resource, there's also a brigantine organization in Toronto that might be able to help, they can be found through a google search I imagine.
Good luck, sounds like a fun trip.

[canucksailor]

re pulling your mast for the Erie Barge Canal route - I would check to see if the gear at Castleton is large enough to handle that big a stick...there are commercial places all up and down the river though...
When you dismast, try to do it on the Canadian side at Port Colborne, much cheaper...you might also try the yacht club in Crystal Beach, to the east of Port Colborne...and that yacht club also has a marina in Buffalo, they could help out.
I would still check to be certain that the Erie Canal can handle an eight foot draft - I'm almost certain there are segments where that will be a problem, but don't have my charts here at home to check...
Another point - make sure you get proper sailing directions so that you get into Tonawanda safely...the current from the Niagara River is incredible...you don't want to miss the turn.

[bobola]

Gunner,

Yes, Goslings is that good.
I like to drink it straight.

I'm still searching for an online log of a trip out the St. Lawrence seaway...

[irwinsailor]

I guess that I have been thinking that I would take the Oswego canal. So when I saw a couple of posts to take the mast down on the Canadian side it did not make much sence to me. What is the better trip to take, from Buffalo or Oswego? It looks like Oswego is shorter.
Bob I will try some Goslings!

[Jon D]

Goslings with Barretts Ginger Beer & slice of lime...aah

better know as a Dark and Stormy the Bermuda standard yachting drink....

[irwinsailor]

I would like to thank everyone for their help. The ideas , links, first hand knowlege have given me much to think about. From what I have read in the notice to mariners from the last season the canals are about 13 feet deep in the shalowest areas. So this trip looks to be very do able. Pleaes post any thing that could be of help to us about this trip.

[canucksailor]

If you take Oswego, it means you have to transit the Welland Canal into Lake Ontario and that is a BIG ships' canal - plus, you may get held up there for up to a day waiting for them to let you through...if you enter the Erie Barge Canal at Tonawanda, you avoid the Welland Canal - the Tonawand route is actually shorter, as you aren't crossing north to Lake Ontario...just east across Erie.
As for depths in the Erie Canal, I don't recall any problems but I carry five feet, so for me and after sailing the Keys, anything over 5'1" was heaven, lol...obviously, you'll want to check out the charts for the entire canal before you choose to take it.
Another thought for you - if you do come out at New York, you'll be able to run coastal without too much problem, and have access to the big ship entrances along the coast...i.e. Norfolk, Beaufort, NC and SC, Charlston, etc...will give you more options for avoiding weather, reprovisioning and simply enjoying the cruise...

[irwinsailor]

Canuck, by going in through Oswego it would be less motoring thats way I was thinking shorter. My Wife has been reading the St Lawrance regs and it does look like it would be less of a hassel taking the canal from lake erie.

[bobola]

Gunner,

Another idea for you to ponder; unpaid or very affordable crew to help you move the boat.

Back in the days when I was documenting sea time toward an engineer’s license I did a lot of deliveries between the USVI and Florida and other locals on the East coast.

On some trips I was paid $10-20 per day and on other trips there was no money exchanged.

By law I think you would be required to pay for return transport to the trip’s origin for the crew. One boat owner printed up a basic contract for each of the extra crew so there was no misunderstandings as per $$.

You have a very nice boat which should make it easier to find folks to help move it.

If you found crew with specific skills, like engineering or cooking know how, that’s always a big plus.

Bob…

[irwinsailor]

I have had a number of offers to crew. One is from a submarine comander of all people. To tell you the truth I'm not all that sure that I want that much help. I can handle just about every system on the boat. If we have bad weather that could be a problem that is for sure. We have some friends that would like to go part of the way, so that may be a option.

I went to the Library today to look for books and videos on the erie and hudson. All I could find was "on the waterways". It is OK but it would have been better if they had shown mare about the canal. Are there any other videos on this subject?

[irwinsailor]

I ordered the New York erie canal cruising guide today. Are there any other guides that you have found useful for the east coast?

[GrayGoose]

Gunner,
Just searched and found your post about summer 2005 plans. A word about the Graveyard of the Atlantic off Cape Hatteras. Though not from personal experience, several cruising logs--including the Pardeys---were in agreement on one thing: give Cape Hatteras a very wide berth for two reasons. 1. the obvious is the shoaling and bars which are charted but always shifting and changing; 2. the local lows that stand up out of nowhere and defy charting by any but passing ships or local reporting systems. They come up, can blow across the Gulf Stream a few hours, but with winds up to 40-50 knots, causing confused seas, and generally wild conditions, dying just as suddenly. You might want to look closely at sources for weather information at that lattitude from experienced, seasoned sailors. Just a thought.
Jack

[irwinsailor]

Jack one leg at a time! I must say that I was disapointed with the erie cruising guide. There is not all that much in it but it will help.