Patrick, not sure my message about the Toronto to New Jersey regarding lock route vs. St. Lawrence got through. You sound like you have loads of experience so, if nothing else, I'd appreciate chatting live or via messaging to learn of your sense of the route options. The lock approach obviously would require lots of starting and stopping but the St. Lawrence option as best I understand would be quite a bit longer and probably use up as much time. I'd appreciate your throughts about the pros and cons. Maybe a note via t f l i v e r i g h t AT g m a i l DOT c o m would ease the exchange. Also, if you are up to a voice exchange, I'm at 6 0 9 3 8 9 1 8 2 0. Hope to further this conversation. Tim
After 49 years sailing on both coasts and offshore, we learnt the bottom dictates the type of anchor. We sailed a Cal 246 for 15 years that came with a very big CQR that, despite a 10:1 scope of 3/8 chain + snubber, we dragged along the bottom in an intense blow in Glorietta Bay, S.D.,CA. The CQR was replaced with a 66LB Bruce that was replaced by a 22Kg Northill folding kedge for 11 years of cruising in the Pacific Northwest where the is quite rocky. Where similar boats dragged their massive CQRs we stayed put! We carried 120ft of 3/8 chain and 300 ft of 3/4 nylon. Unless we deployed all the chain, we used a 10-20 foot 1/2 inch snubber, chafe protected an inspected daily. Why 1/2 inch nylon? It absorbs shock and stretches so the anchor is not encouraged to break free and the boat doesn't shutter when winds gust to uncomfortable levels. Consider forgetting the CQR and the modern expensive hooks. . .we selected the Northill after seeing every small fish boat using them.