Erie Canal

[edbulmer]

Have any of you done the Eire canal from New York city to Oswego? How long does it take?

[CarinaPDX]

I did the Erie canal from the Hudson to Buffalo 3 years ago. How long it takes is mostly a function of how quickly you want to do it. The locks and bridges operate quickly, and are open as much as 15 hours/day (7-10) in the summer. If you are really in a hurry it can be done in a few days - but then you are not stopping and smelling the roses either. There are lots of nice towns with free quays (some including electricity). There are often summer festivals happening. It can be a nice vacation - if you slow down and let it happen.

Don't forget to allow for a good part of a day on each end to unstep/step the mast. It is critical that the mast be secured well, as it can get rough on Oneida lake - a popular place to lose masts overboard.

Greg

[danielg100]

Can you recommend a yard at each to handle the mast unstep/step? Is it practical to have the mast shipped ahead so you are not having to work around it on the deck?

Dan
Glory Days

[edbulmer]

Dan-I am on a power boat-but I know that on the Lake Ontario side at Oswego there is a marina there that can do it.

[CarinaPDX]

Apparently Oswego Marina can unstep your mast. Stepping after the canal is either a DIY operation at Castleton Boat Club, or full service at nearby Hop-O-Nose Marina or Riverview Marine Services at Catskill. It is possible to ship the mast but I don't see the need to do it; obviously it is easier if your mast is deck stepped but even a longer keel-stepped mast can be carried. These locks are not particularly turbulent so control shouldn't be a problem if you are worried about the overhangs - I did the entire canal alone without any issues in the locks. The operators are very good and careful.

You can speed things up and probably save some money if you make your deck supports for the mast in advance (some 2x6's, bolts, and carpet scraps are all you need). You will need a minimum of three supports, and more is better. The canal is pretty calm, but Lake Oneida can be rough and power boats on the Hudson can kick up a wake. After the mast is unstepped and lashed down it will still take several hours to coil and stow all of the rigging. Plan for even more time to re-rig on the other end. You can mark your supports and leave them at Castleton but no guarantees they will be there when you return - materials are constantly scrounged and reused for multiple transits by many boats. Perhaps the commercial folks will store them for you (with some confidence they will be there in a few years).

The photo is of Carina at Waterford (where the canal branches off the Hudson). The first lock is visible on the right, the Mohawk river on the left. You may notice that I used an X brace aft and a small saddle on the pulpit, with lashing in the middle; if I ever do this again there will be at least a strong support in the middle as well. Also, I would not rely on the pulpit to carry the load.

[CarinaPDX]

Once out of the canal there is another lock on the Hudson before Albany, technically a Corps of Engineers lock rather than a NY State lock so it is often not mentioned. This lock has a minimal vertical drop.

If you don't have a hand held VHF then work out an antenna arrangement for when the mast is down. You shouldn't be operating at night so don't worry about the steaming light on the mast.

[Kasidah]

You can have your mast stepped and unstepped at Fair Point Marina on Little Sodus Bay which is about two hours from Oswego. They have just started a blog on what they can do for first time cruisers. Fair Point Marina The perfect place to start your journey down the Erie Canal

[nesscapade]

I'm looking to make the trip next June. I'm not in a hurry but I also don't have tons of time. Can it be done in 5 days w/o pushing too hard but keeping up the pace? Or should I plan on 7? How many people should I have on board? My boat is a Hylas 54. 70' mast (I may have it shipped), 6'3" draft. Any latest updates on the route would be greatly appreciated.

[Woodchuck]

I did it from Buffalo to the Hudson in five days by myself in a 28 footer with a 37' mast on deck. You'll want two to three people to handle a boat that size in the locks, especially with that much mast. The hardest part will be keeping the ends of the mast from bashing into the walls of the locks when the exiting water starts pushing the boat around.

[Courageous]

It took use 6 days the first week of October from Lake ON down to the Hudson. We had Oswego marina unstep the mast and place it on a frame. Our mast is 60' and our boat is 42. Sean @ hop-o-nose stepped the mast and is storing our frame for the winter. I recommed both marinas as they do a fine job. There was ony two of us managing the boat through the locks without incident. I dont recall any shallow water issues but perhaps you might want to check out active captain, its a wealth of information from boaters along the route and beyond. Enjoy the trip...

[mbianka]

Originally Posted by edbulmer

Have any of you done the Eire canal from New York city to Oswego? How long does it take?

I did it in a leisurely 10 days back in 2002 New York to Oswego. Be aware nature is still the boss not your schedule. We got stuck one day tied up at a lock after severe thunderstorms dumped a lot of water and debris into the canal. Locks were closed until they were able to drain off the water. Still had to pause every now and then to also clear the engine raw water intake and strainer of grass and reeds on occasion.
Also plan on crossing Lake Oneida in the early morning before the winds kick up in the afternoon and make things a little bouncy. Don't want to have the mast go over the side or break it's lashings. May not be an issue for most boats but, my boats mast weighs 300 lbs and that would hurt if it broke loose.

[PapaBruce]

You hav to go to FairPoint Marina. The friendliest place on earth!

[adlib2]

Originally Posted by nesscapade

I'm looking to make the trip next June. I'm not in a hurry but I also don't have tons of time. Can it be done in 5 days w/o pushing too hard but keeping up the pace? Or should I plan on 7? How many people should I have on board? My boat is a Hylas 54. 70' mast (I may have it shipped), 6'3" draft. Any latest updates on the route would be greatly appreciated.

June you should be o.k. in 5-7 days. I went end Oct-Nov and it took 3 weeks on account of flooding reduced headroom under the bridges, so canal was closed in various sections. Had to wait for system to drain.
Also had blizzards with 4in snow on deck. Dock lines froze to cleats and needed to boil kettle to free lines each morning.
Yea !! June is smart; although, more crowded.