I had a good (and out of print) planning map of the Erie Canal on my
web site but just took it down in a reorganization. Let me know and
I'll email it to you. I'm in Cape Elizabeth BTW so give me a holler.

I can't recommend strongly enough buying a boat in that part of the
world. The 1980 boat we bought in Detroit is effectively half or
three quarters the age for not having the salt water exposure. The
difference in prices between the coast and inland easily covered the
transportation cost. It was the best decision we ever made. Having it
trucked instead of sailing it was the second best.

You can read the whole story he

http://home.maine.rr.com/rlma/Boat.htm

This boat had been lovingly cared for, lived aboard for three months a
year, and had a great survey. I've done some surveying so I could
confirm this when I went out to look at it myself. If ever there was
a boat that I could just go out, dump in the water, and sail back to
Maine, this was it.

Our schedule of other things for the spring and summer was tight
however and the trip would have needed to be done in stages. When I
started totaling up airfare, motel while outfitting the boat, marina
costs, lost work, fuel, etc., the cost of the trip got very close to
the truck. It would have been a great trip but, let's face it, you can
start out in Portland and have a better one. That time and money
commitment would get you to the far end of Nova Scotia. Let's face it.
That part of the world is a whole lot prettier and more interesting
than Ohio and upstate New York.

As it turns out, our boat had been lovingly cared for but by a world
class jury rigger. The boatyard was utterly incompetent. If I had
gone out there expecting to sail it back, I would have been living in
a motel for about six weeks while the completely bozo locals tried to
get the engine running. Then I would have had it trucked back and
flown home to meet with the divorce lawyers. If I'd gotten out of
Detroit, I would have been stuck for six weeks somewhere along the
line. There are some things you just can't tell about a boat when it's
covered up in the snow.

Instead, the boat arrived early in the spring and I was able to work
on it for five weeks here in a good yard with the support of my home
workshop. We started our sailing with it in good shape and some
upgrades instead of worn out and beaten by a long trip. You should
read the last part of the story carefully to get an idea of what you
could be in for even with a "sweet" boat that was not a fixer upper.

Downeast Marine Transport in Addison, Maine, 207-483-2816. Highly
recommended. Saved my boat, saved my marriage.

--

Roger Long



"Thomas Wentworth" wrote in message
news:ILXAf.21202$nQ3.20437@trndny03...
I was just goofing and I found this really sweet boat up on Lake
Michigan. I started to wonder ?? How, what route, canals? whatever
.... how would I go to sail the boat from up on Lake Michigan to
Casco Bay, Maine.

Anyone???

Thanks,,