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NY Canals or St. Lawrence
Next trip I'm leaving the Pacific but not by way of Panama. Plan to truck
the boat from Vancouver BC to Lake Superior and work my way East. There are three major choices. Leave the lakes at Chicago and go S. on the Mississippi. I'll pass on that one. Leave the seaway and travel through Pennsylvania and New York for the Atlantic and then South. Go down the whole St. Lawrence Seaway and then turn South for some coastal scenery. To compound the issue I have friends I'd like to visit in the Connecticutt/Massachusetts area. Not so far from NYC for a side trip. The boat is a 33' LOA Westerly twin keeler with cathedral mast so height is not a restriction. I will be singlehanding unless somebody pops up here and there to help crew. So between my two major choices what are your suggestions? Which way . .. and why. What time of year is best considering I'm starting somewhere N. of Duluth. MST |
NY Canals or St. Lawrence
when...
Boats are gone from Chicago area by Nov 1, Milwaukee about the same, probably sooner up "at the top" in Michigan. Weather is still sailable, but can get down to freezing at night. Usually no real cold until well into December, if then. Storms any time. April is sailable, but again still might get down to close to freezing some nights. Boats start appearing in numbers in May. Also, remember the "Edmond Fitzgerald". The lakes can put up real weather very fast, any time of year. After getting beat to **** (nothing to do with his race standings) one summer on the Makanack (sp?) race Ted Turner publicly ate his words about lake sailing not being "real" sailing. He skippering a large boat with a prefessional crew. You have about a 5 month window on the Great Lakes, with a some allowance at each end for cheating if you can put up with a little cold. Sorry, can't speak to the east coast - I spent my "formative years" in Chicago. Rufus |
NY Canals or St. Lawrence
when...
Boats are gone from Chicago area by Nov 1, Milwaukee about the same, probably sooner up "at the top" in Michigan. Weather is still sailable, but can get down to freezing at night. Usually no real cold until well into December, if then. Storms any time. April is sailable, but again still might get down to close to freezing some nights. Boats start appearing in numbers in May. Also, remember the "Edmond Fitzgerald". The lakes can put up real weather very fast, any time of year. After getting beat to **** (nothing to do with his race standings) one summer on the Makanack (sp?) race Ted Turner publicly ate his words about lake sailing not being "real" sailing. He skippering a large boat with a prefessional crew. You have about a 5 month window on the Great Lakes, with a some allowance at each end for cheating if you can put up with a little cold. Sorry, can't speak to the east coast - I spent my "formative years" in Chicago. Rufus |
NY Canals or St. Lawrence
If you want to get to the ocean quickly, I think taking the Lakes to Oswego, NY and joining the Erie
Canal there is the most expedient. This would be about 8 days in the Canal and Hudson River. An easy enough trip, but with 33 locks you probably want a crew for this stretch. In the "Delivery" section of my website there's a description and pics. More scenic would be to go down the St. Lawrence to Lake Champlain and then on to the Hudson. This would add several travel days, but you'd be tempted to linger more. Going all the way out the Seaway would be a lot longer, but would include some of the most beautiful cruising grounds in the world. Timing gets a little hard - this is definitely not a Winter trip. And radar is very handy. -jeff www.sv-loki.com "Schoonertrash" wrote in message ... Next trip I'm leaving the Pacific but not by way of Panama. Plan to truck the boat from Vancouver BC to Lake Superior and work my way East. There are three major choices. Leave the lakes at Chicago and go S. on the Mississippi. I'll pass on that one. Leave the seaway and travel through Pennsylvania and New York for the Atlantic and then South. Go down the whole St. Lawrence Seaway and then turn South for some coastal scenery. To compound the issue I have friends I'd like to visit in the Connecticutt/Massachusetts area. Not so far from NYC for a side trip. The boat is a 33' LOA Westerly twin keeler with cathedral mast so height is not a restriction. I will be singlehanding unless somebody pops up here and there to help crew. So between my two major choices what are your suggestions? Which way . .. and why. What time of year is best considering I'm starting somewhere N. of Duluth. MST |
NY Canals or St. Lawrence
If you want to get to the ocean quickly, I think taking the Lakes to Oswego, NY and joining the Erie
Canal there is the most expedient. This would be about 8 days in the Canal and Hudson River. An easy enough trip, but with 33 locks you probably want a crew for this stretch. In the "Delivery" section of my website there's a description and pics. More scenic would be to go down the St. Lawrence to Lake Champlain and then on to the Hudson. This would add several travel days, but you'd be tempted to linger more. Going all the way out the Seaway would be a lot longer, but would include some of the most beautiful cruising grounds in the world. Timing gets a little hard - this is definitely not a Winter trip. And radar is very handy. -jeff www.sv-loki.com "Schoonertrash" wrote in message ... Next trip I'm leaving the Pacific but not by way of Panama. Plan to truck the boat from Vancouver BC to Lake Superior and work my way East. There are three major choices. Leave the lakes at Chicago and go S. on the Mississippi. I'll pass on that one. Leave the seaway and travel through Pennsylvania and New York for the Atlantic and then South. Go down the whole St. Lawrence Seaway and then turn South for some coastal scenery. To compound the issue I have friends I'd like to visit in the Connecticutt/Massachusetts area. Not so far from NYC for a side trip. The boat is a 33' LOA Westerly twin keeler with cathedral mast so height is not a restriction. I will be singlehanding unless somebody pops up here and there to help crew. So between my two major choices what are your suggestions? Which way . .. and why. What time of year is best considering I'm starting somewhere N. of Duluth. MST |
NY Canals or St. Lawrence
On Thu, 6 Nov 2003 01:05:14 -0500, "Schoonertrash"
wrote: Next trip I'm leaving the Pacific but not by way of Panama. Plan to truck the boat from Vancouver BC to Lake Superior and work my way East. There are three major choices. Leave the lakes at Chicago and go S. on the Mississippi. I'll pass on that one. Leave the seaway and travel through Pennsylvania and New York for the Atlantic and then South. Go down the whole St. Lawrence Seaway and then turn South for some coastal scenery. To compound the issue I have friends I'd like to visit in the Connecticutt/Massachusetts area. Not so far from NYC for a side trip. The boat is a 33' LOA Westerly twin keeler with cathedral mast so height is not a restriction. I will be singlehanding unless somebody pops up here and there to help crew. So between my two major choices what are your suggestions? Which way . .. and why. What time of year is best considering I'm starting somewhere N. of Duluth. The difference in distance is enormous, especially if you would still visit MA, CT, NY after going out the St Lawrence, through Cabot Strait, and west to the New England coast. You would pass a lot of spectacular scenery if you went that way, but it would be a long trip. The NY canals would not be a big problem if you can fold your mast and carry it with you. MST Rodney Myrvaagnes NYC J36 Gjo/a "WooWooism lives" Anon grafitto on the base of the Cuttyhunk breakwater light |
NY Canals or St. Lawrence
On Thu, 6 Nov 2003 01:05:14 -0500, "Schoonertrash"
wrote: Next trip I'm leaving the Pacific but not by way of Panama. Plan to truck the boat from Vancouver BC to Lake Superior and work my way East. There are three major choices. Leave the lakes at Chicago and go S. on the Mississippi. I'll pass on that one. Leave the seaway and travel through Pennsylvania and New York for the Atlantic and then South. Go down the whole St. Lawrence Seaway and then turn South for some coastal scenery. To compound the issue I have friends I'd like to visit in the Connecticutt/Massachusetts area. Not so far from NYC for a side trip. The boat is a 33' LOA Westerly twin keeler with cathedral mast so height is not a restriction. I will be singlehanding unless somebody pops up here and there to help crew. So between my two major choices what are your suggestions? Which way . .. and why. What time of year is best considering I'm starting somewhere N. of Duluth. The difference in distance is enormous, especially if you would still visit MA, CT, NY after going out the St Lawrence, through Cabot Strait, and west to the New England coast. You would pass a lot of spectacular scenery if you went that way, but it would be a long trip. The NY canals would not be a big problem if you can fold your mast and carry it with you. MST Rodney Myrvaagnes NYC J36 Gjo/a "WooWooism lives" Anon grafitto on the base of the Cuttyhunk breakwater light |
NY Canals or St. Lawrence
The only thing I would add to the cold weather sailing caveats seen here
would be potential difficulty getting fuel or pump-outs. Our marina is only open daylight hours (9 to 4ish if that). If you're on the Pacific I imagine you're dumping your head overboard, here (Great Lakes/St. Lawrence) you'll have to save it up and give it to the nice people on shore. How many miles is it from Vancouver to your launch point? "Rufus" wrote in message ... when... Boats are gone from Chicago area by Nov 1, Milwaukee about the same, probably sooner up "at the top" in Michigan. Weather is still sailable, but can get down to freezing at night. Usually no real cold until well into December, if then. Storms any time. April is sailable, but again still might get down to close to freezing some nights. Boats start appearing in numbers in May. Also, remember the "Edmond Fitzgerald". The lakes can put up real weather very fast, any time of year. After getting beat to **** (nothing to do with his race standings) one summer on the Makanack (sp?) race Ted Turner publicly ate his words about lake sailing not being "real" sailing. He skippering a large boat with a prefessional crew. You have about a 5 month window on the Great Lakes, with a some allowance at each end for cheating if you can put up with a little cold. Sorry, can't speak to the east coast - I spent my "formative years" in Chicago. Rufus |
NY Canals or St. Lawrence
The only thing I would add to the cold weather sailing caveats seen here
would be potential difficulty getting fuel or pump-outs. Our marina is only open daylight hours (9 to 4ish if that). If you're on the Pacific I imagine you're dumping your head overboard, here (Great Lakes/St. Lawrence) you'll have to save it up and give it to the nice people on shore. How many miles is it from Vancouver to your launch point? "Rufus" wrote in message ... when... Boats are gone from Chicago area by Nov 1, Milwaukee about the same, probably sooner up "at the top" in Michigan. Weather is still sailable, but can get down to freezing at night. Usually no real cold until well into December, if then. Storms any time. April is sailable, but again still might get down to close to freezing some nights. Boats start appearing in numbers in May. Also, remember the "Edmond Fitzgerald". The lakes can put up real weather very fast, any time of year. After getting beat to **** (nothing to do with his race standings) one summer on the Makanack (sp?) race Ted Turner publicly ate his words about lake sailing not being "real" sailing. He skippering a large boat with a prefessional crew. You have about a 5 month window on the Great Lakes, with a some allowance at each end for cheating if you can put up with a little cold. Sorry, can't speak to the east coast - I spent my "formative years" in Chicago. Rufus |
NY Canals or St. Lawrence
I agree. Underline, "And radar is very handy." While the Canadian Maritimes
and Maine are some of the most beautiful and friendliest cruising in the world, fog can be expected more or less half the time in summer. The good news there is that while the yachting season is only two months, the working season is long. I don't know Lake Superior at all, but it has a reputation. Unless you're trying to prove something, why not start at Sault Ste. Marie? Glancing at the map, only the Apostle Islands look interesting and it would cut 350 miles from a long trip. OTH, the North Channel and Georgian Bay get a lot of positive reviews. Don't forget the Trent-Severn Waterway, which goes from Georgian Bay to the middle of the north shore of Lake Ontario: http://collections.ic.gc.ca/waterway/main_e_i.htm You'd miss Niagara Falls, but also Lake Erie. The site says five foot maximum draft..... -- Jim Woodward www.mvFintry.com "Jeff Morris" wrote in message ... If you want to get to the ocean quickly, I think taking the Lakes to Oswego, NY and joining the Erie Canal there is the most expedient. This would be about 8 days in the Canal and Hudson River. An easy enough trip, but with 33 locks you probably want a crew for this stretch. In the "Delivery" section of my website there's a description and pics. More scenic would be to go down the St. Lawrence to Lake Champlain and then on to the Hudson. This would add several travel days, but you'd be tempted to linger more. Going all the way out the Seaway would be a lot longer, but would include some of the most beautiful cruising grounds in the world. Timing gets a little hard - this is definitely not a Winter trip. And radar is very handy. -jeff www.sv-loki.com "Schoonertrash" wrote in message ... Next trip I'm leaving the Pacific but not by way of Panama. Plan to truck the boat from Vancouver BC to Lake Superior and work my way East. There are three major choices. Leave the lakes at Chicago and go S. on the Mississippi. I'll pass on that one. Leave the seaway and travel through Pennsylvania and New York for the Atlantic and then South. Go down the whole St. Lawrence Seaway and then turn South for some coastal scenery. To compound the issue I have friends I'd like to visit in the Connecticutt/Massachusetts area. Not so far from NYC for a side trip. The boat is a 33' LOA Westerly twin keeler with cathedral mast so height is not a restriction. I will be singlehanding unless somebody pops up here and there to help crew. So between my two major choices what are your suggestions? Which way . ... and why. What time of year is best considering I'm starting somewhere N. of Duluth. MST |
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