Stuart, FL To Racine, WI On A 60MY

[Scott Mather]

Here is how we got our height down to fit though the erie canal.
There is a location in the hudson and one at the other end that the sail boats use to
lower and raise their masts, works for towers also.

 

[Freeebird]

Those are great shots! It really did surprise me that they didn’t have floating bollards in those canals vs dropping lines. I’ve transited many locks like that, but the lifts weren’t as great.

 

[Freeebird]

I need find something up there for you to get home in. That would cut down on my expenses, right?

Yep. It would save you the expense of flying me up there, and it would save Dave the expense of flying me home. It would be a LOT shorter trip back down to Nashville, and I wouldn’t have to mess with those Canadians.

 

[SKYCHENEY]

Lake Huron: Lexington is a good choice as well as Harrisville. Also Presque Isle, Rogers City, and any of the Mackinaw area marinas.

Lake Michigan:
Frankfort is a great place to stop. Good restaurants and the shortest place to cross from. Make reservations at Jacobsens marina as they tend to fill up quickly. Buy you can always drop the hook in there too.

If Frankfort is too far, Leland or anchoring at South Manitou Island are also good options. Charlevoix and Beaver Island are good too if it gets snotty and you need a place to duck into.

 

[Freeebird]

No doubt I’m being optimistic with those open water segments, but we’ll just hope for the best. I’d actually like to stop in Charlevoix, just for the heck of it, but that would mean the weather knocked us out of going as far in a day as planned. I’m guessing the weather will also decide if we hug the Canadian shore on Erie. Guess I need to come up with plan B marinas for that contingency. I’ve screwed around and let my passport expire, so I’ll be addressing that this week.

 

[Freeebird]

Here is how we got our height down to fit though the erie canal.
There is a location in the hudson and one at the other end that the sail boats use to
lower and raise their masts, works for towers also.

I actually missed this yesterday. That would be great for removing the arch. Is that a DIY freebie kind of deal?

Where exactly are those locations?

I have us stopping at Shady Harbor Marina which puts us pretty close for entering the canal the next morning.

 

[Freeebird]

couple of more photos

Guess I need to pay closer attention. I see you used the outboard side cleats for the lines. With that much lift, that’s bound to help keep the boat on the wall. Are there stationary bollards along the wall?

I was thinking if we could line up amidships with a vertical row of them, I could keep moving a third line to help keep us closer. Sure does make me appreciate floating bollards that allow singlehanding and only one line on the middle cleat.

 

[Scott Mather]

I actually missed this yesterday. That would be great for removing the arch. Is that a DIY freebie kind of deal?

Where exactly are those locations?

I have us stopping at Shady Harbor Marina which puts us pretty close for entering the canal the next morning.

I do not remember the exact location we used on the Hudson, there were a couple we found looking at the sail boat forums.
We paid to have it done at a marina not far from the canal.
If i remember there was also a free crane at a location around there also.

There was only one place (Oswego Marina) to have it put back on after the canal.

scott,

 

[Scott Mather]

Guess I need to pay closer attention. I see you used the outboard side cleats for the lines. With that much lift, that’s bound to help keep the boat on the wall. Are there stationary bollards along the wall?

I was thinking if we could line up amidships with a vertical row of them, I could keep moving a third line to help keep us closer. Sure does make me appreciate floating bollards that allow singlehanding and only one line on the middle cleat.

In the erie canal there are cables that run down the canal sides that makes it easy to run lines around to hold boat to wall.
was able to shut down engines most of the time. If your cleats and handlers can not get close to the cable you may have to keep (1) engine running and you will hear about it if there is a sail boat in the lock with you.

In the Welland, the lines are dropped from the lock tenders above, that is it,
on the couple of locks that are back to back that is a long way up (see photo above)
We did not have a bow thruster that would help.
It requires the bow and stern line handlers to work together along with the captain to keep boat in place.
The captain will be on the gears the whole time you are rising in the lock.
The biggest issue is the turbulance from the water filling the lock will move you around a lot.

we purchased the big round orange balls/fenders/bumpers for the locks, this worked great.
Tried the fender boards one time this was pain in ass.

scott,

 

[Freeebird]

Thanks again for the info, Scott. I’ve never been a fan of fender boards myself, and some use them just to keep their fenders clean. I couldn’t care less if a sailboter doesn’t appreciate the smell of a two-stroke diesel, but it’s good to know the lockmasters don’t frown on running your engines in the locks. Some places do.

Do you have any options where wall placement is concerned? The farther forward the better in a lock that’s going up, at least in my experience, as there is less turbulence. Maybe it doesn’t matter in these, but I’m sure we’ll be fine. I’ve already picked up two, local volunteers for line handling help if we want/need it. The Internet is a wonderful tool for such things.

 

[Freeebird]

Oh yeah, not to be outdone with lock lift heights, this one yields a normal lift of 93-100’, and I’ve done it singlehanded... on one engine.

I’m actually looking forward to the canal portions as it looks like it will be quite an experience.

 

[Dan Mapes]

Here is some old GPS data with stops from a trip we did back in the day. Various stops along the Erie and Hudson with average speed, distance. Looks like start date / time, travel time, distance, and aver the sq mi, average speed. We were two boats, good ol' Freedom 43 MY '85 and a 42 Silverton Conv. we could not keep up with LOL.

Kgn2Cresent 485 7/29/2004 6:42:15 AM 9:07:35 62.4 nm 172 sq mi 7 kt
Crescent2Canojoharie 471 7/30/2004 7:56:25 AM 8:16:38 47.9 nm 81.7 sq mi 6 kt
Canajoharie2Ilion 298 7/31/2004 8:34:01 AM 6:00:10 24.4 nm 57.6 sq mi 4 kt
Illion2Esskay 488 8/1/2004 7:51:08 AM 7:14:53 53.9 nm 186 sq mi 7 kt
Onieda2CapeVincent 812 8/2/2004 7:04:33 AM 9:27:16 71.4 nm 722 sq mi 8 kt
CapeVincent2Bonnie 173 8/3/2004 10:41:26 AM 2:57:00 23.6 nm 8.5 sq mi 8 kt
Riftdink 403 8/4/2004 10:02:15 AM 3:22:55 17.7 nm 1.2 sq mi 5 kt
Bonnie2Towndock 28 8/4/2004 2:17:21 PM 0:10:12 1.1 nm 0.1 sq mi 6 kt
AroundWesleyMislnds 358 8/6/2004 11:39:08 AM 2:53:20 21.1 nm 23.3 sq mi 7 kt
Bonnie2Market 63 8/6/2004 3:20:03 PM 0:32:19 2.1 nm 0.1 sq mi 4 kt
AlexBay2Sodus 1620 8/9/2004 7:50:08 AM 7:57:10 87.6 nm 120 sq mi 11 kt
Sodus2Oswego 310 8/12/2004 8:39:26 AM 2:37:17 26.8 nm 52.0 sq mi 10 kt
Oswego2Onieda 329 8/13/2004 9:04:38 AM 5:35:35 29.1 nm 86.5 sq mi 5 kt
EssKay2Sylvan 137 8/14/2004 9:56:15 AM 1:51:36 19.3 nm 11.3 sq mi 10 kt
Sylvan2LittleFalls 340 8/16/2004 7:25:32 AM 6:16:13 42.4 nm 44.1 sq mi 7 kt
LittleFalls2Amsterdam 318 8/17/2004 7:18:56 AM 7:03:41 36.6 nm 68.8 sq mi 5 kt
Amsterdam2Waterford 328 8/18/2004 7:26:38 AM 5:49:24 32.3 nm 29.7 sq mi 6 kt
Waterford2Catskill 271 8/19/2004 8:47:56 AM 3:32:50 38.4 nm 20.7 sq mi 11 kt
Catskill2Kingston 145 8/20/2004 10:18:08 AM 1:39:08 20.6 nm 2.6 sq mi 12 kt
Kingston2Ravena 249 9/17/2004 1:40:55 PM 2:55:49 37.9 nm 53.0 sq mi 13 kt
Ravena2Kingston 251 9/19/2004 11:08:26 AM 2:51:35 37.6 nm 50.5 sq mi 13 kt
Kgn2LibertyLanding 597 9/24/2004 9:07:25 AM 6:27:46 79.9 nm 292 sq mi 12 kt
NYC2Kgn 653 9/26/2004 9:45:15 AM 6:24:00 79.8 nm 288 sq mi 12 kt
Kgn2Catskill 162 10/8/2004 12:57:56 PM 1:59:21 20.7 nm 3.4 sq mi 10 kt
Catskill2Kgn 181 10/10/2004 12:16:26 PM 2:05:49 20.6 nm 2.4 sq mi 10 kt
Kgn2Tarrytown 379 10/22/2004 1:07:37 PM 4:35:51 56.7 nm 77.0 sq mi 12 kt
TaryTown2Kgn 364 10/24/2004 8:47:08 AM 4:15:52 56.8 nm 68.4 sq mi 13 kt

 

[Scott Mather]

Thanks again for the info, Scott. I’ve never been a fan of fender boards myself, and some use them just to keep their fenders clean. I couldn’t care less if a sailboter doesn’t appreciate the smell of a two-stroke diesel, but it’s good to know the lockmasters don’t frown on running your engines in the locks. Some places do.

Do you have any options where wall placement is concerned? The farther forward the better in a lock that’s going up, at least in my experience, as there is less turbulence. Maybe it doesn’t matter in these, but I’m sure we’ll be fine. I’ve already picked up two, local volunteers for line handling help if we want/need it. The Internet is a wonderful tool for such things.

In the Erie Canal it depends on how many boats are locking through. They put boats on both sides. You kind of keep the same spot each time. They have a speed limit in canal and will make you wait for other boats in group unless someone falls way behind. Front or back left or right did not matter.

In welland they tell you where to go Each lock. They will have the lock attendants dropping lines that is where you go. They can also tell who can and can not run a boat and will put the boat handling challenged in the less turbulent spots. Our last time through welland we were alone in the canal and they pushed us right through.

 

[Freeebird]

In welland they tell you where to go Each lock. They will have the lock attendants dropping lines that is where you go. They can also tell who can and can not run a boat and will put the boat handling challenged in the less turbulent spots.

Hmmm... As we approach the lock with fenders tied off to the top of the flybridge and flying a pair of tighty whities as a burgee and a few towels attached to the antennas. I get on the VHF and transmit this...

"Excuse me, Mister Lock Lord, but we have a broke motor and a woman onboard who's 10 months pregnant. Y'all think you could get us through a little quicker in case her water breaks and put us in a smoother spot?"

I hate to admit it (not really), but we did get a tad creative when we made that run across the Okeechobee Waterway and were trying our best to beat the 4:30 deadline for Franklin Lock, the last one heading west. As we approached the bridges, we told them we were having problems and running on one engine, and could they possibly let us keep moving as they were opening the bridge. It was just a little bending of truth, but they obliged. We of course thanked them for helping us along.

When it became obvious that we weren't going to make Franklin by 4:30, (we sorta fudged about our arrival time when we first contacted the lock) I told Dave we would make up a little story when we got closer about how we were running behind because we lost an engine (that part was absolutely true), and that our boss was going to be mad as hell if we didn't get his boat to Fort Myers that evening. it worked like a charm, and Dave left the lockmistress a little care package on the wall. She walked out to retrieve it, and we thanked her again for hanging around long enough to get us through. Truth is, we were in and out by 5 which is the official closing time, despite the fact they advertise you have to be in the chamber by 4:30.

It helps being a people person with a vivid imagination.

 

[Freeebird]

Here is some old GPS data with stops from a trip we did back in the day. Various stops along the Erie and Hudson with average speed, distance. Looks like start date / time, travel time, distance, and aver the sq mi, average speed. We were two boats, good ol' Freedom 43 MY '85 and a 42 Silverton Conv. we could not keep up with LOL.

Kgn2Cresent 485 7/29/2004 6:42:15 AM 9:07:35 62.4 nm 172 sq mi 7 kt
Crescent2Canojoharie 471 7/30/2004 7:56:25 AM 8:16:38 47.9 nm 81.7 sq mi 6 kt
Canajoharie2Ilion 298 7/31/2004 8:34:01 AM 6:00:10 24.4 nm 57.6 sq mi 4 kt
Illion2Esskay 488 8/1/2004 7:51:08 AM 7:14:53 53.9 nm 186 sq mi 7 kt
Onieda2CapeVincent 812 8/2/2004 7:04:33 AM 9:27:16 71.4 nm 722 sq mi 8 kt
CapeVincent2Bonnie 173 8/3/2004 10:41:26 AM 2:57:00 23.6 nm 8.5 sq mi 8 kt
Riftdink 403 8/4/2004 10:02:15 AM 3:22:55 17.7 nm 1.2 sq mi 5 kt
Bonnie2Towndock 28 8/4/2004 2:17:21 PM 0:10:12 1.1 nm 0.1 sq mi 6 kt
AroundWesleyMislnds 358 8/6/2004 11:39:08 AM 2:53:20 21.1 nm 23.3 sq mi 7 kt
Bonnie2Market 63 8/6/2004 3:20:03 PM 0:32:19 2.1 nm 0.1 sq mi 4 kt
AlexBay2Sodus 1620 8/9/2004 7:50:08 AM 7:57:10 87.6 nm 120 sq mi 11 kt
Sodus2Oswego 310 8/12/2004 8:39:26 AM 2:37:17 26.8 nm 52.0 sq mi 10 kt
Oswego2Onieda 329 8/13/2004 9:04:38 AM 5:35:35 29.1 nm 86.5 sq mi 5 kt
EssKay2Sylvan 137 8/14/2004 9:56:15 AM 1:51:36 19.3 nm 11.3 sq mi 10 kt
Sylvan2LittleFalls 340 8/16/2004 7:25:32 AM 6:16:13 42.4 nm 44.1 sq mi 7 kt
LittleFalls2Amsterdam 318 8/17/2004 7:18:56 AM 7:03:41 36.6 nm 68.8 sq mi 5 kt
Amsterdam2Waterford 328 8/18/2004 7:26:38 AM 5:49:24 32.3 nm 29.7 sq mi 6 kt
Waterford2Catskill 271 8/19/2004 8:47:56 AM 3:32:50 38.4 nm 20.7 sq mi 11 kt
Catskill2Kingston 145 8/20/2004 10:18:08 AM 1:39:08 20.6 nm 2.6 sq mi 12 kt
Kingston2Ravena 249 9/17/2004 1:40:55 PM 2:55:49 37.9 nm 53.0 sq mi 13 kt
Ravena2Kingston 251 9/19/2004 11:08:26 AM 2:51:35 37.6 nm 50.5 sq mi 13 kt
Kgn2LibertyLanding 597 9/24/2004 9:07:25 AM 6:27:46 79.9 nm 292 sq mi 12 kt
NYC2Kgn 653 9/26/2004 9:45:15 AM 6:24:00 79.8 nm 288 sq mi 12 kt
Kgn2Catskill 162 10/8/2004 12:57:56 PM 1:59:21 20.7 nm 3.4 sq mi 10 kt
Catskill2Kgn 181 10/10/2004 12:16:26 PM 2:05:49 20.6 nm 2.4 sq mi 10 kt
Kgn2Tarrytown 379 10/22/2004 1:07:37 PM 4:35:51 56.7 nm 77.0 sq mi 12 kt
TaryTown2Kgn 364 10/24/2004 8:47:08 AM 4:15:52 56.8 nm 68.4 sq mi 13 kt

Dang, son, that conjers up the old Styx tune, "Too Much Time On My Hands", but thanks for the detailed accounting of your trip. I'm not quite sure how to convert square miles, but I'll give it a shot.

 

[Boatsb]

1 Square Miles= 12390399.998393 Square Cubits

Glad to be able to help.

 

[Dazed338]

Waiting in the wings on FB, Just up the shore from Racine, in South Milwaukee.

 

[Dazed338]

We were there in the morning, made the call, waited for them to give us the go ahead.
we knew there was only (1) downbound ship and (0) upbound, so expected a fast transit
and they sent us through by our selves. we had to tie up once to pass the downbound ship
for those that have not been in the wellend here you go:
View attachment 37963

Damn how long was that line? Call it planning ahead.

 

[Freeebird]

1 Square Miles= 12390399.998393 Square Cubits

Glad to be able to help.

Are those statute cubits or nautical cubits?

 

[Boatsb]

Dont be silly. Theres no statute qubits.