Erie Canal ? any suggestions ?

[Betik]

On Friday June 22nd, there is a wedding in NYC, that I have to attend. So I was thinking to take the opportunity and traverse the Erie canal.
My idea is to lunch at Buffalo NY, clear the locks all the way to Hudson. Head on south to Ellis island and retrieve somewhere in NJ.

General question...

1. Has any one done it ?
   1. if so any recommendation on marinas to lunch and retrieve
   2. places to stay overnight,
   3. places to eat
   4. other places we want to visit
2. Do you recommend to do the whole Erie canal or maybe lunch from Lake Oneida
   1. if so which section is MUST SEE?
3. Besides tons of fenders, VHF, 2 sets of spark plugs and one way ticket from NYC to Buffalo, are there any other equipment that you would re-command ?
4. if I install water intake switches, do you see any problems on running one engine at the time?
   1. say 4 hours on port, and then 4 hours on stbrd
   2. this is a 500+ miles trip, so running one engine instead of 2 I expect to help with fuel cost and reduction on engine hours.
5. anything at all that I am probably forgetting to ask ?

 

[Ronnie]

@Betik , I can't speak to most of your post as I have never boated on the Erie Canal but using one engine for prolonged periods of time is generally not recommended. You are not supposed to break no wake speed when only one engine is running. Doing so could lead to damage to the non-running engine unless the cooling water intake is blocked. I'm sure others will chime in but turning on and running on one engine to move the boat a few feet or to get it on a trailer is very different than using one engine at cruising speeds for hours at a time (a single engine may not be powerful enough to get the boat on plane).

 

[Betik]

sorry @Ronnie I should have been more explicit.
I plan to install this. So the dormant engine will be completely isolated.

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Use one kit per engine.

 

[Betik]

in regard to the speed, as far as I know the entire canal has a "no wake" restriction.

Sidenote: I read somewhere that @ bruce was able to plane on one engine by using his trip tabs.

 

[zipper]

@Betik I recall recently of someone here posting about their outing on a section of the Erie Canal, I'm pulling the rest of my hair out trying to remember who it was. Damn, if you are looking for a good run from the Canadian border area to NYC, I would suggest Lake Champlain from Plattsburgh NY south to Whitehall NY, from there the Champlain Canal to the Hudson River south to NYC. WOT on the Lake for about 90 miles, lake permitting, with lots of options on both sides of the Lake for lodging and food. The Canal run would be shorter, comparatively vs the Erie, to the Hudson River. Just a suggestion, did not know if you chose the Erie Canal for any specific reason. Sound like a lot of fun.

 

[Betik]

thanks @zipper I will research it.

I am thinking of the Erie canal for 3 reasons.
1. I have read that going through the Erie canal is like moving 100 year back in time, so I would love to turn off my cell for 10 days and just chill.
2. I really like certain historic landmarks, and the Erie canal with westpoint, Ellis island etc will be awesome.
3. I suck a low speed maneuverability. So I figured that going through the locks will be a good practice. I learn well under pressure. LOL


my original plan was to go there in 2020, when my kids will be old even ( 9&7 ) to understand. So we could go to Niagara falls, start the canal, head south on Cayuga lake to visit my wife's old school and show the kids. then back to the canal and make another good stop at west point. Then NYC. But this wedding that I have to attend is tempting me ....

 

[swatski]

the entire canal has a "no wake" restriction.

@Betik This may sound like a lovely adventure, but I'm afraid you have got a wrong boat for it.
This is a trip to do in a cruiser or a trawler, ideally diesel powered for range. Putting around at 10-12mph can be fun in a full displacement vessel with some basic amenities, but not a jet boat. IMO.

Anything with more than a few 5-10 mile stretches of no-wake would be a no-go for me.
I would do the lake run @zipper mentioned in a heart beat though - that sounds like fun.

As far as running on a single motor - you could get up on plane (I do, with the L13s) but you would be using at least twice the amount of gas on that single engine when on plane. Not to mention steering is a challenge, unless you tried to level this out somehow with the tabs.
I think you should try it and let us know!

Or, better yet, the Bimini 2018 crossing (which would run ahead of your NYC wedding) - could be a good test for single engine passage?

--

 

[Betik]

@Betik This may sound like a lovely adventure, but I'm afraid you have got a wrong boat for it.
Or, better yet, the Bimini 2018 crossing (which would run ahead of your NYC wedding) - could be a good test for single engine passage?
--

I read somewhere that even year crossings have smooth seas. That is not for me I got to stick with odd years.
On a more serious note though we are in the process of building a house, with ETA June/July and with the stupid wedding, we might just be out of vacation days and probably out of vacation budget. By the time we could comitte for Bimini ( late April mid May) it might be too late.

 

[zipper]

@Betik I found the post I saw about the Erie Canal. The post was from @Zonie on "One Picture of Your Last Outing" page 46 post #908 you may get info from him.

 

[InmyElement]

I live a couple of miles from the canal near Bushnells Basin which has docking, restaurants, and facilities. I've been wanting to put in and go to some of the local towns Pittsford and Fairport for dinners and lunches which are right on the canal with plenty of docking and food. Not sure about fuel. The canal sights are breathtaking and most of the speed is no wake. Although whats kept me from putting in is the filthy water and a lot of debris from all the trees hanging over or close to the canal. Definitely something to consider with our jetboats. Good luck if you decide to do it and reach out if you need anything coming through Monroe County. Happy Boating!

 

[zipper]

@Betik Just to sway you one way or the other...you mentioned History, There are two Museums of note on the Vermont side of the lake. The Shelburne Museum, a lot of nautical history there and the Champlain Maritime Museum further down the Lake at Basin Harbor. Shelburne Museum has one of the last Steam powered passenger paddlewheelers that ran the Lake in the early 1900s and the Light House that used to sit on Colchester Reef. Pretty cool stuff. The Maritime museum is self explanatory, A lot of artifacts from the battles fought on the Lake between the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812. Look them up.

 

[Betik]

@zipper thank you. will research it.

 

[Murf'n'surf]

Make sure you have adequate dock line lengths for the locks. I forget the required lengths for average locks as it's been some 24 years since I traversed the locks in Pittsburgh.

 

[hobineros]

I grew up in Buffalo - Launch into Lake Ontario and avoid the locks. Pleasure vessels have last dibs on the locks. you could sit there and wait for hours and hours to get a turn to go, and by that point everyone will be pissed off and its a general free for all of bumper boats to get into it.

I did it once or twice as a small kid - I wouldn't put myself in that situation on my own boat. lol. you can walk the Erie canal if you desire the historic aspects. Take a cruise on the Miss Buffalo tour boat, its peanuts $ wise and hassle free.

Oh and my recommendation is - tour the Canadian side of the Falls - the American side is a lame state park - Minus the cave you can walk through for 50$ / head. Smh.

 

[Ronnie]

@Betik , How long is the Erie Canal, specifically how long is the no wake zone on the trip described?

The trip sounds like a lot of fun with places to eat and see but I get frustrated with long no wake zones, even 10 mins. Seems like a long time.

I'd try to use the locks or a lock at least once just for the experience. Didn't realize that you had to bring your own lines or that pleasure boats have no priority, waiting in that queue if there is one sounds worse than a long no wake zone but at least you have the option.

I envy you guys on the east coast, you have a lot of different boating options as far as destinations and routes and of course year round boating for the southern states like Florida and I'm guessing Georgia as well.

 

[Betik]

@hobineros one of the aspects of the trip was for me to go through the locks. If the locks get old very soon, then I will consider lunching from Lake Oneida and save me roughly 30% of the locks. I did read somewhere that pleasure boats take the last priority, so I decided to take the West to east route. Most boats travel east to west, so I figured the wait will not be bad !!!!!!

 

[Betik]

@Ronnie it a little bit over 350 miles with majority of it being no wake zones ( sorry I do not know the exact %). I have gotten most my info from this guy. apparently the loopers say that the best part of the loop is the Erie canal.


http://www.captainjohn.org/GL-9-Erie-1.html

Almost the entire 338 miles of the Erie Canal has a 10 mph speed limit. Only exceptions I'm afraid, are 'No Wake' Zones.

 

[hobineros]

@hobineros one of the aspects of the trip was for me to go through the locks. If the locks get old very soon, then I will consider lunching from Lake Oneida and save me roughly 30% of the locks. I did read somewhere that pleasure boats take the last priority, so I decided to take the West to east route. Most boats travel east to west, so I figured the wait will not be bad !!!!!!

My bad - I was imaging the lock system in the Saint Lawrence Seaway - I don't think Commercial boats traffic the canal very often if at all. It will be slow crawl but the good news is - its NY and its not super hot in June, should be a pleasant ride. Even in a bow rider.

 

[Betik]

@hobineros I agree it is a bit of a stretch on a Yamaha and @swatski also mentioned that this is not the best boat for the canal. But when I come to think about I ask me self, when did having the right boat stopped me from doing what I want to do ?

 

[hobineros]

@hobineros I agree it is a bit of a stretch on a Yamaha and @swatski also mentioned that this is not the best boat for the canal. But when I come to think about I ask me self, when did having the right boat stopped me from doing what I want to do ?

Right cuz going to Bimini across 50 miles of jet stream is much more appropriate

I might give the canal a shot - my folks still live up there, free room and parking spot for the trailer. lol