Happy to help with Erie Canal info

[Capt JJ]

Hello
I'm in upsate NY, Fairport... retired ex Kodak. Tour boat captain on the Erie Canal and a National Safe Boating Council certified powerboat instructor. I am a Cruising Editor for Waterway Guide and happy to provide any advice for members who might be travelling on the NY State Canal system. I've done it for 12 years, time to downsize from my 29 C Dory diesel inboard and do some other exploring.

 

[Wayfarer]

Hello
I'm in upsate NY, Fairport... retired ex Kodak. Tour boat captain on the Erie Canal and a National Safe Boating Council certified powerboat instructor. I am a Cruising Editor for Waterway Guide and happy to provide any advice for members who might be travelling on the NY State Canal system. I've done it for 12 years, time to downsize from my 29 C Dory diesel inboard and do some other exploring.

I just did the Erie Canal about a month ago. Fairport looked like a great place to stop, but I'm sorry to say I missed it this time around. Oh well, more to explore for next time.

Welcome to the forum, and thanks for offering up the local knowledge. I'm sure it will be helpful to many.

 

[boatpoker]

Hello
I'm in upsate NY, Fairport... retired ex Kodak. Tour boat captain on the Erie Canal and a National Safe Boating Council certified powerboat instructor. I am a Cruising Editor for Waterway Guide and happy to provide any advice for members who might be travelling on the NY State Canal system. I've done it for 12 years, time to downsize from my 29 C Dory diesel inboard and do some other exploring.

NY State canal System is our absolute favourite cruising ground.
Cruising New York State Canal System, Erie, Cayuga, Seneca

 

[Comodave]

Welcome aboard. We did the Erie about 3 years ago and had a great time.

 

[wpc691]

Hello
I'm in upsate NY, Fairport... retired ex Kodak. Tour boat captain on the Erie Canal and a National Safe Boating Council certified powerboat instructor. I am a Cruising Editor for Waterway Guide and happy to provide any advice for members who might be travelling on the NY State Canal system. I've done it for 12 years, time to downsize from my 29 C Dory diesel inboard and do some other exploring.

Capt JJ; originally from Geneva, planning to take our Hatteras north next year, but need to hinge my radar arch first (current air draft 19.5’). I think I can get it down to 14.5’. Do I need to aim lower than that? Worst case, we could get off at Oswego and stay at Sodus, but we’d like to make it to Geneva and Fairport (family there, too). Thanks for any advice.

PS: my uncle worked in engineering development at Kodak, retired 20 yrs ago, probably before your time

 

[Capt JJ]

I've been around Kodak for a while too. Retired in 2007. If your uncle worked in motion picture I might have known him.
You will be good at 14.5' with room to spare. The canal west of Three Rivers is a 15.5 clearance at normal pool levels. Once you get that far, it's only 12 locks to Buffalo. In my opinion the nicest section of the canal, passing through the villages on mostly the original route. Check the NY Canal Corp website for all bridge clearances.

 

[Capt JJ]

Thanks. Stop in Fairport next time, I'll show you around.

 

[rslifkin]

Welcome aboard! I did the eastern half of the canal and the Oswego canal bringing my boat up from CT to Rochester this summer.

I'm thinking we'll likely go back through Oswego and do the western half of the Erie at some point next summer. Fairport is definitely on the list for places to stop. Of course, it's always fun traveling by boat and taking several days to get from home to "a 30 minute drive from home"

 

[Jeff F]

Welcome. I remember chatting with you a couple of years ago when I was passing through. Nice spot.

Are you going exploring on a smaller boat?

 

[Capt JJ]

Welcome. I remember chatting with you a couple of years ago when I was passing through. Nice spot.

Are you going exploring on a smaller boat?

I think I remember talking with you too.
I have 2 smaller center consoles. I plan to get a Class B RV when I sell Penguin, and do the Great Loop towing one of the small boats, I'm retracing the travels of my great grandfather who was a river boat pilot from Pittsburgh to New Orleans from 1854 to 1899.

 

[Capt JJ]

Welcome aboard! I did the eastern half of the canal and the Oswego canal bringing my boat up from CT to Rochester this summer.

I'm thinking we'll likely go back through Oswego and do the western half of the Erie at some point next summer. Fairport is definitely on the list for places to stop. Of course, it's always fun traveling by boat and taking several days to get from home to "a 30 minute drive from home"

You'll enjoy the western trip. Let me know when you plan to go and I can answer questions. Depending on how many days you are travelling, there are many stops you can plan. I know some good food places too. Did you meet the Bridge House Brats in Phoenix last year? Great bunch of kids. Fantastic youth program.

 

[Bacchus]

Capt JJ; originally from Geneva, planning to take our Hatteras north next year, but need to hinge my radar arch first (current air draft 19.5’). I think I can get it down to 14.5’. Do I need to aim lower than that? Worst case, we could get off at Oswego and stay at Sodus, but we’d like to make it to Geneva and Fairport (family there, too). Thanks for any advice.

PS: my uncle worked in engineering development at Kodak, retired 20 yrs ago, probably before your time

Wpc
If visiting Geneva plan a stay at Sampson. It was rebuilt 100% last winter and now better than new IMO.
Let me know ahead and will be sure to be around.
We'll have a vehicle if you need anything.

 

[rslifkin]

You'll enjoy the western trip. Let me know when you plan to go and I can answer questions. Depending on how many days you are travelling, there are many stops you can plan. I know some good food places too. Did you meet the Bridge House Brats in Phoenix last year? Great bunch of kids. Fantastic youth program.

We did spend a night in Phoenix, but we arrived around 5:30 PM, so the brats were gone for the day. And we were off the dock as soon as the lockmaster at O1 was ready for us in the morning (leading into a very fast run up the Oswego canal, 4 hours flat from Phoenix to Oswego cruising at 6.5 kts).

For the western canal trip, we're not sure of our timing yet, but possibly around July 4th. Length of trip is a little up in the air as well, depends on how long a block of time we can both take off from work. We're also debating ducking down the Cayuga Seneca Canal, but not sure if it'll fit the schedule yet or if that'll wait for some other time.

 

[diver dave]

Having now lived in Perinton/Fairport and now Pittsford for the last 7 years, I can say this is a very civilized place with a very uncivilized winter.

 

[rslifkin]

Having now lived in Perinton/Fairport and now Pittsford for the last 7 years, I can say this is a very civilized place with a very uncivilized winter.

As long as we don't get another winter like last year, I'm ok with it. I can handle the cold, snowy winters. But I can't handle the not so bad ones that seem to go on forever.

 

[ronlord]

Hi Capt JJ

Sorry to hear you are thinking of selling your C Dory, she is a sweet little pocket trawler.

Met you a few years back in Fairport, we are canal rats, been doing trips for 17 years now out of Buffalo. Also worked at Kodak for 19 years, you worked with my step mom Sue.

Best of luck with whatever you decide next to do in your retirement!

Ron and Jane
"Missy"

 

[Pmcsurf1]

Thanks for the offer. My wife and I are just getting started. We have family living on land on Lake George NY. Anyway we can get there by boat via Hudson river? We'd be coming up from Florida.
Thanks,
Paul

 

[Bacchus]

Thanks for the offer. My wife and I are just getting started. We have family living on land on Lake George NY. Anyway we can get there by boat via Hudson river? We'd be coming up from Florida.
Thanks,
Paul

Paul
Lk George is land locked and not accessible via boat / canal. The Champlain canal passes by some towns that are not too far from parts of Lk George. Depending on where they are you might be able to meet but it would require a drive by one party or the other.

 

[CaptTom]

We may have lost the OP, but maybe someone else knows:

Are there any electronic charts available for the Western part of the Erie canal? Anything that could be used in OpenCPN would be good. ENC format would be even better.

 

[Pmcsurf1]

Paul
Lk George is land locked and not accessible via boat / canal. The Champlain canal passes by some towns that are not too far from parts of Lk George. Depending on where they are you might be able to meet but it would require a drive by one party or the other.

Thanks for the info.
Much appreciated

 

[Bacchus]

We may have lost the OP, but maybe someone else knows:

Are there any electronic charts available for the Western part of the Erie canal? Anything that could be used in OpenCPN would be good. ENC format would be even better.

Many Nav programs exclude that section as it is pretty much a drug ditch. Navionics does include it and the app for tablets / phones is only $25 for all US. I got it last yr just for the Active Capt access and found it very useful as a backup to my MFD / GPS / Chartplotter.
All bridge & guard gate clearances are available on the NY canal website.

 

[CaptTom]

Many Nav programs exclude that section as it is pretty much a drug ditch. Navionics does include it and the app for tablets / phones is only $25 for all US. I got it last yr just for the Active Capt access and found it very useful as a backup to my MFD / GPS / Chartplotter.
All bridge & guard gate clearances are available on the NY canal website.

Thanks! I do have Navionics on my cell phone. Just not a very convenient form factor for route planning.

Can you explain the "drug ditch" comment? Are you suggesting that stretch be avoided? I'm starting to lay out options for a Great Loop trip (no sooner than next year.) I was sort of leaning toward the Trent/Severn route, but then again, I like the Eastern Erie and thought I should include the US-only option.

 

[diver dave]

Dug ditch. Virtually no current, hard to get lost! Drugs? Walking distance to CVS at either bushnells basin, Perinton Park, many others.

 

[Bacchus]

Tom
Dave is correct - spell check got me.
Dug ditch and no navigating reqd.
The western section is interesting mostly for the small towns along the way. Scenery is fair but nothing spectacular.
I highly recommend the Trent Severn and could provide info if interested as we just completed the TSW and Georgian Bay in 2019. If you have/take the time the Champlain canal N from Troy NY let's you add Lk Champlain, Ottawa River and Rideau back to Kingston on Lk Ontario. It's a short pleasant run to Trenton to pick up the TSW.
Cdn lock & mooring passes are discounted if purchased prior to Mar 31and include TSW, Rideau and Chambly from Lk Champlain to St Lawrence and that is a wonderful cruising area if you have / take the time. Many folks that bypass some of those return in future yrs to take them in.

 

[CaptTom]

Right, the charts are often incorrect along canals anyway. They'll show you steaming along parallel to the ditch, a couple of hundred feet away! Still, charts are helpful for planning and looking ahead.

All these places sound great! I can see we'll need to plan multiple trips. We got a taste of the Erie and we always talk about going back.

 

[diver dave]

Something you may not have thought of. Bicycling along the Erie Canal is great. I do it most summer days. Very close to zero sharing with autos, people from around the country come here to bike very long distances. Trade off with your crew and get some exercise!

 

[boatpoker]

Something you may not have thought of. Bicycling along the Erie Canal is great. I do it most summer days. Very close to zero sharing with autos, people from around the country come here to bike very long distances. Trade off with your crew and get some exercise!

+1 Terrific bike trails

 

[Capt JJ]

Thanks for the offer. My wife and I are just getting started. We have family living on land on Lake George NY. Anyway we can get there by boat via Hudson river? We'd be coming up from Florida.
Thanks,
Paul

Yes, Lake George is land locked. You could come up the Champlain Canal (Hudson River north of Albany) and leave your boat either at Ft. Edward or Ft. Ann. Not too far overland for someone to come pick you up. OR maybe rental cars are available.

To enter the Erie Canal turne west at Waterford which is about 10 miles north of Albany. Yo uwill have passed through Lock 1 on the Hudson at Troy, NY before reaching Waterford. Spens a little time there. Explore Peebles Island and visit the Erie Canalway National Heritage Visitor Center.

The Waterford Flight is a series of 5 locks in about a mile. You will lock up 165 feet. It takes about 2 hours to complete the process then begin cruiseing west on the Mohawk River.

Bridge clearance is 21 feet all the way to Three Rivers at the junction of the Oswego Canal. Going west from that point, air draft is reduced. Bridge clearances are as low as 15 1/2 feet on the western section.

Hope this helps

JJ

 

[Mischief Managed]

Capt JJ, I may have spoken with you in May. We spent two nights Fairport and loved it.