Voyage

I'll be bringing a 31' Sable steel trawler home to Saint Joseph Mi from the Erie Canal. I'll be traveling on the Trent Severn Waterway for the first time. Anyone care to share the hidden surprises I may encounter along the way?? I'll be leaving mid-May.

Thanks

Greetings,
Welcome aboard. It's been some while since we did the Trent/Severn but I don't recall any hidden surprises. Well marked channels and lots of places to see and stay. Nice trip.

We came through the TSW in late May last year. Canal Lake was full of weeds to the surface. We picked up a lot of weeds and had quite a bit of vibration. We thought we had hit something and bent a prop. Turned out it was just weeds still wrapped around the shafts. The day before we went through Canal Lake, a 42' trawler actually got stuck in the weeds and had to be towed out. Then the tow boat burnt out an engine due to the weeds. They said later in the season the weeds get chopped up by the traffic. It was nice to be so early in respect to the lack of traffic and no waiting at the locks. Take lots of big fenders. We had 2 very large teardrop fenders in addition to our regular fenders. We wished we had had 4 teardrops so we could have had 2 on each side at all times. It will probably be crowded this year since the canals in Canada are waiving lockage fees.

If you want to take advantage of the free lockage during 2017, you need to order your Discovery Pass, at Parcs Canada | Parks Canada
It is a wonderful trip! I have done it with five different sailboats, and hope to do it this year in a trawler.
If you have to go through during the busy months of summer, my only suggestion would be to travel monday to friday, and hole up somewhere for the weekends. It can get a little crazy with all the rental houseboats being driven by the clueless, incompetent, and sometimes inebriated!

Thanks for the info

Thank you all for the info on traveling the Trent Severn Waterway. Sounds like I have a homework assignment for the next few months...

Consider buying one or more of the cruising guides to that area. Also, check amazon.com for books by people who have made that trip or the Great Loop. There are several.

The Canal doesn't open until April.

Summer, 2015, we cruised up that way - Erie Canal, Trent-Severn, Georgian Bay, North Channel then back down to NY. We loved our time on the Trent-Severn. Great, helpful lock attendants, vibrant little towns with lots going on and wonderful scenery.

If interested, my blog from that cruise is available here

dvd

One of the biggest problems for you doing the Trent, is that, when you get to the top end, you then better have time in your agenda to also do Georgian Bay (sheltered route or open water, your choice) and the famed North Channel.
- a lifetime of freshwater cruising available here!

Welcome Captfun! Glad you came onboard! I can't help you, wrong coast. But please add pictures of you journey and your new boat!!