Am I Crazy?

[Ste. Claire]

Yes! is probably the answer even before I pose the question.
So in this day and age of however you want to paint this world we live in is it irresponsible to just sell everything and buy a trawler and sail for a few years?

Been looking for about a year for a full displacement boat with a pilot house around 50'. Now I have found one on the west coast (lovely place) however live in the Great Lakes area with family interests in Colombia. So been thinking the obvious choice would be to run her down the coast and make the cut through the canal and be done with it right!?
Or is this just on the fringe of lunacy during the "Thing" and I need to see someone and have myself put on all the new fancy meds that are out there?
All thoughts are welcome along with current numbers to folks who practice medicine.
https://www.trawlerforum.com/forums/images/trawler/smilies/sk/rofl.gif

 

[rsn48]

Going through the canal is very doable and has been done by some with a web video blog such as Gone With The Wynns:

 

[menzies]

There's a broad spectrum of madness.

You sound like you are around the median!

 

[Ste. Claire]

Hence I did ask the question.

 

[Crusty Chief]

Welcome to the Zoo....No really.....Were are my meds........Go buy the boat, get familiar with her and head south.
Anyway, were getting ready to start our next chapter for the canal this winter. If your really serious, check out PanamaPosse, us and about 100 other boats are doing it, providing this COVID thing doesn’t screw things up.
Cheers

 

[O C Diver]

How much offshore or Great Lakes boating experience do you have? Depending on the time of year and river flow, bringing it up the Tennessee Tombigbee could be tough (forget the Mississippi). There always the Hudson river as long as you can clear a 17' 6" bridge. All else fails, you can always go around Nova Scotia and in the Saint Lawrence. Then again, if you're feeling really crazy, turn North when entering the Pacific and go over the top of North America to the Saint Lawrence. So how crazy are you?

Ted

 

[boatpoker]

How much offshore or Great Lakes boating experience do you have? Depending on the time of year and river flow, bringing it up the Tennessee Tombigbee could be tough (forget the Mississippi). There always the Hudson river as long as you can clear a 17' 6" bridge. All else fails, you can always go around Nova Scotia and in the Saint Lawrence. Then again, if you're feeling really crazy, turn North when entering the Pacific and go over the top of North America to the Saint Lawrence. So how crazy are you?

Ted

To which bridge do you refer?
We cleared the one above the Federal lock at Troy with 18' about two weeks ago

 

[Ste. Claire]

Thanks Ted.
Crazy though a bit calculated.......
Not in a hurry to head North atm though your suggestions of heading over the top is pretty interesting and not out of the question at some later date perhaps.
More interested in heading south though right now.

Some Great Lakes experience and no offshore experience though do have aviation navigational experience, old school non gps.

Thanks Ted

 

[Ste. Claire]

John & Tracey I will check it out

Thanks

 

[O C Diver]

Thanks Ted.
Crazy though a bit calculated.......
Not in a hurry to head North atm though your suggestions of heading over the top is pretty interesting and not out of the question at some later date perhaps.
More interested in heading south though right now.

Some Great Lakes experience and no offshore experience though do have aviation navigational experience, old school non gps.

Thanks Ted

I would be calculating the risk relative to the virus between San Diego and the Panama canal. You may likely need to stop along the way for provisions. Also, from San Diego to Cabo San Lucas is a long run with only a few places to duck inside and very limited boat repair facilities. Not sure what the current situation is with regard to Americans entering Mexico and other South American countries. While you might plan to stay on the boat the whole way, Murphy may have other plans for you.

Ted

 

[O C Diver]

To which bridge do you refer?
We cleared the one above the Federal lock at Troy with 18' about two weeks ago

Hadn't considered the Champlain route for some reason, was focused on Erie and Oswego canals.

Will they let an American go up the Richelieu with the current border closure?

Ted

 

[psneeld]

I can't imagine if I wanted to change my lifestyle to that extreme, I would have to ask on a forum.

What you propose will take money, effort and life changing mindset.

There are ways of doing it if you don't have the boating experience to take on major maintenance and operating skill...usually you can throw money at that. The last, mindset, few except lifelong boaters will stay motivated enough to carry through.

Some meet their dreams....but many never leave the boatyard, even less leave the marina, most never venture more than 1000 miles from home....think long and hard before you jump.

 

[rgano]

Are you crazy? You are here, right?

Been through the Panama Canal a few times in Navy and private vessels. I used to know a boat delivery skipper, since retired, who specialized in the delivery route through there from coast to coast. Based on his tales told to me and my own experience, I DO NOT suggest that with your level of nautical experience that you try it with a new to you boat. Start looking for an east coast boat - there are more boats there.

 

[Captain DJ]

How much offshore or Great Lakes boating experience do you have? Depending on the time of year and river flow, bringing it up the Tennessee Tombigbee could be tough (forget the Mississippi). There always the Hudson river as long as you can clear a 17' 6" bridge. All else fails, you can always go around Nova Scotia and in the Saint Lawrence. Then again, if you're feeling really crazy, turn North when entering the Pacific and go over the top of North America to the Saint Lawrence. So how crazy are you?

Ted

Dear O C Driver (Ted),

I am NOT trying to dispute your word. But I have done the Tombigbee several times, upstream and down. Once after record setting rains in May of 2004 I believe it was, when they had to close it for a few weeks. When it finally opened just the gable vents or peaks of some houses were showing. We saw on VW bug floating downstream. Bridges that were supposed to have 17 ft vertical clearance may have had 17 inches of air draft. But even then, at the WORST case scenario, I did not think the Tenn-Tom was difficult. We did 2/3s of the Great Loop and I gotta say, Tombigbee was relatively easy in comparison to the Southwest passage from Marquesa Rock to Marco Pass or Florida's Big Bend and its shallows around Cedar Key.

I have heard you warn off others about the Tenn-Tom and have wondered why? This is the Easy way and the gateway to the Best Heartland boating North America has to offer. Please tell us of your experience and why it is so challenging in your opinion. If you do not mind...

Capt. DJ (Darrin)

 

[Medic]

Ste. Claire,

I moved my "new to me" 55' Nordhavn from Dana Point, CA to Bayfield, WI.

Because of my level of experience, or should I say level of inexperience, I was accompanied by 2 crew, one of whom became a very close friend, and both of whom were licensed captains, as far as Florida. They were both volunteers and my only costs were food. The Canal was easy, even the waiting part which took 4 days. Panama City is beautiful and I would never have gotten there except having to wait those 4 days.

The rest of the trip was up the East Coast, around Nova Scotia, down the St. Lawrence River, the St. Lawrence Seaway, and through Lakes Ontario, Huron and Superior.

The whole thing, including the time waiting to get through the Canal and a two week break in Florida for a trip home and new crew was 67 days. Underway was always 24/7 except for another crew change in Nantucket, and yet another in Montreal. The Florida to Montreal leg was with another experienced boater, and an additional inexperienced but enthusiastic mature crewmember. From Montreal to Bayfield I had two more "unexperienced but enthusiastic" crewmembers.

By that time I had a very good feel for the boat.

You should not undertake the voyage with the level of inexperience you mention unless you have at least one crewmember who has considerable experience.

There are alternatives if you want to get your boat from the West Coast to the Great Lakes. The most obvious is ground transportation. Your boat might or might not be ground transportable, but if it is the costs would likely be less than what you will spend on fuel, food, Canal fees, St. Lawrence Seaway lock fees, etc.

My boat could not be transported over land. And I wanted the adventure. But, I knew I would need help.

Since that time one of the captains (volunteer) who was with me, and who I had never met until he showed up in California, has been with me on five different "ventures" including one just this past January when we moved my new boat (again,new to me) from Ft. Myers, FL to Hilton Head Island, SC by way of Key West.

Have fun.

 

[rslifkin]

On the bridge clearance thing, you've got 21 feet of clearance up the Hudson and through the Eastern Erie Canal and the Oswego Canal. Western Erie and Champlain canals have less clearance.

 

[BandB]

I can't imagine if I wanted to change my lifestyle to that extreme, I would have to ask on a forum.

What you propose will take money, effort and life changing mindset.

.

Wifey B: I have to jump in and agree with this.

You can't allow others to make this for you or even significantly influence you, people who have nothing at stake when you have it all. If you were asking a psychologist who knew you very well, they wouldn't answer you but would toss the question back to you.

If it's right for you, you know it. We made a huge change in 2012, but we didn't ask anyone, just told them what we were doing. No one's opinion mattered, we knew.

 

[dennismenace111]

Yes! is probably the answer even before I pose the question.
So in this day and age of however you want to paint this world we live in is it irresponsible to just sell everything and buy a trawler and sail for a few years?

Been looking for about a year for a full displacement boat with a pilot house around 50'. Now I have found one on the west coast (lovely place) however live in the Great Lakes area with family interests in Colombia. So been thinking the obvious choice would be to run her down the coast and make the cut through the canal and be done with it right!?
Or is this just on the fringe of lunacy during the "Thing" and I need to see someone and have myself put on all the new fancy meds that are out there?
All thoughts are welcome along with current numbers to folks who practice medicine.
https://www.trawlerforum.com/forums/images/trawler/smilies/sk/rofl.gif

Like a wise man once said... If we were all there, we wouldnt be all here....and we wouldn't all own expensive boats. Or something like that!

 

[Xsbank]

Undoubtedly.

 

[BandB]

As my wife said, don't look to others to validate you. I know that daily people think my wife or I or both of us are crazy and on the mindsets most live, we absolutely are. People think we do things impulsively but don't know how much thought we've given in the past. People think we move fast, but we see no reason not to. But then mostly we go against the tide, we zig when others zag, but through it all you will not find two happier people.

 

[Always Late]

Dear O C Driver (Ted),

I am NOT trying to dispute your word. But I have done the Tombigbee several times, upstream and down. Once after record setting rains in May of 2004 I believe it was, when they had to close it for a few weeks. When it finally opened just the gable vents or peaks of some houses were showing. We saw on VW bug floating downstream. Bridges that were supposed to have 17 ft vertical clearance may have had 17 inches of air draft. But even then, at the WORST case scenario, I did not think the Tenn-Tom was difficult. We did 2/3s of the Great Loop and I gotta say, Tombigbee was relatively easy in comparison to the Southwest passage from Marquesa Rock to Marco Pass or Florida's Big Bend and its shallows around Cedar Key.

I have heard you warn off others about the Tenn-Tom and have wondered why? This is the Easy way and the gateway to the Best Heartland boating North America has to offer. Please tell us of your experience and why it is so challenging in your opinion. If you do not mind...

Capt. DJ (Darrin)

I agree with Capt DJ.
I've done it many times myself. You will see a part of America that you never dreamed existed. The last time I did it my wife sobbed when we returned because she didn't want the trip to end!
Gary

 

[Robster_in_edmonds]

OK, you are looking at a boat on the West Coast, you live in the Great Lakes, and you want to visit Colombia. None of those three things go together. Especially not for a novice boater. If you want a Great Lakes boat, find a good fresh-water boat and buy it. You want to cruise the PNW, get a boat in Seattle or points North.

These days you couldn’t pay me to cruise down to South America. But that’s me. Good luck.

 

[catalinajack]

No. The border is closed until sometime in September. You will also need to be able to clear 17 feet of bridge height on the Champlain Canal.

Hadn't considered the Champlain route for some reason, was focused on Erie and Oswego canals.

Will they let an American go up the Richelieu with the current border closure?

Ted