The C-Brats Forum Index
HomeForumsMy TopicsCalendarEvent SignupsMemberlistOur C-DorysThe Brat MapPhotos

Western Erie Canal - round trip?
Goto page Previous  1, 2, 3
 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    The C-Brats Forum Index -> C-Brat Cruises and Gatherings
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
JamesTXSD



Joined: 01 Mar 2005
Posts: 7444
City/Region: from island boy to desert dweller
State or Province: AZ
C-Dory Year: 2007
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: "Wild Blue" (sold 9/14)
Photos: Wild Blue
PostPosted: Sun Feb 25, 2018 10:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

ssobol wrote:
The question would be in they shut it down, what would they do with it?

If you left it alone it will fall into disrepair, turn into a swamp or bog, and be a hazard to the locals. If you drain it, it is still a hazard and the structure will decay more quickly.

The option would be to drain it and fill it in, but that is going to cost some serious $.


It would also be the destruction of a stellar piece of American history. When we cruised the Erie Canal (one of the "must-do things for me when we first purchased the CD-25), I was amazed at what an incredible DEAL it is. At that time, it cost more than twice as much to cruise the Trent-Severn. We enjoyed the history, the architecture, and the great people we met on the canal. Easy access to great restaurants and shopping. We even found a good Texas BBQ restaurant at one town! The pace is easy, and it is hard to get lost.

We found all the towns along the canal welcoming... I expected it to be crowded, but that was rarely the case. There were lock passages where we were the only boat. We weren't on a schedule, but we always found a spot on a town wall or near a lock for the night. There were a couple of stops where it was good that our boat was small enough to get a spot on the wall.

I would encourage any boater to "do the canal"... before those in charge make it too expensive or worse: shut it down. I hope it never comes to that. This past summer, we took our motorhome to Maine, spending about 3 months out... a week of that was in the vicinity of the Erie Canal, including some day trips to some of those "Remember that?" places. It was a delight.

Don't miss the opportunity for a unique cruising experience.

Jim & Joan
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
RichardM



Joined: 28 Mar 2012
Posts: 96
City/Region: Akron
State or Province: OH
C-Dory Year: 2007
C-Dory Model: 22 Cruiser
Vessel Name: Pangur Ban
Photos: Pangur Ban
PostPosted: Tue Feb 27, 2018 9:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Article XV of the New York state constitution seems to protect the canal from being closed or sold, except for potential transfer to the federal government. If there's a C-Brat with expertise in NY politics and history they could tell us what that means for the current and future life of the canal, and which way the winds are blowing in New York. My daily NY Times is full of stories about state level scandals and corruption, budget trouble, and more ... never about the canal.

There was a story somewhere about the sale of property rights allowing a developer to build side canals, within the last 2-3 years. The sale price was astonishingly low ($30,000 if memory serves) and the deal was being investigated after a newspaper blew the whistle. Glad we still have journalists digging into things.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
RichardM



Joined: 28 Mar 2012
Posts: 96
City/Region: Akron
State or Province: OH
C-Dory Year: 2007
C-Dory Model: 22 Cruiser
Vessel Name: Pangur Ban
Photos: Pangur Ban
PostPosted: Mon Mar 05, 2018 5:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The subscription to notices from the NY Canals was confirmed by their email system today. I signed up for the notices on Feb. 22, and the confirmation email which the website said I'd receive "shortly" came March 5. If the system is automated as are other email subscription systems, it has a giant delay. If an employee is handling it....

In any case I'll keep following this thread and looking for canal news. Thanks to those who are contributing!

Richard
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
colbysmith



Joined: 02 Oct 2011
Posts: 4523
City/Region: Madison
State or Province: WI
C-Dory Year: 2009
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: C-Traveler
Photos: C-Traveler and Midnight-Flyer
PostPosted: Mon Mar 05, 2018 9:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Richard can you post that link that lets you sign up for those notices? Thanks. Colby
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
little wing



Joined: 21 Sep 2016
Posts: 110
City/Region: Oakland
State or Province: MI
C-Dory Year: 2005
C-Dory Model: 22 Cruiser
Vessel Name: Toots
Photos: Toots
PostPosted: Tue Mar 06, 2018 4:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

http://www.canals.ny.gov/wwwapps/tas/tascanals/index.aspx
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail AIM Address
RichardM



Joined: 28 Mar 2012
Posts: 96
City/Region: Akron
State or Province: OH
C-Dory Year: 2007
C-Dory Model: 22 Cruiser
Vessel Name: Pangur Ban
Photos: Pangur Ban
PostPosted: Tue Mar 06, 2018 9:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Little Wing has the right link.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
little wing



Joined: 21 Sep 2016
Posts: 110
City/Region: Oakland
State or Province: MI
C-Dory Year: 2005
C-Dory Model: 22 Cruiser
Vessel Name: Toots
Photos: Toots
PostPosted: Wed Oct 10, 2018 7:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well, that didn't go as planned.

The first mate had a long developing medical issue come to peak early July which resulted in no boating all summer. Until finally, we thought we were good to go and set out for our canal trip September 12.

We launched at Anchor Marine on Grand Island on the Niagara River. We spent the first night at West Canal Marina, 5 miles east of Tonawanda. It's not really a marina, but a very nice park with a decent concrete low wall. Nice restrooms and showers are a very short distance from the wall. Park employees reported the park wall was getting rebuilt in the fall and they would be adding power and water, which will make it a very attractive stop. There is a decent launch ramp with 3 finger piers.

The next day, we made it to Medina. The walls were high with lateral wood timbers. We tied up alongside a ladder, which made for an easy climb. Free power and water dockside with restrooms and showers close by. Downtown is right there. We did the obligatory walk to the model railroad museum (overwhelming, a must see), and checked out the Irish pub. Late afternoon, we were treated to a Ride4Life motorcycle stunt show in the parking lot right above the wall.

However, this is where it deviates from plan. The first mate was hit hard by abdominal pain. Enough so, that the next day we u-turned and made it back to the West Canal Marina. My brother who lives nearby drove me to get my truck and trailer which I brought back to the boat. The next day we hauled out and drove home to Detroit. An appointment with the surgeon a couple days later revealed that she had note quite healed enough and had overdone it.

I’m sure we will try again, likely in two years. We missed our annual North Channel trip this summer, so next year we are overdue to return. For the canal trip, we will do it as planned, as a round trip, going east for a week, turn around, and head back. With so many small towns and stops, going down in the locks heading east, going up heading west, I think there will be ample variety and the round trip concept should be fine.

Thanks to all for the comments and tips. Armed with 3 fenders on both sides, a couple boat hooks and gloves, the locks were easy. On the return, I did it singlehanded no problem. With our single Suzuki 90, economical cruise speed is 6 to 6.5 mph. I did find that dropping the tilt quite a bit and almost full down on the trim tabs, we could do the 10 mph canal speed limit with a reasonably small wake running 3200 rpm and burning 3 gph.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail AIM Address
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic    The C-Brats Forum Index -> C-Brat Cruises and Gatherings All times are GMT - 5 Hours
Goto page Previous  1, 2, 3
Page 3 of 3

 
     Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
You cannot attach files in this forum
You cannot download files in this forum



Page generation time: 0.1104s (PHP: 82% - SQL: 18%) - SQL queries: 25 - GZIP disabled - Debug on