Erie Canal and mast supports

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Dean5735

Dean5735

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Aug 31, 2007
296
Catalina 30 Petoskey, Mich.
I will be traveling through the canal later this summer. I am wondering if I need to bring my own pre-built mast support, or do the marinas have a pile of them waiting at each end? I have read some posts of the marinas around there, but wasn't paying much attention back then.

Thanks, Dean s/v Rubiayat
 
Ed Schenck

Ed Schenck

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Jun 2, 2004
5,802
Hunter 37-cutter, '79 41 23' 30"N 82 33' 20"W--------Huron, OH
Lots of lumber available at both ends. We found that we had to modify very little to get what we wanted. The two ends were Wardell's at the west end and Riverview marina on the Hudson in Catskill creek.

For the project we took lots of light line, carpet remnants, a small hand saw, and long self-tapping screws for the power drill. I'll add a couple of pictures.

The first picture is at Riverview awaiting a turn on the crane. Also a friend's H380 in the canal. Hunters with an arch have one advantage, the arch for support. And a big disadvantage, the big spreaders.
 

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Johnb

Johnb

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Jan 22, 2008
1,505
Hunter 37-cutter Richmond CA
Ed,

Not to pirate this thread, but do you have other pictures of your trip, including the Hudson River and Intracoastal Waterway that you would share?

John Brecher
 
letterman

letterman

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Jan 27, 2007
383
Irwin 37' center cockpit cleveland ohio
Hmmmmmm

Did that trip 6 years ago and all we saw was what looked like a garage torn down for a woodpile. It's WAY easier to garbage pick something now and save it till you need it. Look for headboards or bookcases. Both are narrow and take up little room. What would you rather do, try to build something there and assume there will be something to build with or take it with you knowing what you have? Not sure where you are sailing from but we left from Cleveland. The boat owner said "We are not taking that junk on board!" I said "Trust me". When we go there our female companion said "Looks like Tom won another one" after seeing the rubbish wood we would have had to use.
 
Ed Schenck

Ed Schenck

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Jun 2, 2004
5,802
Hunter 37-cutter, '79 41 23' 30"N 82 33' 20"W--------Huron, OH
Erie Canal, lumber and locks.

There were three boats traveling together. There was so much lumber we could have built a bridge from Buffalo to Waterford(other end of canal). Most of the frames needed very little work to make them fit our respective boats. We got to Tonawanda on Friday evening and stayed the weekend, big concert Saturday night. Monday we had our frames ready and unstepped at Wardell's.

John, not sure what you are looking for. Have lots of pictures. Here are a couple at each end of the canal, locks 34 and 35 where I lost my prop, and lock 2 at Waterford.
 

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Sumner

Sumner

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Jan 31, 2009
5,254
Macgregor & Endeavour 26S and 37 Utah's Canyon Country
Ed Schenck said:
........The first picture is at Riverview awaiting a turn on the crane. Also a friend's H380 in the canal. Hunters with an arch have one advantage, the arch for support. And a big disadvantage, the big spreaders.
Click to expand


Putting the board on the fenders is a slick idea to keep them clean :). I'll have to remember that. We hope to possibly do the trip in a year. As far as I'm concerned, start a new thread and post more pictures and add some of the highlights of the trip and what you would and wouldn't do if you made the trip again or do you have this already some place? Maybe the destinations forum?

Those of us that are trailer sailors don't have to make all of those mast supports, we have them all the time ;).

Thanks for the info and pictures,

Sum

Our Trips to Lake Powell, UT - Kootenay Lake, Canada - Priest Lake, ID

Our Mac Pages

Mac Links
 
C

CaptChuck

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Sep 29, 2008
78
Catalina 320 Buffalo
Dean - I supported the mast by mounting a "T" shaped 2x10 board across the bow pulpit and another across the pushpit. The mast was supported in the center with a small saw horse. I did not want it as high in the air as Ed's.I suggest you mount the mast offset to the port side as you will tie up in the canal on the starboard. I am at RCR Skyway Marina in Buffalo & they do a great job of unstepping your mast. I will certainly give you a hand if you want when you get to Buffalo. I second Ed's suggestion of Riverview at the East end. If you would like copies of our logs for the trip south contact me off line. These are 2 pictures from The Dismal Swamp.
 

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Dean5735

Dean5735

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Aug 31, 2007
296
Catalina 30 Petoskey, Mich.
WOW, THANK YOU This is great info guys, I really appreciate it. I also wondered about the fenders. I could easily bring some pre-built stuff but I would end up leaving it at the east end. We will be leaving from Petoskey Michigan (northwest tip of the mit) in August, unless you think I should go earlier. I do have a You Tube channel....blowinganddrifting....... were I post all kinds of stuff , including our 30 day sailing vac. from last summer. feel free to subscribe. I would love to see more photos and info from your trips, I have found a few you tubes, but not many. Another site I found is voyage of the tug 44 there are alot of pictures there.

Thanks again and keep the info comming

Dean, s/v Rubaiyat www.blowinganddrifting@yahoo.com
 
Ed Schenck

Ed Schenck

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Jun 2, 2004
5,802
Hunter 37-cutter, '79 41 23' 30"N 82 33' 20"W--------Huron, OH
About the frame height. We(there were five boats in all) all opted for the higher mounts to keep the cockpit and side decks clear. There were times in the canal when we had to go to the portside wall. We had fenderboards on both sides for that reason.

One issue with the over the bimini mounting is stability. The frames have to be very secure because of waves and wakes. There are parts of the canal where passing boats will really rock you.

Pics: Canal entrance from Niagra River, Wardell's, on the wall across from Wardell's for the weekend.
 

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Dean5735

Dean5735

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Aug 31, 2007
296
Catalina 30 Petoskey, Mich.
Great photos and info!!! I haul it annually 9 miles(to/from marina) with the mast on the rails but for that trip I would like some room in the cockpit, and I have no bimiini so just head room will do.
Thanks again, I am sure I will have plenty more questions as we get closer to being there.
If I leave here in august, I would think I would be there around sept. as we plan on taking our time getting across Huron, and Erie without any (should I say "as few as")
nasty passages so the admiral stays happy :) I haven't changed my insurance yet but I imagine they will require me to wait to head south(from what Iv'e read here) till nov. and am looking forward to taking time the whole way !!!!

Thanks again, Dean
ps. i am bringing a nice supply of fresh maple syrup for barter !!!
 
Dean5735

Dean5735

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Aug 31, 2007
296
Catalina 30 Petoskey, Mich.
THANK YOU SUE !! those are some awesome pics, these will help take away some of the aprehension we have at this point.

Thanks, Dean
 
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