If someone wanted to re-position a boat from the Atlantic Coast to the Great Lakes, is it feasible to motor-sail up the St. Lawrence Seaway? Or is the combination of the current, narrow channel and commercial traffic too much to make that safe to do? Are there even places to tie up along the way at night?
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Seaway system
Sailing from Atlantic Coast via St Lawrence river is most interesting. From Gaspé région to Québec City is heavy going due to winds and current, Quebec City to Montréal is easy but heavy current 4 to 5 kn. St Lawrence seaway is easy, plenty anchorage and everything. Thousand Island near Kingston, Ont is paradise. Let me know when you plan and I'll arrange for you to meet with people that have sailed in those areas. Sincerely, J. Hrab
Sailing from Atlantic Coast via St Lawrence river is most interesting. From Gaspé région to Québec City is heavy going due to winds and current, Quebec City to Montréal is easy but heavy current 4 to 5 kn. St Lawrence seaway is easy, plenty anchorage and everything. Thousand Island near Kingston, Ont is paradise. Let me know when you plan and I'll arrange for you to meet with people that have sailed in those areas. Sincerely, J. Hrab
Currently daunting
Thanks. However, a four to five knot current would be a big problem for most sailboats, who can motor at 7 knots tops. Making net headway of two knots per hour would make for a very long voyage. A ten hour day would mean progress of 20 miles.
Thanks. However, a four to five knot current would be a big problem for most sailboats, who can motor at 7 knots tops. Making net headway of two knots per hour would make for a very long voyage. A ten hour day would mean progress of 20 miles.
Planning and timing
Ken, I have sailed the lower St-Lawrence river as well as the portion from Montreal to Lake Ontario many times over the last 25 years. Yes the lower St-Lawrence can be gruesome and it will make you work, but it will reward you with exhilarating sailing and scenery. With careful timing and planning, working with the tide from the ocean to about 40 miles west of Quebec City one can cover much more than the 20 miles your calculations show. Thousand Island area is indeed a paradise (the Indians used to call it Garden of the gods), and except for a few areas, you should average 50 miles per 10 hour day from Montreal to there. You might even get lucky and get an easterly, allowing you to sail or (motor-sail) up river and still cover some ground. I am leaving next week (one more week at the salt mine !!) for a 3-week trip from Montreal up the St-Lawrence into Lake Ontario. If you have the time, I'd say do it and you will not regret it. Like J. Hrab, I can help or put you in touch with people who can. And depending when you'd do that trip, I might even volonteer as crew. Good Luck Claude
Ken, I have sailed the lower St-Lawrence river as well as the portion from Montreal to Lake Ontario many times over the last 25 years. Yes the lower St-Lawrence can be gruesome and it will make you work, but it will reward you with exhilarating sailing and scenery. With careful timing and planning, working with the tide from the ocean to about 40 miles west of Quebec City one can cover much more than the 20 miles your calculations show. Thousand Island area is indeed a paradise (the Indians used to call it Garden of the gods), and except for a few areas, you should average 50 miles per 10 hour day from Montreal to there. You might even get lucky and get an easterly, allowing you to sail or (motor-sail) up river and still cover some ground. I am leaving next week (one more week at the salt mine !!) for a 3-week trip from Montreal up the St-Lawrence into Lake Ontario. If you have the time, I'd say do it and you will not regret it. Like J. Hrab, I can help or put you in touch with people who can. And depending when you'd do that trip, I might even volonteer as crew. Good Luck Claude
Guidebooks?
J Hrab and Claude, I'm planning on making the trip upriver in two years time. Have you run across any guidebooks that did a particularly good job of covering the area? Thanks, Jim h37.5 "Prospect"
J Hrab and Claude, I'm planning on making the trip upriver in two years time. Have you run across any guidebooks that did a particularly good job of covering the area? Thanks, Jim h37.5 "Prospect"
Jim, the Canadian Hydrographic Services
has all kinds of publications available that are very descriptive and follow the charts step by step. They even have pictures of the landmarks to help you indentify them besides the description. I am pretty sure they have a website and I'll pass it along if I find it. Bill makes a good point though. The trip would be a whole lot shorter up the Hudson to Troy, NY where you have a choice: The Erie Barge Canal to Syracuse and then Oswego, or the Champlain Canal to Lake Champlain, into the Richelieu River, Chambly Canal and then the St-Lawrence river just 38 miles east of Montreal. I have made that trip several times as well and it is very enjoyable. Lake Champlain is /- 120 miles long, and beautiful and pristine. Its southern part is right in the Adirondacks, and the sites are very picturesque. Keep in touch. Claude
has all kinds of publications available that are very descriptive and follow the charts step by step. They even have pictures of the landmarks to help you indentify them besides the description. I am pretty sure they have a website and I'll pass it along if I find it. Bill makes a good point though. The trip would be a whole lot shorter up the Hudson to Troy, NY where you have a choice: The Erie Barge Canal to Syracuse and then Oswego, or the Champlain Canal to Lake Champlain, into the Richelieu River, Chambly Canal and then the St-Lawrence river just 38 miles east of Montreal. I have made that trip several times as well and it is very enjoyable. Lake Champlain is /- 120 miles long, and beautiful and pristine. Its southern part is right in the Adirondacks, and the sites are very picturesque. Keep in touch. Claude
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