Erie Canal Cruise

[Just Dreamin']

Now that Just Dreamin' and the Get~Aweigh are in winter storage up in the Marblehead, OH area Jeff Marcum and I are starting to plan a few cruises for next year's boating season. One of the trips we are planning is to trailer our R25s up to New York for a nice lazy cruise on the Erie Canal.
Our plan is to launch somewhere in the vicinity of Tomawanda and travel east on the canal. Jeff and I are searching for a good launch point which has a secure facility to store our trucks and trailers for the period we are on the canal. Any recommendations for launch areas on the western end of the canal would be very welcome.

Mike

 

[knotflying]

I have launched at Senecca Lake at the state park. Then took the canal from there to the Erie.

 

[JamesTXSD]

Ditto on Seneca Lake State Park. At the time (check, 'cause it may have changed), if you stayed for a night or two in one of their slips, you could put your truck and trailer into their long term storage area (no charge, not secured by a fence - we had no issue). The canal from there leads to a spot kinda mid-way in the Erie Canal.

Once you're in the Erie, you might consider heading north to the Trent-Severn Waterway in Canada. We found that to be a spectacular cruising area, too.

Back to the Erie: for us, the western part of the canal was more interesting, but Waterford on the far east end of the canal (where it joins the Hudson River) is great. Then, on down the Hudson to New York City. We spent a week at Liberty Landing, doing all the touristy New York stuff (big fun for us small town kids).

Here's a link to our cruising blog...

http://captnjim.blogspot.com/2009/07/ba ... ruise.html

That starts where we launched at Seneca Lake.

Have a great trip - the Erie/Hudson are wonderful, historic waterways... easy cruising, great restaurants, welcoming towns along the canal, easy provisioning along the way, and surprisingly inexpensive... well, in the Erie. Liberty Landing was the most expensive marina we have stayed at, and well-worth it for the great proximity to NYC.

Best wishes,
Jim B.

 

[John Shea Jr.]

I launched our R25 in Waterford in 2012 and sailed to the Senica-Cayouiga Canal, down the Cayouga to Ithica ,back up to the Erie and back to Waterford. This year we launched in Senica State Park, went down the Senica Lake to Watkins Glen. Overnighted then back up the Senica thru the Senica-Cayouga Canal into the Erie all the way to Tonawanda. Both years were a great experience. Lots of looks at the Ranger.
If you like wine tasting, Senica Lake has two sail-up to wineries and Cayouga has ten as of this year. There are lots of nice overnight tie ups, Little Falls, Amsterdam, Spencerport, Brockport and Tonawanda.
I do not think you will regret the trip.

 

[Boont Boater]

Do my drool spots show up on other monitors. :mrgreen: