Getting a boat from the Greate Lakes to the Atlantic

[Zanshin]

Don't chastise me too much for this question...

If I were to acquire a boat located just outside of Chicago, how could I best get it to the Atlantic with the intent of sailing down to the Caribbean?

The boat would have a pretty high mast (I don't have the exact value handy)

[AjariBonten]

How long do you have? There's a pretty good article in this month's "Cruising World" about the trip through the St. Lawrence Seaway.

[sailingdog]

You could go down the St. Lawrence River... or out the Erie Canal, and down the Hudson. The Erie route would require you to unstep the mast. I don't know about the St. Lawrence River route.

The St. Lawrence route leaves you with a much longer trip to the Caribbean.

[PorFin]

There's a third option -- head inland and then south from Chicago. You'll also have to unstep the mast, and it'll be a long motorboat trip until you get to Mobile Bay. You'll then head for the Carib from the Gulf instead of the Atlantic.

I'm not recommending it as a prefereable route, just as an option you may not have considered.

[kwaltersmi]

For scenery and such (you'll see most of the lakes except Superior), head east using the St. Lawrence Seaway.

The route south out of Chicago will be a long motor with what is to my eyes less desirable scenery.

[petegingras]

overland vs. locks? the erie canal will be up and flowing soon, but the spring floods do cause some problems. but with the price of petro you're still better off with the water route.

[Zanshin]

Sorry - I should have said that I didn't want to head up the St. Lawrence. I was hoping that there was some canal route that might not require unstepping the mast - I keep on hearing about the inland waterway and thought that it might go waaaay inland

[sailortjk1]

Dependent on your depth restriction, You can also bypass L Erie by using the Trent-Severn Waterway into L Ontario. This will save hundreds of miles.
The Trent connects Georgian Bay with Lake Ontario.
Lots of Locks, but a lot of people use it (From what I have heard.)
This route also lets you bypass the Wellend Canal. (The Wellend can be a bit of a pain from what I have heard. There has been some recent discussions about it here)

Once on L Ontario you can pick up the Oswego Canal than link into the Erie or continue on out the St. Lawrence.

[sailortjk1]

Originally Posted by Zanshin

Sorry I was hoping that there was some canal route that might not require unstepping the mast - I keep on hearing about the inland waterway and thought that it might go waaaay inland

I belive you will have to unstep with any of the above routes with the exception being the St. Lawrence Seaway.

The Inland route your reffering to does go WAYYYY Inland.

Chicago River/Ship Canal/Illinios River/Mississippi River/Ohio River/Tenn River/Kentuky Lake?/Tenn-Tomm Waterway/Mobile Bay/ Gulf of Mexico

[Zanshin]

Thanks for all the advice - I saw a couple of boats on the Great Lakes that I might have been interested in had the location been within easier access of an ocean - d**m, the USA is a big country!