SailNet Community banner
  • SailNet is a forum community dedicated to Sailing enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about sailing, modifications, classifieds, troubleshooting, repairs, reviews, maintenance, and more!

? Sail from Lake Erie to Florida late August

20K views 59 replies 24 participants last post by  Joellen 
#1 ·
Would it be reasonable to think one could depart late August and sail to Florida leaving Port Dover, Ontario, Lake Erie to Florida coast. I hope this isn't too broad of a question.
 
#3 ·
OffWeGo, Bear in mind that the Caribbean hurricane season is June through November, with August / September being the height of the season. Some of those hurricanes come roaring right up the US Atlantic coast, ie; Sandy most recently. Were I contemplating your trip, I would never be far from a good "hurricane hole", not too mention the heat and humidity!
 
#4 ·
Thanks for your replies. When would a recommended time be to take this trip. Our definite plan is to make this sail and it will be the beginning of our move aboard and set sail for an indifinite time. We are just in the preliminary planning stages, so any advise is appreciated.
 
#5 ·
I've never done a trip like this but I think leaving in August wouldn't be a hardship :)

Take your time, get down to the Chessie & hang out until October. Move on from there weather permitting.
 
#6 ·
Thank you misfits, I like your suggestion. I also learnt something new... "Chessie is a legendary sea monster said to live in the midst of the Chesapeake Bay. Wonder if he/she is a eastern cousin of Ogopogo that we have been familiar with for years in the Okanagan. So now I know that we could start our plan with finding our way to Chesapeake Bay, and keep our sights for another legendary water serpentine. Sounds like fun.
 
#7 ·
You don't mention the kind of boat or your experience level, but be aware that there are three ways you could go.
1. To Chicago and down the Mississippi
2. Through the Erie Canal down the Hudson to New York and south
3. Down the St Lawrence turn right and go south - time in Newfoundland highly recommended.

I have't done #1 and can't comment on schedule or attractiveness of this route. For the other two routes the prevailing wisdom is that going to the Annapolis boat show in early October makes sense. Your insurance coverage may not allow you to be south of a given point (varies, but could be Hatteras or Norfolk) before Nov 1 or with some companies Nov 15,so it works well.

The EC route is much shorter and much easier and quite pleasant. You only need to be in the open ocean from NYC to Cape May which is an easy overnight. The end of August would work fine for this route.

The St Lawrence route is much longer and more challenging and you need to be sel-sufficient, but it gives access to some wonderful cruising grounds. We are 3/4 of the way through a circumnavigation and have not seen anything as spectacular as the south coast of Newfoundland - incredible scenery, whiles, ice bergs, even part of France to visit. Because of distance and weather you would have to leave earlier, perhaps late June.

In either case you would have to keep an eye out for hurricanes from late June onward. Let me know if you have other questions.
 
#9 ·
Thank you Killarney Sailor and md1. Our boat is a 1984 C and C Landfall, she's new to us, though we have sailed her, and she is solid and sails well. This is going to be a new experience for both of us. DH grew up sailing, and I have confidence in his skills, My skills are presently limited to being a good listener and doer. Originally we had planned to go the #3 route, and if we decide on that, we will likely just sail to Lake Ontario and then put her on land for the winter. We are anxious to start our new way of life (retirement onboard) and have a lot to learn and research.
 
#10 · (Edited)
Don't let the naysayers discourage you. I've done the trip many times but starting at Labour day. Late August or early September is fine. Take your time and stay in the Chesapeake till mid-October. I've been fortunate as far as hurricanes go. Ran into the remnants of Floyd in the Hudson but this was manageable and your chances for a trouble free trip weatherwise are fairly good. Lots of time to find shelter if required.

The easiest route is through the NY State Canal system. Enter at Buffalo. A delightful trip.
 
#12 ·
I would not say that the Hudson is spectacular but it is a very nice trip as is the Canal itself. To the OP, any of the Landfalls would be fine for the St Lawrence route as long as you have radar. If the idea is to go down and come back then it makes sense to go down the St Lawrence route and come back via the Erie. This way means you avoid coming against the current which is doable but very slow.
 
#13 ·
Hi OffWeGo, it's a great life afloat! We started in Lake Michigan and had intended to do the St Lawrence route as well; it looked wonderful. Unfortunately job constraints forced us to truck the boat to Annapolis - it was November and we had only 6 days to be at headquarters in D.C. We've since crewed on other parts of the route with a Great Loop friend and it was just as spectacular as we thought it would be.

Regardless of which way to travel through the Great Lakes and NY, leaving Annapolis in late Sept/early Oct to do the ICW to Florida is easy and interesting.
 
#16 ·
Those boats are up to the trip, but there is a good possibility of fog anywhere from the lower St Lawrence to almost Long Island Sound and this is not to say you will get it, just that you could.
 
#19 ·
Yes Brian, Orial-C is a done deal for us, and we are so excited to set sail with her. We will look forward to hopefully meeting you and your significant other this summer when we have all our ducks in a row. We have been there a couple of seasons, what a beautiful Marina. Orial-C belonged to my dh's brother, who is just as excited to see her have new visions on the sea/oceans and has offered any and all assistance we need in our travels. We last sail her 2011. I've been following your blog and really enjoy it, so if you see a visitor from Edmonton, it's likely one of us.
 
#23 ·
Going South??? For those that sail the Great Lakes' getting south is really three trips in one package. I won't start with the Great Lakes by now you have sailed them enough to have an understanding of what to expect. The first adventure is the locks to get out of the lakes " The Erie Barge Canal" The basic equipment for these canals is a good set of fenders the larger the better a strong fender board at least 2"X8"X10 feet long and two ½" lines cut to one and a half time your boat length. I've seen 8 foot boards swallowed by the holes in the lockwalls. Mark the lines so you know how tight you are pulling each end. This will help you to not pull yourself into the wall as the water pushes the boat around when the lock fills or empties. Once you get the hang of the lines you will feel like you are on a stage coach driving a team of mules. Your deck help will need a pole to fend off as the ends of the boat swing into the wall . Don't push>>> Just hold the boat off << if you start pushing you will end fighting each others efforts. I include the Hudson River as part of this canal trip. Your first glimpse of the ocean is just that a glimpse. Should you chose to do it as an over night to Cape May or as a number of hops Manasquan, Atlantic City, Cape May. You will find it similar to sailing the Great Lakes except bigger water. What I mean is the waves are just bigger. From Cape May down the Delaware Bay through the C & D Canal and The Chesapeake Bay is trip 2. Now here a cruising ground you could get to like with lots of interesting place and adventures. If it wasn't for the winter, it gets cold here too. I would have been contented to cruise for a year or two. Nothing special needed here but you will get to test your anchoring skills and hardware. Your Dingy will now come into its own as a major means of transportation. Anchoring off cities like Baltimore Annapolis and Washington will show you an interesting contrast of old shipping cities and new industrial centers all welcoming you with their brand of hospitality. Don't miss towns like St Michaels, Smith Island or Salisbury they will provide you with a unique glimpse of history today. Read you charts carefully depths or overhead power line do block some channels. Trip 3 is the ICW or Inter Coastal Water way . A collection of cuts, lakes, sounds, rivers and other water passages devised by man and God to get you south. Endow with a variety of climate change over distance it affords you a rare opportunity to sample temperate to tropical environments on and off the water. From northern big city hustle to the warmth of southern hospitality the Intercostals Water way lays it on your door step. You are now in Florida and what lies ahead is trip 4 "foreign lands" .Don’t stop now but enjoy where you are. See you in Grenada
 
#24 ·
This site is amazing, thank you to everyone for all these posts and information. Every bit is appreciated. This is going to be such a life change for DH and I, and we are so excited. I know that I am nervous too, but I look so forward to this next stage of our life together. Thank you again.
 
#25 ·
Have at it!!! There will be a reasonable amount of staging to pull the mast, transit the canal, then restep and tune the rig. Perhaps even have the stick shipped to the other end. Several of us have done it, if you need tips.

Then you head down the Hudson, which I had no appreciation for when I was young and growing up just north of NYC. Now, I find it one of the most beautiful rivers in the world.

Its not until you decide to exit the Hudson that you really need to worry about hurricanes. You should have plenty of notice to plan for a contingency along the way. You should check with your insurance company, however. They typically won't cover you below the Carolinas until after Nov 1, unless you have that included and pay more.

Have fun..
 
#27 · (Edited)
There are several here on this board that live along the Hudson, myself included. I know some of us are always open for a drink as you go by! If you make the trip, feel free to contact me, and I will help with any local knowledge if possible. There is a thread by Joe the Cobbler that is still on going about much of this trip (he went from the Finger lakes down) but he seems to have found someplace in the Chesapeake to keep him occupied for a while.

Just looked at the listing on Yachtworld, She looks like a beauty!
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top