# Getting a boat from the Greate Lakes to the Atlantic



## Zanshin (Aug 27, 2006)

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)


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## AjariBonten (Sep 7, 2007)

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.


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

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.


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## PorFin (Sep 10, 2007)

*Or another way...*

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.


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## kwaltersmi (Aug 14, 2006)

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.


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## petegingras (Mar 29, 2007)

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.


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## Zanshin (Aug 27, 2006)

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


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## sailortjk1 (Dec 20, 2005)

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.


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## sailortjk1 (Dec 20, 2005)

Zanshin said:


> 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


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## Zanshin (Aug 27, 2006)

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!


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## PBzeer (Nov 11, 2002)

Once you reach the Mississippi River from Chicago, minimum mast clearance through the Tennessee River, Tenn-Tom Waterway, Tombigbee River to Mobile, is 51 feet. That puts you 4-6 days from the Keys.


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## Zanshin (Aug 27, 2006)

I was looking at 73 feet for the mast, so I'd have to motor even that stretch. Unless I use that balls-filled-with-water-to-tilt-boat method I saw a picture of here on SailNet.Com a while back.


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## petegingras (Mar 29, 2007)

ship it overland to Newport, drop it on a Dockwise carrier in Newport, get on a plane and take delivery down south. You'll still have to unstep the mast, sorry.


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## T34C (Sep 14, 2006)

There are always trucks.


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## sailortjk1 (Dec 20, 2005)

Zanshin said:


> I was looking at 73 feet for the mast,


So what are you looking at that has a 75 feet air draft?


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## Zanshin (Aug 27, 2006)

A 54' Jeanneau


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## Valiente (Jun 16, 2006)

Zanshin said:


> 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!


You should try Canada. The last time I flew from Toronto to Amsterdam, I realized I spent about the same amount of time over land as over water, as the Atlantic between Newfoundland and Ireland is about 1,880 miles, and it's about 1,300 miles over Canada from there. I believe the same sort of "what?" response happens in Brazil, which is considerable farther east than it seems to the average North American.

As far as I know, the St. Lawrence is the only method of keeping the stick up to get to the Atlantic, and it's a long, if worthwhile trip. Toronto to the "right turn" off Nova Scotia must be 1,500 NM alone.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Zanshin said:


> 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


Don't worry about unstepping your mast and carrying it chocked up on deck . There are experts at both ends of the Erie Canal who will do this for you quickly and at modest cost. I did this coming from New York to Chicago last year and was impressed, using Hop-O-Nose marina in Catskill, on the Hudson, and Oswego marina on Lake Ontario. Though you ought to check ahead they can handle 73'.

The Welland canal between Erie and Ontario can be traversed mast up.

There are depth restrictions on some of the canals which may affect a yacht. The pretty Trent-Severn canal between Huron and Ontario has an absolute maximum of 5', but you don't need to go that way. The alternative route is via Welland canal between Erie and Ontario, which is deep and can be traversed mast up. Last year there was a collapse at one point on the Erie canal and above 7' might have struggled.


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## sander06 (Sep 18, 2003)

We're in the process of buying a boat on Lake Michigan that will ultimately reside in Florida. With the price of fuel, shipping will cost around $5K (a lot of $). However, getting a boat ready for a long voyage is also expensive in the short -term.


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## Zanshin (Aug 27, 2006)

sander06 -by "shipping" do you mean loading it onto a truck bound for Florida?


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## sander06 (Sep 18, 2003)

Zanshin said:


> sander06 -by "shipping" do you mean loading it onto a truck bound for Florida?


Yep. It's cheaper if the transport company can get two boats going to the same destination.


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## sidney777 (Jul 14, 2001)

Hello. I have made the trip Twice in sailboat from Chicago to Florida. Please email me if you want some detailed info. I can tell you tons of stuff.
Its a shame to have to start a question with "don't chastise me too much". I wonder if "they" know how much "they" stop sailors from participating here( or wonder if they care) .


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## Digiital (Sep 10, 2001)

I brought up my boat that I bought from Fl to Toronto, would have liked to sail it up, BUT no time for that. So I had it trucked up. It ended up costing about $5000US. (34fter)


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## Zanshin (Aug 27, 2006)

Digiital - thanks for that information.


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## labatt (Jul 31, 2006)

MOST people (definitely not all) that I've spoken to over the past month about trucking tend to recommend against it. There is significant prep to get a boat ready for transport, and almost everyone experiences damage on the trip. With that said, it's probably the fastest way to get from point A to point B for long distances. 

If you have some time, I would highly recommend doing the trip down the Erie Canal or up the St. Lawrence Seaway. Both of these would be once in a lifetime experiences (unless you plan to take your boat back up later). We plan to do the St. Lawrence route in the next couple of years - Lake Ontario up the St. Lawrence around Nova Scotia down through New England and then along the eastern seaboard. You wouldn't need to take your mast down, and it's supposed to be an incredible trip. I've cruised through parts of New England and that part of the trip alone is wonderful!

Alternatively, take your mast down (which is not a huge deal since there are experts on both ends of the canal who can help) and is a great opportunity to do some work on the mast. Head down a piece of American heritage - the Erie Canal system and the Hudson River. Enjoy New York City and the Statue of Liberty, and then head offshore a bit for the run down the coast.

Take the opportunity if you can. It's a beautiful country out there!


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

There's going to be a huge price difference between moving a 34' boat and a 54' boat overland. The 54' is going to require wide load escort vehicles for much of the trip overland, as well as permits in most states. Also, depending on the draft of the boat, it may have only a very limited number of routes it can take—since a 54' boat is likely to have more freeboard and a deeper draft than a 34' boat. Finally, you're talking about a truck and trailer combination that is pushing 80' LOA... which is the maximum in many states.


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## PaulOWindsor (Mar 23, 2008)

Zanshin :

This will be such a wonderful adventure !!!

Point the bow north the week before the Chicago-Mackinac fleet starts the race...get 3/4 the way along & then sail out to join the boats as the first ones pass your location.

Get some great pictures as the faster boats pass you by.

When you finally get to Mackinac Island, go find the boats & speak to the skippers to get their email address's so you can send them their pics...you'll have instant friends.

When in Mackinac...look around for the boats that are from Lake St Clair or Lake Erie (they will be there) & ask if you can "buddy boat" with them south through Lake Huron & then on down to Lake St Clair.

Once you're here, stop in at Lakeview Park Marina in Windsor & we can discuss the rest of the trip through Lake Erie, the Welland Canal, Lake Ontario, the Erie canal, the Hudson river & then New York City.

Cheers, Paul.
winpipe.ca


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## ebs001 (May 8, 2006)

Zan, I have talked to a few boats who have gone out through the St. Lawrence and other than being cold they loved the trip. There is no other route you can take without stepping your mast and with a 70+foot mast you will have to stay outside all the way. The limiting height on the ICW is 65'. However once outside the mast height will not be a problem. You might run into problems with your water draft in the Bahamas which might also take into consideration. If your ultimate destination is the Carribean I would recommend shipping the boat to somewhere on the Eastern seabord from where you can go directly to the Carribean, avoiding the East coast altogether and if it's deep drafted the Bahamas.


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