Cruise to Lake Champlain

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Prospective

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Just wondering how long a typical trip from NYC all the way to Lake Champlain would take. Also, what type of restrictions in Draft or Height might there be?

Not a trip I would do in my current boat but one of those things I hope to do one day on my next boat.
 
There is no way to give an accurate answer without knowing what kind of boat is making the trip. It will make a difference if you go 7 mph or 25 mph. The Husdon will not restrain you; ocean going ships go all the way to Albany. Unless your boat's vertical clearence exceeds 15 feet, you are good to go on the Champlain Canal. Taller than that and you need to check the NY State Canal website for specific bridge clearence and water height level in the canal (which varies).

Safe and Happy Boating!
ColonyCove
 
A 282 express cruiser seems large enough. We've done it in a 25 and a 27 searay sundancer. In that boat from NYC, figure 3 days up to the lake.
 
Thanks guys. I didn't realize that you could ride on plane for that much of the trip.

15 feet sounds pretty low. I guess a larger boat with a flybridge like a sportfish might be an issue?

As for doing it in my current boat, it's more the ride down to NYC that give me pause than the trip up river.
 
In a 28 foot cruiser I wouldn't be worried about NYC or anywhere else on the Hudson. The biggest problem on the lower Hudson, especially NY Harbor, is traffic, which can get scary when a high speed ferry goes racing by you looking like its going to run you down. But as to boat wakes and all that, your boat can take it...
 
Thanks again guys. All good to know.

With respect to my current boat, again, it's the ride TO NYC from RI (my home port) that is a bit farther that I would want to venture in a 28 footer.
 
My last boat was a 28'er and the original owner (HOGAN) took it to Block, Toronto and a bunch of other places. Once you get to LI sound, it's a piece of cake. NYC ferry traffic is a bear but doable if you go slow. Otherwise, take the Harelm River instead of the East River into the Hudson. A 28'er is a decent sized boat. The river is fairly protected....watch your weather and you'll be fine.
 
I also took it to Newport several times, Cuttyhunk, Martha's Vineyard, and Hyannis Port.

It can be done if you watch the weather very closely.
 
Hmmmm... Now you have me thinking. Maybe I could do it on the current boat. I looked at it on a chart and it looks like about 120NM to NYC from Pt. Judith. I admit it is do-able. Of course the other consideration which I did not share earlier is that I have 4 small kids. Now, we did do 8 consecutive nights on the boat this summer, the Lake Champlain cruise would be a lot longer. I am thinking 5 day to get there and 5 days back plus 5 days on the lake and a few weather delays. Now we're pushing 3 weeks.

Not out of the question. I would be interested in learning more about this trip like possible places to stay overnight, navigation, and cruising info for Hudson River. Any suggested resources. Of course I would need to get the charts.
 
Definitely allow for time on The Lake. I just did the trip from Hudson to Wilsboro Bay and back in August - seven days total without staying two consecutive nights in one spot. I could have stayed at Wilsboro Bay for a week! For the upper-Hudson end of the trip, assuming you head for the locks out of Kingston or Catskill (Catskill being a bit further north and a decent day-cruise from NYC), expect to get to Lock C5 in one day, C12 (the last lock) the next day. From there, Wilsboro or Burlington can be done the next day in a 28' cruiser (what I have as well). My recommendations to look into on your own would be: Rondout Yacht Basin (if you stay in Kingston), Catskill Marina (if you stay there on the creek); Schuyler Yacht Basin is your only choice at Lock 5 - I didn't love it but it served its purpose; Whitehall Marina vs. Lock 12 Marina (although the restaurant at L12 Marina is terrific); I stayed at Westport Marina after Whitehall because I thought I would need to for distance, but it wasn't necessary and I didn't love it; then Wilsboro Bay Marina which was exceptional with a top-notch restaurant. From Wilsboro you can do lots of exploring, including Burlington. I was told, and found it to be true, that if you don't get at least as far north as Wilsboro, you haven't really experienced The Lake. Please let me know if you have any specific questions about my trip!
 
There's also the Kingston Town Dock on the Rondout - this time of year its not crowded, Coeymans Landing about midway between Catskill Creek and Albany, and the Waterford Visitors' Center right at the very beginning of the Erie Canal near the famous road sign. To get supplies there you can just double back across the Champlain Canal (Hudson River) and stop at a small dock right behind a big supermarket!!!

Champlain itself has so many places - Whitehall, Fort Ticonderoga (you can dinghy in like we did awhile back), Westport, Essex, the Basin Harbor Club at Vergennes (on the east side of the lake) and the Maritime Museum, Burlington, and points north. So you'll be mighty busy. Get up to date charts and planning guides - Richardsons has a good Chart kit of the area you can use for reference, as does the NY State Canal Corporation for the canals (I have both) in addition to your electronic Chart Plotter if you have one. Don't feel bad if not because I don't either, and enjoy reading the paper charts better because I can spend all summer salivating over my trip, and even take the charts into the bathroom with me - try THAT with your GPS/Chartplotter ;) !!!
 
I just did this less than 2 months ago. If you are willing to iron man it a bit, it is 2 days from NYC to the last lock. That is assuming you can run at least the cruise of 17 knots that I can/did. To0k two 9 or 10 hour days.

17 foot is the min clearance

the trip is well worth it, and easily done in a 28, I think.
 
Wow, thanks for all of the feedback. I need to print out this thread for future reference. I even told my wife about this discussion and the thought that we could pull this off next summer. She is interested but intimidated (as am I by the shear distance). But the interesting thing is that, of the whole trip, the only open water is from Pt Judith into LI sound. So the vast majority of it is very sheltered (and presumably smooth) water.

My next task is to grab some charts so that I can see the places you referenced. I do have a GPS/Chartplotter but always like to have the paper with me. Plus, trip plannin is easier.

Are reservations suggested/require at the Marinas you mentioned? And, what is going thru a lock like? We have nothing like that around here.

Thanks again for all of the feedback!
 
Having taken my boat home from Warwick, RI, you are correct, the further into the trip, the more protected the water is. Knowing that you have four kids, it all depends on your wife and children whether or not you'll have fun. My wife would freak out but then again, she did say she wants to visit her friends on Cape cod via boat next summer...I should plan it out!
 
Wow - this is all great information - got to print out this thread as well. After a recent trip to Lake George (in our car), we are thinking about a trip to Lake Champlain next year in the boat. What a great beautiful area. The trip is quite dooable in our 26 with two people. We are DINKS - so no restrictions there. We went to Ft. Ticonderoga- very interesting -rich in American history all in the area. The town itself was dissapointing however. Many other towns though are great. We could see that traveling along the road next to the canal - we wished we had our boat instead of the car.

Prospective - we go to RI all the time. As mentioned just keep your eye on the seas - going around Point Judith can be hairy sometimes in a small boat. Looking forward to next years trip.
 
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