The Mighty Blue Heron - Travels on the Erie Canal
Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2008 3:16 pm
Well, gang,
After 2 years of planning and a lot of budgeting we pulled out boat out of its home land-locked lake and put in on the Erie Canal near Schenectady, NY on June 23. Traveled as far west at Pittsford, NY and then back and down the Cayuga-Seneca Canal to Seneca Falls. Met a lot of people doing the great circle route in a lot bigger boats and met a lot of Trojan owners along the way. One marina (Pirate's Cove in Clay, NY) had about 10 of them, ours being the smallest at 26ft, along with a couple of 32s, a "cherry" 30 and a many 36s. We put 496 miles under the keel with 56 locks in all. Came back Jul 20 and would do it again in a heartbeat. Found best gas price in Sylvan Beach ($4.34) and cruised at avg 6 mph with consumption at 3 gph. This 31 year old boat did us proud, with only one replacment - a faulty ignition switch - holding us up a couple of days. For you big time cruisers our trip may seem like no big deal, but for us lakers it was an epic adventure. I have a renewed confidence in my F26, having taking it through a major squall. Great time, great boat!
After 2 years of planning and a lot of budgeting we pulled out boat out of its home land-locked lake and put in on the Erie Canal near Schenectady, NY on June 23. Traveled as far west at Pittsford, NY and then back and down the Cayuga-Seneca Canal to Seneca Falls. Met a lot of people doing the great circle route in a lot bigger boats and met a lot of Trojan owners along the way. One marina (Pirate's Cove in Clay, NY) had about 10 of them, ours being the smallest at 26ft, along with a couple of 32s, a "cherry" 30 and a many 36s. We put 496 miles under the keel with 56 locks in all. Came back Jul 20 and would do it again in a heartbeat. Found best gas price in Sylvan Beach ($4.34) and cruised at avg 6 mph with consumption at 3 gph. This 31 year old boat did us proud, with only one replacment - a faulty ignition switch - holding us up a couple of days. For you big time cruisers our trip may seem like no big deal, but for us lakers it was an epic adventure. I have a renewed confidence in my F26, having taking it through a major squall. Great time, great boat!