How big of a boat can go down the Erie Canal?

The largest vessels that can make the entire journey must be under 300 feet long, 43.5 feet wide, 9' draft, and a maximum 15' 6" height above the water.

Can you boat down the Erie Canal?

Boating is free and no permit is needed to go through a lock. Lock tenders are on hand to assist you and make your experience going through the locks easy and enjoyable. It takes 15 to 20 minutes to go through a lock. Power boats and paddlers share the canal, so be mindful of speed limits and wakes.

How far can boats travel on the Erie Canal?

The Erie Canal is 339 miles long from Waterford (Albany) to Tonawanda (Buffalo). Including its laterals, the Champlain, Oswego, and Cayuga-Seneca Canals, the entire system mileage equals 524.

What is a good size boat for Lake Erie?

Selecting a Boat for Lake Erie. Although a boat does not exist that is big enough to handle Lake Erie - with safe boating conditions, the minimum size that I would recommend is 21 feet. And if you can afford it, buy a fiberglass boat. For safety and comfort, fiberglass boats (with closed bows) can't be beat.

Can you drink on a boat on Lake Erie?

Kosan says while it's ok for boat passengers to drink on Lake Erie - just like a car, it's illegal for boat operators to have a blood alcohol content of . 08 or higher in Ohio. He says alcohol can have increased effects while boating. He also recommends every boat have a designated sober operator.

5. Walkthrough of our privately owned canal boat on the Erie Canal.

How big can a canal boat be?

Narrowboats vary from 70 feet to 20 feet! The longer the boat, it is often the more expensive to buy, moor, insure, license, repaint etc.

Why do so many ships sink in Lake Erie?

“Storms and waves are probably the number one reason ships sank in Lake Erie,” said Magee, the co-founder of a Cleveland-based group of underwater explorers (CLUE) that search for Lake Erie shipwrecks. Other common causes of foundering here included collisions and fires.

How much of the Erie Canal is still navigable?

Whether you're in a kayak, 50' cruiser or anything in-between you will find a unique boating experience on the Erie Canal. With 55 locks, 16 lift bridges, more than 60 communities all on the 524 miles of navigable waterway that make up the Erie Canal System.

Who owns the Erie Canal?

The Canal Corporation runs the New York State Canal System, which includes the Erie, Champlain, Oswego and Cayuga-Seneca canals. Spanning 524 miles, the waterway links the Hudson River with the Great Lakes, the Finger Lakes and Lake Champlain.

What is the average speed on the Erie Canal?

The eastern half of the Erie Canal from Waterford, NY to Three Rivers Junction, the maximum speeds run between 5 mph (4.7 knots) and 45 mph (39.1 knots). On the western half, the maximum speeds run from 5 mph (4.7 knots) to 30 mph (26 knots).

Can you travel the entire Erie Canal?

Where can you travel on the canal? We limit our vessels to the western half of the canal. You can travel as far west as Buffalo and the mouth of Lake Erie, to the East you can travel through the Cayuga-Seneca Canal to Cayuga Lake, or do Baldwinsville area in Syracuse past Syracuse.

What is the maximum boat height for the Great Loop?

The Great Loop can be done in virtually any type of vessel, as long as draft doesn't exceed 9 feet and height from the waterline is less than 19 feet, 1 inch.

How big of a boat do you need for the Great Loop?

Experts advise that no matter whether your vessel is a sailboat, cruiser, sportfish or trawler, a good boat size for the Great Loop is in the range between 28 and 38 feet. The size of your vessel is a decision that will depend on what you are most comfortable in and what allows you to maintain the lifestyle you prefer.

Can you live in a houseboat on the Erie Canal?

You can still rent a houseboat on the Erie Canal.

What is the deepest point of Lake Erie?

The average depth of Lake Erie is only about 62 feet (210 feet, maximum).

What is the biggest shipwreck in Lake Erie?

The Edmund Fitzgerald is one of history's most famous shipwrecks, but thousands of other lost ships have been lost off the shores of the Great Lakes. Now a group called the Cleveland Underwater Explorers (called CLUE) has located three more shipwrecks, with the help of a local museum.

What is the bottom of Lake Erie?

Lake Erie Is the Shallowest of the 5 Great Lakes

This lake actually has the lowest depth of all the Great 5 Lakes. It has an average depth of about 62 feet (19 meters). At the deepest point, Lake Erie has a maximum depth of 210 feet (64 meters).

Do fish live in the Erie Canal?

Freshwater fish species in the Erie Canal include largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, pickerel, walleye, pike, catfish, carp, yellow perch, and sunfish.

Why is the Erie Canal empty?

Every autumn the canal is closed to navigation and drained. The de-watering allows canal workers access to gates,locks, culverts and other structures.

Does any part of Erie Canal still exist?

Erie Canal Today

Portions of the original canal are still operable, though tourism is now the main source of boat traffic along the Erie Canal. Commercial and shipping traffic declined abruptly after the completion of the St. Lawrence Seaway in 1959.

What boats are allowed on canals?

Can you take a wide beam boat on a canal?

While the greater size of Widebeam can be slightly more restrictive than a Narrowboat for cruising, especially the more historic canals that have lower bridges and shallower channels, there are still plenty of networks that are suitable.

Is it cheaper to live on a canal boat?

Is living on a narrowboat cheaper than living in a house? 'Yes' – for most people. Boats are generally cheaper to buy or rent, buy an old cruiser for a few hundred pounds! Moorings usually are cheaper than property taxes, even free as long as you keep cruising!