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The NY Canal System official guidebook was last published in 2006. Can anyone recommend a more current guidebook for the Erie Canal? I'm planning a late spring early summer transit starting on the western end for this year.

Thanks,
Bob

I don't know of any others. Mine is a third edition (2006), and seems adequate, though it takes a bit of getting used to. For up-to-date marina and local knowledge in addition to the Canal Guide, I use Active Captain. I've found that site to be very accurate as to facilities and advice ("north wall is quieter at night due to fewer walkers/partiers", that sort of thing). Of course, you need internet access to read it, but many (most?) places I've been to have some sort of free wifi, and there's always cel phone internet access.

If you're coming through in the spring, be sure to say 'hi'. I'm likely to be tied up in Fairport, on the south wall. $7 per night, with water, electricity, pumpout, showers, and free wifi. I usually leave the boat there when it's not somewhere else, in Trawler Mode.

We used the Skipper Bob guide as well as the NY Canal Guide and Active Captain when we were on the canal in September. You might also want to check out tug44.org Site. He has tons of pictures and lots of good info about the canal system. We throughly enjoyed our two weeks on the western end of the canal.

Hey Tom, FYI, the Activecaptain database can be downloaded and used offline as well. It works on your smart phone, tablet or computer. You just need to remember to update it once in a while for the most up to date info.

Azzarac wrote:Hey Tom, FYI, the Activecaptain database can be downloaded and used offline as well. It works on your smart phone, tablet or computer. You just need to remember to update it once in a while for the most up to date info.

Oh, wow. Didn't know that, but I'm glad I do now. Would you happen to know how to do that?

We are located 20 minutes, by car, north of Lock 13-Fultonville.

I would recommend http://www.canals.ny.gov/boating/locks.cgi for updated info.

Lock 2 closest to us, but we are downriver a bit, in the cheap seats..

Here's a free bit of local knowledge. If docked in Fairport, use the south wall, as that's the side with the restrooms and showers.

But if rain is expected, don't dock against the first power pedestal closest to the lift bridge.



It's a 24" or 27" pipe, and in a heavy rain, it belches water from the storm drains in the road to where debris can splash up the side of the boat, and the canal boils across its width like you're in a navigation lock that's filling fast. The first time that happened to me, I though some large cruiser boomed through at high speed leaving a huge wake, but there was no sound other than the thunder. The pipe is under water, so if you don't know it's there, you won't know until it rains.



And there's another one, at the third power pedestal from the lift bridge. That one handles water from the parking lot on the other side of the buildings. When they did the new landscaping last year, the storm drain at the end of the little dead end just to the left got backed up, the water from the parking lot ran right over it, and wood chips and debris ran over the dock and into someone's boat. What a mess. That's another large pipe, but it doesn't seem to dump as much water as the one closest to the bridge.

If in doubt, just don't park broadside to a power pedestal if possible, as the water streams are fast but narrow and will go right past if the boat isn't in the line of fire. It's better form to not dock right in front of one, anyway.



It's quieter at the other end, anyway, as the fixed bridge to the east is single-lane (with traffic lights to alternate direction), and doesn't get much traffic. The lift bridge is part of a main road, and is noisy.

Dauntless note taker very busy ..... Thanks Y'all This weather is driving Me crazy right now.....upper 70's till the weekend.....then30's and rain .... Oh well....It is winter after all Ron.

Tomfoolery: excellent tips! We hope to check out the Mohawk/Erie this summer.

Got the NY State Canal Guide. Should be very good with Active Captain. We are planning on putting in a Pirates Cove Marina north of Syracuse and head East first and head into Lake Champlain up to Burlington. Then back down to the canal and west to Buffalo, then return to Pirate Cove to haul out. Pirates Cove charges $2/day to store the tow beast and trailer. Have no idea how long we'll take but I'm thinking it could be a good month. Really looking forward to the trip. We're going to leave the mast at home and go Trawler mode. Trip is planned for the month of June.

Bob

This trip sounds like a lot of fun. Wish we could take a month off work to do these kinds of trips.

Anyonme k now if the "NY Canal System official guidebook " has been updated since 2006?

fishheadbarandgrill wrote: ↑Fri Dec 12, 2014 3:14 pm The NY Canal System official guidebook was last published in 2006. Can anyone recommend a more current guidebook for the Erie Canal? I'm planning a late spring early summer transit starting on the western end for this year.

Thanks,
Bob