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s/v GRACIE EMMETT: LAKE CHAMPLAIN – Corridor and Cruising Ground, Part 2

Part 2. Lake Champlain Anchorages – Crown Point to Westport

By: Duane Nealon

Just north of Fort Ticonderoga there is a cable ferry at Larabees Point, which is less than a ½ mile between shores. Just a friendly warning: the ferry operator does not always appear to be sailboat friendly, and will often head out under full throttle when a sailboat approaches, forcing the helms person to yield the right-of-way and come about or otherwise maneuver to avoid shoal waters or collision. So, unless you intend to get an early start before this ferry begins operation, you may want to consider motoring until you pass the ferry and then hoist sails.

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It is approximately 16 miles from Fort Ticonderoga to Crown Point, along a narrow body of Lake Champlain. In general, the majestic Adirondack and Green Mountains predominate the landscape. This pristine beauty is interrupted only once along this section of water by International Paper, a facility with large industrial buildings and smokestacks.

Traveling under sail from Fort Ticonderoga to Port Henry is challenging (especially if beating to windward), but will leave you with a sense of accomplishment, particularly if you are not accustomed to sailing in narrow passages. It is a great feeling when sailing under the Crown Point Bridge into open water. If you are on Lake Champlain for the season, allow the weather and wind direction to determine your short-term sailing plan, leading you from one anchorage to the next.

The Crown Point Bridge is being replaced with a new design. Although there are several anchorages and marinas in this part of the Lake, including the harbor town of Port Henry, you can still enjoy several more hours of sailing. Often, the lure of open water draws sailors further […]

July 4th, 2010 | Category: Sailing Stories | Leave a comment

s/v GRACIE EMMETT: LAKE CHAMPLAIN – Corridor and Cruising Ground Part 1

 Part 1. New York City to Lake Champlain

By: Duane Nealon

 Many use Lake Champlain as an inland water route linking the St. Lawrence River with New York Harbor via a series of canals and rivers. Situated along the borders of New York and Vermont, Lake Champlain also offers excellent cruising grounds for sailors seeking uncluttered natural landscapes, quaint harbor towns, and secluded anchorages during the sailing season, which is usually from the end of May to the beginning of October. In 1998, Lake Champlain became the 6th Great Lake, with over 70 islands, measuring 120 miles long, 12 miles at its widest point, and 64 feet average depth (over 400 feet at its deepest).

New York City/East River and Hudson River scenes:

Lake Champlain is served by two canal systems, which many boaters use during their seasonal migration. The 60-mile Champlain Canal connects Lake Champlain with the Hudson River, and can be traversed in a single day; however, there is no need to rush, the two-day canal pass is affordable and provides plenty of time to lock through. The 363-mile Erie Canal joins the Champlain Canal at Lock #1 just north of the Troy Federal Lock. The Richelieu River/Chambly Canal connects Lake Champlain with the St. Lawrence River.

Upon entering the canal system, usually the lock operators cluster each group of boats between each lock by waiting for the last boat in each group before flooding the lock, so there is no need for sail boats to try to keep pace with the power boats. Remember to make provisions for suitable supports for the unstepped mast. Many times marinas that provide mast stepping have a stockpile of discarded mast crutches, which you may be able […]

July 2nd, 2010 | Category: Sailing Stories | Leave a comment
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