Atlantic to the Pacific via the Chigargo & Great Lakes

[Ariadne]

It was sort of bounced around on here a while back; trip wise I think it would be pretty cool, seeing loads of places and getting some serious lake sailing in a novelty for us saltwater sailors. Transitting N America (& Canada maybe) coast to coast by boat & car, so much to see and do!

So, has anybody (or actually knows somebody, has read a report on it) actually sailed up the Inter Coastal Waterway from Fort Lauderdale, up to Chicargo, as far west through the Lakes as you can go (Duluth?), then get hauled out and road transported to say Victoria or Seattle, then get launched again ready to head on south?

How would you go about about finding a reasonable priced haulier, and be able check if you getting a good deal?

How would it cost as opposed to going through Panama?

What is the season for the crossing, I mean in some places the lakes freeze over and they get some real storms on the lakes as well?

Just a general interest question really, but I talked to a few people and we are all wondering if it is a feasable option. You could thn come back through Panama in the opposite direction and do the Caribbean again. On that note do you get a reduced rate if you transit Panama each way in less then 9 - 12 months?

 

[tri39]

Yes it's doable. I seem to remember a lecture at the CA by a couple who'd done it.
Possibly the Copelands. Somebody will know. Are you a member of the Cruising association.
Their library will contain the answer I'm sure!

 

[Ariadne]

I'm not, but I a man who is so maybe I'll in that direction as well.

Dissapointing the OCC have nothing on thier site and have removed the members section where you ask such questions!!

Edit
Just googled the Copelands, seems they went from Vancouver to Nova Scotia via Panama, not across the middle. So back to square one then!

 

[tri39]

I think they returned to Vancouver by road.

 

[pW2]

I met an American couple in a 40ftish boat in Panama. They came from LA via the canal but had costed out the option of trailing from LA to Mexico. The trailing option was cost effective and in the end they wished they'd gone that way.
A Swedish boat I know spent 2 years in the Great Lakes and they say it is absolutely terrific
Peter

 

[robinsondb]

goto all the wwws yachtsentinel.co.uk did just what you describe

 

[Grehan]

Yes, I've also heard of people who've 'sailed' across the Rockies by transporter.

 

[Ariadne]

What can I say, apart from what a great trip!!

Cheers

 

[blaggard]

We are toying with the idea as well, we are currently in the caribbean and fancy something different from the usual panama route. It would be interesting to get an idea of the cost, pretty expensive I would have thought.

 

[doug748]

Paul Heiney and Libby Pervis are just setting off to do a similar thing the other way around. See blog here:

http://www.sailblogs.com/member/wildsong/

Willie Ker went from west from to east in His Contessa 32, winning the Blue Water Medal from the Cruising Club of America, having cruised the Antartic and Arctic the previous year. (1993 ish)

 

[john_q]

A bit of a thread drift but you can also get from the Caribbean to the Pacific in Guatemala see http://riodulcechisme.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=747&Itemid=35

The costs seem to be $2,500 to $3,000

 

[AndrewB]

We did this in 2007. I don't know of any other yacht that has specifically done this route, but Americans quite commonly have yachts hauled across the continent, so there are plenty of hauliers willing to quote.

When we first planned this in 2004, we were quoted $5,000 from Duluth to Seattle. When we finally arrived in 2007 these hauliers were no longer available and we accepted a quote of $7,000 for Chicago - Seattle (we'd left it too late in the year to get to Duluth). With the pound then riding high, the extra didn't hurt that much.

Quotes on the Canadian side, Thunder Bay - Vancouver, were very much higher. An alternative, slightly shorter and cheaper route in the south we also looked at was Corpus Christi - San Diego, but we really wanted to sail the British Columbia coast, which determined our route.

There is a maximum size limit for hauled loads in most US states into which our 38' yacht just fitted. Beyond that you need a police escort which makes the cost impossible. (I got a feeling though that hauliers were willing to bend the rules somewhat on this).

Americans have told me you can also haul across Mexico at VERY much lower costs. They have the hauliers as it is common practice to haul US yachts back to California from the northern end of the Sea of Cortez, but I don't know of anyone who has hauled coast to coast in Mexico.

An account of our route in the Great Lakes is at http://www.yachtsentinel.co.uk/WindyCity/windy.htm.

 

[Ariadne]

AndrewB

I was pointed in your direction yeasterday and both I and my wife have been catching up on your blog.

Do you remember what the maximum size for hauling was, we are 43' and 7' draft? I'm getting the feeling we're going to be too big for hauling by road! Although a trip up the inter coastal will still be good fun to avoid the hurricane season - then again, going on this year so far maybe not!

 

[AndrewB]

AndrewB
Do you remember what the maximum size for hauling was, we are 43' and 7' draft? I'm getting the feeling we're going to be too big for hauling by road! Although a trip up the inter coastal will still be good fun to avoid the hurricane season - then again, going on this year so far maybe not!

Unfortunately not. I don't think length is the issue, it's width and possibly height. I seem to recall there is a minimum bridge height of 14' in the US, though the hauliers know routes to avoid low bridges.

Obviously a haulier could advise.

 

[SimonJ]

Great lakes

I have got as far as Lake Superior starting from Trinidad thence via WIs to Florida and up the ICW before going offshore to NY. From there up the Hudson to the St Lawrence, Montreal, Ottowa, Kingston, Trent Severn canal system to Georgian Bay. I met a guy going all the way west but he had shallow draft which is good for easier/cheaper trucking . Keep small to avoid expense of escort etc. There is an OCC article written about 2 years ago which I may be able to locate (eventually) on doing this route.
Good luck, its worth doing.