Just tied up at Schuyler Yacht Basin in Schuylerville, NY, about 80 nm from where we started at 8 this morning in Kingston. Fueled up here. Took on 40.1 gallons, which is terrific since we spent more than half of the day running at 20 knots, and the rest negotiating five locks after the Hudson River ended at Troy, just above Albany, where you can turn left for the Erie Canal or right for the Champlain Canal. Since we are on our way to Lake Champlain and ultimately Quebec City, we hung a right.

The only good thing I can think of to say about locks is that you do get used to them. (Also in our case today, all lock masters were terrific.) After the first two we worked out a system. I hung out on the aft deck to grab the hanging lines (I am about 6’2″ so I have long arms) while my colleague George Sass Sr reached out the window next to the helm seat – and immediately above the mid-ship cleat – to grab a hanging line there or to wrap our own line around a ballard. Neat.

Otherwise a great cruising day. The Hudson below Albany is simply beautiful. Overcast sky with occasional drizzle but flat water and the Cutwater ate up the miles. Finally, the people here couldn’t be nicer. A great place to stop. Tomorrow, more locks and then, we hope, Lake Champlain.

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The Down East Loop ▶

Specifications

  • Builder: Cutwater
  • Model: Cutwater 28
  • LOA: 28′4″
  • Draft: 2′4″
  • Beam: 8′6″
  • Fuel Capacity: 100 gal.
  • Water Capacity: 40 gal.