Question for those in the north

If you want a quick(ish) trip, then you can certainly go up and over Michigan, down through Detroit to Lake Erie, up the Welland to Lake Ontario, and drop down into the Erie Canal at Oswego. But, boring.

If you want an awesome trip, you go up over Michigan, go into the Georgian Bay, and head directly to the Trent Severn Waterway. Come out the Southern end of it, head towards Oswego and into the Erie Canal.

Or make it even more awesome, head East from the Trent, and go up the Rideau Canal to Ottawa, Montreal, then into the Cambly Canal which will head South to drop you into the Hudson.

If you are on the west coast of FL, then from Lake Michigan you are better to go down the rivers, unless of course you want to do the coast to see all it has to offer. The ride around the top of the state of michigan is a long one, we logged 1000 miles just from Buffalo to Chicago.
Your no go air draft on the river system is 19.1' on the Cal-sag south of Chicago. If you can get down to that that's the shortest route at 1860 miles Chicago to Clearwater (don't know where you are). If you go the Atlantic coast, or buy the boat in Toledo, you can procede as a
previous post said to Lake Ontario and if you can clear 20.5 feet, head south into the Oswego Canal to the Erie Canal and East to the Hudson and on to NY. If you can't make those clearances, follow the freighters out the St. Lawrence River. That is a looong ride.
If you want to contact someone from the AGLCA that has done it, you just found him. I'd be happy to help more if you need it when the time comes. Good luck.

I'm just completing a trip from Fort Myers to New Buffalo, MI. 8 days total on a 2012 48 Sabre. Ive done the trip round trip through the river system to the gulf now 9 times. Happy to help any way I can.

19'1" is correct as the lowest fixed bridge on that route. I've done it in 2 56' Hatteras with hinged arches very easily.

Zach312 said:

Don't forget about going south through the Illinois River and Mississippi. Also a very cool cruise through the interior of the country. Depends on where you want the boat to end up as too what options is shorter.

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If you go this route, I have a pretty good "flight plan" from Peoria to Ft Myers that I'd be happy to share.


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