In early July, three generations of Jacobsons manned the
tiller and mooring lines on a one-week narrow boat voyage on
the legendary Erie Canal. We congregated in Rochester, N.Y.,
where I flew in from Boston. My son, Michael, and his
seven-year old son, Dylan, flew in from their home in
Seattle.
We spent the night at an airport motel before heading out
the next day with our boating gear in a van that delivered us
to the Mid-Lakes Navigation Co. Ltd. boatyard in nearby
Macedon, N.Y. The steel-hulled Lockmaster vessel we chartered
was similar in design to one I had chartered in Wales some
years before with my daughter, Karin. The 33' × 10' Lockmaster
has a private cabin with a double berth, head and shower. There
are also traditional pipe bunks (the lower is a twin, the upper
bunk is smaller).
We boarded the boat and stowed away most of our gear in the
limited locker spaces. Soft duffle and boat bags are best for
carrying and stowing onboard a small vessel. The internal
layout of the four bunks, galley, head, washroom and shower
stall were well thought out and arranged with two-way hinged
doors and latches to provide sufficient privacy.
After a two-hour onboard orientation from a boatyard staff
member that covered vessel and gear orientation, engine use and
care, steering, maneuvering in and out of locks, and general
safety instructions, we dropped him off and headed east on the
main stem of the Erie Canal, which opened in 1825.
My grandson Dylan took readily to steering, with an adult
alongside for guidance. He also grew adept at handling
lock-mooring lines by holding us close to the walls as we
floated up and down during our 20 lockages on the Erie and
Cayuga-Seneca canals.
We moored before dark in towns and villages at public park
bulkheads where potable water and power hookups were available
for replenishing our 100-gal. water tank and recharging our DC
batteries. We had an inverter onboard that also provided
115-volt AC power for small appliances.
Some of the canal towns with restaurants and stores that
face the water were very accommodating and appreciative of
transient boaters. They made us feel at home. Others, however,
had only installed mooring points.
You can read more about our trip in next month's column.