Erie Canal to Lake Oneida, Ep#9

A special guest joins me to help me learn how to transition the locks of the Erie Canal.

[@renatrepanier8125]

Another great video. We are learning with you! Stay safe and stay well!

[@RascalBoat]

Appreciate that you openly share your challenges and surprises so we can all learn from them! Single handing a large boat is not an easy task. Perhaps you could add a midship cleat at the flybridge to wrap your line around in locks? Running down below or trying to hold a line freehand at the flybridge both add a lot of risk (of injury or of losing control of the boat). Looking forward to seeing how you've solved when you're solo again.

[@BoatingWithBoogaboo]

Good to see that your brother was able to help you out through this series of locks. Sorry about your back troubles. I can literally feel the pain, as I've dealt with the same my whole adult life, resulting in an injury from when I was a young kid. Hopefully, you'll find the locks along our lovely Trent Severn Waterway (TSW) easier to manage, as all of the traditional locks are equipped with multiple cables that are anchored/and run from top to bottom, making it a lot more stable to run a line through. Of course, you'll also experience the two tallest lift locks (of their type) in the world - at Peterborough and farther along at Kirkfield. And don't forget the Big Chute Marine Railway, the only one of its type in north America. All of those three are even easier to transit through, making it a breeze on your back! If you'd like to see more, I have literally hundreds of videos from our travels throughout the entire TSW in my channel. Here's a series I produced in 2014 (with updates ) that takes one from Mile Zero at Trenton, right through to Port Severn, where the system meets Georgian Bay. Presented from a boater's perspective, it provides a detailed overview of the entire route; Cruise Entire Trent Severn Waterway: kzbin.info/aero/PLKhjT5kr2l2Fn8iZ4SCQ8YjKc9qTQBDOZ If that doesn't put you to sleep, I also have a playlist of every TSW video from our travels through the years; Trent Severn Waterway Boat Cruising: kzbin.info/aero/PLKhjT5kr2l2EFaPCqEgjxYofTvO9Mbh81 Finally, once you arrive at Georgian Bay, you can look forward to some of the beautiful scenery - often referred to as the best freshwater cruising grounds in the world; Georgian Bay Boating: kzbin.info/aero/PLKhjT5kr2l2FDUSJ32njBNbTBkNmAS1S1 I'll look forward to your comments on some of those videos. Enjoy your adventure!! 😁

[@MarkandMel]

Ahoy there! lol! Great video showing the locking and it looks like you're getting it down! Thanks for giving us & our channel a shout out (we'll do the same in about 3 months for you lol). Safe travels to you and your brother! See you on The Loop!

[@AVontheTube]

Great video, as always. My brothers rock!

[@MV_Checkmate]

Come up and join me.

[@MrRules100]

Sure glad you have the remote for your thruster working! That should allow you to handle the locks by yourself quite easily. Be sure to read the comments by James Gauthier below. His suggestions will help to keep your boat safe and also allow you to use the thrusters to spin the boat to the wall without worrying about damaging your boat. I think you are ready for the next eight locks!

[@bobgeoghegan5910]

3 Mainships...going thru the lock at the same time, That is the trawler I'm planning on getting for the Loop.

[@bobgeoghegan5910]

@@Navy1977 I live in Silverton NJ(a section of Toms River), where Silverton AND Mainship were originally made. I like the 34 with the cockpit overhang.

[@johnschieffelin3226]

Boy, watching you run all those locks brought back memories. My wife and I did the entire Erie Canal from Buffalo to Albany years ago -- it was a magical experience, really fun. That arrangement of you holding the lock rope on the bridge with the thruster controls at hand seems like it might work well. Be sure to have a single wrap around something (preferably a cleat) with the lock line -- it makes it much easier to hold the boat in place when there is turbulence in locks. Videos of people doing the Trent Severn locks seemed to indicate most of the locks are not extremely deep and turbulent. I hope you can tour the Thousand Island area -- it is supposed to be a wonderful cruising ground.

[@NervusEnergy]

You have extra squishy disks, like me. I'm 56 y.o. and over the last 15 years I've have three surgeries - all on different areas of my spine. Surgery at your age will require a lot of recovery time and a lot of PT. It hurts but I feel like it's worth it. Your disk is pressing on a nerve going down your back. It can be unbelievably painful without surgery. Nowadays, I keep my lower back pain at bay by stretching a lot (sitting on the floor and touching my toes). I also avoid high impact exercises. Good luck to you!! Keep up the amazing journey, I'm loving every minute of video!!

[@Tom123mike]

What helps me is a checklist. This will avoid a lot of difficulties like last minute remote problems. Second: always have a plan B. Best of luck ✌️

[@MV_Checkmate]

Thanks for the advice

[@mikaelpedersen1327]

So much fun to watch your journey!

[@MV_Checkmate]

Glad you enjoy it!

[@kevinyoung5575]

Hey, you had a stunt double in this video 😂 . Enjoy your videos. I know that you can do it.

[@erinschlameus3628]

lt's amazing how helpful even minimal help can be. Good luck on the rest of ur trip

[@MV_Checkmate]

Thanks

[@domner]

Looking much more calm and controlled now, think you should do fine as you continue.

[@MV_Checkmate]

Thanks

[@paulharmina7480]

I like your attitude and your planning with the weather in mind. It is in keeping with the 6 P’s (proper planning prevents piss poor performance). Enjoying your videos. As a delivery captain I like seeing others solving problems and become better boaters.

[@eddysmith8924]

Enjoying your trip with your brother you both work well together. I see the fun and games that happen in the locks with the hire house boats . Best regards.

[@theabsolutetruth2024]

That's so cool you met them. I follow them, too. Y'all be safe!

[@MV_Checkmate]

Thanks

[@carlpennington4425]

Like a lot of folks have already pointed out don’t tie to the hand rail. Really bad idea and when it does break there is a good chance of you going in the drink at the same time. This would be bad given the lack of a PFD and your stated back issue. Make safety a priority and the rest will work out. That said you will likely find (as most have) that toeing to the midship cleat and going around the cable, pipe or Ballard then back to that same cleat works best. But don’t tie it when you bring it back. Just use it for leverage. This will also take care of most of those dramatic angles of the rope causing them to chafe on the corner of the concrete. It won’t stop it 100 percent but reduces it greatly. Decreases the chance of premature line failure. Hope this helps.

[@mccluremetalworks4214]

I knew he wouldn't be able to handle that boat alone,crazy idea of doing the loop silo is insanity, just for safety reasons alone!

[@gary9674]

Those railings are not meant for tying off the boat for any reason, your going to rip 1 off. Again, no PFD's on either 1 of you.

[@scottsmith1229]

agree, don't tie off to a railing, and wear PFD

[@philboyer2036]

The first 12 or 13 locks on the Trent Severn will have you on the starboard side.

[@MV_Checkmate]

Thanks for the heads up.

[@richbowie76]

👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@glbaker5595]

This guy said he was in broadcasting I think,, I believe they must have been in the mainstream news media,,, telling things like airplanes are flying close to his boat because they're going up so high sort of sounds like the things they're telling in the news lately 🤪🇺🇲 may God bless and keep having fun

[@jimiandersen6962]

Amazing locks. Only tried the one in Kiel, Germany and that was underwhelming.

[@richbowie76]

Can we have a boat tour ?

[@MV_Checkmate]

I am planning a tour coming up. I want to get through the Trent Severn locks first.

[@richbowie76]

@@MV_Checkmate That's Great ! Really enjoying your journey and HELLO from Chicago

[@lesliefleming4359]

What happened to lock 7 to Schenectady casino, overnight in Amsterdam, and a good night spent in town at Oneida lake

[@MV_Checkmate]

It was very windy during that time and we just wanted to focus on getting Crosslake Oneida and did not video.

[@lesliefleming4359]

@@MV_Checkmate oh, I see. Should you ever have a chance a trip up the Champlain Canal? Is a delight. All kinds of things to see on Lake Champlain. You might even get a chance to see champ, the Champlain Lake monster.. Lots of unique towns as well.

[@nerdgarage]

Mike I was poking through your pre-loop videos and found an interesting one ... are you a ham too along with everything else ? I guess it'd make sense with a broadcasting history. 73s --- And if you decide you'd like an assistant from Michigan on down contact me. No charge.

[@MV_Checkmate]

Copy that. 73.

[@JulesGauthier-qk3nk]

Please look at the other boats. Their fenders are up at gunwale level to PROTECT THE BOAT against the concrete lock walls - and to stop limbs getting trapped in between the two. Stay safe.

[@MV_Checkmate]

My fenders are very large, that allows me to keep them horizontally just below the gunwale. They will not allow the boat to come any closer than about 8”. But thanks for the input.

[@JulesGauthier-qk3nk]

@@MV_Checkmate Please look at minute 23 onwards of the video. The FENDERS ARE NOWHERE TO BE SEEN. The bigger the fenders are, the more protection they can give you, so use ALL of it, like everyone else.

[@mikebounds2449]

Keep those lines off the railing. Use the cleats.

[@Figment078]

Does the lock authority ask you to shutdown engines in the locks?

[@MV_Checkmate]

No

[@nerdgarage]

It's my understanding from watching other Great Loop videos as well as general boating research that it's very hit and miss whether any given lock will ask or require you to shut off your engine. It's also my understanding that it's generally considered "courteous" to shut down your engine especially in a crowded lock to reduce engine fumes. However refering to @Navy1977 's comment, while you are, in theory, tied off (to some extent) to the side and shouldn't need your engines, shit happens and I'd just as soon have my engines available at ALL times just in case.

[@claudiafairfield491]

Life jackets????

[@richb1128]

I have the same issue. Mine just gives out and the pain is unbearable can’t walk for a week when it happens.