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22 May 01 - 07:41 PM (#468216) Subject: Mudcat canal boat gathering From: Susan of DT Is there any interest in a group of mudcatters getting together on one or more New York state (or other canal area) canal boats? Various companies rent canal boats that sleep 2 to 6 people for something like $2000 a week, which split several ways is not bad. Canal boats are SLOW and, while interesting, not terribly exciting. If a lot of the week were spent singing between locks, it could be fun. It might be possible to rent more than one boat and travel in a pack. Dick and I rented a small canal boat a few years ago going from Syracuse to Rochester or so and into Lake Cayuga. Some rentals are in the Finger Lakes and some near Troy and Lake Champlain. Rentals run from April or so to October or November. It may be too late for popular dates already and if we want more than one boat, it may need to be next year. Some web sites to check are www.midlakesnav.com www.canalboat.com www.canals.state.ny.us (I'm too lazy to look up how to do the blue clicky). I'm sure there are other areas that also rent canal boats, so this could happen in various areas and countries. Post if you are interested. |
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22 May 01 - 09:18 PM (#468279) Subject: RE: Mudcat canal boat gathering From: Noreen Sounds fun, Susan! |
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22 May 01 - 09:45 PM (#468303) Subject: RE: Mudcat canal boat gathering From: Midchuck Sounds great, especially if it's in the Troy-Champlain area and not out there where New York becomes the midwest. Peter. |
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22 May 01 - 10:22 PM (#468326) Subject: RE: Mudcat canal boat gathering From: IvanB My wife and I have discussed this for the past few years. A group outing like this might be the thing to get us off our duffs! Count us in as at least definitely interested, although it would probably have to be next year for us. |
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23 May 01 - 12:32 AM (#468415) Subject: RE: Mudcat canal boat gathering From: georgeward Susan, Re: canalboat.com Mallory has a damn gorgeous new Dutch-built pocket trawler they are chartering out of Whitesboro on Lake Champlain. Great afterdeck for pickin'. The Mid-Lakes-style narrowboats are more affordable, and run out of both Troy and Whitehall this year, I think. You're gonna be awfully lucky to book a boat this late, I'm guessing. But if you do it in the eastern part of the state, let me know and I'll join you for a song or two or ten.
George (who didn't ask for it, but got officially designated the "Canal Balladeer" anyway. Never turn your back on your friends
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23 May 01 - 03:15 AM (#468469) Subject: RE: Mudcat canal boat gathering From: Llanfair Oh, I wish!!! Perhaps if I win the lottery!!! cheers, Bron. |
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23 May 01 - 08:12 AM (#468555) Subject: RE: Mudcat canal boat gathering From: MMario where New York becomes the Mid-West?????
gee-but if you do it in the FL region - there are a few local mudcatters that could drive to the locks and watch you |
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23 May 01 - 08:59 AM (#468575) Subject: RE: Mudcat canal boat gathering From: GUEST,Don Meixner As you all float past my house I'll wave from the bank and chuckle softly to my self as you drift unconrolably on your way. Don |
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23 May 01 - 10:07 AM (#468609) Subject: RE: Mudcat canal boat gathering From: GUEST,Don Meixner Susan, George, Sandy, and all. I was under the impression that Mid-Lakes Narrow Boats were log ago booked for their season. So a next season trip may be a better choice. The Emita II or The City of Syracuse may yet have charters available. Capt. Tom Beardsley of the Emita II tells me that they are really busy so some quick work is probably needed. Both the Syracuse and the Emita would be a great venue with more than enough room for constant jamming from Albany to Buffalo. Mid-Lakes Navigation has motels and B&B's along the way that they work with for tours. My dream (among many)for about 30 years was to have a Showboat that toured the Canal System and did concerts and history along the canal at Locks or City Parks on the waterway. Don |
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23 May 01 - 03:04 PM (#468853) Subject: RE: Mudcat canal boat gathering From: Irish sergeant If Syracuse does have a boat they're not advertising the fact. Don, I hope you get your dream. Neil |
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23 May 01 - 07:39 PM (#469069) Subject: RE: Mudcat canal boat gathering From: Susan of DT Bron - organize an English canal boat gathering. I think ours are copycat from the British and French canals. This year probably won't work unless we want October and move quickly. There are the houseboat types, that I mentioned above that charter for a week for a family or very small group. There are also larger boats, like the Emita and City of Syracuse mentioned above that go out for one, two, or three day jaunts. The Emita holds 40 people and mostly has 3 day cruises on the Eastern Erie, Western Erie, or Champlain sections. I don't know what it would take to takeover a whole cruise or to share a cruise with regular patrons. I can look into it. How many are really interested? What month? This year or next? Small boat for a week vs big boat for a few days? |
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23 May 01 - 10:53 PM (#469196) Subject: RE: Mudcat canal boat gathering From: GUEST,Don Meixner Neil, It would be fun wouldn't it? The City Of Syracuse docks off Cold Springs Road, she can be seen from the RT 370 Bridge looking east. A very nice older Ferry that Pete Wiles bought some many years back. The Emita II is an old Block Islander as I recall. I did some considerable work making that ship ready a few years in a row about 20 years back. Captain Tom is one of my oldest, bestest friends and he has been in on the showboat notion with me from the get go. Practicallity tells me that the larger boats engaged by more people would be a more affordable idea. Could be done I'm sure. You could put a small howitzer, say seven lbs, in her bows and we could plunder the canal from Brewerton to Sylvan Beach, ARRGGHH! Don |
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23 May 01 - 10:56 PM (#469199) Subject: RE: Mudcat canal boat gathering From: MMario BTW - Tom Lewis is doing a canal boat trip in 2002 - I believe details are on his website. |
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23 May 01 - 11:15 PM (#469208) Subject: RE: Mudcat canal boat gathering From: Sandy Paton My cherished dream is similar, Don. I'd love to get a barge and a towboat, run it from Pittsburgh to Cairo, turn right to St. Louis, turn left up the Missouri to Boonville, stopping to give programs of river songs and their history in small towns all along the way. Dillon Bustin, Art Thieme, Dave Para and Cathy Barton, Bob Dyer, Craig Johnson (with the Double Decker String band), Jerry Rasmussen, and several others, ought to make up the troup. We couldn't afford a real paddlewheeler, but... what the hell, it's only a dream, anyway. While I'm dreaming, let's get John Hartford, healthy and playing again, to join us! Sandy |
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23 May 01 - 11:19 PM (#469211) Subject: RE: Mudcat canal boat gathering From: GUEST,Don Meixner John should be there if only to point way and help us mind the snags. |
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24 May 01 - 12:23 PM (#469530) Subject: RE: Mudcat canal boat gathering From: Willie-O By God this sounds like fun with a capital F. Make sure it's a boat with a sturdy mast, then have some consideration as to what (or who) you can run up it! Seriously, I'd be interested in booking a passage. I played a gig on a Durham boat once. (Used in settling Upper Canada in the early 1800's==this was a reproduction of course.) Willie-O |
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24 May 01 - 03:11 PM (#469675) Subject: RE: Mudcat canal boat gathering From: karen k I'd love it in 2002. It would be a great time I'm sure. |
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24 May 01 - 06:13 PM (#469830) Subject: RE: Mudcat canal boat gathering From: Peter K (Fionn) Llanfair etc, This would surely be the obvious way for Mudcatters to do the Fairport bash at Cropredy - moor up right behind the stage. (I assume it's happening as usual - I've not had any mailings this time.) Anyway I can't make it (again) this year - I'll be in Ireland. |
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24 May 01 - 07:15 PM (#469878) Subject: RE: Mudcat canal boat gathering From: Sandy Paton It would have to be in 2002, Karen, since all of us would have to plan ahead to reserve the free time as well as the boat, and squeeze it in between Old Songs, Mystic, and Champlain Valley. A scheduling nightmare, but possible. Sandy (Can we use mules instead of motors?) |
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24 May 01 - 08:03 PM (#469907) Subject: RE: Mudcat canal boat gathering From: Dave Wynn Next year would be counting me in.......What a way to first foot USA...! |
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24 May 01 - 10:07 PM (#469963) Subject: RE: Mudcat canal boat gathering From: Nancy King I would LOVE to do this. I went on Tom Lewis' first canal trip around the Warwickshire Ring in 1997 and had a ball. Not too bad at the tiller, either, if I do say so myself (especially considering the boats we were on were 70 feet long and 7 feet wide!) Two or more boats in a group works very well. It would be good to start gathering specific information about options. Don't know if 2002 will turn out to be possible for me or not, but it might! Cheers, Nancy |