GL: Route Request

[Dave Cooper]

G'day Curt, I assume you want the boat in Lake Michigan to use by June. If
this is the case then drop the stick and the keel and have it trucked up.
Unless your beam is over 15' or you cannot remove the keel easily this is a
very viable option. This will give you the use of the boat for many more
weeks in the lake and reduce the wear & tear of an ocean/St Lawrence or a
river/canal delivery.

In both water delivery routes there are so many hidden costs both in
equipment failures, weather delays and crew issues that will eat your wallet
before you are ready to sail her in Lake Michigan it will astound you.

When I was in the delivery business a Virgin Islands to Chicago delivery
(perhaps 2/3 days difference in sailing time) would take 3 to 5 weeks and
cost you $12K all inclusive for myself and the crew (3 total) including
return airfare. Boat expenses would be on your account to be settled at the
destination with a $5,000 cash float before departure.

Trucking an Alden 54 from Ft Lauderdale to Chicago ran in the order of
$12-13K two years ago. So today that might be another $2-3k for the increase
in diesel fuel and other fees. That includes de-rigging and re-rigging. It
is less from the West coast and even less from Mobile but now you have to
have crew to move it there. Pick up to drop off is 7 days or less depending
on the route requirements of the load size.

If you want to spend a couple of months then it's a different story. Take
either route but NOT the seaway in the spring runoff and enjoy the trip :-)

YMMV

Dave & Nancy
Swan Song