GL: Mud berths

[Dennis Bruckel]

Fred wrote...

Right
now I'm running out of options and must do something very very soon, before
the canal closes and I get stuck right here.
 
I have been thinking of
letting the boat sit in the mud right at my dock. The canal will be drained,
leaving a nice mud flat ... just soft mud and no rocks. The boat could
simply
sink her keel into the mud, and rest there until spring when the canal is
re-filled and the boat refloated. This has the advantage of being free, plus
it will be right in front of my house.

Dennis replies....

I'll be very surprised if my friend Larry Z from the Hudson River Valley
does not respond to this. But, I will respond from the 30 year perspective
of planting plants in fall in northern New England. First, I do know, or at
least think, that the Champlain Canal section you are on is dewatered for
winter.

Annually for many seasons, I've seen late fall planted nursery stock jacked
out of the ground and left on its side in spring as a result of winter's
freeze/thaw cycle. Same with fence posts and even swimming pools. I'm
pretty sure your nice Tug would be on her side by spring, as a result of
repeated freeze, thaw, melt, freeze under the keel. Each cycle will move
her slightly upward, until the balance point is reached and she is
essentially on her side. While I don't think this will necessarily result
in any damage, I am not sure that your psyche can take it every day in late
winter, looking out over the waterway at your capsized vessel. This,
combined with freezing and plugging of scuppers and accumulated ice
build-up on the decks would worry me. 

On the other hand, I'd be pleased to hear how we could all  migrate to the
dewatered sections of the Erie for the same season's pass ticket price.

Dennis 


Dennis Bruckel, Cruising Editor
Waterway Guide
Albin 27  Sadie B
website www.debruckel.com 
cell phone 407 414 0531