GL: Finishing The Loop

[Seasalt007 at aol.com]

I would like to finish the loop in 2010. The Great Lakes and the northern  
rivers are our missing parts. In 2002 we took our 45' Californian from 
Galveston  to Boothbay Harbor, ME. We were doing the loop then but got diverted 
in NYC by  the thought of summering in Maine (lobster). Then we returned to 
Florida for the  winter.
 
In 2006 we took our tug from SW Florida up the Tenn Tom to Pickwick, TN,  
turned right and went to Knoxville. We then returned to Florida.
 
So in 2010 I would like to truck the tug to the NYC area and resume the  
loop. Why truck? We've done the East Coast of the US several times and would  
rather not do it again for a while. Plus my Nordic Tug has a 13'11" beam  
and no fly bridge. The  trucking price should be fairly reasonable.
 
Questions:
 
1. Where in the general NYC or New Jersey area would the list  recommend 
that we offload the boat and prepare it for the trip?
 
2. What would be a good target date to resume the loop from the NYC area in 
 terms of lock openings and weather?
 
 It is way too early to get quotes from boat haulers but I would  
appreciate any recommendations or bad experiences.
 
I know there are many other considerations so I would like to hear about  
some of them from the collective.
 
Thanks
 
RC
42' Nordic Tug
Punta Gorda

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