Arrived as planned at Hop-O-Nose Marina in Catskill yesterday at 0800 to un-step the mast. The #1 guy (Sean) who usually does the work was off getting married so a couple of his guys were there to do the job. Mike and Mike said they were not too organized about it and hoped I would understand. Nice guys and all, but the guy tying the sling to
the mast did not know how to tie a bow line knot (the most important knot to know) so I had to do that kind of stuff myself, in addition to telling them how to build the rack to carry the mast when laid horizontally on top of the deck, etc. Anyway, all of the work was completed by 1230, much of it in the rain, and I met Dean for lunch.

Shoved off around 1400 and really intended to go only about 15 nm for the day and then call that good. However, the tide was in my favor (the Hudson River is tidal all the way north to Troy, NY) and it looked like I could get to the first lock at Troy (40 nm) by 2000 hrs. I did, and to my surprise, he was still operating. Along the way I met one large motor yacht leaving a huge wake, and I asked him on the radio to please slow down because even as well as the rack and mast was tied to the deck, I did not want to chance the thing shifting and/or falling down, which has happened to people doing this. Well, the asshole ignored me and when I hit the very large wake, the rear cradle shifted slightly to starboard. I cussed him a blue streak on the radio (did no good but I felt better) and then went to work straightening things out. There is a lot of weight to this thing, but with the use of the winches I was able to straighten it out and then also added some additionally lateral bracing using more line and the winches. Should be alright now ...

I had already tied up to the fenders prior to the Troy lock when the lockmaster came on the radio saying he would get me through and there is a "great" place to tie up for the night at the seawall at Waterford. I am not one to look a gift horse in the mouth so I went through the lock. By the way, this process is going to be a bit of a challenge alone since when the lock is flooded with water to raise the level, turbulence wants to shift the boat around and hanging on with one line leaves the boat free to want to knock the bow sprit into the wall. I was able to hold it off but am going to need to come up with a better way today. SO after transiting the lock, I attempted to follow the lock masters directions, but it was pitch black out and since the mast is down I have no radar, and even following the GPS I could not discern where to go to this wall. I am sure being up since 0230 in the morning had something to do with it. So I decided to move 2.5 nm further north to the place I had originally intended to anchor, which is where I am now. Brian and Rob, you should remember this spot. It's the place where the gas control valve went overboard! :-)
I made it, but the buoys were not in the places marked on the chart and I missed hitting 3 or 4 of then by a matter of a foot or two. They are small buoys and I was going slow so even if I had hit them, I don't think much of any damage would have happened, but still, it is an uneasy feeling knowing you can't see these damn things.

The first lock of the Champlain Canal is supposed to open at 0700, so I had better get going. I should easily transit all 11 locks today and will arrive in Charlotte tomorrow afternoon.