The Erie Canal is a major component of the New York State Canal System. The 524-mile inland water route ascends 571 feet from Waterford to Buffalo. It connects 16 counties; over 200 cities, towns and villages; two Great Lakes; numerous inland lakes; and New York City, Canada and the rest of the world.

Sometimes sarcastically referred to as Clinton's ditch or Clinton's Folly after its main proponent, New York City Governor Dewitt Clinton, the original Erie Canal was indeed a ditch at only 4 feet deep and 40 feet wide. The hand-dug waterway crossed western New York through forests and swamps and over rivers and a mountain range with 83 locks and 18 aqueducts. The canal climbed from sea level on the Hudson River at Albany to Lake Erie's 571-foot elevation at Buffalo. This humble ditch, completed in 1825, opened a water route from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes and the Midwest.

The Erie Canal has operated continuously every navigation season since 1825. It was enlarged twice and in the 1910s modernized and mechanized, creating the NY State Barge Canal. The route changed, mostly in the central and eastern sections, using lakes and constructing dams to canalize rivers. The monumental stone arched aqueducts that carried the canal over rivers and were abandoned and, in many cases, destroyed.

There are 57 locks on the entire New York State Canal System. You will pass through 36 locks navigating the Erie Canal from Albany to Buffalo. Locks can be intimidating at first for the uninitiated but by the time you finish your journey, you will be an expert. Some basic knowledge of the operation is helpful. Locktenders on the system are very friendly and helpful to boaters so let them know if you are inexperienced or have questions.

What Is A Lock?

A lock is a water elevator. You come in on one floor and get out on the next. Large tunnels behind the walls are connected to portals along the chamber walls beneath the water surface, typically by manhole-sized openings that function either as inlets or drains. No pumps are used in the process. Gravity does its job and water seeks its own level. It takes the transfer of approximately 110,000 gallons to raise or lower the water level in the chamber one foot.

Preparing To Lock Through

As you approach, have your fenders out (most boats just leave fenders out for the entire canal), ready your lines and boathooks (a spare boot hook is handy) and give crew clear instructions. Be sure to evaluate the wind and how it may affect you once inside the lock. The flags at each lock are good indicators of conditions but your stern flag might suggest very different conditions. Gloves are recommended for handling and holding ropes. Hail the locktender on VHF Channel 13. Be prepared with your boat's registration number, either state or US Coast Guard. Most locktenders will ask for your boat length and registration numbers as you tie up to the lock wall.

A green light indicates you may proceed to enter the chamber. If the light is red, hold up at the stop line within the lock limits. If the wait is going to be more than several minutes, you might consider tying up along the wall. Allow other vessels to exit after the doors open before proceeding. If you are waiting downstream while the lock chamber is being emptied, significant water volume is added to the channel and the current will increase.

Entering A Lock

When entering a lock on the high side, stay far back at the stop line. Current increases toward the lock as water is drawn into the chamber. Proceed slowly. If the locktender did not tell you which side to use, then you can choose. Generally, eastbound vessels can expect a starboard tie throughout the canal, with a few exceptions. If other vessels are behind you, slowly pull as far forward as needed.

Entering a lock is similar to docking. Go slow. To secure your vessel along the wall, there are three types of lock attachments: pipes, cables and ropes. Pipes and cables area attached top and bottom. Loop a breast line from a mid-ship cleat or configure a spring line and use your power if necessary to stay along the wall. Ropes are the most common attachment method on the Erie Canal. The ropes are weighted but not usually attached at the bottom so it is best to have a deckhand fore and aft to hold the lines. Ropes are slimy and muddy. Wear gloves!

The locktender will close the gates behind you and then walk to the opposite end to operate the valves to either fill or empty the chamber. You can hear a mechanical noise as the gate valves in the tunnels are lifted. Lights atop an equipment box indicate the position of the gate valves. Three lights indicate that the valve is wide open. Filling a lock creates current inside the lock; emptying a lock does not.

The time it takes for the locktender to close the gates and walk to the other end of the lock provides adequate time to secure your vessel alongside the wall. If you experience any problems call the locktender on your radio. They carry portable radios. You may not be heard if you try shouting at the locktender. Wave your arms only as a distress signal.

As water enters the tunnels and the chamber through the portals, you will feel the current pushing you from the stern. The locktender will fill slowly at first and increase water volume as your level rises. In most situations, they try to operate the valves to keep a constant gentle pressure on your beam to help you stay on the wall.

​As the lock rise or falls, be mindful of the bottom, weighted end of the lock rope. A rope getting caught in locking boat propellors is a rare occurance but not unheard of. This would result in a cold, murky dive for the unlucky captain or deckhand. This is most likely on the taller locks where the ropes are longest, especially when being lifted. To avoid this, many boaters will direct the weighted end of the rope onto the deck and pile it there as the boat is raised.

Exiting A Lock

Wait until the doors are fully opened before exiting. Sometimes there can be a mechanical reason or debris preventing the gate from fully opening. If locking through with other boats, allow boats ahead of you to get underway. The order is first in, first out. Maintain a safe following distance. 

As you are leaving the lock wall, gently toss the accumulated rope and weight away from the boat as you exit the lock. Slowly proceed and watch for any logs or debris that could impact your prop. You may find strong currents when exiting the locks. 

For more bridge and lock schedules, as well as more information on navigating the Erie Canal and the New York State Canal System, see Waterway Guide Great Lakes Volume 1.