JimB,
Your trip guide does an excellent job of covering the highlights of the ICW
and Erie Canal portion of the Great Circle tour. I hope  to read the rest.
But - you also write:

<<Up the Hudson there are no anchorages or free docks so you just have to

find the Marinas.  Some are inexpensive and practially falling in the water

but OK for a night.  We got hit by some bad storms on the Hudson, be ready

for rainy days and squally weather.  The river can be rough and has strong

currents.>>

Actually there are many excellent anchorages and state-of-the art marinas on
the Hudson. A favorite spot is the North shore of Croton Point, about 50
miles above the Battery on the East shore of the river. Croton Point divides
the wide portion of the Hudson into Tappan Zee and Haverstraw Bay. The
anchorage has a sandy bottom and is well protected and easy to enter. It is
just offshore of a very well maintained county park and in the summer has a
lifeguarded swimming beach. On a hot July day, you will see upwards of 50 bo
ats anchored in the area. The anchorage is within a short row of a free town
dock. Supermarkets and shops are a 5 minute walk away, as is a commuter
railroad station to New York City.

Haverstraw Marina on the other side of the river is one of the largest and
most modern on the East coast. It is a full service marine area with fuel and
mechanical services. The strip of the Hudson between the GW Bridge and the
Bear Mountain Bridge has anchorages and marinas in plenty. Above the Bear
Mountain bridge there are anchorages and marinas near Cold Spring and West
Point (with reservations). Kingston, about 75 miles above the Battery has a
town dock with a nominal service charge and at least a dozen full service
marinas. There are protected anchorages in the tributaries of the Hudson just
below Albany. The Troy Town Dock has fuel and marine services, canal charts,
temporary haybale fenders, and several fine eateries. You can also buy your
canal pass here.

The haybales I mentioned are a necessity. As you probably discovered, the
Federal lock at Troy has very rough walls with holes in them big enough to
swallow the Queen Mary. The NYS Canal locks are well maintained but before
you complete the trip you will pass through more than 40 locks. Locking
through, even on the high lift locks, is easy once you get the hang of it.

I concur that the Hudson can get rough and stormy, especially in the lower
portion. The mountains channel the wind and amplify its effect. However the
rainfall is no better or no worse than any other part of the NorthEast. You
just were unlucky.

Larry Zeitlin
PUFFIN
Cortlandt Manor, NY

Larry,

 We have also enjoyed the marinas at:

       Tarrytown - market about a 5 minute walk - also visit the Old

Dutch Church and Grave Yard of Washington Irving fame - a short cab ride.

      Hyde Park Marina  Good rest on the site - also visit the homes of

FDR and Elinor Rosevelt , The Rockfeller Mansion , and Mills estate, Vassar
College and the Best of All have dinner a the Culinary Institute of
America - the only 5 star rest's that I can afford - make resv  as early as
possible at the CIA

      Coeymans Marina at Coeymans -- good docks- good fairly priced

service - propane fill on site  - good mgt and a good rest - with the
cheapest fuel in the area . Just below Troy and a lot more reasonable ..

Fendering  was not a problem on the Erie - waterford to Buffalo and
return - I usually  rig a 12 ft  2x4 plank outside of our normal fendering -
just because it slides more easily on the walls of the locks .  Many of the
locks have been redone  and others are in the process of
refurbishment ..

For those who  prefer the hay bales - the poly feed bags  may be

available at your local feed store for about 30 cents ea and a bale of hay
may cost about 3 bucks - so for about 10 bucks  one can rig  about 10 such
fenders - though I do not find it necessary ..

All the Best
Ken
Mrs. Hudson