This loop takes cruisers from the Hudson River at Waterford to Lake Ontario via the Erie and Oswego Canals, to the northern shore of Lake Ontario, then down the St. Lawrence Seaway (past Montreal) to Sorel. From there, you can take the Richelieu River to the Chambly Canal to Lake Champlain and then continue on to the Champlain Canal back to the Hudson River at Troy.

This 750-mile cruise takes about three weeks actual cruising time, although it can be stretched out for an entire summer. A second option, which is slightly longer, is to take the Rideau Canal at Kingston to the Ottawa River and then onto the St. Lawrence River.