Canal Speed Limits
View Map of Canal Speed Limits
Canal Speed Limits are established to regulate the speeds of vessels transiting through the New York State Canal System in a way that minimizes wake damage to residential property and canal infrastructure, while ensuring that recreational and commercial boaters have a safe and enjoyable experience on the waterway.
Locks along the Canal System are set up to admit traffic through based on travel times in accordance with established limits, so exceeding the speed limit when traveling from lock to lock will not result in traveling through the Canal System more quickly. Boaters who exceed the speed limit may be subject to fines and may have their Canal pass revoked.
Speed limits established for vessels traveling through the Canal System do not necessarily apply to smaller recreational vessels using the rivers, lakes, and reservoirs which comprise the Canal System, but not traveling through the locks. Operators of these vessels should ensure compliance with all aspects of New York State Navigation Law 
, as well as local ordinances and advisories, observe "No Wake" restrictions, and boat safely and courteously.
Champlain Canal
- C-12 to C-8: 10 MPH
- C-8 to C-7: 5 MPH
- C-7 to Crocker's Reef: 45 MPH
- Crocker's Reef to C-6 (land cut): 10 MPH
- C-6 to Northumberland (approach piers to land cut): 45 MPH
- Northumberland to C-5: 10 MPH
- C-5 to C-4 cut (bridge): 45 MPH
- C-4 cut: 10 MPH
- C-4 to C-1: 30 MPH
- C-1 to Waterford: 30 MPH
Erie Canal
- E-2 to E-6: 5 MPH
- E-6 to E-12: 45 MPH
- E-12 to E-16: 30 MPH
- E-16 to E-17: 10 MPH
- E-17 to Guard Gate #4: 5 MPH
- Guard Gate #4 to E-21: 10 MPH
- E-21 to Sylvan Beach Breakwater: 5 MPH
- Oneida Lake: No Speed Limit
- I-81 Bridge (E-63A) to and including State Ditch Cut: 10 MPH
- R "408" at western end of State Ditch Cut to E-26: 30 MPH
- E-26 to E-32: 10 MPH
- E-32 to E-33: 5 MPH
- E-33 to Three Mile Island: 10 MPH
- Three Mile Island to Niagara River: 5 MPH
Oswego Canal
- Three Rivers to O-2: 10 MPH
- O-2 to O-3: 5 MPH
- O-3 to O-6: 10 MPH
- O-6 to O-8: 5 MPH
Cayuga-Seneca Canal
- Cayuga-Seneca / Erie Canal Junction to Lock CS-1: 30 MPH
- CS-1 to Seneca Lake: 10 MPH
- Seneca Lake: No Speed Limit
- Southern Seneca Lake, Watkins Glen to Montour Falls Navigation Channel: 5 MPH
- Cayuga Lake: No Speed Limit
- Southern Cayuga Lake, Ithaca Navigation Channel – 5 MPH
Onondaga Lake Cut
- Junction to Lake: 5 MPH
- Onondaga Lake: No Speed Limit
- Lake to Inner Harbor: 5 MPH
Genesee River
- Erie Canal to Corn Hill Landing: 10 MPH