GL: Current on the Mississippi River

[tbehan6468 at aol.com]

Tom? - I lived and boated on the Mississippi for many years so?I can help with?some of your questions.

The one burning question is - When do you intend to make this trip ? The current in the Spring is much, much stronger then in the late summer and fall. Sometimes in late summer, you can have very minimal current. I don't really think you have the HP to try it unless the river current is minimal. If you try the river in early spring with just 15 HP, you will be going backwards due to all the snowmelt.

The US Corps of Engineers maintains a 9 ft channel in the river so your draft should not be a problem - as long as you stay in the channel. I would not consider going outside the channel at all if I were you.

I've never heard that the current is slower at night, I can't imagine any reason that would be so.

I would not recommend running at night. There's lots to hit - trees, etc. Been there and done that. And the towboats run all night too. They can be tought to spot sometimes at night. And if they put a spotlight on you (and they will), you will instantly be blinded.

Not sure about running with sails up. I don't recall seeing too much of that, maybe because the river twists and turns and you may have to dodge a towboat and barges. That sounds tricky if you're under sail.

I don't believe one side or the other has a slower current. The wing dams? tend to funnel water towards the channel in general.? 

Last - I would think you'll be lucky to get 50% of your 6 MPH normal speed going upriver on the Miss.

Hope this Helps.

Tim Behan

36' Monk

-----Original Message-----
From: Tom Felice <tafelice at yahoo.com>
To: great-loop at lists.samurai.com
Sent: Tue, 25 Nov 2008 12:05 pm
Subject: GL: Current on the Mississippi River



Hi,

I'm planning to take my sailboat from the Cumberland River to Lake Michigan.  
I'm concerned about the portion that I'll be on the Mississippi going upstream.  
The boat is 30ft and it draws 5ft.  It has a Yanmar 2GM rated at 15hp.  In flat 
water it will push the boat at 6 or 6.25 mph easily at my comfortable RPM range, 
about 2100.  

Will I be able to make way in the river current to where I have to turn off for 
Chicago?

I need to have my mast taken down for bridges that occur after the Mississippi.  
I can take the mast down more easily in Kentucky.  However, should I consider 
leaving my mast up to get use of my sails going against the current, then taking 
them down after I turn off?

I have heard, but not sure if it is true, that current is less powerful at 
night.  Is that true and if I have good electronic and paper charts and lights 
should I consider to steam at night?

Is one side or the other of the Mississippi having a slower current?

I have heard of the many bars on the river so running off channel is out of the 
question, to get slower current.

What should I plan on for velocity made good so I can plan my time?

Thank you,
Tom Felice
tafelice at yahoo.com
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