• Untitled Document

    Join us on March 29rd, 7pm EST

    for the CBEC Virtual Meeting

    All EYO members and followers are welcome to join the fun and get to know the guest speaker!

    See the link below for login credentials and join us!

    March Meeting Info

    (dismiss this notice by hitting 'X', upper right)

Mississippi river

Lorih

Member I
Anyone sailed down the mississippi ? We are leaving pepin wisconsin next week to sail to ky lake any and all info appreciated
 

907Juice

Continuously learning
Nope, that is too far to sail from Alaska... Scenery may be great but the commute is horrible.
 

Vagabond39

Member III
Ol' Man River

I thought about it. But, a couple of years ago, Jun 7 was when Lake Michigan was clear of Ice. And with the hurricane season on the other end! NOPE, TWO WERE ENOUGH FOR ME.
Bob
 

Lorih

Member I
Mississippi River sucks

Made it home..glad I went..but the mississippi is my least favorite river...yuk
 

toddster

Curator of Broken Parts
Blogs Author
and the Columbia River Blows

Sorry, just had to say it. 15-35 today, typical spring weather.
 

Lorih

Member I
Maybe all rivers stink.
After 24 or so locks, garbage water in St loius, wingdams, 30 mph straight at us winds, barges, low bridges. ..muddy water, ..hope open water sailing.is better than motoring.rivers
There were.some.nice things tho..loved when we could find a nice quiet place.to anchor. Beautiful sun rise.and.sunsets, bald eagles pelicans, sun and just enjoying.our boat. It.was.worth every minute
 

frick

Member III
Sailing the Mississippi River

Greetings,
It just so happens that I sailed on the Mississippi River in Iowa for many years.

1. The first plan to maintain a navigable depth was the placement of wing dams that pushed the water to the middle of river. It gave boaters and steamships about a 4.5 foot channel. There are markers on the end of each wing dam (Most of the time). Avoid a short cut over the wing dams. There are all rock.

2: The second plan was the Roller Dams. There hold back the water and give you a least a 9 foot deep channel. Beside each Roller Dam are locks to get from one pool to the next. Off the top of my head there are around 125 locks and Roller dams from St Paul to St Louis. Barge Traffic always takes precedence through the Roller Dams. Some days you can get through quickly... other times you have to wait several hours. Be nice to the Lock Master.

3: There are some incredibly beautiful sights along the River, and in the upper Mississippi there are many islands as well.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_locks_and_dams_of_the_Upper_Mississippi_River
www.mvr.usace.army.mil/.../Loc...

Now I am on the Great South Bay of New York's Long Island and enjoy salt water sailing.

Rick+
 

frick

Member III
correction on URL

Greetings,
It just so happens that I sailed on the Mississippi River in Iowa for many years.

1. The first plan to maintain a navigable depth was the placement of wing dams that pushed the water to the middle of river. It gave boaters and steamships about a 4.5 foot channel. There are markers on the end of each wing dam (Most of the time). Avoid a short cut over the wing dams. There are all rock.

2: The second plan was the Roller Dams. There hold back the water and give you a least a 9 foot deep channel. Beside each Roller Dam are locks to get from one pool to the next. Off the top of my head there are around 125 locks and Roller dams from St Paul to St Louis. Barge Traffic always takes precedence through the Roller Dams. Some days you can get through quickly... other times you have to wait several hours. Be nice to the Lock Master.

3: There are some incredibly beautiful sights along the River, and in the upper Mississippi there are many islands as well.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_locks_and_dams_of_the_Upper_Mississippi_River
www.mvr.usace.army.mil/.../Loc...

Now I am on the Great South Bay of New York's Long Island and enjoy salt water sailing.

Rick+

A PDF on Boating on the Mississippi River

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...dZ-pSdwZN9EdiwdbA&sig2=Gu33-tzgKDzCI-F6j2syLg
 

PDX

Member III
Maybe all rivers stink.
After 24 or so locks, garbage water in St loius, wingdams, 30 mph straight at us winds, barges, low bridges. ..muddy water, ..hope open water sailing.is better than motoring.rivers
There were.some.nice things tho..loved when we could find a nice quiet place.to anchor. Beautiful sun rise.and.sunsets, bald eagles pelicans, sun and just enjoying.our boat. It.was.worth every minute

No, the Columbia is a great place to sail. One lock (Bonneville Dam) between the Pacific Ocean and The Dalles, a little over 200 miles. One bridge low enough to interfere with sailboats (Vancouver WA RR Bridge). No garbage water. We've certainly got wing dams. And current. Wind and weather are things that can certainly mess you up but that is true anywhere.
 

Rick R.

Contributing Partner
I met a guy at our marina who sailed his Morgan 38 down from Wisconsin. He came down the Mississippi then ended up on Tombigbee River through to Mobile, AL where he had his mast re stepped.
 
Last edited:
Top