Missouri River Cruising

[VESHAY]

I live in Omaha and would be willing to help facilitate a Missouri River cruise for CD owners. There are 700+ miles of navigable river. 116 from Sioux City to Omaha, 250 more on to Kansas City, 336 more to St. Louis. There is a 500 mile stretch w/o fuel from Omaha to Columbia, Missouri. so logistics there tough. Sioux City to Kansas City might be doable in CD22 if you carry some extra fuel. There is strong current that we could use to our advantage on downstream cruise. Anyone interested in discussing?

[Miafun1]

Sounds interesting! Looking forward to reading more discussion on this.

Dan

[rich&judym]

Vince,

We have been trying to plan a Missouri River trip for this year and perhaps you can provide answers to a few questions. Where is the best place to launch and have a safe place store the tow vehicle? Is it navigable from Ponca State Park on down river or just Sioux City? The fuel situation seems to be the biggest drawback. I see the longest stretch to be St. Joe (mm452) to Glasgow, Mo. (mm226), however, I have not called to confirm fuel availability at these locations. Appreciate any input you may have.

Rich & Judy

[Joni Lynn]

I have been thinking about that trip for years and would love to join you, but it's not going to happen this year. We've too many other things going on this boating season. My plan always was to start just belowe the dam at Yankton, SD. The current runs pretty swiftly there, but it's navigable....especially on a C Dory. FYI, the marina at the Lewis & Clark Rec. Area at Yankton has secure storage inside a chain link fence. Well......they used to anyway, and I'm guessing that program still exists. Years past I used to sail on the lake above the dam and as of late have trailered the Joni Lynn up there several times and always found the folks in the marina very accomodating. I can't see any reason why they wouldn't store your outfit while you were floating down river.

I lived in the Sioux City area for a number of years and have spent lots of time on the Mo. River, both around Sioux City and upstream a few miles from Omaha. It's a fun river, but also demands lots of respect. I'm guessing that right now because of the severe draught in the midwest, the river is pretty shallow in some areas. But, for a C-Dory, it's definitely navigable.

Anyway, I hope you can make the trip and I'll be curious to know how it all works out for you. Take lots of good notes, as I may well want to use them within the next couple of years.

Paul aboard the Joni Lynn

[VESHAY]

Quimby's guide shows fuel in Omaha at NP DODGE PARK MARINA
MM 627.4 and not again until COOPERS LANDING in Columbia at MM 170. This is the reason for my offer of support. I make that as 457 miles. River is channelized to Sioux City and channel maintained. River to dam is not channelized, but has adequate flow because of prescriptions for release. COE manages river levels via releases from big upriver reservoirs. Plenty of water all summer this year in spite of drought, althought NOTHING like flows in 2011 when river was closed. COE was dumping water all of 2010 to make storage room for anticipated inflow in 2012. 2011 was a great year to own a boat on Missouri River.

[Boont Boater]

I think that a trip like that would be great. You could get that whole Lewis and Clark thing going. Unfortunately it's going to be a couple of more years before I can take that kind of time off. I wonder if several boats could get a special fuel delivery - assuming that there's some kind of docks along the way.

I hope it works out.

[texasair]

We are considering the Missouri River this June. I take a folding luggage cart that transports 2) 6 gallon gas cans with ease. We often get gas at river towns at regular gas stations and convenience stores that are a short walk from the river. They are easy to find using Google map search.
I just did a quick check and found gas within 3 blocks of the river at the following towns.

Brunswick, Mo
Glasgow, Mo
Boonville, Mo
Leavenworth, Ks
Atchison, Ks

It may take a couple of trips to get enough gas at only 12 gallons per trip, but at our age, we need a bit more exercise anyway.

Even places where the gas may be too far to walk, gas can still be had.
I have had folks at boat ramps offer rides.
Many small towns have a small independent cab service, they will do a gas station trip for a reasonable fee.
Stop at any town with a Domino's Pizza, and as long as it is not lunch or dinner time when they are busy, the delivery driver will haul gas for about the same tip as they get to deliver pizza.
Also, one of the most eager and underpaid people that are sitting around with not much to do most days are flight instructors. Any town with a small flight school has a starving flight instructor with a car that can be hired for a gas run. On 2 occasions I have hired flight instructors to drive upriver and drop me and the boat at a launch point and shuttle my truck back downriver.

Last year on the Ohio River a man was mowing his grass in a small town and watched as I walked by carrying a gas can, He sat the gas can on the mower deck and let me ride straddling the front hood, and proudly drove me back to the landing where Sharon and Bixby's Cub were waiting.

Never tried it, but if you had 2 or 3 boats and could purchase 100+ gallons, it may be possible have a fuel service meet you at a landing, boat ramp or bridge. These are the guys that bring fuel to construction companies and farmers

I like the areas without marinas, No marinas, no cigarette boats, no jet skis. The more miles it is between traditional gas stops, the more you will have the river all to your self.

[Sunbeam]

I was just thinking about that idea last night. When I was sailing most re-fueling was done this way, i.e. taking jerry jugs to shore, walking to the fuel place (when the containers are empty you can use a short piece of line and hang them around your neck sort of like a yoke), and then getting a ride (local, taxi, etc.) back to the dinghy with the full containers.

One uses a lot more fuel on a C-Dory; but then you would only have to do this occasionally on "special" voyages that demanded it. Like you say, it could get you over the hump on something like the Missouri.

[Joni Lynn]

I agree with Tex. I don't think you'll find it too difficult to purchase gas along the way. If the river from Omaha to St. Louis is anything like the river above Omaha, every so often you'll find little communities of maybe 10 - 15 summer cabins/mobile homes each having a little fishing dock and sharing the same launch ramp. These little communities are not on a map and are typially local kinds of arrangements where a farmer will lease out a little spot on the river and you put on your own cabin. They may be 20 miles from town, but those folks are generally pretty sociable and I'm guessing would be more than willing to help you find gas for your boat. Chances are they'll offer you a beer while you're discussing the logistics of it ! In any event, your finding lots of convenient "services" right on the river I think may be rather difficult, but if your only concern is finding gas i don't think you'll have a problem.

As I said earlier, I'd love to make that trip but it's just another one of those things that'll have to wait for another year. Too much to do and too little time to do it.
Paul aboard the Joni Lynn

[rich&judym]

I found an interesting pamphlet on the USACE Kansas City site. It is a guide to recreation and visitor safety that was made for the Lewis & Clark Bicentennial and the Lower Missouri River. It provides both boater as well as historical information for the Lower Missouri.

Rich & Judy

[suemutt]

We live in Kansas City and would be more that happy to help with gas trip. we don't have a c-brat yet but I am looking forward to that day. I have been dreaming of this trip for a couple of years. I want to go all way to New orleans.

Sam and Clara Davis