Salty Completes America's Great Loop

[BTDT]

Sounds like it's time to write a book on doing the loop? Favorite places to stop, what to take, where to get fuel, etc.. Sign me up for the first edition. :thup

 

[irlboater]

Jonathon,
Several of us are interested on where and how you got fuel on the Mississippi River below the confluence with the Ohio this year?

Thanks.

My 22’ C-Dory, Salty can carry about 55 gallons of gas. That gives me a theoretical range of 275 miles, optimistically. I have 2 twenty gallon gas tanks and 2 seven gallon gas cans that I stow against the gunnel just behind the cockpit steps. I use luggage carts to wheel the gas cans from land based gas stations.
Getting gas can be challenging downstream of Hoppies on the Mississippi River. My next refueling opportunity was up Little River Diversion Canal. I had read the blog of Pat and Patty Anderson aboard Daydream where they describe their ordeal getting gas at Scott City near Cape Girardeau. Three miles of shallow water to an interstate overpass to climb over rocks and walk the on ramp to the station. It was not the easiest way to refuel so I only made one run.
At the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers, I was prepared to walk the mile to the gas station from the boat ramp but the guys at Economy Boat Store, a barge refueling company in Wickliffe, Kentucky (mile 951) topped off my tank with 26 gallons.
I took on 40 gallons at Memphis Yacht Club (mile 736) and another 40 gallons at Greenville Yacht Club (mile 536).
An employee at Ergon Boat Store (mile 436) in Vicksburg drove to the gas station to top off my tanks with 14 gallons.
My next stop was to visit a friend on the Atchafalaya River. We made three runs to the gas station to take on 42 gallons of gas. That was enough to get me 247 miles to Sea Brook Marina in New Orleans.
Having the portable gas cans and the folding luggage carts to wheel my gas from gas stations has given me options in obtaining fuel and allowed me to get gas which is much cheaper than purchasing at marinas.
We enjoyed the challenge and adventure of refueling on the Lower Mississippi River.

 

[ssobol]

I haven't done it, but it occurs to me that if you're patient your could just drift down the Mississippi with the engine off or at idle, using it only when needed for avoiding obstacles, tows, etc. This would stretch the range a lot. At low engine revs, my flow meter calculates my boat range at over 400 miles on full tanks. At idle, the flow meter only registers intermittent fuel flow (when the engine low pressure pump cycles).

 

[thataway]

Thanks Jonathan. That is a good guide line for other C Brats who want to do the free running Mississippi. (Below the last lock/dam)

I haven't done it, but it occurs to me that if you're patient your could just drift down the Mississippi with the engine off or at idle, using it only when needed for avoiding obstacles, tows, etc. This would stretch the range a lot. At low engine revs, my flow meter calculates my boat range at over 400 miles on full tanks. At idle, the flow meter only registers intermittent fuel flow (when the engine low pressure pump cycles).

I have only done the upper 400 miles, and some of the lower 200 miles of the Mississippi., I would count on running the motor at a fast idle to give steerage way. A concern I would have is how the boat would orient in the river without steerage of the motor (ie broad side to current, or even stern down first) when driving by only the current.) Also it is easy to be thrown out of the main current where there are back eddies. If the wind is strong, it is possible for a high profile boat to be blown up river--so that can be a factor.

The current velocity can vary a great deal, but to make over 8 miles a gallon with the engine at a fast idle is entirely possible.

Low power vessels (row boats, canoes, kayaks and rafts do the Mississippi every year.)

 

[colbysmith]

Not that I would enjoy a lot of the loop at hull speed , but I wonder how far my 6 hp kicker would allow me to go on 40 gallons at 5mph? Colby