Good River Boat

[unbusted67]

Originally Posted by Curmudgeon

The perfect river boat: 1988 Coaster 33 Ketch Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com

That is a very nice boat, a bit out of our price range and geographical range as well. Is that a nitrous tank in the engine compartment? That really would make it the "ultimate river boat". We have been looking at Nor'sea 27 and Flickas and Danas to. I like the pocket cruiser theme.

[Pblais]

more I hear the more It sounds like the attraction is the tributaries and lakes and not the Mississippi itself, particularly South of St Louis.

I lived near Lock and Dam #1 and canoed about 150 miles of the river north of that. The hard part is the river is very dynamic in terms of shoals and depth. Once you get out of the maintained channel south of the Ohio and outside the main shipping channels any place there are few charts that can be relied on. The annual flooding changes the river every year so local knowledge only is good for a year or two. There is a lot to see in the back water areas but you would want a dinghy or John boat.

The TennTom has a lot more scenic quality as does parts of the Ohio. You could then skip the lower Mississippi. The upper part June through early October is a great place. The early part of the season has flooding and debris like the it was the the largest river on the continent and the later part gets cold. Migratory birds and shore wildlife are quite plentiful.

[Curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by unbusted67

That is a very nice boat, a bit out of our price range and geographical range as well. Is that a nitrous tank in the engine compartment? That really would make it the "ultimate river boat". We have been looking at Nor'sea 27 and Flickas and Danas to. I like the pocket cruiser theme.

The tank in the engine compartment looks like a fire extinguisher to me.

[Cheechako]

"This boat didnt float..." Yea, the "Land of the Free" aint so free any more....

[Cheechako]

These are pretty shallow and roooomy.. $17K and 33 ft! burnabyautomall.com/freedom

[unbusted67]

So far my ultimate river boat would be 24 ft, have a 25 hp diesel inboard, come with a trailer, tabernacle, woodstove and run about $12,000. And this is a fantasy. 0 hits on yacht world unless you live in England.

[SkiprJohn]

I think any 25 to 27 foot boat should be good for a couple. Shoal draft, swing keel or daggerboard for those shallow areas would be a plus. You just need enough food and water and fuel to make it to the next marina so you can pack light. I don't know the rules about marine heads on the river but I suspect you need a holding tank or portapotti.
I checked out Lighthouse Marina and Green Turtle Bay while there last month. Great places! Seemed like there were a gazillion Hunters for sail. I'd get a Columbia, Catalina or some such other production boat of an earlier vintage.
I always wanted to do that trip.
regards,

[SkiprJohn]

24 footer would be ok too. You certainly don't need 25 hp. Too much power.
What's wrong with this one? 1979 O'Day sailboat for sale in Pennsylvania
regards,
J

[unbusted67]

Originally Posted by SkiprJohn

You certainly don't need 25 hp. Too much power.

J

I was thinking of a motor sailor. I'm trying not to underestimate how much of this trip would be done under power. It would be nice to be able to go up river too.

[SkiprJohn]

Your motor will only go as fast as maximum hull speed will allow on a displacement hulled boat. If you have a 6 knot boat and you are going against a 3 knot current, no matter how much horsepower you have you are not going to go faster than 3 knots over the ground. I remember a sailor here who put an Oldsmobile V-8 diesel in his sailboat and of course it only pushed him as fast as hull speed on his 44 which was about 8 knots.
There are a few small pilothouse type motorsailers around but they are really hard to come by.
Good luck in your search.
regards,

[unbusted67]

Originally Posted by SkiprJohn

Your motor will only go as fast as maximum hull speed will allow on a displacement hulled boat. If you have a 6 knot boat and you are going against a 3 knot current, no matter how much horsepower you have you are not going to go faster than 3 knots over the ground. Good luck in your search.
regards,

Yup I am aware and wary of the hull speed equation. Which isn't to say though that on average a 30ft trawler will have a bigger engine in it than a 30ft sailboat.

[unbusted67]

Originally Posted by unbusted67

So far my ultimate river boat would be 24 ft, have a 25 hp diesel inboard, come with a trailer, tabernacle, woodstove and run about $12,000. And this is a fantasy. 0 hits on yacht world unless you live in England.

...oh and have a pilot house too.

[SkiprJohn]

Sorry, didn't realize we were talking powerboats.
Good luck in your search.
regards,

[unbusted67]

Originally Posted by SkiprJohn

Sorry, didn't realize we were talking powerboats.
Good luck in your search.
regards,

Oh no don't get me wrong I would much rather do it in a sailboat but I am being cynical ahead of time and thinking I ought to plan on motoring a lot. Ideally I would do it in a motor sailor like a Nimble Kodiak or one of these: 1982 Island Plastics IP24 Motorsailer Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com
But like you said that kind of boat is a bit hard to come by in the states.

[Pblais]

Oh no don't get me wrong I would much rather do it in a sailboat but I am being cynical ahead of time and thinking I ought to plan on motoring a lot.

I think you could say that was a given. At the most basic level it's a reliable engine with space enough for two people and all your stuff. Smaller boats require less power. You'll want a good anchor and rode and sizable tanks for adequate fuel and water. You need a holding tank for your head or a porta potty. On a long term basis a porta potty is a big hassle. The internal diesel will provide a lot more reliability. An Atomic 4 gasoline engine would do just as well. I would skip the wood stove and go white gas for cooking on a portable stove if the boat does not have a stove already. Alcohol isn't that bad either even if propane is better. A fridge would be nice, but an ice box could do. The wood stove in the summer just won't be desirable and on a small boat it will smell bad and overheat the cabin and maybe start you on fire. You need nav lights and all the USCG equipment. Be nice if it wasn't hideously ugly too.

You might be over thinking this river boat. I would work with your budget and find the boat in the best condition possible and plan on a June start preceded by a shake down trip with some extra cash to work out the kinks. Repairs on any budget boat can consume another 50% to 70% of the purchase price if the boat isn't sound. Since you are on a tight budget don't fool yourself into thinking you have unlimited options or an ideal boat. From the pool of boats for sale that you can afford and actually go look at just pick the best one and go. In a real sense there can't be more than few hundred boats you could actually buy that meet the broadest criteria. Computing the perfect boat is more of a hobby than sailing one.

Sounds like a fun adventure.