Boating from Tampa Fl to Chicago, IL

[dacust]

Originally Posted by Wavewacker

Go to "The Rivers & Waterways of America's Great Loop". It's by a guy who has done it several times and it's loaded with information. There are some turns you don't want to miss, best fuel stops, resturants and just stuff. Also talks about the boats of the GL and draft required and the bridges. Hope that helps.

Originally Posted by rickali

Send to me

I copied "The Rivers & Waterways of America's Great Loop", Googled it, and very first hit was:
==>The Rivers & Waterways of America's Great Loop.
Try Google sometime, you'll like it.


[rant]
Only problem is, I LOATH sites that have music. Especially sites where I want to click on a page, and go back to the main page over and over again. GAWD that's annoying, same little ditty playing EVERY time I go back to the page, only to be interrupted when I click the next link. And, worse, it interferes with the mp3s I am trying to listen to on my computer. GRRRRR!
[/rant]

-dan

[BELISLE]

Great site. Thanks for you help. Good information.

[rickali]

Thank you for the very useful info...I did not mean to be rude when I replied "send to me" without a "please" in front of it: I was using my tablet and thought I was forwarding the information to my e-mail address. My husband and I are currently "Loop dreamers" and educating ourselves regarding what boat to get, cost, etc.

My humble contribution to this thread is that if you come ICW, the area of Georgia, SC and NC is hauntingly beautiful and the sunsets breathtaking...but sand bars and shallow waters are very common. We have a 24' bowrider and always use our depth finder/GPS. By the time the depth finder goes from 8' deep to 0', you guessed it, time to push that baby out of the bank.

Good luck transferring your boat. We are fortunate to live in a country that it does not matter what direction we take, something fantastic appears in front of our eyes.

Happy sailing to all

[sailrj]

We brought our new to us Beneteau from Galveston, Tx to Kentucky Lake in the fall of 2010, and the trip up the Tenn Tom was a real pleasure. There are 14 locks, but typically have very little wait time. Cleared most in 45 minutes. Very little current, very reasonable marinas when we chose to dock, and every body was supper helpful. The Tombigbee River is extremely scenic and remote on the lower section. There is only one fuel dock between mobile and Demopolis, Al- about 100 miles up is Bobby's Fish Camp with gas, diesel and a few other supplies. After Demopolis, there is plenty of fuel and marinas. Did not see what type boat you have, but the bridge clearance on the Tenn Tom is 52' and that can mean stepping the mast in Mobile for some sailboats. Most marinas have courtesy cars for getting supplies. Again, it was a trip that was a lot of pleasure and easier than we anticipated. Good luck!!

[BELISLE]

Thanks for all the info. No problem Krawdad. All the info is good for everyone. We have not decided for sure if we are bringing the boat by water or trucking it. Checking rates this week.
Thanks gettingthere, I will check M & N Trucking. We would rather come up the TomBigee than the ICW. We have made the trip from Wilmington, NC to Sarasota, FL a few times. Do not like the sandbars in NC. We ran aground at Topsail Island for a very bad accident with children on board. That is why we brought it back to FL. Now we spend more time in Chicago, so we want it here. I am hoping that this trip is not any harder than the ICW around, then we will do fine.
Thanks for the help. Other ideas, please send!
Bel-Isle

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by BELISLE

Can anyone give tips on traveling from Tampa, FL to Chicago, IL. We have our boat in Sarasota, FL and plan on bringing it to Lake Michigan in Chicago, IL around April 25th. We have never made this trip and would like any helpful information.
Thanks,
Kim

Were you planning on going up the Mississippi? Many people take the trip south, but going north -- those river currents are WICKED. I don't think I'd want to try it in a sailboat going north.

[BELISLE]

We have a Silverton 43 Sport Bridge so we are power cruiser. We are debating this trip. Does anyone know how many days from Tampa to Chicago that it would take at about 25 mph cruising.
Thanks

[dacust]

Originally Posted by rickali

Thank you for the very useful info...I did not mean to be rude when I replied "send to me" without a "please" in front of it: I was using my tablet and thought I was forwarding the information to my e-mail address. ...

Ah. Well thanks for not taking offense to my reply.

Welcome to CF.

-dan

[River Cruiser]

Originally Posted by BELISLE

We have a Silverton 43 Sport Bridge so we are power cruiser. We are debating this trip. Does anyone know how many days from Tampa to Chicago that it would take at about 25 mph cruising.
Thanks

About $100.00 per hour;-)

[gettinthere]

It's about 1300 miles from Chi to Mobile. We did that in about 25 running days in a 6 knot boat.

You won't be able to run 25 all the time. No wake zones, locks, narrow channels with other boats present. And along the ten-tom the lockmasters like to keep the boats in a group. Several times boats would run off at 18 knots and then have to wait for me running 7 knots.
my WAG is that you could do it in about 10 days of running time plus any weather delays and lay days.
as for Tampa to Mobile, can you run straight from Tampa to Panama City? That should take 1 day with the right conditions. Then another 2 days to Mobile.

Make sure you have the fuel capacity. There is a section from Kentucky Lake to south of St. Louis that is 250 miles with no fuel stops or marinas. Downstream on the Ohio but upstream on the fastest running stretch of the Mississippi.

One option for you might be to run the boat to Demopolis or further up to Kentucky Lake and truck from there. Probably cheaper than the fuel bill and keeps you off the fastest running rivers.

[wsloan 908]

I may buy a power boat in Boyne Michigan and run her down To Tampa Florida probably using the East route. Any ideas on the best route to take. Thanks. Bill