Summer crazy/bucket list dreams:-Mississippi River Navigation/Locking thru?

[murphini]

I spend a lot of time over winter thinking up summertime fun ideas for our 24ve; some are doable, most are semi impractical, a few are outright bat$#*)-crazy. Love to hear any thoughts on these--or even your own crazy summer ideas that may just happen:

Implausible Idea #1: Mississippi River Pools/Locking Thru
A few years ago we were on the Mississippi between Prairie du Chien and Lacrosse, we rented a pontoon boat and stayed within one pool. It was very cool. We didn't have to "Loch Thru" to different pools, but looked pretty doable. So here's the thought:

Has anyone taken a Tige/Wakeboard boat and travel/camped with it up/down the Upper MIssissippi? Assuming no rain and staying in hotels in marinas, would it work? Or say Dubuque to Prairie Du Chien....or PdC to Lacrosse...or Lacrosse to Quad Cities....etc

Or rented a Houseboat in the upper Mississippi pools and towed a Tige behind it and lock thru to different pools?

Less Plausible Idea #2: Lower Mississippi/St. Louis to Ohio River
Anyone taken a Tige on the Mississippi south of Alton Pool, past the Arch/Riverfront down to Kimswick, or even up the Ohio River? My sense is lots of traffic and strong current on that stretch of the river without the locks...but just wondering.

Semi Plausible Idea #3: Towing boat to Powell or Paying a Boat Transport
What is the longest drive you'd tow your boat--Lake Powell is 1,000 miles or 17-18 hour drive over the mountains from where I live. Powell is on my Bucket List, but...when does it become better to pay a boat transport company rather than driving/towing your own boat?

Let me know if anyone has done any of these things--or other crazy-bucket-ideas you'd like to do

[Bakes5]

I've done the long distance towing thing a bunch. Usually works out fine...occasionally have issues. I've toyed with the long distance river trip but really would rather be kicking back at a lake house or on a houseboat than driving endlessly down river burning gas. Probably would get old after about 30 minutes.

Soooo, my rec would be tow it to powell and rent a houseboat or tow it to a nice lake and rent a lake house. Having done both several times, I think I prefer Powell if someone else is doing all the logistics and paying for it all. If I am in charge of everything (which is usually the case) then I prefer the lake house with a dock. Don't have to worry about storms, competing for camp sites, $1500+ in houseboat gas, etc. Powell is great but it is rarely as relaxing or cost effective as a nice lake house.....unless of course someone else is paying for it all and doing all the logistics.

[talltigeguy]

Murphini, did you get that idea from the Alliance wake/Malibu promo video here: http://www.alliancewake.com/wake/voy...icial-trailer/

They make it look like a pretty cool trip, but the shot of the guy eaten up with mosquitos or chiggers would be enough to steer me away.

[yllw20]

when i was a kid we started at kentucky Dam Marina (just east of paducah, ky) and navigated the tennesse river all the way to chatanooga. it was a 2 week trip I think about 500 nautical miles. there are 5 or 6 locks to go thru. you go from KY to TN to MS to al back into TN. It is best to do this in a group of boats. it was and awesome trip and once you are off the lakes and in the actuall river it was pure glass for miles on end.

We also did the lake barkley cumberland river to nashville which was much shorter of a trip.

Make sure you have ship to shore radio to call ahead to lockmaster to make sure you can get thru. one lock was a 90' difference which was pretty cool think that was the lake wheeler one.

Make sure you get navigational charts on these rivers and stick to the proper side of the bouys or you wont have much fun.

[murphini]

Tall- I didn't see the nautique blog but will look
Have also considered Kentucky lakes... Obviously a cruiser or houseboat would be better but where's the adventure in that
Powell would be epic & prob left to me to plan& pay
Have towed to Tablerock & Okoboji & stayed places w/ docks- like that a lot

Btw- my wife thinks most of my ideas are crazy anyway so I have to start outrageous so she agrees to the watered down versions

[luke]

If you plan to camp on Powell with no house boat be sure to bring a portopotty or the pooper police will ticket you and not let you camp till you get one

[supremedevice]

I take have taken quite a few Mississippi mini adventures, probably 60 miles or so one way from Hastings to near Winona, MN. That trip takes you through 3 Locks, which might take an hour more or less each to get through. We find a spot to camp on the shore overnight. It's really fun to just travel all day and explore the river, you just need to keep on the right side of the buoys and keep a keen eye on the weather and floating debris. It's definitely a different experience compared to lake boating. There are lots of Marinas and friendly people along the shores.

The river can flow pretty fast depending on recent rainfall and river width, so going north can be interesting and fuel consuming. Also, if you would have engine problems your boat would be at the mercy of the current.

We have even met people near Minneapolis who traveled up the river from Florida through the Gulf.

[boatwakes]

Powell. Powell. Powell. I have commercially driven a lot of boats in a lot of places and anywhere on the mississippi compared to Powell is nowhere I'd want to be. If you've got the vehicle, do it. You will not be disappointed.

[boardman74]

We used to have a 34 foot Carver Cabin Cruiser on the Mississippi. We had a lot of fun down there and went as far as St Paul to La Crosse. It was a long trip but fun. We could carry about 200 gallons of fuel and still carried extra as gas stops can be few and far between in areas. I doubt a wake boat would have the range to cover some of the distances between gas stops. I wouldn't want to do it in a ski/ wake boat. A big cruising boat is comfortable and has the amenities to be in all day…a Tige does not! The locks are pretty easy to pass thru, don't think that would be the issue. I think fuel might be.

[boardman74]

We used to have a 34 foot Carver Cabin Cruiser on the Mississippi. We had a lot of fun down there and went as far as St Paul to La Crosse. It was a long trip but fun. We could carry about 200 gallons of fuel and still carried extra as gas stops can be few and far between in areas. I doubt a wake boat would have the range to cover some of the distances between gas stops. I wouldn't want to do it in a ski/ wake boat. A big cruising boat is comfortable and has the amenities to be in all day…a Tige does not! The locks are pretty easy to pass thru, don't think that would be the issue. I think fuel might be.