Trojan Boat Forum

Welcome, and good luck with your journey. Did the last owner run the boat much or was it a floating cottage? When they did run it did they rotate their usage of all fuel tanks? If not they may not be healthy, make sure you investigate your fuel tanks to ensure there is no crud in them, this could really cause some problems, take lots of fuel filters as well.

Pat

Sorry I got ahead of you Pat, must be that time machine thing. I knew what you were thinking about the fuel tanks.

WOW! That was weird…. Thanks for taking over for me while I was still thinking or something??? One other thing, bring something to put under the filters when changing to catch dripping fuel, bring carb cleaner to help clean the filter bowls and lots of disposable towels to help clean up any messes. Finally, WOWZER52 hit it right on the head, if you have the extra cash because you stole the boat and the time, do the boat trip, take a journal and camera/video and record the whole trip. You will never experience any thing like it ever. Oh…. Take a couple of good anchors, chain and line, when traveling on a river there is a current and if your boat dies and you are unable to recover quickly, you need to be able to put on the brakes and take a dingy like WOWZER52 suggested.

First I want to thank all of you again for all of your input, advice and well-wishes -- they are greatly appreciated.

I had a chance to talk to my pilot again today and it turns out I misunderstood him. He says we should be able to average 10-12 mph (depending on currents) without pushing it. However, his estimate of "6-7 days" was off and didn't allow for time spent getting through the 17 locks that we'll have to transit. He has been up & down all of these rivers, except the Arkansas, several times but has never made the exact same trip as this one.

Anyway, we're planning on running at least 10 hours per day If we allow an average of 2 hours per lock, we end up with about 8 days running time plus another 1-1/2 day for lockage.

I called 3 marinas along the route today and they gave me current gas prices of 2.89-2.99/gal. So, if I figure 1mpg @$3.00/gal x 900 miles, I still come up with $2,700. Am I missing something?

I also checked with 2 "reputable" boat haulers and the lowest quote was $3500 because the 14' 10" beam will require escorts. This does not include the costs of removing the flybridge windows, loading, unloading and replacing the flybridge windows & roof. Either way I do this is not going to be cheap!

Finally, I was able to find out that the previous owner used both tanks regularly, but I will take your advice and check them anyway. I planning on spending a couple of days aboard her before we depart, just to make sure everything's in good working order.

G

I forgot, the previous owner just sent me an older pic with the top still on. Notice the "wings" on either side of the back of the bridge enclosure. She came with a set of tinted plastic windows (I don't know the correct term) that snap on to the aft sides of the bridge that make the aft deck weatherproof.
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The scariest part is that there are no marinas between the last dam on the Tennesee and Memphis so we'll have to run on one engine and carry a couple of 55 gal drums of gas on the afterdeck to be safe.

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that's scary allright.

Do not do this with gasoline.

you invite disaster and isk the safety and lives of your crew and those who risk thier own hides to save you.

not smart at all.

Find an alternative means to deal with this matter.

RWS

Your going to burn a lot of fuel at 10-12 mph as your going above hull speed . you have apox 38' water line length . that gives you a max hull speed of just above 8 knots (9.2 mph) any thing above that speed takes alot more power/fuel to achieve . And that speed is on a displacement hull a semi-displacement or plaining hull will be lower . Of course if the current is running with you you can add the speed to it or lose it if running into the current . I believe you will find your best fuel economy at 6-7 knots .

You say you have 290 mile run with no marinas or places to get fuel .
If this is true , are you sure its a place you get you boat thru ? I would think if this is a place a boat can run there has to be a place to get fuel .

can you give me more info as to the exact point to point on this part of your trip > (town to town )

there maybe fuel at boat ramps if there are any

Is it safe to carry fuel on deck and to refuel at sea? I wanna do the Bahamas this spring before gas goes back to $4 a gallon, but don't know if 75 gallon tank is enuff. Oh, and sorry, did not mean to hijack the post Grunts, please keep us posted and take lots a pictures.

seriously?

What maks you think that there is any way to strap 55 gallon barrels of gasoline to your deck?

Or even 10 gallon jugs?

Have you considered the expansion of the liquid AND the vapor while it cooks in the sun?

What happens in a rough sea?

What about static electricity?

Lighting ?

There are GOOD REASONS for ABYC codes for the PROPER INSTALLATION of permanently mounted, vented and grounded fuel tanks.

I don't mean to preach, but really....

RWS

I wuz just askin'. It's Gruntzengrones that plans to haul petro down the river to transport his boat to Arkansas. His hired Captain seems to think it is ok.

GruntzenGrones wrote:..........

Now for the fun part: She is currently docked on the Tenn-Tom waterway near Pickensville, AL and I have to get her to Little Rock on the Arkansas River. Don't know how many river miles that is, but the experienced "pilot" I have hired to help me get her here (and teach me how to operate her) estimates 6 or 7 days. The route is up the Tenn-Tom, then down the Tennessee, Ohio and Mississippi, then up the Arkansas. The scariest part is that there are no marinas between the last dam on the Tennesee and Memphis so we'll have to run on one engine and carry a couple of 55 gal drums of gas on the afterdeck to be safe.

Here is his second post.

foofer b
to carry it on deck on you boat is not a good idea where will the fumes go ans fuel if it spills ? right in to the engine room not good . its not real safe on that big boat on the aft deck on a river but above your engine in the ocean ? not good at all .

and don't say 4 bucks a gallon

Oh sorry, did not mean to cuss (about the _____ bucks a gallon) . And I was not seriously considering the fuel thing.

Gruntzen, If you must carry extra fuel check into a fuel bladder tank that is made specificly for that application.

If you going to carry extra the swin platform many be a safer place .