Planning on doing the loop in a few years once I retire. Our boat is a 1988 11 meter. Should be perfect for the trip as she is in tip top shape. Just need to add portable washer/dryer and first mate will be “on board”. Here is the question:
First lets start out by saying I am fully aware of the fuel cost (estimating $10-15K) to putt through the loop. So I am going into this eyes wide open, so its not the fuel cost that is prompting this question. It is more for greatly reducing the wear, and potential damade from under water hazzards. I cross the Mississippi quite often and sat along its banks watching trees, barrels, dead cows etc float on by looking for a prop to meet up with. So,,, here goes,,,,, I was wondering what the feasibility was to put a 30-40 hp 4 stroke outboard on my hard botton dinghy and let it push me down the river? Guessing if I prop it right, I could cruise aroung 6-8 MPH, and let my big screws just turn with the flow. I’d also run stop/start, throttle control to the helm, lock the outboart in so it cannot turn, and use my rudders to steer. Dinghy would be attached to swim platform, in a manner it cannot move from pushing. Fuel would pull from main tank.
Ok, floor is open and I have thick skin so fire away,,
