Trojan Boat Forum

Yeah, I had already decided that fuel drums on the deck was a really bad idea - I've learned that the 'Bama boaters are some real cowboys. Anyway I found a way around the problem.

Just for fun here's the route stats:
1. From Pickensville Marina up the Tenn-Tom Waterway (northbound against a 1-2 kt current) to Tennennessee River = 143 mi (8 locks)
2. Up the Tenn River (this rivers flows south to north with 1-2 kt current) to the Ohio River at Paducah, KY = 215 mi (2 locks)
3. Down the Ohio (with a 2-3 kt current) to the Mississippi at Cairo, IL = 47 mi - no marinas on this reach
4. Down the Mississippi (with 3-4 kt current) to Memphis, TN = 217 mi - no marinas along this reach until Memphis
5. Memphis (with 3-4 kt current) to Arkansas River = 153 mi - No marinas
6. Mouth of Arkansas River (against 1-2 kt current) to Destination = 128 mi (7 locks) - marina at mm 80.
Total - 903 miles - 17 locks.

The Ohio and Mississippi are "Working" rivers and the barge line folks do their best to discourage pleasure boaters. They rarely let you even tie up their docks unless it's a life or death situation. My pilot has made the trip between Memphis and the Tenn River twice and both times had to make arrangements with a commercial fuel service to have fuel delivered at Hickman, KY. They charged him a $100 fee just for the delivery and the fuel price was jacked up @ $.50/gal.

It turns out that there is a public landing on the Missouri shore about 80 miles below the confluence of the Miss & Ohio Rivers and I have a cousin who is a large farmer, who lives about 45 miles away and has a fuel truck with a 200 gal tank and 100' of hose. He says he'd be happy to bring me some gas. One problem solved -- thank God for family!

The next problem will be the 233 mi stretch between Memphis and mm 80 on the Arkansas, but I imagine I'll work that out too.

How would you get it from the swim platform/bladder/barrels to the gas tank?

foofer b wrote:How would you get it from the swim platform/bladder/barrels to the gas tank?

Calm seas and lift , You would have to use containers of the size that you can handle . I am not saying this is a great idea but its the safest place to carry extra fuel containers if it spills at least it won't go in the engine room

or do it right and add a fuel tank ?

can't you buy fuel in bimi ?

prowlersfish wrote:can't you buy fuel in bimi ?

Yes among other stuff.
I also agree that below deck tankage is best.
foofer b............>>
What kind of fuel consumption do you get at cruise? What is range of 75 gals?
I would expect Bimini is reachable on a good day with your vessel without extra fuel. 50 mile crossing you should have good safety factor.

Ready123 ... same thing I was thinking. You would figure that there'd be a safety buffer for sure.

hey foofer-b start a new tread this one is getting hi-jacked away from it's starter.

my bad i see you did.....

why not simply "truck it" ?

The possibilty and costs of a breakdown while underway go to ZERO.

"truck it" "truck it" "truck it" "truck it" "truck it" "truck it" "truck it"

RWS

RWS wrote:why not simply "truck it" ?


"truck it" "truck it" "truck it" "truck it" "truck it" "truck it" "truck it"

RWS

Sounds like an old country song from the 60's

Chicken truck, chicken truck, chicken chicken, truck truck

RWS:

I thought of trucking it and got 2 "preliminary estimates" of around $2500, then they looked closely at the routes and the lowest of the 2 quotes jumped to $4000 (the 14'10" beam requires oversize permits and escort vehicles) plus loading & unloading costs, plus I'd have to pay to remove/replace the rest of the flybridge cover. It's not gonna cost me a whole lot more than that (if any) to run it and I would miss out on the piloting experience and the adventure.

As far as breakdowns go; if I was gonna worry much about that, I guess I'd never leave the dock . I took a good look at the route and it turns out that I'll have family and/or friends within 3 hrs drive of any point along the Ohio, Mississippi and Arkansas rivers, and there are marinas all along the Tenn-Tom and Tennessee, so I've got a pretty good support network.

GruntzenGrones wrote:RWS:

I thought of trucking it and got 2 "preliminary estimates" of around $2500, then they looked closely at the routes and the lowest of the 2 quotes jumped to $4000 (the 14'10" beam requires oversize permits and escort vehicles) plus loading & unloading costs, plus I'd have to pay to remove/replace the rest of the flybridge cover. It's not gonna cost me a whole lot more than that (if any) to run it and I would miss out on the piloting experience and the adventure.

As far as breakdowns go; if I was gonna worry much about that, I guess I'd never leave the dock . I took a good look at the route and it turns out that I'll have family and/or friends within 3 hrs drive of any point along the Ohio, Mississippi and Arkansas rivers, and there are marinas all along the Tenn-Tom and Tennessee, so I've got a pretty good support network.

Be sure you have good unlimited towing insurance in place before you leave the dock it can be gotten for a reasonable price

I'm doing a 74 42 ft wood hull.you will have to locate a dealer that has phillapien mahogony and mill it to aprox 13/16 for side boards. if your is built like mine ,plywood/plank combo . If it is the material is ususlly 5/4 " when you buy it.As for the deck how much work do you want to do ,or how much less do you want to do .the teak is nice but decks leak
even when you keep them up .I sealed mine with clear pennitrating appoxy sealer and 3 coats of rubberized grey like paint.Idont have the teak ,but I don't have the leaks,you can always clear seal and clear coat ,more work now less later.Oil is great but stay up on the seams they will leak and fresh water rots wood .your rear deck takes most of the traffic so I cleaned /brittened and topped with 2 coats of poly.
Even when cleaned the mahogany trim will darken fast so I did the same as the aft deck.Which included all the salon /kitchen area.Make sure you buy a bung cutter there pretty cheep and handy.and as a carpenter with all kinds of tools the best on to buy is one of the multi tool type (Igot the ROCKWELL it is hundreds less than the FEIN MULTI TASKER ).With it you can draw a line and cut off portions of a plank at a rib area instead of replaceing a full lenth.
For the trip extra points/condenser/coil ,feeler gauge.
Befor I bought mine I went to see one in Little rock on the Ak river ,most all had covered slips, that should make some of your work comfortable .If I can help you drop me an email . wood is good john

prowlersfish wrote:

foofer b wrote:How would you get it from the swim platform/bladder/barrels to the gas tank?

Calm seas and lift , You would have to use containers of the size that you can handle . I am not saying this is a great idea but its the safest place to carry extra fuel containers if it spills at least it won't go in the engine room

or do it right and add a fuel tank ?

can't you buy fuel in bimi ?

Ray, my f26 has the fuel inlets in rear below the Teak Railing. Now you could put two 55gals drums on swim plat form and use Manual Hand Fuel Transfer Pump to fuel the boat.





http://www.tank-depot.com/productdetail ... 0&ref=base

But will it hold that much weight ? , I was thinking a few cans no drums
If he gets the fuel burn right he wont need much


We have side tracked the thead we need to get it back on track this subpost to be about View previous topic GruntzenGrones
42 ' trojan