Chicago to Mobile to Florida...Bridges...

[pizzazsdaddy]

I wonder if you fine folks could help me here. I'm possibly bringing a boat down from Chicago to South Florida the first week of September. My burning question is how do I get out of Chicago with a 19' Fixed Bridge VS a 19ft hardtop and radar arch plus attachments? Is there a convenient way around it? OR...Is there a reliable company up there that can drop the top and reassemble past that bridge if necessary? How do you folks handle it up there in order to go South?

Also, what other fixed bridges and potential trouble spots (aside from locks) after that one? Is it possible to run for only 6-8 hours a day and find nice marinas along the way via the Rivers to Ten Tom Waterway and down? Owner is not in a hurry. Prefers nice marinas. Any guess on the number of days getting from Chicago to the ICW? Any and all advice is welcome! Best suggested route?

[captainwjm]

The 19' Burlington and Northern bridge is the lowest point between Chicago and the Gulf. All other bridges either are higher - similiar to the ICW or will open. I've captained for an owner of a hardtop Carver who took on bags of sand to decrease the airdraft, removed all hardware on the hardtop, then waited for some low water. We made it with inches to spare (I forget his actual height). If you go in the late summer or fall, there should be more than the listed 19' clearance due to summer dry season. Check with Peoria Lock for currnet and forecasted water levels. There are a number of boatyards in the Chicago area that demast sailboats for thr trip south, perhaps they could assist with top removal, if absolutely necessary.

[captainwjm]

As to marinas, you want to go the Tennessee-Tombigbee route. Except for the stretch of the Mississippi and Ohio from the Illinois to the Tennessee marinas are regularly spaced. An 8 hour day is plenty of time to marina hop. The Mississippi/Ohio section is bare - only Hoppies south of St. Louis is a marina with fuel, and they have a shoaling issue, so call ahead. Read Active Captain and Quimby's Guide for anchoring information on the M/O sections. Check with the local Corps of Engineers for river level projections- levels could rise or fall 10/15 feet overnight depending on upstream rains. The Tennessee and thenTenn-Tom sections are easy by comparison. On them, the only snags will be the locks, you'll have to wait for the tows, and that could be several hours (my longest was at Pickwick - 6 hours!). The last 120 miles or so, from Coffeeville to Mobile is also bare, only Bobby's Fish Camp, so expect to anchor. No marinas in Mobile - Dog River, an excellent facility is at the mouth of Mobile Bay, but if you want to go ashore in Mobile, there is a free dock at the dowtown convention center.

[captainwjm]

As for time, figure on 3 to 4 weeks, its about 1000 miles. A lot depends on lock conditions, check with the CoE for maintenace schedules, and river levels - high water is just as bad as low water. My planning always included a lay day every 3rd or 4th day for fuel, maintenance and provisioning (not every marina is near a grocery, and most on the Tennessee and Tenn-Tom are in dry counties - we once rented a car and drove 50 miles to find beer and wine). Plus you'll probably need a rest break, we did. What you can't plan for is wait time at the locks. Tows have priority and most require double lockages (only half the tow will fit in the lock, so,they have to break the tows apart and lock each section seperately, a slow process). You can't, or shouldn't run at night or in fog, too many deadheads and other debris. And, if you don't have it, get an AIS and call when you detect a tow, they sometimes have to use the whole river to,make the bends, so they need to know where you are and you need them to tell you where to be while they negotiate a turn. Too many horror stories of fiberglass versus steel to not give wide berth to the tows. The monitor 13 and 16 and are happy to hear from you.

[dottieshusband]

As mentioned, in Mobile, you can stay at the Mobile Convention Center, free of charge. No power. Just need a copy of your insurance. Active Captain has the number for Convention Center Security to check in. Lot of traffic in the bay, so fender up!

[pizzazsdaddy]

Thanks CaptainWJM. A 57 Carver is exactly the boat we are planning to move south. Dreading that bridge! Is there a capable marina facility somewhere beyond that bridge that can put everything back together? How many sandbags? Would bilge flooding help.

[captainwjm]

Its been awhile; we just emptied the sand and trashed the bags, and did the reinstalls ourselves. We did not remove the hardtop as the water was down enough to make it through. I seem to remember Spring Brook Marina in Seneca had a good service yard.

[krush]

Bladders or drums full of water are easier than sand bags. Can also fill the bilges lol.

[captainwjm]

Bladders or drums full of water are easier than sand bags. Can also fill the bilges lol.

Yeah, don't fill the bilges. Sand is better than drums as you can place in the bilges and interior floors. You can get sand cheap locally - Home Depot, etc. If you have bladders, they're most likely for fuel - I wouldn't want to contaminate. Also, the Carver doesn't have much exterior deck space, so placement would be problematic versus a sport fisher.

[captainwjm]

FYI, here are the links on Active Captain for the BNSF bridge clearance calculator:

Bridge does not open, this is the low clearance point. Height is at normal pool, add or subtract if high or low water.It is reported that the easiest way to find out the clearance at this bridge is to call Lockport Lock at 815-838-0536. To calculate the clearance go to:http://rivergages.mvr.usace.army.mil...P&fid=&dt=SAdd 1.3 to the latest stage to convert to ngvd. Subtract the result from 597.2 low steel elevation (per Illinois waterway 2013 chart 101) and that will give you your bridge clearance.