Boat transportation from Gulf to Michigan

[slowgoesit]

Please follow up on this thread when the time comes to move it, lots of people could probably benefit from your experiences and insight on the move. Take care, and enjoy your new boat!

 

[rgano]

The admiral and I spent all summer in 2017 delivering a GB36 (roughly 8 knot max cruise) to Lake Michigan from the Gulf coast. While on the Mississippi being knocked around by swirls in the 4-knot current on a sweltering day with a wonky generator NOT providing any AC, she looked at me and said, "We are not doing this again!" I had offered and suggested another route, but the owner insisted.

In the end, due to mechanical and river delays, the owner got his boat delivered without a scratch, in better mechanical shape than when I picked it up at considerably more cost and time (he lost his planned late summer and fall cruising plan) than trucking it.

The delays inherent in river navigation as stated before here can be incredibly disappointing and frustratingly irrevocable. The costs involved with a professional crew in this environment go well beyond the same trip made on the back of a truck.

The very real dangers from debris causing serious damage are a daily challenge to avoid.

The next time somebody asks me to do that trip the answer will be not only no but hell no. I go up the east coast with the boat or not at all.

 

[OldDan1943]

The delays inherent in river navigation as stated before here can be incredibly disappointing and frustratingly irrevocable.
The very real dangers from debris causing serious damage are a daily challenge to avoid.
The next time somebody asks me to do that trip the answer will be not only no but hell no. I go up the east coast with the boat or not at all.

I totally agree. Traveling up the Mississippi River is, IMO, an unwise decision for many reasons.
The trip up the ICW may take a bit longer but, less stress and more enjoyable.

Side note: If I were the owner, I would want to travel part of the way for the enlightenment and experience.

The ONLY possible reason for transiting UP the river would be, the boat is being delivered to the west coast of Michigan or Chicago area. The reason is; have to drive all around Michigan.
The owner missed a wonderful opportunity to experience long distance cruising.

 

[Ftbinc]

We moved our boat in the spring of 2018 from green turtle bay (Ky lake Barkley) down the Ohio and up the Mississippi and Illinois to Chicago.

Get the boat to Green Turtle bay and wait for a weathe window when the St. Louis gauge is less than 15 feet. (Our boat is o Ky 100 HP and it slow going up the Mississippi but we made Alton IL I less than Five days.

The trip from Alton to Chicago was 4 days and much easier than the Mississippi portion. If you can cruise at 15 knots you should be able to do the Mississippi portion in less than five days (we were limited to less than 7 through the water.

Great trip. I would recommend you hire a captain that is familiar with the Mississippi between green turtle bay and Alton on the Mississippi. You will learn a lot about the wild portion of the Mississippi from them.

PM me if you want more information about our trip

I think my wife and I have found our dream boat and we are getting close to the end of our year long search. Like most dreams this one is a little more than we planned for but we think it’s the right boat for our family. I am looking for advice on how to get a 37 footer tug back from the west side of FL to southwest Michigan. I have two options pull the fly bridge and send it via a truck, or make part of the trip myself and pay a captain to take it up through Alabama and out the Chicago River. We want to do this in early April. Is going against the current an acceptable thing to do that time of year? Would we have to worry about high water in the spring really delaying a trip like that or making it impossible to pass in typical years? How big of a job is it to pull the flybridge from a boat? Does anyone have any experience doing that with their boat? I think Shipping it is going to be our best option but I don’t really know how to go about getting some shipping quotes any suggestions would be great. It would either be from Ft Myers Fl to Grand Haven Mi or Mobile Al to Grand Haven Mi. All advice would be appreciated! I would love to bring it home ourselves but unfortunately we don’t have the vacation time yet, at some point we will be making the trip going the correct direction.

 

[Comodave]

If you are going to truck it I would agree that you should remove the bridge yourself so that you will know how to reassemble it. And besides no one will do a better more conscientious job than you will. Good luck and take lots of photos and notes.

 

[Captain DJ]

Been there, done that

I agree with those who recommend making the trip on the boat. The problem will be your timing for next spring.

I believe there would be a pretty good chance of being delayed both on the Ten-Tom and Upper Mississippi in the early spring due to rain events. This year the Ten-Tom was pretty high until mid May with several closures due to flooding. The Mississippi was running pretty strong most of the summer this year also. Another issue you will face is the Illinois River will basically be closed from July 1-November 1 (barring delays) for lock repairs and I'd hate to plan a Lake Michigan trip in November!

I might suggest making the trip in 2 stages. Move the boat up to the Tennessee River or Land Between The Lakes area in the early summer when the rivers have a better chance of being at normal pool. Then you can winter the boat in that area and finish the trip in 2021, again a bit later in the season to have more favorable conditions.

We're planning on going up the Upper Miss. in either 21 or 22 and will most likely wait till late June to start however there are never any guarantees from Mother Nature!

Good Luck...

I have made this run from Ft. Myers to Tarpon Springs to Pensacola to Mobile up to Tennessee River via Tombigbee Water Way and did it on mid May. Not recommended at all. Use three times the fuel and all sorts of delays. Do as he recommended, wait untill June and make it to Land Between the Lakes, Green Turtle Bay is a great marina, then pick your next window of opportunity when Illinois river is open. Sorry to read it will be down for maintenance, otherwise you might be able to just go all the way. If you start say June 1st, you could make it through Chicago well before the fourth of July.
Beware of the shallows of the Florida coast where there is no intercoastal waterway, just cut across from Tarpon Springs on up to Pensacola and you will have a beautiful cruise.
I would do it again in a heartbeat, just not in April or May.