Mississippi river and sailboats?

PPPPPP42 · #1 (**permalink**) 4 Weeks Ago

Tried searching but the results were all over the place.

What experiences have people had sailing a boat on any part of the Mississippi river? I'm actually located on the St. croix river which seperates MN and WI and it dumps into the Mississippi. Used to go on the St. Croix alot in a '23 foot cruiser I had and sometimes a bit into the M. river (dodged a few barge groups) but I can't help but wonder if its even possible to easily navigate a sailboat on any of the rivers up here? Experiences farther south or on other rivers would also be useful to hear about. I wonder how easily a boat sails upriver too. I would be looking at a boat with a swing keel or if it were fixed a short shoal keel like on an oday 22 i was just looking at so depth really isnt a issue and know better than to play in the spring floods and other basic river issues.

OpIvy · #2 (**permalink**) 4 Weeks Ago

I sailed on the Illinois River when I lived in Central Illinois. Very limited depth and really was stuck with daysailing. Depends on the area that you are located but I would guess this is pretty standard for midwest sailing. I was lucky in that there was regular sailboat races and fleets in Illinois. Draft is about 3 ft maximum which will really limit your boat choices. I would recommend on seeing if there are any scheduled races and stick with what ever class of boat being raced. This should help protect re-sale value and get you out on the water.

If you have an interest in getting more experience, I would recommend getting certified and renting a bareboat. Just a thought.

guyfromiowa · #3 (**permalink**) 4 Weeks Ago

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PPPPPP42 · #4 (**permalink**) 4 Weeks Ago

I had forgotten about Pepin, bout an hour south by car and so out of my normal aquatic stomping grounds due to the piles of locks and dams here. Not outside of a day trip with a trailer though. Dunno about the Mississippi in its entirety up here but its fairly deep most places that I know of. The St. croix is extremely deep for a river. I'd only want a shallower keel to get in close to shore for the night or for beaches.

I wonder if a larger boat with a decent motor rather than a tiny outboard wouldnt be more prudent as I see long motor commutes in my future thanks to river traffic and currents. At least the wind on the St. Croix is notorious for blowing up the river valley from the south during the summer, really helps upstream passages, sometimes a little too much with the waves in the long valley. Plus there is ample room to tack without obstructing traffic or getting into oncoming boats.

The local yuppies do their regatta thing and play ring around the rosie in Lake St. Croix just south of the I-94 bridge but it seems to be a random mishmash of boats going in circles. I do see a few brands more common than others here though.

In all honesty I'm looking for more of a cheap basic weekender than a sailboat for racing but I've done the motor thing and was never in a hurry to get anywhere so why not sail.

sailingdog · #5 (**permalink**) 4 Weeks Ago

The Mississippi is a lousy river for sailing IMHO. The current is pretty strong, there's way too much traffic on it...etc..

tomwatt · #6 (**permalink**) 4 Weeks Ago

Quote:

Originally Posted by sailingdog

The Mississippi is a lousy river for sailing IMHO. The current is pretty strong, there's way too much traffic on it...etc..

Though I haven't cruised/sailed it, I would second that.
The volume of water moving is enormous, ergo strong current... and if you read Mark Twain, it's famous for treacherous eddys, whirlpools, and shifting sandbars. Even though we live in a modern age, the river won't be tamed. I have sat on the levy and watched whole tree trunks sail by.