dingy options?

[Nate]

Well I've been kicking this around in my head.

Two years ago I took a homebuilt raft and took it 1700 miles down the mississippi.  It was a great trip.  Was thinking of doing it again in the Compac 16.  Right away a few issues come up.  

1)  Fuel.  My raft had a 15 hp 2 stroke.  Went through bout a gallon an hour wide open.    I carried 50 gallons on board because there were points where fuel stops were 300 plus miles apart down south where the towns are built behind the levees.  I realize for the most part the trip would be all motor, almost the whole time.  Some exceptions may be on the resivors that build up behind the 26 or so locks, but this system stops at St. Louis and then the river narrows up and gains a ton of speed.  I could do tests on new 2 or 4 horse 4 strokes, but I still think this could be a problem.  Basically the only requirement would be power for 300 continuous miles.  To gauge this, my experiance was that my raft would do about 4 MPH wide open on flat still water.  With the lower miss current I'd push about 7 or 8MPH.  Usually bout 70 miles a day.  Compac can do 5?  Plus current?  Up north there's a stop or town every day so that's no problem.  

2)  Dingy.  My raft had a 3 inch draft and I could  pull it right up to the rip rap and tie up.  I'd then walk right over the levee into town or at a marina this was even easier.  The main reason for stops was fuel and entertainment.  My thoughts here were that the compac would have to be anchored and then dingy in to the levee or shores (where most towns are a block or less away).  

There would seem to some to be no point in this (motoring a sailboat the almost the whole way) but I always intended to do it again, and why not in a real boat?  The effort would prob. not be worth it.  In the raft, I was able to stretch all out, eat sleep and live right on it.  I could camp on shore if I felt like it, but mostly didnt.  I bet a 2 man team on a compac 16 for a month would get a little too cramped, but maybe not.  Maybe if more shore camping was done (using the dingy of course as water levels drop overnight like the tide at times) maybe it would be worth it.  I'd love to hear some response to any long term trips and tips from anyone out there.
Nate

[Vince]

I have a 16 a do a week long cruise on it at least once a year.  I found the best secondary trasportation to drag behind it is a small one-man kayak.  The kayak does not disurb the 16 at all while under way, and I place my fuel storage container in the seat of the kayak so it is not in the way or it spills.  I drag it with about 15 feet of line so that it does not strike the sailboat when the wind dies suddenly.  It is easy to climb into and out of from the sailboat.  Some people think that there is not enough room when going ashore when using a kayak, but I have spent many continious nights on float trips in the same kayak.  Oh yea, it is a Mainstream, and it cost about $300.00.  Just get a kayak with adjustable foot rests.  Good luck on your next adventure, it sounds great.

[Nate]

Yeah, I posted that a long time ago and didnt know if anyone thought I was serious.  That sounds like a good option.  Right not I'm building a Bolger Nymph, but it's my first boat building project and it's looking very ugly!!!  I've fiberglassed all the interior seams and am waiting for the roll of fiberglass to come into the shop to get the bottom done.   If it floats and I can get a set of oars attached that will be great.  Of couse at 7 feet it will have to be towed, but a kayak would be a lot less drag.  If you say you can get in a kayak off your boat I believe you, but my sea kayak experiance though says this sounds like a problem.  I think the type of kayak you are talking about is much wider?  

I've dropped the idea for now of a re attempt at the entire river.  There's just more things to do with my time and money.  It 's just not fun to push all day.  However, the river is beautiful up north and I'm planning a week long trip on it.  Dont know where yet, but maybe the St. Croix then onto the Miss.  Problem is it will most likely be motor motor motor motor.  Where do you go for your week long trips?
Nate