tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6208406.post6751407379249601609..comments2024-03-28T08:26:58.108-04:00Comments on Our Odyssey: Inland Rivers RecapLouisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06306854459459257368noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6208406.post-55752553300863482342017-01-10T14:36:38.347-05:002017-01-10T14:36:38.347-05:00Hi, I met Louise over on my quilting blog and fina...Hi, I met Louise over on my quilting blog and finally got around to getting to know her on her blog. I went to college at RPI in Troy NY, many years ago. My dad worked for the corps of engineers, and I got to travel through that lock once when he did an inspection. I also lived in Knoxville for a few years when I was a research scientist at Oak Ridge National Lab. Your adventure looks like great fun. Johttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02052482883285758098noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6208406.post-35898272424913710532017-01-08T18:48:57.315-05:002017-01-08T18:48:57.315-05:00Great blog. Glad you had a great trip. I'm a...Great blog. Glad you had a great trip. I'm also happy that you went all the way up the Tennessee to the source. Most Loopers miss that scenic section of the river.John E (m/v Fet-Esch)https://www.blogger.com/profile/11077381759988552577noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6208406.post-41007679852707782872017-01-08T10:52:22.854-05:002017-01-08T10:52:22.854-05:00Thanks for your comment.
Big, heavy, and single-s...Thanks for your comment.<br /><br />Big, heavy, and single-screw has not been any sort of problem for us. If anything, our displacement lets us anchor in places and conditions that many lighter vessels would find uncomfortable. There is an art to maneuvering a single screw, and I'd like to think that I've mastered it after some 14,000nm and 2300 hours at the helm. That said, we spent 45 hours or so training with a professional skipper when we bought the boat.<br /><br />Ease of docking and locking is more a matter of skill and experience than vessel maneuverability or number of screws. We've watched highly maneuverable twin-with-thruster express cruisers come into locks and not be able to grab a bollard to save their lives; it typically takes us less than two minutes to get secured. I would make an exception for single-handers -- some boats make that process much easier than others.<br /><br />Our draft is a different matter. At right around six feet in cruising trim, there are definitely places we can not go. We looked at lots of trawlers with 4.5-5' draft and those would certainly have opened up more anchorages and marinas to us, but so far that has been a minor inconvenience. And as I mentioned in the post, our air draft keeps us off the upper portion of the loop -- for now.<br /><br />The great inland waterways of the US are all maintained to at least a depth of 9', so if the waterway is open, we can get through.<br /><br />While I occasionally lament that I do not have another half a foot or so under the keel, I never wish for more engines or a lighter boat. Ever.<br /><br />BTW, the boat's name is Vector; Odyssey was our 40' bus that we were living in when we started the blog. We're still on an epic voyage so we kept the blog name.<br />Seanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17930398671280529448noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6208406.post-78499730053200020512017-01-07T20:23:44.550-05:002017-01-07T20:23:44.550-05:00Wonderful blog! Enjoy it very much. My question in...Wonderful blog! Enjoy it very much. My question involves Odyssey -- it is a big, tough, ocean-going single engine trawler. Do you think it has turned out to be a good choice for river and inland cruising as well? <br /><br />I would think a twin-screw, less cumbersome boat might be easier to dock and transit locks but I am interested to hear if my assessment is incorrect. You clearly have cruised successfully to date!jschieffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13071481756313076150noreply@blogger.com