Trilogy will soon be for sale. At this writing in mid-March 2022, we are preparing this great boat for sale. The wonderful trailer will be offered for sold separately. Why? We needed a bit larger living space to adapt to the changes in our lives.
The Inland River System: A Fall Trip On The Tennessee River & Tenn-Tom Waterway From Chattanooga to Mobile
Summary of Trip Data: 19 days, 741 miles, anchored 8 nights, 84 engine hours, averaged cost was $98 a day while traveling, averaged 8.82 miles per hour or 7.6 knots, and diesel fuel – 3.26 miles per gallon and 2.7 gallons per hour.
The beginning. This would be our first trip after buying the 2012 Ranger Tug used in Florida. We had been back to Florida to take possession and worked for a week to get her ready for cruising. In the spring, the tug was moved and stored at the Metro Battlefield Storage in Ringgold, Georgia that is near Chattanooga, Tennessee. In early October, we flew from Seattle to Atlanta where friends Stacy and Paul met us and drove to Chattanooga. The next day, they dropped us at the Enterprise Truck Rental in downtown Chattanooga soon after it opened and 30 minutes later the 2017 Ford F250 was headed toward the storage yard in nearby Ringgold, Georgia to hook up the boat trailer.
The Ford F250 easily and comfortably took us to the boat ramp. Away from the ramp, truck and trailer were parked to do the final prep. The tower was put up and one of the guy wire fittings had come apart 5 months earlier but all the pieces were still present. The zippers on the cockpit canvas did not make the project work list and were crusted with Florida salt. 20 minutes of cleaning with vinegar and water and liquid soap and picking with a sharp point cleaned out the issue. Some of the seams on the canvas were breaking and a repair job would be needed
The engine had not been started since March, so there was some apprehension if the Yanmar 180 horsepower 4-cylinder block made by BMW would come to life. The key start switch has two positions and the first is activating the electric fuel pump. When the red light on the dash turns off, the fuel pressure is ready for starting. The light went off in about two seconds, the key was turned to the second position and engine turned over and came to life. With water being pumped out of the exhaust, the alternator creating 14 volts, forward and reverse gears worked and the two thrusters came to life, the initial systems were all good.
We would have lingered at the dock to say slow good-byes to Stacy and Paul and continue to acknowledge the gratitude of helping us but a bass boat was waiting in the river to use the ramp. After another hug and handshake, reverse gear took Trilogy into the river current and pushed us the five miles to the dock at Chattanooga that took 35 minutes but felt like an hour. The feel of the wheel, being on Tennessee River again, enjoying the two-knot current and the sound and vibration of the engine and the water on the hull was exhilarating.
At the center and heart of Chattanooga is a floating dock that is nearly under the foot and bicycle bridge. There were four boats flying the gold AGLCA flag signifying that they had completed the loop. Trilogy was flying the white looper flag saying that the 6,000-mile trip was in-progress. Well, that is not entirely true. We had completed the loop in 2014 on our Ranger 29 Tug, Andiamo. Hearing that gold loopers are often ignored by white flag loopers because they had “done it” and were not “doing it,” we wanted to be more welcomed and because Trilogy had not done the loop.
Trilogy continued past the dock and down the river only because we were not ready to stop. When we did, the tug was pointed back into the current and eased into the dock with the use of thrusters. Loopers pay .75 a foot versus the $1.25 for others and get 10 cents off a gallon of diesel. After tying up and plugging in, a short walk took us to the Tennessee Aquarium where an Uber driver did a pick up to deliver us back to the truck and trailer. Uber is very easy and convenient and is another improvement from 9 years earlier. The trailer was then returned to its place under the steel roof in Ringgold, Georgia. What to do with the ball and hitch? If we take it back to the boat but leave the boat on the hard, then another one would be needed. With no secure way to lock it to the trailer, we hid it in plain sight hoping that it would be there when we see it again.
Another trip to Walmart finished the provisioning and 10 gallons of fuel took the truck’s fuel gauge past the point that we got it. With 15 minutes before Enterprise closed, the truck was returned and the helpful sales associate took as back to Trilogy. Walking down the dock, the crews of the four other boats were already into docktails, a long-standing tradition among loopers to bring your bottle or can and to share munchies. Laurie was tired, feeling the very beginnings of a cold virus that she caught on the flight out, and hesitated until we received a personal invitation from the group.
We did not bring folding chairs for Trilogy because the cockpit seating is perfectly adequate for two but docktails requires that you bring your own seating. Looper hospitality is nearly always really good, where people accept you for what you are, not what you have done, how much money earned or the size of your boat. Quickly, two chairs were provided and we immediately decided these resin chairs from Amazon would make a good addition to Trilogy. Boater cards were passed around and very quickly we needed to have some. Stories were told and after much laughter, the sunset sent everyone back to their boats.
An attempt to watch a movie on the 12-volt TV/DVD combo found that the audio was very low and then started to cut out. A second movie showed the same result. Laurie’s cold had fully blossomed and she was in bed early.
The beginning. This would be our first trip after buying the 2012 Ranger Tug used in Florida. We had been back to Florida to take possession and worked for a week to get her ready for cruising. In the spring, the tug was moved and stored at the Metro Battlefield Storage in Ringgold, Georgia that is near Chattanooga, Tennessee. In early October, we flew from Seattle to Atlanta where friends Stacy and Paul met us and drove to Chattanooga. The next day, they dropped us at the Enterprise Truck Rental in downtown Chattanooga soon after it opened and 30 minutes later the 2017 Ford F250 was headed toward the storage yard in nearby Ringgold, Georgia to hook up the boat trailer.
The Ford F250 easily and comfortably took us to the boat ramp. Away from the ramp, truck and trailer were parked to do the final prep. The tower was put up and one of the guy wire fittings had come apart 5 months earlier but all the pieces were still present. The zippers on the cockpit canvas did not make the project work list and were crusted with Florida salt. 20 minutes of cleaning with vinegar and water and liquid soap and picking with a sharp point cleaned out the issue. Some of the seams on the canvas were breaking and a repair job would be needed
The engine had not been started since March, so there was some apprehension if the Yanmar 180 horsepower 4-cylinder block made by BMW would come to life. The key start switch has two positions and the first is activating the electric fuel pump. When the red light on the dash turns off, the fuel pressure is ready for starting. The light went off in about two seconds, the key was turned to the second position and engine turned over and came to life. With water being pumped out of the exhaust, the alternator creating 14 volts, forward and reverse gears worked and the two thrusters came to life, the initial systems were all good.
We would have lingered at the dock to say slow good-byes to Stacy and Paul and continue to acknowledge the gratitude of helping us but a bass boat was waiting in the river to use the ramp. After another hug and handshake, reverse gear took Trilogy into the river current and pushed us the five miles to the dock at Chattanooga that took 35 minutes but felt like an hour. The feel of the wheel, being on Tennessee River again, enjoying the two-knot current and the sound and vibration of the engine and the water on the hull was exhilarating.
At the center and heart of Chattanooga is a floating dock that is nearly under the foot and bicycle bridge. There were four boats flying the gold AGLCA flag signifying that they had completed the loop. Trilogy was flying the white looper flag saying that the 6,000-mile trip was in-progress. Well, that is not entirely true. We had completed the loop in 2014 on our Ranger 29 Tug, Andiamo. Hearing that gold loopers are often ignored by white flag loopers because they had “done it” and were not “doing it,” we wanted to be more welcomed and because Trilogy had not done the loop.
Trilogy continued past the dock and down the river only because we were not ready to stop. When we did, the tug was pointed back into the current and eased into the dock with the use of thrusters. Loopers pay .75 a foot versus the $1.25 for others and get 10 cents off a gallon of diesel. After tying up and plugging in, a short walk took us to the Tennessee Aquarium where an Uber driver did a pick up to deliver us back to the truck and trailer. Uber is very easy and convenient and is another improvement from 9 years earlier. The trailer was then returned to its place under the steel roof in Ringgold, Georgia. What to do with the ball and hitch? If we take it back to the boat but leave the boat on the hard, then another one would be needed. With no secure way to lock it to the trailer, we hid it in plain sight hoping that it would be there when we see it again.
Another trip to Walmart finished the provisioning and 10 gallons of fuel took the truck’s fuel gauge past the point that we got it. With 15 minutes before Enterprise closed, the truck was returned and the helpful sales associate took as back to Trilogy. Walking down the dock, the crews of the four other boats were already into docktails, a long-standing tradition among loopers to bring your bottle or can and to share munchies. Laurie was tired, feeling the very beginnings of a cold virus that she caught on the flight out, and hesitated until we received a personal invitation from the group.
We did not bring folding chairs for Trilogy because the cockpit seating is perfectly adequate for two but docktails requires that you bring your own seating. Looper hospitality is nearly always really good, where people accept you for what you are, not what you have done, how much money earned or the size of your boat. Quickly, two chairs were provided and we immediately decided these resin chairs from Amazon would make a good addition to Trilogy. Boater cards were passed around and very quickly we needed to have some. Stories were told and after much laughter, the sunset sent everyone back to their boats.
An attempt to watch a movie on the 12-volt TV/DVD combo found that the audio was very low and then started to cut out. A second movie showed the same result. Laurie’s cold had fully blossomed and she was in bed early.
Mid-October, Day 2
Dawn brought a scene of heavy fog on the Tennessee River that would lift quickly as the morning sun climbed above the surrounding hills. Laurie’s cold had taken a heavy toll on her but she rallied after breakfast to clean the inside of the tug while the exterior received its first wash since March. Old Florida salt was brushed from the window screen and the remainder was dissolved with vinegar and water.
The harbor host for AGLCA, Hal, came down to the dock and greeted us. An email to him earlier resulted in finding the launch at the Tennessee River Park. Now, there was a hunt on for a DVD player cleaning disc and audio cables to run the sound from the TV through the Fusion sound system. On the way back, a stop at the Tennessee Aquarium found a sweatshirt for Laurie. The hunt for parts and products showed that much of the retail inventory had been replaced by delivery from Amazon. Now, our Amazon list had grown to chairs, a fender, DVD player cleaner, and an audio cord..
Outfitting Trilogy and learning her systems also meant learning the perimeters of the engine performance such as temperature, oil pressure, and voltage. What good is data from gauges if there is no meaning or context? Much of the afternoon was researching the product manuals and creating useful labels that were attached to the dash.
Laurie posted on Facebook what we were doing and was dubbed by her friend Maureen as being “bi-coastal boaters.” After dinner of mushroom ravioli, Laurie faded to bed while I did billable hours and created a boater card for Trilogy.
Dawn brought a scene of heavy fog on the Tennessee River that would lift quickly as the morning sun climbed above the surrounding hills. Laurie’s cold had taken a heavy toll on her but she rallied after breakfast to clean the inside of the tug while the exterior received its first wash since March. Old Florida salt was brushed from the window screen and the remainder was dissolved with vinegar and water.
The harbor host for AGLCA, Hal, came down to the dock and greeted us. An email to him earlier resulted in finding the launch at the Tennessee River Park. Now, there was a hunt on for a DVD player cleaning disc and audio cables to run the sound from the TV through the Fusion sound system. On the way back, a stop at the Tennessee Aquarium found a sweatshirt for Laurie. The hunt for parts and products showed that much of the retail inventory had been replaced by delivery from Amazon. Now, our Amazon list had grown to chairs, a fender, DVD player cleaner, and an audio cord..
Outfitting Trilogy and learning her systems also meant learning the perimeters of the engine performance such as temperature, oil pressure, and voltage. What good is data from gauges if there is no meaning or context? Much of the afternoon was researching the product manuals and creating useful labels that were attached to the dash.
Laurie posted on Facebook what we were doing and was dubbed by her friend Maureen as being “bi-coastal boaters.” After dinner of mushroom ravioli, Laurie faded to bed while I did billable hours and created a boater card for Trilogy.
Day 3
The slight morning chill evaporated when the tug’s Webasto diesel furnace came to life. Brown paw prints in the cockpit and in morning dew showed a visit by a local raccoon. Showers aboard were a first and we learned about adapting to the low water pressure. A call and an email to a local printer resulted in a boater card for this tug.
The talk of going east and upriver ended with the reality that Laurie was too sick to take on the Chickamauga Lock in the next 30 minutes and that the most desired destination of traveling the length of the Little Tennessee River would take a week to get there. Add that to the week to get back, we decided to head west and go downstream.
After pulling away from the dock and leaving Chattanooga, a discrepancy was found between two readings of the tug’s fuel level. The fuel level is calculated, not observed or the volume measured, by the Garmin chartplotter by subtracting the volume of added fuel by the rate of fuel used by the engine. It is a good system that had earned my trust on Andiamo. But on two different displays were two very different readings, one showed 67% of the 100 gallon tank remained, the other showed 35 gallons left. For 10 minutes of westbound travel and getting further away from a fuel dock, I trusted the percentage of fuel remained. Then, I heard the message from the angels and ancestors that watch over me – go back and fuel up. The pump stopped at 80 gallons and we were amazed. If we had continued on, Trilogy would have run out of fuel between marinas. Now, the baseline was made and the two discrepancies have been corrected.
This is Trilogy’s third engine, which is another story, and this one only has 24 hours on it. Therefore, the engine is in the middle of its 50-hour break-in period. The engine manual is clear that the engine must be run fully loaded meaning about 80% of its speed and the RPM’s varied. Rather than sedately cruising at 6.5 knots at 1,700 RPM, the tug would be run at 2800 to 3400 RPM or 10 to 13 knots. The 30 mile run to the anchorage at Cedar Creek was easily done in 3 hours but the noise is loud and not something that we would like to do all the time.
Boaters recommend Cedar Creek for its anchorage. The tug’s rode looked very new and may have been never used before. The new Rocna anchor bit quickly and securely in 5 feet of water. The moment of uncertainty happened when the 50-foot chain that was before the 200 feet of rope had no markings of length. After doing the math, most of the time all of the chain will go out.
After dinner, we did the formal name changing ceremony complete with gratitude to the gods of the sea and wind, offering Tennessee Honey Whiskey as an offering and a toast. Trilogy is now in the records of Neptune and Poseidon.
The slight morning chill evaporated when the tug’s Webasto diesel furnace came to life. Brown paw prints in the cockpit and in morning dew showed a visit by a local raccoon. Showers aboard were a first and we learned about adapting to the low water pressure. A call and an email to a local printer resulted in a boater card for this tug.
The talk of going east and upriver ended with the reality that Laurie was too sick to take on the Chickamauga Lock in the next 30 minutes and that the most desired destination of traveling the length of the Little Tennessee River would take a week to get there. Add that to the week to get back, we decided to head west and go downstream.
After pulling away from the dock and leaving Chattanooga, a discrepancy was found between two readings of the tug’s fuel level. The fuel level is calculated, not observed or the volume measured, by the Garmin chartplotter by subtracting the volume of added fuel by the rate of fuel used by the engine. It is a good system that had earned my trust on Andiamo. But on two different displays were two very different readings, one showed 67% of the 100 gallon tank remained, the other showed 35 gallons left. For 10 minutes of westbound travel and getting further away from a fuel dock, I trusted the percentage of fuel remained. Then, I heard the message from the angels and ancestors that watch over me – go back and fuel up. The pump stopped at 80 gallons and we were amazed. If we had continued on, Trilogy would have run out of fuel between marinas. Now, the baseline was made and the two discrepancies have been corrected.
This is Trilogy’s third engine, which is another story, and this one only has 24 hours on it. Therefore, the engine is in the middle of its 50-hour break-in period. The engine manual is clear that the engine must be run fully loaded meaning about 80% of its speed and the RPM’s varied. Rather than sedately cruising at 6.5 knots at 1,700 RPM, the tug would be run at 2800 to 3400 RPM or 10 to 13 knots. The 30 mile run to the anchorage at Cedar Creek was easily done in 3 hours but the noise is loud and not something that we would like to do all the time.
Boaters recommend Cedar Creek for its anchorage. The tug’s rode looked very new and may have been never used before. The new Rocna anchor bit quickly and securely in 5 feet of water. The moment of uncertainty happened when the 50-foot chain that was before the 200 feet of rope had no markings of length. After doing the math, most of the time all of the chain will go out.
After dinner, we did the formal name changing ceremony complete with gratitude to the gods of the sea and wind, offering Tennessee Honey Whiskey as an offering and a toast. Trilogy is now in the records of Neptune and Poseidon.
3 Days in Mid October
Misty and waving fog on the river welcomed the day. The house battery bank was at 12.6 volts or nearly at a full charge. The Webasto heater brought that down to 12.4 during the 30 minutes of heating to take the chill out the air. We waited for the fog to completely lift before heading downriver because our first lock and dam, Nickajack, was just around the bend. Locking is often a source of anxiety for new boaters and those, like us, who come from places where they are never dealt with. Locking downstream is always easier because the water in the lock drops and therefore there is very little turbulence. Locking is easier if the boat has a mid-cleat to tie the floating bollard to and two round fenders, one at the bow and the other at the stern. Ranger Tugs do not have a mid-cleat, an oversight that causes annoyance, and must be overcome.
Experience taught us to rig a taut and stout line along the side of the tug and attach a hefty D-ring where the mid-cleat should be. Then, a line with a loop that is kept open by threading the line through a 39" length of hose,is put over the lock’s floating bollard, run through the D-ring, pulled tight and cleated in the cockpit; a slick system that works well. Over the next three days, Trilogy would go through two locks and each one was uneventful and was the only boat in these massive chambers.
The boating was fun, easy and the tug performed well. Doing the break-in period correctly meant going much faster than we would normally do and constantly varying the engine’s speed. Each morning the engine was checked; oil was fine and the coolant once needed a cup added to the reservoir. During each day, temperature readings were gathered from the driveshaft where it enters the drip seal, and the temperature of the coolant and oil was read.
The river was broad, about a mile across to less than a ¼ mile. There were stretches with no houses or indications of humans. Then, there were clusters of million dollar homes with custom docks and trams that went up the hillside. The autumn colors were not present. Apparently, it has been too warm
At the end of the second day out of Chattanooga, Trilogy anchored in Jones Creek, a large embayment with a depth of 8 feet that is frequented by the bass fisherman and whose entrance is not for the faint of heart – three boat widths wide with depths that dropped to 3 feet under Trilogy’s keel. The anchor was dropped in 5 feet of water near the old Boy Scout Camp. The afternoon was spent organizing and cleaning tools and hardware supplies and coating the tools with Boeshield to keep the corrosion at bay.
The clear blue skies had given way to high clouds, a foretelling of a cold front coming up from the south that would arrive in a day or two.
The next day started with slight breeze rippled the water as the tug headed south and west in Guntersville Lake. A stop at the free town dock in Guntersville was a good place to stretch out legs and we elected to stay the night. An antique truck show was happening in the adjacent city park and was dominated by about twenty-five18-wheelers on display. The small town feel of this northern Alabama place was pleasant. The working class families with small kids in tow enjoyed the trucks and some stopped at the tug to ask questions like, “Are you really from Washington State?
The following day brought a heavier cloud cover. The destination was Ditto Landing in Huntsville, Alabama. We met our first commercial barge and tow just after leaving. Trilogy receives AIS signals from boats that have this device, so we knew about the barge though he did not know about us. But, being small in the world of boating allows us more options on getting out the way.
Three hours later and at about noon, Trilogy arrived at the half empty marina. The tug had traveled 133 miles from Chattanooga and the engine break-in period had 10 hours to go. The marina staff said that a trip was planned to Walmart if we needed to go. Fifteen minutes later, we were being driven by the marina staff to do a medium sized provisioning chore.
Back at the tug, two of the four boxes from the Amazon order had arrived. The afternoon was spent doing a list of small things: adding a knob to the glove box door, finding a place for the new deck chairs, interpreting the operating manual of the new VHF radio and programming it, researching the engine display and selecting the information needed and making labels with engine data that was needed to be remembered. The weather front with moderate wind and heavy rain was watched on Weatherbug. The weather will strike the tug on the beam so additional lines were put out to keep the tug off of the dock. The day was closed with writing and research and waiting for the rain to come, which started at 2115 hours.
Misty and waving fog on the river welcomed the day. The house battery bank was at 12.6 volts or nearly at a full charge. The Webasto heater brought that down to 12.4 during the 30 minutes of heating to take the chill out the air. We waited for the fog to completely lift before heading downriver because our first lock and dam, Nickajack, was just around the bend. Locking is often a source of anxiety for new boaters and those, like us, who come from places where they are never dealt with. Locking downstream is always easier because the water in the lock drops and therefore there is very little turbulence. Locking is easier if the boat has a mid-cleat to tie the floating bollard to and two round fenders, one at the bow and the other at the stern. Ranger Tugs do not have a mid-cleat, an oversight that causes annoyance, and must be overcome.
Experience taught us to rig a taut and stout line along the side of the tug and attach a hefty D-ring where the mid-cleat should be. Then, a line with a loop that is kept open by threading the line through a 39" length of hose,is put over the lock’s floating bollard, run through the D-ring, pulled tight and cleated in the cockpit; a slick system that works well. Over the next three days, Trilogy would go through two locks and each one was uneventful and was the only boat in these massive chambers.
The boating was fun, easy and the tug performed well. Doing the break-in period correctly meant going much faster than we would normally do and constantly varying the engine’s speed. Each morning the engine was checked; oil was fine and the coolant once needed a cup added to the reservoir. During each day, temperature readings were gathered from the driveshaft where it enters the drip seal, and the temperature of the coolant and oil was read.
The river was broad, about a mile across to less than a ¼ mile. There were stretches with no houses or indications of humans. Then, there were clusters of million dollar homes with custom docks and trams that went up the hillside. The autumn colors were not present. Apparently, it has been too warm
At the end of the second day out of Chattanooga, Trilogy anchored in Jones Creek, a large embayment with a depth of 8 feet that is frequented by the bass fisherman and whose entrance is not for the faint of heart – three boat widths wide with depths that dropped to 3 feet under Trilogy’s keel. The anchor was dropped in 5 feet of water near the old Boy Scout Camp. The afternoon was spent organizing and cleaning tools and hardware supplies and coating the tools with Boeshield to keep the corrosion at bay.
The clear blue skies had given way to high clouds, a foretelling of a cold front coming up from the south that would arrive in a day or two.
The next day started with slight breeze rippled the water as the tug headed south and west in Guntersville Lake. A stop at the free town dock in Guntersville was a good place to stretch out legs and we elected to stay the night. An antique truck show was happening in the adjacent city park and was dominated by about twenty-five18-wheelers on display. The small town feel of this northern Alabama place was pleasant. The working class families with small kids in tow enjoyed the trucks and some stopped at the tug to ask questions like, “Are you really from Washington State?
The following day brought a heavier cloud cover. The destination was Ditto Landing in Huntsville, Alabama. We met our first commercial barge and tow just after leaving. Trilogy receives AIS signals from boats that have this device, so we knew about the barge though he did not know about us. But, being small in the world of boating allows us more options on getting out the way.
Three hours later and at about noon, Trilogy arrived at the half empty marina. The tug had traveled 133 miles from Chattanooga and the engine break-in period had 10 hours to go. The marina staff said that a trip was planned to Walmart if we needed to go. Fifteen minutes later, we were being driven by the marina staff to do a medium sized provisioning chore.
Back at the tug, two of the four boxes from the Amazon order had arrived. The afternoon was spent doing a list of small things: adding a knob to the glove box door, finding a place for the new deck chairs, interpreting the operating manual of the new VHF radio and programming it, researching the engine display and selecting the information needed and making labels with engine data that was needed to be remembered. The weather front with moderate wind and heavy rain was watched on Weatherbug. The weather will strike the tug on the beam so additional lines were put out to keep the tug off of the dock. The day was closed with writing and research and waiting for the rain to come, which started at 2115 hours.
Monday-Tuesday,in late October
The heavy rain, like a fire hose spraying the tug, woke up Laurie at 0400 hours. The Weatherbug app showed yellow and red colored rain cells going over our location and continuing north. Just after sunrise, the rain and clouds were gone and the still air was the green light for Anne/Tim and Gary/Colleen to leave and continue west. Waiting for packages and the wind to lie down would keep us in harbor for two more days; a reminder that there are other forces that have control over our plans. Adaptation and acceptance is a mindset that can create peace.
Walks were done through the campground and along the walking trail that followed a very shallow slough and through a forest of maples and sweet gum trees that would break into meadow that was a former diary and now was a housing development. We were nearly alone except for the occasional bicyclist who was exercising their dog or the solo jogger.
Laurie baked muffins and made homemade chicken soup/chili. The marina’s Wi-Fi was used. Low pressure at the water faucets was cured by the removal or cleaning of screens in the supply line and at the faucet. Measurements were taken and labels made to record the air draft of the antenna up, tower up and tower down. The operation of the searchlight was learned and labeled at its control panel. The windows and window screens were cleaned of old Florida salt and the two layers Rainex were applied to the windshield. The water tank was filled and lasted 5 days. The holding tank is ¾ full. Like the Laurie Ann and Andiamo, Trilogy’s holding and water tanks are pumped or re-filled at the same time. Trilogy’s exterior was washed and wax, a chore that only took 3.5 hours; another plus of a small boat.
Laurie introduced the notion of seeing New Orleans on this trip. Enterprise Truck Rental would cost about $150 for a two-day rental to get the trailer from Georgia and bring it to Mobile, Alabama. Trilogy would stay in the Mobile area on her trailer at the end of this trip. Power and covered storage would not be mandatory for three months. We would tour New Orleans and Alaska Airlines has a non-stop flight to Seattle.
The heavy rain, like a fire hose spraying the tug, woke up Laurie at 0400 hours. The Weatherbug app showed yellow and red colored rain cells going over our location and continuing north. Just after sunrise, the rain and clouds were gone and the still air was the green light for Anne/Tim and Gary/Colleen to leave and continue west. Waiting for packages and the wind to lie down would keep us in harbor for two more days; a reminder that there are other forces that have control over our plans. Adaptation and acceptance is a mindset that can create peace.
Walks were done through the campground and along the walking trail that followed a very shallow slough and through a forest of maples and sweet gum trees that would break into meadow that was a former diary and now was a housing development. We were nearly alone except for the occasional bicyclist who was exercising their dog or the solo jogger.
Laurie baked muffins and made homemade chicken soup/chili. The marina’s Wi-Fi was used. Low pressure at the water faucets was cured by the removal or cleaning of screens in the supply line and at the faucet. Measurements were taken and labels made to record the air draft of the antenna up, tower up and tower down. The operation of the searchlight was learned and labeled at its control panel. The windows and window screens were cleaned of old Florida salt and the two layers Rainex were applied to the windshield. The water tank was filled and lasted 5 days. The holding tank is ¾ full. Like the Laurie Ann and Andiamo, Trilogy’s holding and water tanks are pumped or re-filled at the same time. Trilogy’s exterior was washed and wax, a chore that only took 3.5 hours; another plus of a small boat.
Laurie introduced the notion of seeing New Orleans on this trip. Enterprise Truck Rental would cost about $150 for a two-day rental to get the trailer from Georgia and bring it to Mobile, Alabama. Trilogy would stay in the Mobile area on her trailer at the end of this trip. Power and covered storage would not be mandatory for three months. We would tour New Orleans and Alaska Airlines has a non-stop flight to Seattle.
Wednesday
Trilogy left Ditto Landing at about 0830 hours under clear skies and still air. The engine performance display was changed to show the 80% of load and the turbo-charger’s PSI pressure and the discovery was made that 3700 to 3900 RPM brought the tug up to the 80% at speed of 14 to 15 knots and at 2.2 miles per gallon. Trilogy was going to fly down the river and finish this break-in period strong.
Soon, the faster speed and feel of the pace of travel seem quite comfortable. At Decatur, the river widened out and the wind picked up to have white caps on the bow with a 1 to 2 foot high chop. The higher speed and raising the trim tabs to bring the bow up made the ride smoother and less spray hitting the windshield. The chartplotter showed a collection of AIS – transmitting tugs clustered on both sides of the railroad bridge because it was lowered for a long train to cross the river. After the train, the bridge rose for the passing tugs and started to lower again but stopped because the bridge operator saw Trilogy coming.
Continuing westward toward the Wheeler Lock and Dam, the William Hank tug was pushing a set of barges that were three wide and 6 barges long at 5.9 knots. We called the captain to say what was planned and then went around the barge and barreled down the lake to get to the lock. If we arrived soon enough, the lockmaster would be able to lock us down and turn the lock around in enough time to not hold up the William Hank. In the world of locks, commercial traffic has priority over recreational vessels. At Wheeler Dam, Trilogy glided in was quickly lowered with a good ride in the lock. The lock is an oasis from wind and chop but when the doors opened 20 minutes later, the wind was still moderate at a sustained speed of 13 MPH.
Now in Wilson Lake, we blasted over the 15 miles of chop and whitecaps toward the dam that was under repair. The lockmaster said to wait at a nearby cove and wait to be called. Trilogy arrived at the cove at 1430 hours, dropped anchor in 10 feet of water at the end of the cove with tree leaning toward the tug and the closed up houses on the hillside. We settled in for a long wait because the crews can work to 6PM, however, the radio came to life an hour later and Trilogy was soon in a lock that had nearly a 9-story drop. The descent was quite calm and very entertaining as this massive piece of engineering, construction and huge operating costs performed only for this 27-foot pleasure craft and its two occupants.
Late in the afternoon, Trilogy arrived at the nearby Florence Harbor Marina, took on 75 gallons of diesel. Quickly, we met Bud and Sue who had started the loop in July after selling everything they had in Iowa. Over docktails, Bud announced that today was his 69th birthday and invited everyone to join him for dinner at a nearby restaurant. At the restaurant, the evening was full of stories, laughter and sharing. Sharing a special birthday moment with new friends was a special treat. Sue made the observation that Loopers are like college students who come from different places with one thing in common and friendships are easily made.
Trilogy left Ditto Landing at about 0830 hours under clear skies and still air. The engine performance display was changed to show the 80% of load and the turbo-charger’s PSI pressure and the discovery was made that 3700 to 3900 RPM brought the tug up to the 80% at speed of 14 to 15 knots and at 2.2 miles per gallon. Trilogy was going to fly down the river and finish this break-in period strong.
Soon, the faster speed and feel of the pace of travel seem quite comfortable. At Decatur, the river widened out and the wind picked up to have white caps on the bow with a 1 to 2 foot high chop. The higher speed and raising the trim tabs to bring the bow up made the ride smoother and less spray hitting the windshield. The chartplotter showed a collection of AIS – transmitting tugs clustered on both sides of the railroad bridge because it was lowered for a long train to cross the river. After the train, the bridge rose for the passing tugs and started to lower again but stopped because the bridge operator saw Trilogy coming.
Continuing westward toward the Wheeler Lock and Dam, the William Hank tug was pushing a set of barges that were three wide and 6 barges long at 5.9 knots. We called the captain to say what was planned and then went around the barge and barreled down the lake to get to the lock. If we arrived soon enough, the lockmaster would be able to lock us down and turn the lock around in enough time to not hold up the William Hank. In the world of locks, commercial traffic has priority over recreational vessels. At Wheeler Dam, Trilogy glided in was quickly lowered with a good ride in the lock. The lock is an oasis from wind and chop but when the doors opened 20 minutes later, the wind was still moderate at a sustained speed of 13 MPH.
Now in Wilson Lake, we blasted over the 15 miles of chop and whitecaps toward the dam that was under repair. The lockmaster said to wait at a nearby cove and wait to be called. Trilogy arrived at the cove at 1430 hours, dropped anchor in 10 feet of water at the end of the cove with tree leaning toward the tug and the closed up houses on the hillside. We settled in for a long wait because the crews can work to 6PM, however, the radio came to life an hour later and Trilogy was soon in a lock that had nearly a 9-story drop. The descent was quite calm and very entertaining as this massive piece of engineering, construction and huge operating costs performed only for this 27-foot pleasure craft and its two occupants.
Late in the afternoon, Trilogy arrived at the nearby Florence Harbor Marina, took on 75 gallons of diesel. Quickly, we met Bud and Sue who had started the loop in July after selling everything they had in Iowa. Over docktails, Bud announced that today was his 69th birthday and invited everyone to join him for dinner at a nearby restaurant. At the restaurant, the evening was full of stories, laughter and sharing. Sharing a special birthday moment with new friends was a special treat. Sue made the observation that Loopers are like college students who come from different places with one thing in common and friendships are easily made.
Thursday-Friday
After showers, two loads of laundry were done and this was followed by a trip to Walmart using the marina’s courtesy car, an ancient Ford Aerostar van with 142000 miles on. But it was free and adequate for the chore at hand. Trilogy pulled away at noon and ran westbound for 43 miles to the Grand Harbor Marina at 15 to 17 miles per hour as the break-in period was finished. At Grand Harbor, packages from Amazon were picked up and we felt obligated to buy some fuel for their trouble. Boats were coming in fast and the marina staff did not blink when we opted to anchor out at Zippy Cove, a 30 minute run from Grand Harbor. The packages were like Christmas: a new DVD player for the laptop, an electronic distress that is better than flares and a battery operated weather station. Trilogy covered 43 miles about 4 hours.
By 0830 hours, the anchor was up and Trilogy headed out under cloudy skies, a moderate breeze that rippled the water and air temperature was in the high 40’s and warming. So far on this trip has been the coolest temperature we had experienced. The Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway, commonly called the Tenn-Tom, is a collection of rivers, creeks, and lakes that are connected by a man-made ditch. About 450 miles long, it stretches north and south and is always a short distance from the Alabama-Mississippi border. Locations are referred to by the their statute mile.
After leaving Zippy Cove on Pickwick Lake, the markers took the tug to a southerly arm of the lake. At the end of this arm started a 24-mile long ditch that was mostly straight, dredged to 18 feet with a uniform width. Some boaters complain about the Tenn-Tom because of the ditches and the isolation – there are very few towns and is wilderness boating in the south with few services and marinas. But the topography, the ecology and the natural wonders are beautiful in their own way.
The ditch gave way to Blue Springs Lake that is caused by Whitten Dam and Lock. Tows and barges were using the lock so the tug was anchored in the same small cove that our Andiamo did years earlier to wait our turn. Mid-afternoon the lockmaster called on the radio that the lock was available. We elected to go knowing that the weather was turning to more wind and rain during the evening. After Whitten Dam was the short run to Montgomery Dam and the tow that we waited for at Whitten was waiting at Montgomery to get ahead of us. After Montgomery, Trilogy was powered up and caught up to the tow and passed it about 4 miles before the Rankin Lock and Dam. We listened as the lockmaster at Rankin and the tow captain discussed where Trilogy would be in the order of locking. The lockmaster said that he could get us locked down and the lock turned around in time for the tow to not wait too long; we would go first and that would save us about an hour in the late afternoon. All of the locks to this point, Trilogy was only one using them.
After Rankin Lock, the skies turned very dark. The weather radar on the Weatherbug app showed heavy rain to our immediate west with the system angling to the northeast. It would be upon us soon. The next available anchorage was 90 minutes away and was very exposed to the weather. We opted to change plans and to stay at the Midway Marina that was an hour from the lock. The marina was more protected and tying up was better than anchoring with exposure to the building wind. In the dwindling light, Trilogy was placed on the leeward sidelong dock that whose windward side was full of tall and long yachts. We glided in just as the wind ratcheted up another notch. We were happy to pay the $41 for moorage and power. We made dinner and streamed another episode of Madam Secretary on the laptop. The rain came and dumped during the night. 57 miles were boated in just over 7 hours.
After showers, two loads of laundry were done and this was followed by a trip to Walmart using the marina’s courtesy car, an ancient Ford Aerostar van with 142000 miles on. But it was free and adequate for the chore at hand. Trilogy pulled away at noon and ran westbound for 43 miles to the Grand Harbor Marina at 15 to 17 miles per hour as the break-in period was finished. At Grand Harbor, packages from Amazon were picked up and we felt obligated to buy some fuel for their trouble. Boats were coming in fast and the marina staff did not blink when we opted to anchor out at Zippy Cove, a 30 minute run from Grand Harbor. The packages were like Christmas: a new DVD player for the laptop, an electronic distress that is better than flares and a battery operated weather station. Trilogy covered 43 miles about 4 hours.
By 0830 hours, the anchor was up and Trilogy headed out under cloudy skies, a moderate breeze that rippled the water and air temperature was in the high 40’s and warming. So far on this trip has been the coolest temperature we had experienced. The Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway, commonly called the Tenn-Tom, is a collection of rivers, creeks, and lakes that are connected by a man-made ditch. About 450 miles long, it stretches north and south and is always a short distance from the Alabama-Mississippi border. Locations are referred to by the their statute mile.
After leaving Zippy Cove on Pickwick Lake, the markers took the tug to a southerly arm of the lake. At the end of this arm started a 24-mile long ditch that was mostly straight, dredged to 18 feet with a uniform width. Some boaters complain about the Tenn-Tom because of the ditches and the isolation – there are very few towns and is wilderness boating in the south with few services and marinas. But the topography, the ecology and the natural wonders are beautiful in their own way.
The ditch gave way to Blue Springs Lake that is caused by Whitten Dam and Lock. Tows and barges were using the lock so the tug was anchored in the same small cove that our Andiamo did years earlier to wait our turn. Mid-afternoon the lockmaster called on the radio that the lock was available. We elected to go knowing that the weather was turning to more wind and rain during the evening. After Whitten Dam was the short run to Montgomery Dam and the tow that we waited for at Whitten was waiting at Montgomery to get ahead of us. After Montgomery, Trilogy was powered up and caught up to the tow and passed it about 4 miles before the Rankin Lock and Dam. We listened as the lockmaster at Rankin and the tow captain discussed where Trilogy would be in the order of locking. The lockmaster said that he could get us locked down and the lock turned around in time for the tow to not wait too long; we would go first and that would save us about an hour in the late afternoon. All of the locks to this point, Trilogy was only one using them.
After Rankin Lock, the skies turned very dark. The weather radar on the Weatherbug app showed heavy rain to our immediate west with the system angling to the northeast. It would be upon us soon. The next available anchorage was 90 minutes away and was very exposed to the weather. We opted to change plans and to stay at the Midway Marina that was an hour from the lock. The marina was more protected and tying up was better than anchoring with exposure to the building wind. In the dwindling light, Trilogy was placed on the leeward sidelong dock that whose windward side was full of tall and long yachts. We glided in just as the wind ratcheted up another notch. We were happy to pay the $41 for moorage and power. We made dinner and streamed another episode of Madam Secretary on the laptop. The rain came and dumped during the night. 57 miles were boated in just over 7 hours.
Saturday
The morning was calm and still with a light fog on the river and the air temperature at 48 degrees. The nearby lockmaster at the Fulton Dam and Lock reported that there were two tows going through and 0800 hours would be a good time to lock through. At this part of the Tenn-Tom, the lockmasters dictate the pace of travel by grouping together the recreational vessels and locking the group through. The next lock was the Wilkins Dam and Lock and we waited for 90 minutes. Trilogy anchored in the shallow embayment on the east side, the same place that our Laurie Ann had anchored for the night 9 years ago. When the lock was ready, two other fast yachts appeared from the north.
After Amory Lock, we had decided to anchor or stay at the free dock at Blue Bluff Park near Aberdeen. Trilogy enjoyed the 7.4 knots at 2300 RPM as the trees changed and the water wilderness of Mississippi was revealed with white egrets, white herons and blue herons. Our destination was Blue Bluff Park, an Army Corps of Engineers recreation area of a campground, picnic ground, swimming beach and a free T-dock that connects to a grassy hillside. The approach from the north and to the park from the channel is marked and described as shallow but do-able. The writers of this description were just wrong. The depth went from 5 feet to zero and then the tug slid across a mud hump, raising the boat 6 inches before finding depth again. Trilogy was going dead slow and never stopped but we did our part to dredge that channel. Again, I was thankful for the choice to have a boat where the propeller and the rudder are fully protected behind the keel. Later, did I learn that there are a north AND a south approach channels. Apparently, the south one is better.
The free dock was empty and Trilogy was tied to the end in 4 feet of water. A walk was taken to the boat launch and the picnic area. Back at the boat, one of Trilogy’s black fenders was floating away and being carried south in the stiff wind. A fender rescue operation was mounted that would end the next day when we able to motor close to it and snag it with the boat hook. After a dinner of grilled chicken and roasted potatoes and a great sunset, a 70-foot long paddle wheeler came in and took the other side of the dock. The Pickwick Belle had been sold and was being moved to the west coast of Florida by a delivery captain and crew. This boat is propelled by a set of real paddle wheels. We had a nice chat with them. We had travelled 37 miles in nearly 5 hours.
The morning was calm and still with a light fog on the river and the air temperature at 48 degrees. The nearby lockmaster at the Fulton Dam and Lock reported that there were two tows going through and 0800 hours would be a good time to lock through. At this part of the Tenn-Tom, the lockmasters dictate the pace of travel by grouping together the recreational vessels and locking the group through. The next lock was the Wilkins Dam and Lock and we waited for 90 minutes. Trilogy anchored in the shallow embayment on the east side, the same place that our Laurie Ann had anchored for the night 9 years ago. When the lock was ready, two other fast yachts appeared from the north.
After Amory Lock, we had decided to anchor or stay at the free dock at Blue Bluff Park near Aberdeen. Trilogy enjoyed the 7.4 knots at 2300 RPM as the trees changed and the water wilderness of Mississippi was revealed with white egrets, white herons and blue herons. Our destination was Blue Bluff Park, an Army Corps of Engineers recreation area of a campground, picnic ground, swimming beach and a free T-dock that connects to a grassy hillside. The approach from the north and to the park from the channel is marked and described as shallow but do-able. The writers of this description were just wrong. The depth went from 5 feet to zero and then the tug slid across a mud hump, raising the boat 6 inches before finding depth again. Trilogy was going dead slow and never stopped but we did our part to dredge that channel. Again, I was thankful for the choice to have a boat where the propeller and the rudder are fully protected behind the keel. Later, did I learn that there are a north AND a south approach channels. Apparently, the south one is better.
The free dock was empty and Trilogy was tied to the end in 4 feet of water. A walk was taken to the boat launch and the picnic area. Back at the boat, one of Trilogy’s black fenders was floating away and being carried south in the stiff wind. A fender rescue operation was mounted that would end the next day when we able to motor close to it and snag it with the boat hook. After a dinner of grilled chicken and roasted potatoes and a great sunset, a 70-foot long paddle wheeler came in and took the other side of the dock. The Pickwick Belle had been sold and was being moved to the west coast of Florida by a delivery captain and crew. This boat is propelled by a set of real paddle wheels. We had a nice chat with them. We had travelled 37 miles in nearly 5 hours.
Sunday
Before dawn, the paddle wheeler was pulling away and heading south. The exit out of the Blue Bluff Park by the south channel was done at dead slow and watching not the digital numbers but rather using the sonar display because the sonar reads through the grass and picks up the fish that are deeper than the digital display which is a judgment value, not data.
Aberdeen Dam and Lock is immediately next to the anchorage and we waited for 30 minutes while the lockmaster turned the lock around for Trilogy. Columbus Marina was an easy run of 24 miles and we arrived about noon. The long-time manager/owner “T” Maxwell greeted us at the fuel dock and we learned that the marina does not open until noon on Sunday and we would be his first customers. We really did not need fuel and could have made it to the next fuel stop a Demopolis 150 miles away, but that would require careful monitoring.
After lunch, changing the oil was carefully done. This was Trilogy’s first oil change on this new engine, it was our first time on this engine, and a record of the procedure would be made so we did not have learn it again next year or when 250 more engine hours happened. The process was done without incident or mistake and we had all the right tools and supplies aboard. Trilogy always carries an empty oil container for waste oil; a lesson learned on our Andiamo in Canada.
We used the marina’s courtesy car for the hour-long errand to replace supplies and provision at the local Kroger’s store. BBQ ribs and slaw were obtained at the store’s deli and these were enjoyed at dinner. Bud and Sue in Odyssey arrived and a 2014 version of our tug arrived as the sun went down. They moored behind Trilogy and it looked like boat twins. The owner and his friend were from Indiana and were delivering the boat to the Gulf Coast for the winter. Their vibe was immediately off, complaining about the boat and throwing the other person under the bus when the other person was out of ear shot. They were acting like new boaters and we opted to just be polite.
Before dawn, the paddle wheeler was pulling away and heading south. The exit out of the Blue Bluff Park by the south channel was done at dead slow and watching not the digital numbers but rather using the sonar display because the sonar reads through the grass and picks up the fish that are deeper than the digital display which is a judgment value, not data.
Aberdeen Dam and Lock is immediately next to the anchorage and we waited for 30 minutes while the lockmaster turned the lock around for Trilogy. Columbus Marina was an easy run of 24 miles and we arrived about noon. The long-time manager/owner “T” Maxwell greeted us at the fuel dock and we learned that the marina does not open until noon on Sunday and we would be his first customers. We really did not need fuel and could have made it to the next fuel stop a Demopolis 150 miles away, but that would require careful monitoring.
After lunch, changing the oil was carefully done. This was Trilogy’s first oil change on this new engine, it was our first time on this engine, and a record of the procedure would be made so we did not have learn it again next year or when 250 more engine hours happened. The process was done without incident or mistake and we had all the right tools and supplies aboard. Trilogy always carries an empty oil container for waste oil; a lesson learned on our Andiamo in Canada.
We used the marina’s courtesy car for the hour-long errand to replace supplies and provision at the local Kroger’s store. BBQ ribs and slaw were obtained at the store’s deli and these were enjoyed at dinner. Bud and Sue in Odyssey arrived and a 2014 version of our tug arrived as the sun went down. They moored behind Trilogy and it looked like boat twins. The owner and his friend were from Indiana and were delivering the boat to the Gulf Coast for the winter. Their vibe was immediately off, complaining about the boat and throwing the other person under the bus when the other person was out of ear shot. They were acting like new boaters and we opted to just be polite.
Monday
The chill of 45 degrees in the cabin was the wake up alarm at 0600 hours but an hour later the furnace had warmed the cabin to a pleasant 70 degrees. Three boats, including Trilogy’s twin, headed to the Stennis lock for a 0730 locking. We were up and could have joined the group but Laurie was moving slowly. The fuse to the propane’s electric shut-off valve had burned out and finding the blown fuse and replacing it was a 10-minute deal. The fuse was under-sized, 1 amp instead of a 3 amp and the cold was probably an additional factor. How many boaters who do not own a screwdriver would have stayed in the marina and called an electrician?
We killed 90 minutes because the lockmaster said we could lock down in 90 minutes. Trilogy fell into a pattern of slow cruising at 2300 RPM for 80% of the hour and then fast cruising at 15 miles per hour for 20%. The tug averaged 10 miles an hour and burned 3 gallons an hour and achieved 3 miles to the gallon. The river was flat calm and a light breeze came from the south keeping the temperature in the low 70’s.
The afternoon was pleasant boating down the Tombigbee River and through its lakes. Most of the time the river was about 100-200 yards wide, with no current and a fresh breeze from the south. Cypress trees were replaced by groves of pine trees that harbored beautiful campgrounds and well-kept summerhouses and these yielded to farms and fields in the low lands. The destination was Sumpter, a small cove that could protect about dozen boats. Arriving at about 1700 hours, we found the three boats that left Columbus Marina at dawn swinging at anchor. The anchor was dropped hear the head of the cove in 6 feet. One of them was another of Trilogy’s cousins, only a 2014 version.
Laurie prepared another great dinner of ham heated in the oven, fresh biscuits and salad. We had traveled 75 miles in nearly 8 hours.
The chill of 45 degrees in the cabin was the wake up alarm at 0600 hours but an hour later the furnace had warmed the cabin to a pleasant 70 degrees. Three boats, including Trilogy’s twin, headed to the Stennis lock for a 0730 locking. We were up and could have joined the group but Laurie was moving slowly. The fuse to the propane’s electric shut-off valve had burned out and finding the blown fuse and replacing it was a 10-minute deal. The fuse was under-sized, 1 amp instead of a 3 amp and the cold was probably an additional factor. How many boaters who do not own a screwdriver would have stayed in the marina and called an electrician?
We killed 90 minutes because the lockmaster said we could lock down in 90 minutes. Trilogy fell into a pattern of slow cruising at 2300 RPM for 80% of the hour and then fast cruising at 15 miles per hour for 20%. The tug averaged 10 miles an hour and burned 3 gallons an hour and achieved 3 miles to the gallon. The river was flat calm and a light breeze came from the south keeping the temperature in the low 70’s.
The afternoon was pleasant boating down the Tombigbee River and through its lakes. Most of the time the river was about 100-200 yards wide, with no current and a fresh breeze from the south. Cypress trees were replaced by groves of pine trees that harbored beautiful campgrounds and well-kept summerhouses and these yielded to farms and fields in the low lands. The destination was Sumpter, a small cove that could protect about dozen boats. Arriving at about 1700 hours, we found the three boats that left Columbus Marina at dawn swinging at anchor. The anchor was dropped hear the head of the cove in 6 feet. One of them was another of Trilogy’s cousins, only a 2014 version.
Laurie prepared another great dinner of ham heated in the oven, fresh biscuits and salad. We had traveled 75 miles in nearly 8 hours.
Tuesday. the last day in October
At 0700 hours, the VHF radio cracked to life with the other Ranger Tug saying that the nearby Heflin Lock would be ready in 20 minutes. We opted to leave and have breakfast while underway. The morning was calm and still with a light morning fog hovering on the rivers mirror surface. The lock was not ready for us and another lesson was learned again: Do your own research and verify the data before acting on someone else’s message because they may have it wrong. Soon the lock was ready but we would wait another 30 minutes for other boats to arrive, which is fine but not at the cost of a preventable delay in breakfast.
Four of the boats in the Heflin Lock would head out and rocket down to Demopolis. There would be two groups of boaters: the hare and the tortoise. Letting the hares go and get out of the way and leaving the river flat and calm was an easy choice. Soon, Trilogy was alone and doing this part of the Great Loop at her speed.
Trilogy caught up with the Pickwick Belle, the paddle wheeler that stayed the night with us in Blue Bluff Park near Aberdeen. The tug was doing a turbo-cleansing run, slowed to pass the paddle wheeler and the whole crew came out to wave at us. Then, the tug awed them by pulling away at 17 MPH. Around a bend, we caught up to a Gemini 105 catamaran sailboat that was mast-less and running at its maximum speed of 6.5 knots on its solo diesel engine with a propeller on an arm mounted on the centerline between the hulls. Trilogy was on another 17 MPH run and though we slowed to pass them, the tug blew by them.
Just before Demopolis, a huge 80-foot yacht running at 25 knots with a 4-foot wake by a delivery crew passed us and took most of the fuel dock. Trilogy was able to slide into the shallow dock and take on 33 gallons that would be more than enough to get to Mobile. The employee was a jokester and made it all fun. We had traveled 43 miles in 7 hours of easy cruising. This fuel dock pumps over 100,000 gallons of diesel a day to the towboats. The old marina is vacant as the new one provides all the services. We took a 40 foot covered slip for $1.25 a foot. The harbormaster, Ann Marie, was in costume as a witch and easily circulated around the docks on a bicycle and a golf cart. Demopolis Yacht Basin is 90% transient boaters, some longer than others because Demopolis is not a destination – it is a way station with a good-sized boat yard. The marina is the center of economic activity since farming and ranching have fallen on hard times.
A floating building is a meeting room, hosted the Halloween Party, and has laundry, restrooms and showers so we never stepped on dry land for the next two days. We met Mark and Sandee who have a new-to-them Kadey Krogen 42 and we talked boats for over an hour and he was grateful for advice about changing the thruster batteries. Amy and Reg with their two teenagers were looping in the Gemini catamaran, Binary, we spent time with Amy as she told the story of getting repairs, shipping their mast, and how the family is going really, really well together on the trip.
After dinner was the Halloween Party that some of the transient boaters attended. The really cute costumes were red and green buoys and salt and pepper shakers.
At 0700 hours, the VHF radio cracked to life with the other Ranger Tug saying that the nearby Heflin Lock would be ready in 20 minutes. We opted to leave and have breakfast while underway. The morning was calm and still with a light morning fog hovering on the rivers mirror surface. The lock was not ready for us and another lesson was learned again: Do your own research and verify the data before acting on someone else’s message because they may have it wrong. Soon the lock was ready but we would wait another 30 minutes for other boats to arrive, which is fine but not at the cost of a preventable delay in breakfast.
Four of the boats in the Heflin Lock would head out and rocket down to Demopolis. There would be two groups of boaters: the hare and the tortoise. Letting the hares go and get out of the way and leaving the river flat and calm was an easy choice. Soon, Trilogy was alone and doing this part of the Great Loop at her speed.
Trilogy caught up with the Pickwick Belle, the paddle wheeler that stayed the night with us in Blue Bluff Park near Aberdeen. The tug was doing a turbo-cleansing run, slowed to pass the paddle wheeler and the whole crew came out to wave at us. Then, the tug awed them by pulling away at 17 MPH. Around a bend, we caught up to a Gemini 105 catamaran sailboat that was mast-less and running at its maximum speed of 6.5 knots on its solo diesel engine with a propeller on an arm mounted on the centerline between the hulls. Trilogy was on another 17 MPH run and though we slowed to pass them, the tug blew by them.
Just before Demopolis, a huge 80-foot yacht running at 25 knots with a 4-foot wake by a delivery crew passed us and took most of the fuel dock. Trilogy was able to slide into the shallow dock and take on 33 gallons that would be more than enough to get to Mobile. The employee was a jokester and made it all fun. We had traveled 43 miles in 7 hours of easy cruising. This fuel dock pumps over 100,000 gallons of diesel a day to the towboats. The old marina is vacant as the new one provides all the services. We took a 40 foot covered slip for $1.25 a foot. The harbormaster, Ann Marie, was in costume as a witch and easily circulated around the docks on a bicycle and a golf cart. Demopolis Yacht Basin is 90% transient boaters, some longer than others because Demopolis is not a destination – it is a way station with a good-sized boat yard. The marina is the center of economic activity since farming and ranching have fallen on hard times.
A floating building is a meeting room, hosted the Halloween Party, and has laundry, restrooms and showers so we never stepped on dry land for the next two days. We met Mark and Sandee who have a new-to-them Kadey Krogen 42 and we talked boats for over an hour and he was grateful for advice about changing the thruster batteries. Amy and Reg with their two teenagers were looping in the Gemini catamaran, Binary, we spent time with Amy as she told the story of getting repairs, shipping their mast, and how the family is going really, really well together on the trip.
After dinner was the Halloween Party that some of the transient boaters attended. The really cute costumes were red and green buoys and salt and pepper shakers.
Wednesday-Thursday, November 1-2
After moving everyday since Ditto Landing that is near Huntsville, it felt good to have a down day and simply stay in one place. The weather was breezy, heavy cloud cover and the rain would come in the afternoon. After breakfast, the whole morning was spent taking apart the anchoring system on the dock, removing 100 feet of line from the 200 feet that was crammed into the anchor locker, re-tying the knot that affixed the line to the 50 feet of chain and marking the line in 25-foot segments. It was a good project because the line snagged in the anchor locker. A total of 250 feet of rode was overkill and unnecessary for the cruising that we do. On the Inside Passage, only once did we deploy nearly 200 feet of rode. The spare line was stowed forward under the V-berth for rarely used items.
Every afternoon there is a meeting of the Skippers who are leaving the marina in the morning. Maybe there was suppose to be a leader or a speaker but after waiting around for 10 minutes with the other boaters, I told our story from doing the Great Loop before of how this is done: the lock is called in the morning, the message is passed on by VHF radio and we go on to our destinations. I volunteered to be the communicator the next morning and everyone was satisfied.
Dinner was mushroom ravioli, vegies and wine and the evening was closed with a movie on the laptop with the sound through the boat’s speakers.
The next day, a brief rain shower precluded the alarm that went off at 0630 hours. The day was warm, humid and with a thick ceiling of clouds. A phone call to the Demopolis Lock at 0645 revealed that a tow was about to enter the lock and perhaps the lock would be ready at 0800 hours. A call on channel 69 15 minutes before the agreed upon time and everyone was waiting. The dock was a buzz of anxious activity and many were waiting by their radios for the word. However, the lockmaster called us at 0730 hours and said the lock will be ready soon and to come on down. Within minutes, 11 boats were pulling away from the yacht basin and heading to the lock that was 3 miles away
.
Exiting the lock at the huge spillway and sliding away from a tow and set of barges that were waiting for the recreational vessels to leave, the go-fast boats jockeyed for position as they had over 100 miles to go to Bobby’s Fish Camp – the only place with a dock, fuel and restaurant food before Mobile. Four of the 11 would go there. Typically about 1/4 of the Loopers will not anchor or will not pass up an opportunity for a restaurant; that is their way of doing the Loop.
Trilogy would take advantage of a 1.5-knot current and run close to 9.5 MPH and pass by the common anchorage at Bashi Creek and go on for a total of 93 miles to Okatuppa Creek. A long day that was do-able and safe because of the conditions and how fast this boat will go when needed. That would leave 6 boats to cram into that small anchorage that was now more limited because a tree had fallen into the small embayment. During this part of the Tenn-Tom Waterway, the designated anchorages are very few.
The day was routine of frequent turns on the river, counting the blue and white herons, wondering where the raptor birds were until a few Turkey Vultures were seen, long stretches of no houses, no bridges and no power lines, enjoying 50 minutes of every hour at 9 MPH and the balance at 17 miles per hour. Still, the tug earned 3+ miles per gallon. The local country FM radio station was enjoyed because there is no NPR radio station in this part of Alabama. There probably were not enough liberals to support one. Laurie talked to nine northbound towboats and barges to arrange passing maneuvers and they had names like DB Quebodeaux, Three Rivers, Gretchen C, Captain Anthony, Gunner, and Ms. Nicole.
The afternoon remained warm at 81 degrees and humid. At 1715 hours, the anchor was dropped in 5 feet of water in a creek that feeds a wider and larger fishing area. A stern anchor was dropped to keep the tug from blocking the 80-foot wide creek. When the anchor light was found to have burned out, an LED cockpit light was left on. 93 miles was done in nearly 10 hours.
After moving everyday since Ditto Landing that is near Huntsville, it felt good to have a down day and simply stay in one place. The weather was breezy, heavy cloud cover and the rain would come in the afternoon. After breakfast, the whole morning was spent taking apart the anchoring system on the dock, removing 100 feet of line from the 200 feet that was crammed into the anchor locker, re-tying the knot that affixed the line to the 50 feet of chain and marking the line in 25-foot segments. It was a good project because the line snagged in the anchor locker. A total of 250 feet of rode was overkill and unnecessary for the cruising that we do. On the Inside Passage, only once did we deploy nearly 200 feet of rode. The spare line was stowed forward under the V-berth for rarely used items.
Every afternoon there is a meeting of the Skippers who are leaving the marina in the morning. Maybe there was suppose to be a leader or a speaker but after waiting around for 10 minutes with the other boaters, I told our story from doing the Great Loop before of how this is done: the lock is called in the morning, the message is passed on by VHF radio and we go on to our destinations. I volunteered to be the communicator the next morning and everyone was satisfied.
Dinner was mushroom ravioli, vegies and wine and the evening was closed with a movie on the laptop with the sound through the boat’s speakers.
The next day, a brief rain shower precluded the alarm that went off at 0630 hours. The day was warm, humid and with a thick ceiling of clouds. A phone call to the Demopolis Lock at 0645 revealed that a tow was about to enter the lock and perhaps the lock would be ready at 0800 hours. A call on channel 69 15 minutes before the agreed upon time and everyone was waiting. The dock was a buzz of anxious activity and many were waiting by their radios for the word. However, the lockmaster called us at 0730 hours and said the lock will be ready soon and to come on down. Within minutes, 11 boats were pulling away from the yacht basin and heading to the lock that was 3 miles away
.
Exiting the lock at the huge spillway and sliding away from a tow and set of barges that were waiting for the recreational vessels to leave, the go-fast boats jockeyed for position as they had over 100 miles to go to Bobby’s Fish Camp – the only place with a dock, fuel and restaurant food before Mobile. Four of the 11 would go there. Typically about 1/4 of the Loopers will not anchor or will not pass up an opportunity for a restaurant; that is their way of doing the Loop.
Trilogy would take advantage of a 1.5-knot current and run close to 9.5 MPH and pass by the common anchorage at Bashi Creek and go on for a total of 93 miles to Okatuppa Creek. A long day that was do-able and safe because of the conditions and how fast this boat will go when needed. That would leave 6 boats to cram into that small anchorage that was now more limited because a tree had fallen into the small embayment. During this part of the Tenn-Tom Waterway, the designated anchorages are very few.
The day was routine of frequent turns on the river, counting the blue and white herons, wondering where the raptor birds were until a few Turkey Vultures were seen, long stretches of no houses, no bridges and no power lines, enjoying 50 minutes of every hour at 9 MPH and the balance at 17 miles per hour. Still, the tug earned 3+ miles per gallon. The local country FM radio station was enjoyed because there is no NPR radio station in this part of Alabama. There probably were not enough liberals to support one. Laurie talked to nine northbound towboats and barges to arrange passing maneuvers and they had names like DB Quebodeaux, Three Rivers, Gretchen C, Captain Anthony, Gunner, and Ms. Nicole.
The afternoon remained warm at 81 degrees and humid. At 1715 hours, the anchor was dropped in 5 feet of water in a creek that feeds a wider and larger fishing area. A stern anchor was dropped to keep the tug from blocking the 80-foot wide creek. When the anchor light was found to have burned out, an LED cockpit light was left on. 93 miles was done in nearly 10 hours.
Friday-Saturday, November 3-4
0700 hours and like clockwork, three bass fishing boats cruised by Trilogy that caused enough of a roll that it woke us up. Later, another boat came by only slower and was occupied by two men who were in camouflage gear from head to food.
“How y’all doin’?”
“Fine, how are you this morning?
“Going to kill some squirrels. Nice boat!”
We headed south as the last of the mist evaporated off of the river. Past the deserted docks at Bobby’s Fish Camp and to the last dam and lock on the river system, Coffeeville Dam. There was a tow pushing a barge that the AIS displayed as being about 5 miles away. The Coffeeville Lockmaster said to come on down and he would turn the lock around for us. As the gates were approached, they opened, the light turned green and Trilogy idled on in. The descent on this dam was quiet and smooth. The gates opened to the first mixture of fresh and salt water and where the tidal influence from the Gulf of Mexico had the potential of being felt. This was the last lock and dam for this trip and the moment was savored.
On this day, the southbound current would continue to carry us through the flat land that was forested under clear skies and warming temperatures. Through the morning, more rattles and vibrations were found inside the boat and were dealt with. At the Jackson Railroad Bridge, Trilogy caught up with the Pickwick Belle for the last time.
The river was rarely straight for more than two miles and there were more oxbows. There were lots of mileage but less distance traveled. Mid-afternoon brought temperatures into the mid-80’s. We pushed on to the anchorage at the Tensaw River that was wide, had a mild current flowing to the east and was already occupied by 4 boats that had been in front of us for the past two days. They had no doubt had run faster and used a lot more fuel than Trilogy. We anchored in 25 feet and the evening was quiet with a great sunset. We had covered 86 miles in nearly 9 hours.
The next day, just a few minutes before sunrise, half a dozen bass boats were running fast and close to each other like an invading force, going at least 40 miles per hour. The other trawlers that were anchored with us left about an hour before we did. Trilogy was on the last leg to Mobile and the destination was Turner’s Marina on Dog River. We were in no hurry to cover the last 55 miles. This part of the river was great as the forest yielded to the saltwater marsh and the vegetation was typical for a bayou.
At the I-65 highway bridge, the rules of the water seemed to change as the chitchat on Channel 16 was caught off by the Coast Guard radio dispatcher. The tow barges talked less and the chatter from the pleasure boats was gone. At the 14-mile railroad bridge that was 5 feet above the water, the bridge was closed and we waited 15 minutes for the train to come and cross over.
The protected wetland was entered and the amount of wildlife increased. A heavy concentration of tows and barges announced the end of wilderness boating as the busy Mobile harbor was entered. Trilogy slowed for the huge freighter Clipper Marlene to turn around in the harbor and then followed her out, past the Carnival Cruise ship with the police boat providing security. The horizon to the south was only water of the Gulf of Mexico; we were truly out of the inland river system.
Miles out of downtown Mobile, we caught up to the boats from the Tensaw River anchorage an we all turned to the west to follow the channel markers to Dog River. Laurie had chosen Turner’s Marine that was immediately past the Dauphin Highway Bridge. The other boats continued to the adjacent Dog River Marina. Turner’s was predominately sailboats but there were a few loopers there. The short fixed docks with wooden poles were another first for this trip and required an adaptation to the normal docking process but it was all done. We arrived at about 1400 hours, secured the lines, established shore power and then paid for two nights at the bargain price of $15 a night. The PDQ catamaran, Magic with Jacques and Nellie who were from France was close-by. We had hoped to see them and talk about boating in the Pacific Northwest and would visit for about an hour before they had to finish repairs so they could leave in the morning. The nearby West Marine Express had a few items that needed and more of the to-do list was accomplished.
0700 hours and like clockwork, three bass fishing boats cruised by Trilogy that caused enough of a roll that it woke us up. Later, another boat came by only slower and was occupied by two men who were in camouflage gear from head to food.
“How y’all doin’?”
“Fine, how are you this morning?
“Going to kill some squirrels. Nice boat!”
We headed south as the last of the mist evaporated off of the river. Past the deserted docks at Bobby’s Fish Camp and to the last dam and lock on the river system, Coffeeville Dam. There was a tow pushing a barge that the AIS displayed as being about 5 miles away. The Coffeeville Lockmaster said to come on down and he would turn the lock around for us. As the gates were approached, they opened, the light turned green and Trilogy idled on in. The descent on this dam was quiet and smooth. The gates opened to the first mixture of fresh and salt water and where the tidal influence from the Gulf of Mexico had the potential of being felt. This was the last lock and dam for this trip and the moment was savored.
On this day, the southbound current would continue to carry us through the flat land that was forested under clear skies and warming temperatures. Through the morning, more rattles and vibrations were found inside the boat and were dealt with. At the Jackson Railroad Bridge, Trilogy caught up with the Pickwick Belle for the last time.
The river was rarely straight for more than two miles and there were more oxbows. There were lots of mileage but less distance traveled. Mid-afternoon brought temperatures into the mid-80’s. We pushed on to the anchorage at the Tensaw River that was wide, had a mild current flowing to the east and was already occupied by 4 boats that had been in front of us for the past two days. They had no doubt had run faster and used a lot more fuel than Trilogy. We anchored in 25 feet and the evening was quiet with a great sunset. We had covered 86 miles in nearly 9 hours.
The next day, just a few minutes before sunrise, half a dozen bass boats were running fast and close to each other like an invading force, going at least 40 miles per hour. The other trawlers that were anchored with us left about an hour before we did. Trilogy was on the last leg to Mobile and the destination was Turner’s Marina on Dog River. We were in no hurry to cover the last 55 miles. This part of the river was great as the forest yielded to the saltwater marsh and the vegetation was typical for a bayou.
At the I-65 highway bridge, the rules of the water seemed to change as the chitchat on Channel 16 was caught off by the Coast Guard radio dispatcher. The tow barges talked less and the chatter from the pleasure boats was gone. At the 14-mile railroad bridge that was 5 feet above the water, the bridge was closed and we waited 15 minutes for the train to come and cross over.
The protected wetland was entered and the amount of wildlife increased. A heavy concentration of tows and barges announced the end of wilderness boating as the busy Mobile harbor was entered. Trilogy slowed for the huge freighter Clipper Marlene to turn around in the harbor and then followed her out, past the Carnival Cruise ship with the police boat providing security. The horizon to the south was only water of the Gulf of Mexico; we were truly out of the inland river system.
Miles out of downtown Mobile, we caught up to the boats from the Tensaw River anchorage an we all turned to the west to follow the channel markers to Dog River. Laurie had chosen Turner’s Marine that was immediately past the Dauphin Highway Bridge. The other boats continued to the adjacent Dog River Marina. Turner’s was predominately sailboats but there were a few loopers there. The short fixed docks with wooden poles were another first for this trip and required an adaptation to the normal docking process but it was all done. We arrived at about 1400 hours, secured the lines, established shore power and then paid for two nights at the bargain price of $15 a night. The PDQ catamaran, Magic with Jacques and Nellie who were from France was close-by. We had hoped to see them and talk about boating in the Pacific Northwest and would visit for about an hour before they had to finish repairs so they could leave in the morning. The nearby West Marine Express had a few items that needed and more of the to-do list was accomplished.
End of Trip Wrap-up and Lessons Learned
Monday was the first day of the full-time prep work. A nearby canvas shop was available to re-stitch the Bimini top and the work would be done by Wednesday. The price was twice what was paid back home because we were just passing through. Most of the morning was spent working a list from Yellowpages.com of RV and boat storage businesses. 30 businesses were called and only one was willing to accommodate our desire to have power to the boat to run the battery charger and the de-humidifier. The further away from the water, the lower the monthly rent. We settled on doing a tour of storage business in Saraland, AL that was close to Mobile.
The storage business was new and the hungry owner was very accommodating as we wanted the tug secure, but not in the back secluded back corner or in the front row next to the street. The $35 a month was also the best price and less than Florida or Georgia. A stop at Harbor Freight Tools was necessary to prep for the next project: measuring and aligning the prop shaft that was part of the engine break-in period. Then, the hunt was on for a boat ramp that was suitable for a 39 foot trailer and a boat with a 2-½ foot draft. Three ramps were examined; one failed the depth test, one was gone and probably destroyed by one of the hurricanes and the other had potential until Laurie talked to a nearby owner of a sailboat and learned the concrete ramp was way too short for our trailer. Without a viable ramp, the only option was having the tug lifted out by a travel-lift at a marina.
The next day was warm and the afternoon would be hot. The nearby Dog River Marina could do the lift on Thursday for $10 a foot. Turner Marina was really busy stepping masts on sailboats. The husband and wife ownership team huddled and their best offer was maybe they could possibly do the lift on Friday morning for $7 a foot. When asked about a viable boat ramp, they suggested looking at Fowl River Marina that is down the bay by about 10 miles.
Information technology has made it easy to get information but it also has made us lazy about asking questions. Learning about boat ramps was another example of how the apps do not have accurate information and the charts can be misleading. Answers from real people is the most reliable or it provides leads.
We had rented a car and took it Fowl River Marina to check out the marina. The presence of double axle boat trailers pulled by ¾ ton trucks was the seal of approval. Without anyone around to answer our questions about depth and length, a second visit was necessary to make our own measurements. However, there was confidence that spending over $200 for a $50 service was not going to be necessary.
The prop shaft alignment project was methodically done after lunch. Several phone calls with Rich, who had done the research and did the alignment on his Ranger Tug, made the project easier. The initial measurements of the gap between the transmission coupler and the prop shaft showed it was within specifications. Working in the engine compartment also accomplished cleaning the sea strainer and tightening a dozen hose clamps.
Wednesday was a marathon driving day that started at 0730 at the Enterprise Truck Rental where a 2017 Dodge ¾ ton with a Cummins diesel was rented for the 350 mile trip to get the boat trailer. The drive to the storage yard in Ringgold, Georgia was easy, the trailer was in fine shape.
The truck and trailer were moved to the Fowl River Marina. The marina/ramp harbormaster was in her office as we measured the ramp and used the boat hook to measure the depth. She said the ramp would work fine for the tug and offered that there was plenty of depth outside of the main Mobile Bay channel and where the wind was lighter. Armed with good information, there was confidence in the next step.
The tug easily floated on to the trailer with some power used to get it up to the bow support. Then, the next hour was used to put the tug to bed on the trailer. The tug was delivered to the storage yard were final preparations were finished by following the checklist that was developed. The rental truck was returned by 4PM and we enjoyed a great rate of $62 a day with unlimited mileage. We had arranged for a flight from New Orleans to Seattle and enjoyed the drive and a day to see the city for the first time.
Monday was the first day of the full-time prep work. A nearby canvas shop was available to re-stitch the Bimini top and the work would be done by Wednesday. The price was twice what was paid back home because we were just passing through. Most of the morning was spent working a list from Yellowpages.com of RV and boat storage businesses. 30 businesses were called and only one was willing to accommodate our desire to have power to the boat to run the battery charger and the de-humidifier. The further away from the water, the lower the monthly rent. We settled on doing a tour of storage business in Saraland, AL that was close to Mobile.
The storage business was new and the hungry owner was very accommodating as we wanted the tug secure, but not in the back secluded back corner or in the front row next to the street. The $35 a month was also the best price and less than Florida or Georgia. A stop at Harbor Freight Tools was necessary to prep for the next project: measuring and aligning the prop shaft that was part of the engine break-in period. Then, the hunt was on for a boat ramp that was suitable for a 39 foot trailer and a boat with a 2-½ foot draft. Three ramps were examined; one failed the depth test, one was gone and probably destroyed by one of the hurricanes and the other had potential until Laurie talked to a nearby owner of a sailboat and learned the concrete ramp was way too short for our trailer. Without a viable ramp, the only option was having the tug lifted out by a travel-lift at a marina.
The next day was warm and the afternoon would be hot. The nearby Dog River Marina could do the lift on Thursday for $10 a foot. Turner Marina was really busy stepping masts on sailboats. The husband and wife ownership team huddled and their best offer was maybe they could possibly do the lift on Friday morning for $7 a foot. When asked about a viable boat ramp, they suggested looking at Fowl River Marina that is down the bay by about 10 miles.
Information technology has made it easy to get information but it also has made us lazy about asking questions. Learning about boat ramps was another example of how the apps do not have accurate information and the charts can be misleading. Answers from real people is the most reliable or it provides leads.
We had rented a car and took it Fowl River Marina to check out the marina. The presence of double axle boat trailers pulled by ¾ ton trucks was the seal of approval. Without anyone around to answer our questions about depth and length, a second visit was necessary to make our own measurements. However, there was confidence that spending over $200 for a $50 service was not going to be necessary.
The prop shaft alignment project was methodically done after lunch. Several phone calls with Rich, who had done the research and did the alignment on his Ranger Tug, made the project easier. The initial measurements of the gap between the transmission coupler and the prop shaft showed it was within specifications. Working in the engine compartment also accomplished cleaning the sea strainer and tightening a dozen hose clamps.
Wednesday was a marathon driving day that started at 0730 at the Enterprise Truck Rental where a 2017 Dodge ¾ ton with a Cummins diesel was rented for the 350 mile trip to get the boat trailer. The drive to the storage yard in Ringgold, Georgia was easy, the trailer was in fine shape.
The truck and trailer were moved to the Fowl River Marina. The marina/ramp harbormaster was in her office as we measured the ramp and used the boat hook to measure the depth. She said the ramp would work fine for the tug and offered that there was plenty of depth outside of the main Mobile Bay channel and where the wind was lighter. Armed with good information, there was confidence in the next step.
The tug easily floated on to the trailer with some power used to get it up to the bow support. Then, the next hour was used to put the tug to bed on the trailer. The tug was delivered to the storage yard were final preparations were finished by following the checklist that was developed. The rental truck was returned by 4PM and we enjoyed a great rate of $62 a day with unlimited mileage. We had arranged for a flight from New Orleans to Seattle and enjoyed the drive and a day to see the city for the first time.