4WD sailing/boating the Murray
Submitted: Friday, Apr 13, 2007 at 14:11
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Member - SKI er (NSW)
Hi Folks,
Saw something on "Getaway" last night that has led to an idea... have you any thoughts on the matter.
On a recent caravan trip we met other caravan travellers that were "doing the Murray" from head waters to mouth by 4WD. We saw some pockets of the Murray but then the highway swung away and we were back to tar.
Idea We also have a boat - a 4.5 metre Whaler. Twin hull Stable shallow draft
Lets suppose we left the caravan at home and towed the boat to where the Murray is deep enough for a boat and boated down the Murray. We would carry enought to
free camp on the banks or on the boat under mossie nets or riverside caravan parks and buy food progressively from the river towns.
I know when we are on the boat we would have to leave the car behind probably at the previous caravan
park etc etc and would have to keep going back to bring it further downriver.... and to pass
places not navigable by boat (weirs) .....not certain how to keep getting back to the 4WD just yet...cos it would have to be carried on the boat. A boat with a postie bike.. just a thought
Is this idea just plain silly (be kind) or can you offer any positives and thoughts into this adventure
Regards
SKI'er
Reply By: Des Lexic - Friday, Apr 13, 2007 at 14:32
Friday, Apr 13, 2007 at 14:32
I think Captain Sturt came down the river in a whaler too. From the pictures I've seen, he had about 8 sailors rowing.
Seriously, at the moment, you would have difficulty navigating the river. Around Locks 4 & 7, you can easily walk across the river at the moment and it will only get worse until we get some decent rain in the catchment areas. I heard that someone tried to drive across the river last weekend it's that bad. Sandbars are everywhere.
It will be a great trip when the system is running again. The locks are not a problem as they are designed to have boats pass through them.
When you are able to do the trip, why can't you have someone drop you off at the starting point and pick you up at the end. There are enough access points for supplies along the river for it not to become an issue.
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Member - SKI er (NSW) - Saturday, Apr 14, 2007 at 13:55
Saturday, Apr 14, 2007 at 13:55
Hi Des Lexic,
Good to know I may be following in the footsteps of a famous "naughtyical" perosn.
The idea of dropping off the boat and having someone pick us up at the end is an interesting thought. Really just a dollar problem. I wonder if one of the car transporter companies would be interested.
Thanks legend, for the outside of the square thoughts.
SKI'er
FollowupID:
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Reply By: disco driver - Friday, Apr 13, 2007 at 14:38
Friday, Apr 13, 2007 at 14:38
Hi SKI'er.
No It is not as silly as it sounds.
The ABC did a program (series of 6, I think) called "2 Men and a Tinnie" where Dr Tim Flannery (? Australian of the Year) and John Doyle (aka Rampaging Roy Slavin) did just what you are thinking about. They started as far up as they could go and entered the Murray from the Darling R (I think).
OK they had a backup team of TV cameramen etc to bring the vehicles downstream as required but I'm sure that a group of 4 or more (1/2 on the boat and 1/2 relaying the vehicles) could do it. You could even rotate the crews on a daily basis.
If you contact the ABC you might get some helpful information re planning, distances per day etc.
If I was living on the eastern side of this big island I would love to assist in any way I could.
Go for it!! Don't be talked out of it, cos it can be done
"LIVE YOUR DREAM"
Lots of Luck
Disco
AnswerID:
233144
Follow Up By: Member - SKI er (NSW) - Saturday, Apr 14, 2007 at 13:58
Saturday, Apr 14, 2007 at 13:58
Thanks Disco,
You know I some of those episodes without "really seeing them." It maybe a DVD by now from ABC shops.
I will pursue your line of thought
Thanks
SKI'er
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Pesty (SA) - Saturday, Apr 14, 2007 at 14:48
Saturday, Apr 14, 2007 at 14:48
I have a copy of the dvd " Two Men In a Tinnie " here, it belongs to Roachy.
This a great idea SKI, i have thought about it many times, but not in position to do it yet, maybe one day.
You could get setup, leave all your gear at start point, drive car to
adelaide and store it, catch a bus back to start and away you go.
Im sure there would be an EO person here around
Adelaide that would help you out, in fact a mate who appears on this site from time to time, runs houseboats at
Mannum, Im sure he would help out, if not I would.
I love the river, so any excuse to go there is enough for us.
Cheers Pesty
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Reply By: Smudger - Friday, Apr 13, 2007 at 14:47
Friday, Apr 13, 2007 at 14:47
I toyed with the idea of a set of pontoons that you could secure a caravan to and use it like a houseboat. It went in the Too Hard basket.
Previous bloke is right, it'll be while before you could get far on the Murray. A mate was telling me on the weekend about the number of houseboats that are stranded at their moorings, sitting on the bottom unable to be moved. And the level is still dropping. The 'Bidgee isn't in any better shape, we called in to a couple of spots over
Easter and I just couldn't believe how low the
water is.
Happy sailing,
Smudger.
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Member - SKI er (NSW) - Saturday, Apr 14, 2007 at 14:10
Saturday, Apr 14, 2007 at 14:10
ThanksSmudger,
Never thought about current
water levels in the Murray and I should have , having just been there. Let me explain what the eyes say and the brain din'nt make 2+2 = anything. I think I am A3D2
Passing through
Murray Bridge we saw rafts of cruiser type boats lashed togther as a sort of Marina. No brain register
A year ago we did a Coorong Cruise from Goolwah. The first part of the crusie is across to Hindmash Island to gawk at the flash houses on a couple of Hindmarsh Inlets each with a flash cruiser at the end of the garden. We have a similar property on the NSW North Coast cept no cruiser. But We could live in Goolwah.
This year we did a bit of Real Eastate looking. Lots of properties for sale in Hindmash. The Murray is a metre lower for the year and many of the cruiers have bottomed out and are now "parked " at
Murray Bridge. To augment the problem , passed lots of local signs that were opposed to a new weir ""Wrans" from memory" that seemed to be aimed at maintaining
water levels in the Murray upstram of Goolwah and sacfricicing the flow to the mouth.
Thanks for your input.
SKI'er
FollowupID:
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Reply By: Leroy - Friday, Apr 13, 2007 at 14:53
Friday, Apr 13, 2007 at 14:53
I reckon
water levels are going to be your big issue. On tv last night (I didn't pay close attention) they were showing the paddle steamers at
Echuca and some are stranded as the
water has been going down. Further upstream like at Tocumwal to Yarrawonga it's getting dangerous for boating with the amount of snags (aka logs etc) just under the surface of the
water.
Leroy
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Member - SKI er (NSW) - Saturday, Apr 14, 2007 at 14:13
Saturday, Apr 14, 2007 at 14:13
Thanks Leroy for the resonse.
Rather than repeat myself please see previous rsponse to anoother post.
Thanks
SKI'er
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Reply By: DIO - Friday, Apr 13, 2007 at 15:24
Friday, Apr 13, 2007 at 15:24
How many do you envisage taking on the boat/trip?
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Follow Up By: Member - SKI er (NSW) - Saturday, Apr 14, 2007 at 14:15
Saturday, Apr 14, 2007 at 14:15
Thanks Dio,
2+ 2. Me SWMBO and probably our family.... 2 fox terriers.
SKI'er
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Reply By: Member - Oldplodder (QLD) - Friday, Apr 13, 2007 at 16:52
Friday, Apr 13, 2007 at 16:52
This what my father used to do with his 23' trailer sailor.
6" draft with the keel up.
He has sailed a few local rivers.
But he had a son to drop him off and pick him up when he rang.
(Used to be the chance to service all the rollers etc on the trailer too.)
Othrwise, you just have to do the length of the river , then come back again. :o)
Would a bicycle work for getting back to the car?
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Member - SKI er (NSW) - Saturday, Apr 14, 2007 at 14:24
Saturday, Apr 14, 2007 at 14:24
Thanks OldPlodder,
Now why didn't I think of that.
Do a stretch at leisure and then return to the 4WD at a faster return speed and then move on down river a bit by 4WD and tarand .......repeat. Longer time frame for the adventure but we are not rushing and we have the vehicle available for the look and see side adventures
Cancel the posties bike idea... definitily cancel the bicycle... I have today's body and yesteryears ideas.
Great Input
Thanks
SKI'er
Thanks
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Reply By: DIO - Saturday, Apr 14, 2007 at 20:13
Saturday, Apr 14, 2007 at 20:13
Reason I asked about number likely to tag along was a bit of a wild idea that perhaps if you had enough drivers, you could roster one each day, they take the vehicle and boat trailer and make their way slowly to the assigned rendevous point. That way, the vehicle could carry extra
water, fuel, provisions etc. Make for a lot more room in the boat and in the event that you had any problems with the boat, your vehicle and trailer will be close by. By sharing the driving - if feasible, it will mean that those people will get a break from being in the boat and see a bit more of the countryside from another perspective. Probably need to set up CB radio comms or simmilar. Mobile phones might not be too good down on the river.
Cheers.
AnswerID:
233393
Reply By: AdlelaideGeorge - Monday, Apr 16, 2007 at 13:06
Monday, Apr 16, 2007 at 13:06
Hi
My family has a home at
Mannum. We recently towed our Whittley there, launched at the ramp next to the rowing club, left the car and trailer at the home in
Mannum and started up the river. Got up to Nilldottie in a few hours (including stopping for a refuel at
Walker Flat), over nighted there and started back down the river at a leisurely 8-9 knts.
We camped on the river banks every night for 5 nights before getting back to
Mannum.
The river is certainly low - at the same time there is still a lot of
water in it!
Some of the ramps are now unserviceable for larger craft such as my 20ft cruiser - the tandom
wheels fall off the concrete into a 'drop-off' and it's impossible getting the trailer and boat out of the
water and back onto the concrete when retrieving.
That said, there is still a lot of river to be enjoyed for a shallow draft power boat or trailer sailer.
Happy days
George
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Member - SKI er (NSW) - Tuesday, Apr 17, 2007 at 20:13
Tuesday, Apr 17, 2007 at 20:13
Hi
Adelaide George,
Lateral thinkers ? You are a legend !!!!
I was thinking "headwaters to mouth" one go, or a succession of head waters to mouth end goes - with the associated how to gt back up river for the tow vehicle.
You are magic. Launch at B... motor up riverto A and then laze back with the river current to B... Pick up with the tow vehicle....Move onto C and motor up river to B and laze back to C.
glass half full or half empty ? your is full to overflowing ....you are a legend !!!! I know my post is dated and will have little readership so I may post the genious soloution again. I owe you far more than the usual "I owe you a beer"
Many many thanks,
SKI'er
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