Columbia River - Beginning to End

[Jon Rollin]

Next June a friend and myself are planning on boating the length of the Columbia River from Lake Columbia (Canada) to the Pacific Ocean. We are going to have two 12 foot aluminum boats that can be rowed in the shallow beginnings of the river and have a motor for the 800 miles of dam created lakes. Some places along the river there are 100 miles of lake between fuel supply opportunities. We have no experience with outboards and my question has has to do with fuel economy. For the same boat, would we get further on a gallon of gas with a small motor (3 hp) going slow or a larger motor (5hp) going a little quicker. We were planning having two 6 gallon tanks on each boat. If the gas runs out, then we get to row for awhile. Any help with this question would be helpful - Thanks - Jon

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Columbia River - Beginning to End

the general rule for fuel consumption is to move the decimal one place to the left of the hp. 5hp + .05 gallons per hour, at wot. now how fast a 5hp will push you boat in an hour is the Y factor, and you have the Z factor, of weather conditions, waves, current, wind, impeding movement.

Edit: thanks Steve, 5hp 1/2 gallon per hour.

 

[samo_ott]

Re: Columbia River - Beginning to End

I think he means a 5hp will take 0.5 gallons/hour @ WOT.

That sounds like quite the trip. How long do you think it will take you?

 

[Hogger]

Re: Columbia River - Beginning to End

Honk when you go through Kennewick

 

[HONKER1]

Re: Columbia River - Beginning to End

Just curious..What is you plan for getting around all the dams. Use the fish ladders? In your portage, those boats, motors and gear can get very heavy with just 2 people.

 

[Jon Rollin]

Re: Columbia River - Beginning to End

The trip should take around 30 to 45 days. 10 years ago a person did it in a non-motorized canoe and it took him 90 days. I figure with the motor and the number of lake miles, we should be able to do it in 1/2 the time.

The smaller dams on the upper reaches of the river will, as a part of their original construction permits, portage you around the dam. However, just in case I'm taking a small dolly that will allow me to roll the boat over dirt or paved roads. It won't be easy, but better than carrying everything. The larger dams in Washington state have locks.

Thanks for the .5 gallon per hour correction.

 

[Willyclay]

Re: Columbia River - Beginning to End

Now that you have us interested in your adventure, you will have to come back and update this thread with links to your website/pictures. I thought you might find some assistance from an old story I recalled about some guys who rafted the Mississippi back in 1964. Here's the link:

http://freepages.college-alumni.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~neworleans/index.html

Good luck and be sure to take advantage of all the expertise on this firum before you jump off!

 

[SnappingTurtle]

Re: Columbia River - Beginning to End

Sounds like a cool trip!

I hope you will document the preparations, and keep us informed.

With photos if possible, we love photos!

 

[SnappingTurtle]

Re: Columbia River - Beginning to End

Now that you have us interested in your adventure, you will have to come back and update this thread with links to your website/pictures. I thought you might find some assistance from an old story I recalled about some guys who rafted the Mississippi back in 1964. Here's the link:

http://freepages.college-alumni.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~neworleans/index.html

Good luck and be sure to take advantage of all the expertise on this firum before you jump off!

Nice link Willyclay!

Now I have some reading material for this evening.

 

[SnappingTurtle]

Re: Columbia River - Beginning to End

What is the minimum equipment needed to navigate the Mississippi River from Chicago to New Orleans? It all depends ...

I need to make one of these trips soon!

 

[RotaryRacer]

Re: Columbia River - Beginning to End

Regarding boat and motor choices:

I'm thinking that your boat choice may be as big of a factor in fuel useage than the size of the motor. Since you are planning to row a considerable amount of the way regardless you want an easy to handle boat from a rowing standpoint. It should be light, relatively narrow and a good hull to cut the water well. You mention 12' aluminum boats and I guess your talking about the typical v-bottom fishing boat. These aren't ideal rowing boats. Hull shape and weight are the real detractors. Also, as far as efficiency you will need to get one of these up on plane to get the best efficiency. That will require at least 10hp with the weight you will probably have on board.

At this point I can't think of a better compromise on boat choice. I am thinking of a custom built hull that would be pretty cool though.

This sound like a really good adventure. I look forward to hearing more about it.

 

[tx1961whaler]

Re: Columbia River - Beginning to End

Maybe a Gheenoe ?

http://www.gheenoe.net/

 

[RotaryRacer]

Re: Columbia River - Beginning to End

Maybe a Gheenoe ?

http://www.gheenoe.net/

That would do it.

You could row or paddle on of those pretty easily. Get the 15' 4" model and a 10 hp motor will let you cruise in the 10-12 mph range and probably just sip the gas.

 

[capquest]

Re: Columbia River - Beginning to End

Do you have a plan for Cape Disappointment?

Cap

 

[Jon Rollin]

Re: Columbia River - Beginning to End

We don't have a great plan for the end of the trip (Cape Disappointment) - just that we don't want to end up in the real ocean as it's way too dangerous. Astoria is close enough - when the water starts to taste salty, that will suffice for me to be a "complete" trip.

My friend is looking into Gheenoes. My only concern with them is there is about 5 miles of rapids at the beginning of the trip that we can either run or portage around. We will have to make the run/portage decision when we see them. I'm leaning towards having a boat that will have a little more stability and a better chance to run those rapids.

 

[ondarvr]

Re: Columbia River - Beginning to End

As for motors, the small single cylinder ones are can be very irratating to use after just a short time, I would hate to think of using one for that many days in a row. A small two cylinder four stroke would make life much easier after a 16 hour day on the water. The lower river can get very rough, so make sure the boat you choose can handle wind and waves.

If you need assistance for resupply or other things I'm in that area (Canada to the coast) all the time and would have no problem helping.

 

[SnappingTurtle]

Re: Columbia River - Beginning to End

The lower river can get very rough, so make sure the boat you choose can handle wind and waves.

I can only second that statement.

We boot primarily on a well traveled (lots of big commercial & fast recreational traffic) river, in a 9ft glass boat and it gets really tiring after a couple of hours of dodging/fighting huge bow waves and the currents in this small boat (6hp Evinrude twin).

It is not only a wet experience, because of the “multi directional wakes” from other boats, the wind coming down the river when storms kick up can soak you and your gear in minutes. Nothing like wearing wet underwear for hours in cool temperatures!

We have just recently bought a larger inflatable to replace the smaller boat for these duties. It (the glass boat) will now just see use on the smaller streams and rivers here.

While the inflatable is not the best for rowing it does pretty well going down stream, and we can carry ten times the gear we can in the glass boat. It is also stable in the water, and offers much more room to move around in, at a tenth the weight. I can carry it alone, it takes two or three men, for the glass boat.

A inflatable might be worth a thought, especialy for the rougher water ...

 

[SnappingTurtle]

Re: Columbia River - Beginning to End

Oh, one more point, while the 6hp does what it does pretty well, if you are in a storm, or in the way of the commercial stuff coming at you in both directions, it would be nice to have a little more “omph” available in reserve.

A 10 or 15hp is on the list for next year.

I think, (yes, I know that is dangerous) a larger motor running at 50% would use less gas, than a smaller running wide open, yet still offer a small safety zone in terms of power when needed.

But knowing me, if I have it (extra power), I use it, all of it! So I would probably not save any gas in the end!

 

[crashnburn63]

Re: Columbia River - Beginning to End

Just remember that the Columbia can be pretty rough for a small boat. We had our 14 foot aluminum boat up at Lake Chelan (25 Mile Creek, to be precise) this weekend, and from 4PM on Saturday thru all day on Sunday it was "nuking" in windsurfing parlance. Meaning solid white caps and probably 20-30 knots+ out in the middle of the lake. I wished I had brought my smallest sailboard instead of the Duroboat as there was no hope of going out in it. Ended up renting a Seadoo and going out and banging around in that instead. Fun but very, very wet. My daughter (who is a pretty experienced small boat operator now) was driving the Seadoo downwind at one point and got going a little too fast while surfing a wave. Literally buried the nose of the thing. Fortunately, the kids were both wearing wetsuits. Unfortunately, I was not. Left that at home with the windsurfing gear . Another guy was out on his Seadoo and tried to stand up while jumping a wave. Got bucked off and quickly lost the Seadoo as it started drifting downwind faster than he could swim after it. Fortunately some guys in a ski boat that was coming in to escape the weather stopped and helped him.

Any time in the summer where there is a strong "marine push" on the west side of the Cascades and hot sunny weather on the east you will get very strong Chinook winds on the east slopes of the Cascades. You can see as much as a 40 degree temp difference and 0.30 inch of barometric pressure difference between Astoria and The Dalles. This pressure difference being funneled thru narrow gaps can cause winds as high as 50 knots in the area between Stevenson and Arlington, with peak westerly winds most often occurring between Hood River and Maryhill.

I'm not as familiar with the area farther upriver, where the Columbia flows N-S, but I would assume that you can also see strong winds there, but they would be more of a crosswind/following situation if you are traveling downriver.

You will certainly see sections of the river where you will go 30 or 40 miles with no real civilization, meaning as a boater no fuel available and no boat launches. In much of the area that I am familiar with (Hood River to Maryhill) the prospects for your boat would be pretty grim if you suddenly had to pull out as the river bank is steep and rocky.

Not trying to discourage you, just be aware of the conditions and enjoy.

-dm

 

[SnappingTurtle]

Re: Columbia River - Beginning to End

As an alternative, how about something like a motorized (up to 10hp) white water drift boat?

Lots of room for gear, easy to row, tough, and stable in the water.