Ohio River tips for first time river rat`
 

Am planning of a day or so on the Ohio River next week. Someone recomended boating around Ripley and Maysville. I know several OSOers here do the river around Cinci. What everyone recomend. How is the river looking. Also where can I get some charts on the river? Im VERY leary of doing the river thing first time without a chart....

BH

Howdy Bad Habit.

It all depends what you are looking for. The Ripley Maysville area is nice and has a few small resturants and marinas....you could make a trip out of it and start in Cincy and work your way up thru the dam/locks and wind up in Ripley (about 20min up river from Meldahl Dam). That is a nice run. Up river is bueatiful and will be pretty quite is my guess.

I do not know where to get some good charts. I have made that run several times and the only shallows I am aware of are in hte New Richmond area. They are marked and are still plenty deep to navigate a pleasure craft.

Have fun...

A4:)

Ohio River navigation charts are available on the Internet at bookstore.gpo.gov or by calling toll free at 866-512-1800.

If you launch near Cincinnati, you have 60 miles down-river and 33 miles up-river before reaching a lock/dam. Around the Queen City, this 93 mile stretch is known as the "pool". There are thousands of boaters in the area that have never been out of the "pool", and many that travel through these popular locks on a regular basis.

The river is in good shape (at the moment)...you can't go wrong where ever you go.

We've been on the Ohio from Pittsburgh to Cincinnati without using charts. The channels are well marked. A Quimbys will help with finding fuel, marinas and restaurants.

What the hell is a "Quimbys"....:confused:

BH

Quimbys Cruising Guide....Lots of great info
The river has been a MESS all summer....With more rain coming I dont think it will get any better !!Lots of drift
The channel is very well marked and wide you should have no problems with depth. just lotsa drift

We put in at Watertown saturday and there was alot of crap in the water but by tuesday it was windy but pretty nice. My brother was in from Colorado so we made a run up to the dam, started back and turned the motors off and floated down for about a hour while we had lunch. Pretty soon the leaves will be turning and about anywhere you make a run it will be beautiful.
I used to do alot of boating in the Riply-Maysville area and the water always seem to be a little cleaner up there. There is a nice ramp up Eagle Creek you can put in and the run up past Maysville to the Island is great. I hope they are still there it has been alot of years. Have Fun. Doug

The worst I've seen in over 10 years. At least the flood in 97 cleaned up by July.

Keep an eye on this and I'd recommend you pass above 32'

http://aphs.erh.noaa.gov/cgi-bin/aphs.cgi?iln+ccno1

Bad-Link:confused: Also what do you mean pass above 32 Feet?

Thanks
Randy
a.k.a. Bad-Habit

Try these sites.

http://waterdata.usgs.gov/oh/nwis/uv?03255000

http://ahps.erh.noaa.gov/cgi-bin/ahps.cgi?iln&ccno1

So are you saying to "pass" on boating if the river level is above 32 feet:confused:

BH

Thats what Kentz is saying ! I would agree ! 25 years of boating down here.......Go to Erie !!!

I boat down river from Corydon to Evansville IN there is alot of sandbars but if you dont know the area it is best to stay near the channel bouys. The Lousiville locks can be a real bear because they seam to let pleasure boats thru only at certain times or always last. Because of the crappy year most stops down river from Lousiville are pulling there docks out. Im pulling one out sunday at a local ramp.

Well looks like I will be making the trip to Eagle Creek Marina near Ripley. Forcast is calling for Mostly Sunny High near 65. Winds around 10mph. River Forecast is calling for about 28.5ft.......Whats the river/trip like going up to Cincinnatti? I would like to make the trip by boat. Any thing I should watch out or be carefull of? Also is there a good place to eat at (from the water/with docks) near cincinnatti? Would probally end up doing lunch then making the trip back to Ripley....Will I run into any locks between Ripley or Cinci? I will hit Maysville later in the day......I plan on staying near the center of the channel if possible and watching out for any of the big boys that are out....Any tips are welcome..

BH

we 've made the run from louisville to cincy a few times and had lot s of fun ! fortunately no problems . went through the locks at madison in . also just north was the B elterra C asino ! there was a small marina just north and they sent a limo to pick us up . had mucho funnn ! ;)

Where are you starting from ? When are you doing this ?
There is 1 lock between Cin & Ripley....Also look at White Oak creek Marina...The owners are friends..Great people !

I know a bunch of folks at Eagle Creek, been there several times. They will hook you up. No a real big place, but has a nice ramp.

You are up river fron Cincy and down river from Maysville....although not by much.

There is a dam/lock in between Cincy and Eagle Creek. Plan on about 2 hour trip to Cincy if you are just cruising.

Plenty of places to eat on the river in Cincy.....have fun, October is a great time to be on the rver...very scenic and you can usually get some really nice 75* days here and there.

:)

You will find that the Ohio is rather well marked with channel markers due to the shipping industry on it. We have been getting alot of debris coming down from the Monongaheala River since Isabel came through. Eventually these same logs and everything will make it to you guys down river. It is safer during the day if you are going to run faster but at night I recommend slowing it down. I have seen a couple boats with drives ripped off due to hitting debris at night. Good luck and have fun.

Hey, we will be doing the fun run to LVillle along with a bunch of other go fasters in the TSPBPA. True that the season has been less than adequate but ya' gotta suit up for every opportunity. Party 0n and have a good time...be safe, go fast and have a good time.

Well I am a little concerened about this lock thing:rolleyes: What is the procedure for using the locks? I mean this probally sounds stupid but I have never even seen a lock!! I am looking forward to the experence though....How do you approach them and what is the correct way to accomplish passing through them...Thanks again for the info.

Randy
A.K.A. Bad-Habit

If the process they use locally is the same for where you are it is no problem. I am sure that it is since they are all run by the Corp of Engineers. You approach the lock and there will be a light along the rivers edge the will be red or green. Usually it will always be red until the doors are done being opened. Once the doors are opened, you enter the lock at a slow/no wake speed. Once inside, they lower a rope down and you will need to attach your own rope to the end of it. The recommendation is that you use a 100 foot long rope. They will pull your rope up and connect it at the top. As the water either raises or lowers you need to pull the rope in or let it out. Make sure you also have some sort of pole to keep the boat off the sides. Use bumpers also. Once the water is at the new level, they will untie the rope and drop it to your boat. Then exit when the doors are open. Its intimidating the first time. Good luck.

I lock thru about a dozen times a year at the Cannalton and Newberg locks, never seen the raising of a rope. We pull a rope at the very outside part of the wall, usully behind a latter in the wall that sounds an alarm to let the lockmaster know you need thru. when the doors open I idle in and tie off to a bouy mounted in the wall with rollers on it. You will travel with the water level and yes have a poll or paddle to keep from hitting the wall.It is best to use the side that they can see you from the tower in the middle. The small lock is usually closes to the bank. Only pull that rope once if the door is closed because I've seen them git upset at a guy once and told him "if he pulls that rope one more time he will sit there all day" Good luck and you will be amased A lso dont get to close to the doors as they are moving because the water is swirling inwards to the door

Sorry about that, Birdog is right, the levels look OK for now. Call on your VHF, Channel 13 (I believe) for the lockmaster, they will give you an estimated wait time. I don't think I've ever waited more than 1/2 hr @ Meldahl or Markland Dams.

Good Luck and sorry for the crappy link:D

It is either 13 or 79 or 71 to get them on VHF.

remember to keep the bumpers out and it is basically just tying off to a huge, rolling cleat snd sitting there while the water comes up. There will probably be a few pleasure boats in there with you....donot float infront of the closed doors when you are waiting outside as there may be a barge in there waiting to come out.

Have fun...do not sweat it, it is no big deal at all.

Allan:)

Same procedure that we have done. Word of advise. DON'T tie off to the bouy. Instead, loop your rope around it. These bouys raise and lower with the water level and on occasions get drift wood wedged in the rollers and the bouys will stick and not raise with the water level. If you are tied off to it and not paying attention, it can pull your boat under in less time than it takes to find a knife. By looping, you can slide the rope over the bouy if need be. Always watch the bouys, if they stop moving, act fast. Don't ask how I know. :rolleyes:

Sounds like it is a little different where you guys are. If they dont redilly see you up here you can hit your horn once or call on marine radio. One thing that helps is if you are a regular goin through the locks, tie a case of beer to the rope on occasion. They remember your boat and you will get better service.

Here's what we do.

Call the lock-master on Channel 13. Tell them you are a pleasure craft and ask for upstream or downstream passage. They will tell you how long it will be and which chamber to enter.

Slow down to idle speed when approaching lock walls.

Before we enter the lock we put the fenders out, put the wife on the front deck, tie a long line to the bow, put a sharp knife within easy each. Wait for all boats to exit lock. We pull into the lock when the green light comes on and pull up to a floating bit. Take the long line connected to the bow and put it around the floating bit and then tie to a rear cleat. We tie it so that we can hold the side of the boat about 6" away from the wall to keep the fenders clean so they do not scratch the gelcoat if they roll. Turn the engine(s) off. We hold the boat out with poles, wife still out front.

After the lock level is raised or lowered, wait for the horn before proceeding out. Idle out past the walls or last boat waiting to enter lock.

Always wave at the lock tenders when entering and exiting and thank them on the radio when leaving.

If the water levels are down you might have to wait. I have seen them lock through on even hours only and sometimes on twice a day. We ran into the twice a day schedule at the lock north of Cincy in 2002.

Good luck and have fun.