Chicago to St. Louis

Hey guys, once I determine the seaworthiness of my Bayliner I was thinking of taking a few days and taking it from Chicago to St. Louis via the Illinois River. I looked it up and would be around 348 miles. This would be my first trip of this kind...what all should I know?

I do know that I need to get a VHF radio to communicate with lock operators but so far that's about the only bit of knowledge I've gathered. It seems there's plenty of marinas and places to stop for gas and such.

Re: Chicago to St. Louis

My first suggestion would be a shorter "shake-down" trip or two. Beyond that I'd begin with a general route plan, establishing your way points.

What do you have in the way of instrumentation? How about a little more info on the boat?

-RW

Re: Chicago to St. Louis

Here's a link to a story by some college guys that went all the way to New Orleans back in 1964.

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

Good luck!

Re: Chicago to St. Louis

Give yourself a lot of time. Especially getting out of Chicago. The Sanitary canal is all no wake and not pleasant from what I understand.
The Illinois River is VERY shallow outside the channel. So I would recommend a good depth sounder if you don't have one. That way, if you can't see the next channel marker, you'll know you are out of the channel when the water goes from 16ish feet to 5 in no time flat. (That's how I navigate, sometimes)

There are plenty of places between Chicago and Peoria to stop and get fuel and eat and stay. But after Peoria, the river is a little desolate. Tall Timbers Marina in Havana is great, and about 42 miles south of Peoria. After that, things are real sparse. I know there is a boat club in Naples, IL, but I just don't know of much on the river past Beardstown.

Be aware that the lock in Peoria is hilariously small, for the amount of traffic on the river. If you get there when there are tugs trying to lock through, you could wait 2 or more hours. I'll guess the lock near Meredosia is the same, since they look about the same in the photos I have seen.

Re: Chicago to St. Louis

350 miles is a LONG way in a boat. I would suggest you start small and work your way up to a trip of that magnitude.

Re: Chicago to St. Louis

My 2 cents.

Back in the 60?s and 70?s when I was a young lad living in Peoria with my folks we took several trips north to Chicago and south to St. Louis in our 36? Chris Craft. The places I remember stopping on the way to Chicago were at a marina north of the dam at Starved Rock on the west side and also at Joliet. The Joliet Marina was called Two Rivers I think but I?m sure things/names change. We took the Calumet Sag Channel once and if you think the Chicago Sanitary Canal is bad this one was worse. I always enjoyed the last portion of the Chicago River, with all the bridges and tall buildings.

In Peoria we kept our boat at the IVY Club which is a great facility and it usually has transient slips for travelers. South of Peoria we always started early and ran all the way to Pere Marquette State Park near Grafton, Ill, this is a great spot if you are interested in early Illinois history. South of here we would usually head a little north on the Mississippi and stay at Lake Village in St. Charles, Mo.

Have fun, just make sure you and the boat are prepared for the adventure.

Locke

Re: Chicago to St. Louis

Peoria to Grafton in one day is a long run! Wow, I am impressed. Where did you stop for fuel?

IVY club does have transient slips, as does Wharf Harbor, and Detweiler, in Peoria.

Was the marina you remember staying at the Starved Rock Marina, or the Starved Rock Yacht Club? Both are just east of the dam on the north bank of the river.

Re: Chicago to St. Louis

You made me question my memory so I called my mom and she pulled out the old log book, she saves everything. In 1966 we took a trip to Kentucky Lake in a 27' Chris Craft we had at the time and left the IVY Club at 9:20 AM arrived Pere Marquette at 8:00 PM, long day is right! In 1971 we left the IVY Club at 9:05 and arrived in St. Charles, Mo at 5:20. Mom said she noted in the log that we didn't have to wait at the Peoria Lock or at La Grange, that helps a bunch. Dad must have always been in a hurry to get to the Mississippi.

I did a google search and found this trip log
http://www.amarse.net/UPDATES06/23UP06.html

of a couple that is doing the "Loop" from their home port on the eastern seaboard through the Great Lakes, down the Illinois, Mississippi and through the Gulf. This link puts you to the trip starting at Chicago and working south, great reading/viewing. They show a picture of friends John and Dot Henderson in Peoria. I was in Sea Explorer scouts with their twin daughters back in my younger days, small world.

Locke

Re: Chicago to St. Louis

I've been to that Chinese Buffet pictured in the link, more than once!

But it confirms, that there isn't much once you are past Havana, IL. And Beardstown is a "hole" to put it nicely!

Re: Chicago to St. Louis

Don't forget about stopping at Grafton,Il. Real nice place to spend an afternoon on the weekend. We just drove down there for a couple days since the river was closed at Peoria over Mem Day weekend.