Cumberland River

J

Jim Lefers

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Feb 7, 2014
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C Dory Year
2006
C Dory Model
25 Cruiser
Vessel Name
Bobcat
Last year we towed our 25' to Knoxville ,Tennessee. and cruised down to the Ohio and up to Golconda,Marina and pulled the boat there to return to our port on the Mississippi umr224. This year I want to do the same on the Cumberland and my question is if its navigable from just below Lake Cumberland. I have the book from Jerry Hay on cruising it and he claims it is in a shallow draft boat. I cruise at trawler speed so I don't draft much. Has anyone done this , mine is powered by twin 90 honda's and I mite draw 24-28" at 6-8 mph. Any advice appreciated!
 
Jim
I also was looking at the Cumberland to do this Fall. I read Jerry Hay's various posts with his boats (and other books), as well as the Cumberland River Guide book. My impression was that there were going to be some fairly good fluctuations of water depth as water was let out of Wolfe Dam. Also seemed to be a number obstructions.

Our experience is that there are two ways to have "least" daft on the 22's and 25's--one is to run at a good plane, which will reduce the draft maybe 3- 6 inches more than the distance from the ventilation plate on the motor (about even with the boat bottom--so maybe 18" plus 3" on the 22. A bit more on the 25. or I can get the boat over a sand bar at our entrance, with a little over 18" of water... with the engine trimmed up to the "trailer position", but with the water intake still picking up water (and the engine peeing). For example in some side branches of the St. John's with mud bottom, recently boats could not make it thru an area, at displacement speed, but drew less on a plane and could get thru...

There is no way you are gong to run in the Cumberland at that area, on a plane, not knowing what is down there....Our decision is to not attempt that part of the Cumberland. What a jon boat can get over, and a C Dory 25 are quite different.
 
Thanks Bob,Jerry Hay responded to my email and said it would be very risky so I think now I'm gonna launch at Granville Marina and motor up to head of navigation at Celina and then idle on down. Haven't made up my mind about pulling out on the Ohio at Golconda Marina as we did last year when we ran the Tennessee. But I did that trip with her and avoided the Mississippi as that stretch from St.louis down to the Ohio is really not a fun run. But this trip is just me so running back up in the strong river current while not a fun run ,by myself I think I mite do it,makes for a longer boat ride !
 
Jim,
I live in Louisville, Ky. and have a lake house @ Cumberland Lake. I have fished below Wolf Creek Dam on the river down to Celina, TN. The guides use jet drives on their outboards because of the debris and depth issues. I'm not sure that the river is navigable from Burkesville, Ky to Nashville. There are several lakes created by the Cumberland including Cordell Hull and Old Hickory each with their own dams. You would have to portage around these dams as there are no locks. There is another dam @ Cheatham Lake west of Nashville as well. Once past there I believe you're okay on to Barkley Lake.
 
CFoster writes:
There are several lakes created by the Cumberland including Cordell Hull and Old Hickory each with their own dams. You would have to portage around these dams as there are no locks. There is another dam @ Cheatham Lake west of Nashville as well.
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I have several friends who have taken good sized boats thru the following locks--Where I have quoted from the Corp of Engineers web sites:

Cordell Hull Lake:
Cordell Hull Navigation Lock is located near Carthage, Tenn., at river mile 313.5.
Clear Chamber dimensions: 84 by 400 feet
Lift at normal pool levels: 59 feet
Minimum lock filling time at normal head: 11 minutes
If you are interested in locking, please call the Old Hickory Lock at (615) 847-3281. All lockage reservations must be made in 24 hours in advance (no same day lockage).
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Old Hickory Lake
Old Hickory Lock is located at Mile 216.2 on the Cumberland River and is approximately 11.5 miles northeast of Nashville, TN. Old Hickory Lock is open to pass navigation traffic 16 hours a day, 365 days a year. The lock is closed nightly between the hours of 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.
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Cheatham Lake:
Cheatham Lock is located at Mile 148.6 on the Cumberland River in Cheatham County, Tennessee and is approximately 10 miles northwest of Ashland City, Tenn. Cheatham Lock is open to pass navigation traffic 24 hours-a-day, 365 days a year.
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I have not boated this river, but in doing my research it appears that all of the dam's below Cordell Hall, have functioning locks--although some have to be scheduled. This is confirmed in Jerry Hay's books
 
Thank you for clarifying that. I stand corrected and learned something. Sorry for the misinformation.
 
A number of years ago we launched near Nashville and went upriver into the locks and that huge lake....was fun.... but that is why I just use the props that came with the motor... they don't have much paint on em anymore and I really don't care... l can always buy more inexpensive props...the adventure was well worth it....fun times........plus cheep props never seem to break...just sands off the paint..

Joel
SEA3PO
 
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