I spent a lot of last summer poking at an old boat with the intention of fixing it up, adding a cabin, and doing some Mississippi River overnight trips. That boat never really got going, and I’ve since bought a better one. However, in the meantime I was invited to help move an even bigger boat up the river! Apparently my background in Alaskan fishing and duct-taping kayaks together translate into being a river pilot!
This boat is a 1980s Gibson, about 42ft long and powered by two gas engines. As expected with a used 1980s boat it had a few hiccups, and my duct-taping skills did come in handy! We started the trip in Lansing (IA) where the new owners bought the boat. Over the course of several days, we moved it up the river to Saint Paul (MN). I split the trip into several installments since there’s so much to see!
And here’s a timelapse of (nearly) the whole trip, minus the times my GoPro overheated (I have an older one that’s prone to that, sorry!).
Saveitforparts 