| For those new to sailing or even those who have | | | | or jog, at least three miles an hour to keep from being |
| years of sailing experience, but whom may have | | | | pushed off the treadmill. If you wanted to move past it, |
| never had the pleasure of cruising down a large river | | | | you would have to move even faster. |
| on a sailing excursion, there are some things that are | | | | Most large river currents will travel between one to six |
| important to know and understand to make the day a | | | | knots, depending on the aforementioned factors, along |
| lot more fun, and much safer. | | | | with the descent to the ocean. For a three knot |
| Larger river sailing is different than sailing across the | | | | current, a 25 horsepower motor will be needed to |
| open ocean and much different that sailing on a lake. | | | | push a twenty-one foot boat back upstream. If you |
| Rivers deal with currents in constant motion. Depending | | | | plan on only traveling one way on a large river, then |
| on how much rain, or melting snow, there is upstream | | | | sailing downstream isn't a problem. |
| from your position will determine how fast the currents | | | | Yet going upstream is not the only problem for large |
| are moving. The larger the river, the stronger the | | | | river sailing. If you encounter a five knot breeze and |
| current and subsequently, the stronger powered motor | | | | you're on a five knot current, you'll be moving at what's |
| you might need to get back upriver if the wind doesn't | | | | called 'along the ground' speed of five knots (which |
| cooperate with you. | | | | basically means that the ground will be moving at five |
| Small sailboats are not recommended for many of the | | | | knots against you), but you won't be creating a wake |
| large river systems in the United States, such as the | | | | since the water will be moving under the hull at the |
| Hudson River in New York or the Mississippi River | | | | same speed. |
| through the heartland of the country. The reason that | | | | Why is this dangerous? When no water is moving |
| it's important to have a powerful motor onboard is | | | | under the hull, or along the keel, the boat isn't as stable |
| because going downstream is quite easy, regardless | | | | and is more susceptible to wind gusts. Also, when |
| of the amount of wind that you experience, but going | | | | you're traveling at the same speed as the current, you |
| back upriver can pose considerable problems. | | | | can't steer. Turning the rudder will have very little |
| For instance, if the current is three knots downriver | | | | effect. |
| and you are planning on catching a good upriver wind, | | | | Sailing large rivers can certainly offer its share of |
| it will have to give you at least three knots just to keep | | | | wonderful experiences, but this should only be done by |
| from traveling back downriver even more. Think of it | | | | accomplished, experienced sailors who know the |
| as a treadmill; when the treadmill is moving at three | | | | currents and the waterways well. |
| miles per hour, that means that you will have to walk, | | | | What if I want to buy my own Sailboat? |