Finishing a long kayak trip(Missouri River), dreaming of shanty boating

[Mrcharwe]

I'm 1300 miles into kayaking the missouri river, three forks, montana to Kansas city. I only have about 700 to go and expect maybe 2-3 weeks as the river speeds up after crossing the last dam. During this trip I have been dreaming about getting a sailboat again but want an oddball so I think I'm going to build something and float the rest of the missouri, down the mississippi, and follow the ICW around the gulf and east coast for a bit.

Wants for me:
Small-under 18ft as small as 13ft
Ultra shoal draft - less than 1ft
Light enough to row so no engine
Enclosed cabin -tired of tent living
Sail - for when the wind is a blowin

Through looking at plans online there are actually plenty of options that fit this category. Most are in the Phil Bolger birdwatcher style. Jim michalak has a few on duckworks like the imb, and a few others. Matt lyden has built a few. Triloboats has the trilobyte. Duck works has a few other scow type boats that are cabined and small(there are free plans for a few like this). Shanty boat living list a few as well.

So once I get to KC and lock down plans I will be building and hopefully on the water by mid - late Sept. I have family in KC so I have a place to work and access to tools.

If anyone if floating south this fall hit me up we can start a convoy, or flotilla, or whatever a pack of boats is called.

If anyone is curious about taking a trip down the Missouri, it's awesome. The giant lakes are tough because of the wind, a lot of days(like today) are spent sitting on shore. Resupply is few and far between but the trip is fun and cheap because there is nowhere to spend money. I built my own kayak on the cheap and it's made it so far. By giant lakes I mean huge, you cross the 3rdand 4th largest volume reservoirs in the country and the largest surface area reservoir. Lake oahe alone is 235 miles long.

Some pics.
The first picture is finishing the first leg, three forks to great falls, mt

The next is the Missouri breaks area of Montana.

After that is my dog chilling in the boat.

Then hanging in the shade on fort peck lake.

The last is a log jam coming down from the Yellowstone river during the flooding, this picture was right at the confluence of the Missouri and Yellowstone

 

[ali]

This is awesome, going down the Missouri is one of my dream trips. Not sure if it's navigable from Milk River in Canada, but that'd be even more bucket list for me. Did you pack all your food in, or were you able to forage some stuff along the way?

 

[Mrcharwe]

Just finished the trip, arrived in KC today. The lower section after the river was channalized for the barges, was fast and easy.

As for food, I picked up food along the way. There was a stretch from great falls to williston, nd that i carried 18 days of food. For the rest of the way a week or so is plenty.

I read a book where i guy tried to do it from the milk river but the water levels where too low so he ended up getting a ride to the missouri and floating down from there.

I'm still deciding if I want to build or just buy. I'm looking at a small trailer sailor tomorrow.

 

[Mrcharwe]

An update.

I ended up picking a 20ft trailer sailor for a good price. It's no quite what I would have built but will end up being cheaper and I should be able to recoup $300-500 by selling the trailer.

I'm cleaning it up and getting it ready. From there we will be dropping into the Missouri, following that to the mississippi and down to the gulf.


I hope to be back on the water around the end of August and take my time heading south to avoid hurricane season.

 

[ElNayshon]

Any update did you make the boat

 

[Nomadicinquiries]

When the river goes through those big lakes, is it possible to wait till the wind is in your favor??