Barge On The Mississippi

[bizsmith@yahoo.com]

My dream would be to put the coach on a barge in St Paul, MN and float the Mississippi to New Orleans.

[JackN]

I also would like that, but that was stopped several years back.

[Jurisinceptor]

I also would like that, but that was stopped several years back.

Does anyone know why it was stopped?

[Guest BillAdams]

It's my understanding that the Government, likely the Coast Guard, stopped the tours after determining that these trips were unsafe. I could not determine if that meant unsafe for other water traffic such as the other commercial barge traffic or for the safety of those on board. I found this about the company RV River Charters and the CEO Eddie Conrad:

Conrad is a courtly, sleepy-eyed gent with a white captain's beard, a soft New Orleans accent and a sneaky sense of humor. He named the gift shop the Louisiana Purchase. He used to operate RV River Charters in New Orleans, which allowed people to drive their recreational vehicles aboard a barge and sail down the river.

"The Coast Guard thought it was such a wonderful idea that they tried to arrest me," he said. "Because there was no such thing as an RV barge."

[hermanmullins]

It's my understanding that the Government, likely the Coast Guard, stopped the tours after determining that these trips were unsafe. I could not determine if that meant unsafe for other water traffic such as the other commercial barge traffic or for the safety of those on board. I found this about the company RV River Charters and the CEO Eddie Conrad:

Conrad is a courtly, sleepy-eyed gent with a white captain's beard, a soft New Orleans accent and a sneaky sense of humor. He named the gift shop the Louisiana Purchase. He used to operate RV River Charters in New Orleans, which allowed people to drive their recreational vehicles aboard a barge and sail down the river.

"The Coast Guard thought it was such a wonderful idea that they tried to arrest me," he said. "Because there was no such thing as an RV barge."

Bill, I would think that since they have ferry boats that carry RV across a ship channel a barge would be OK. Maybe the Capt. need to rename his barge "Capt. Conrad's RV Ferry".

[Janvlen]

We too would like to do this....

[Guest BillAdams]

You would like to do what? The barge cruises have been shut down for many years.

[ChetsJug]

I'm just a Dumb Trucker but I've owned 3 business in Los Angeles and I can tell you, it's tricky to keep ahead of all the agencies walking in your door. This business was probably ruined by a resession more than anything else. Licensing and keeping the safety inspectors happy is fairly costly. A for hire charter company on water is akin to getting a health license for a restaurant in California. It's a bear! Insurance costs alone would drive anyone into a partnership with the mob. My brother tried to start a yacht tour our in Marina Del Rey and found they only issue so many licenses and that's it. The competition becomes back stabbing rat finks. He had to find a loop hole. He did, he charged $200 a couple for a gourmet sunset dinner on the aft deck, then a "complimentary" wine and cheese flotilla around the marina. Very romantic. It's like, you need a liquor license to charge for an adult beverage, but if you serve complementary wine with dinner, you can tell the ABC to go pound sand. It's called "Learn the rules; then show THEM how to play the Game".

I know the Mississippi River is a swift river. When my nephew came on my 18-wheeler, he commented with wide eyes at how fast the water was moving. A barge with no motor being towed by a tug might have been the problem. Maybe you can't have charter passengers on a barge. If the tug breaks loose, there goes an uncontrolled log into a piling. It's like most states not allowing passengers inside a trailer being towed. He was probably told to get a ferry with its own power and helm.

Pleasure craft, craft for hire and commercial ships run the same waters all over the planet. Heck canoes travel thru water locks. In the boating world there is a priority of emergency craft, commercial, pleasure. So I doubt that he got shut down for a "RV barge". They probably gave him an option to upgrade to a different license, different boat, or might not have had the correct pilot license. In most cases people 'choose' to go out of business and then say "I was shut down".

So let's start a charter RV river business. Anyone have a ferry and/or a pilot license with a commercial rating?

[Riotravelers]

The problem with barges and tugs is most if not all are not licensed or inspected as passenger carrying vessels. There is also different crew licensing for passenger carrying vessels as well. The primary reason for this is passenger safety. The Coast Guard marine inspection office is responsible both programs. I do not think it would be possible to get the proper inspection certificate for a barge and tug for passenger carrying. As I recall passenger carrying vessels are inspected cradle (plans) to constuction and use to grave (taken out of service). A possible solution would be someone with deep pockets to buy a flat top ferry that was already constructed for pasenger service likeone of the larger Lake Champlain ferries. Then find some possibly retired captain and crew with the proper licensing. There would be other possible areas that they could cruise as well if planned out properly. How about cruising the Hudson River, Long Island sound and some areas down south during the winter months?

[tbutler]

How about just trading your motor home for a boat for one season? Find someone with a nice boat that would like to spend some time crusing the highways and make a trade for a summer. You could give each other a lesson on how to live with the new accomodations and then part company on a real adventure.

[wayne77590]

Tom!

That's to sensible!

Sheeesh!

[bobbyks]

With the Miss River level as low as it is I would be afraid to put my rig on a barge in the river. Ship traffic from Baton Rouge to New Orleans is very congested as well as the Ports in the area.

[RVerOnTheMove]

It wasn't that way when this businessman was running his business. Only the the long arm of the Government stepped in and made a perfectly good business go out of business. Thanks Uncle Sam!