Lewiston Idaho to Astoria

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Clivepc

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This is probably a question for a Trailer Trawler skipper or maybe the owner of a vessel on the river or close to Astoria, but has anyone done the trip from Lewiston to Astoria along the Snake and Columbia rivers?

Cheers,
The Bolton Wanderer.
:socool:
 
Send a PM to ASD. He and Crusty Chief made the trip a couple of years ago and can share a lot of info.

I live on the Columbia just above where the Snake empties into it. I've traveled the rivers from Lewiston down as far as Portland so can help with info on these parts of the rivers, the locks, etc.

By way of a P.S., I have put together an Excel file that has mileages of locks, cities, marinas up and down the Columbia River. It also has a page in the file that contains the radio call signs and phone numbers for the locks, many marinas, fuel companies and other points up and down the river. If you would like a copy, PM me with your email address and I'll send it out to you.

Also, with any other questions, PM me or fire away on here. I've boated here for 40 years and can give you some info if you need it.
 
Last edited:
Clivepc said:
This is probably a question for a Trailer Trawler skipper or maybe the owner of a vessel on the river or close to Astoria, but has anyone done the trip from Lewiston to Astoria along the Snake and Columbia rivers?

Cheers,
The Bolton Wanderer.
:socool:
Click to expand...


yes,
Did it in a 50' trawler for a entire summer.. and a couple summers after in a 40' SeaRay.. we had a ball. Got stuck on the lower Columbia due to winds and currents a few times.. it gets REAL warm in the summer.. Anchorages can be tricky.. Kite boarders and windsurfers make the gorge a fun event. When it gets windy .. it can blow like stink. Charting isn't great but is ok.

We had a ball.. next time it will be in a faster boat ( but not with twin 400 hp gassers like the SeaRay had)
HOLLYWOOD
 
After we finished the Great Loop we brought our C-Dory 25 to Portland, trailered it up to Lewiston and did the Lewiston to Astoria trip. It's truly a great experience, and rivals anyplace you will go on the loop. We went the first two weeks of October and had no weather issues at all. Highly recommend it
Left our truck and trailer in Lewiston, and flew back up to recover the rig the pulled the boat out in Portland after being guests for a few days at Rose City Yacht Club
Tony Fleming has a nice video production of the trip on YouTube
Cheers
Eric
 
helm said:
After we finished the Great Loop we brought our C-Dory 25 to Portland, trailered it up to Lewiston and did the Lewiston to Astoria trip. It's truly a great experience, and rivals anyplace you will go on the loop. We went the first two weeks of October and had no weather issues at all. Highly recommend it
Left our truck and trailer in Lewiston, and flew back up to recover the rig the pulled the boat out in Portland after being guests for a few days at Rose City Yacht Club
Tony Fleming has a nice video production of the trip on YouTube
Cheers
Eric
Click to expand...


The above is a great way to do the trip, headed downstream. It had to be getting pretty cool by then too. The locks also have a different schedule in the off season vs the on season on demand schedule.
Also a smaller trailer boat has a lot more options to tie up to docks that larger boats.
HOLLYWOOD
 
hollywood8118 said:
yes,
Did it in a 50' trawler for a entire summer.. and a couple summers after in a 40' SeaRay.. we had a ball. Got stuck on the lower Columbia due to winds and currents a few times.. it gets REAL warm in the summer.. Anchorages can be tricky.. Kite boarders and windsurfers make the gorge a fun event. When it gets windy .. it can blow like stink. Charting isn't great but is ok.

We had a ball.. next time it will be in a faster boat ( but not with twin 400 hp gassers like the SeaRay had)
HOLLYWOOD
Click to expand...

Hollywood, thanks, interesting you say a faster boat. why faster just out of interest?
 
GFC said:
Send a PM to ASD. He and Crusty Chief made the trip a couple of years ago and can share a lot of info.

I live on the Columbia just above where the Snake empties into it. I've traveled the rivers from Lewiston down as far as Portland so can help with info on these parts of the rivers, the locks, etc.

By way of a P.S., I have put together an Excel file that has mileages of locks, cities, marinas up and down the Columbia River. It also has a page in the file that contains the radio call signs and phone numbers for the locks, many marinas, fuel companies and other points up and down the river. If you would like a copy, PM me with your email address and I'll send it out to you.

Also, with any other questions, PM me or fire away on here. I've boated here for 40 years and can give you some info if you need it.
Click to expand...
Mike, cheers, yes please. clive@culpanandcompany.com
 
GFC said:
Send a PM to ASD. He and Crusty Chief made the trip a couple of years ago and can share a lot of info.

I live on the Columbia just above where the Snake empties into it. I've traveled the rivers from Lewiston down as far as Portland so can help with info on these parts of the rivers, the locks, etc.

By way of a P.S., I have put together an Excel file that has mileages of locks, cities, marinas up and down the Columbia River. It also has a page in the file that contains the radio call signs and phone numbers for the locks, many marinas, fuel companies and other points up and down the river. If you would like a copy, PM me with your email address and I'll send it out to you.

Also, with any other questions, PM me or fire away on here. I've boated here for 40 years and can give you some info if you need it.
Click to expand...
Sorry, what is PS and who is ASD?
 
Clivepc said:
Sorry, what is PS and who is ASD?
Click to expand...




PS = Post Script, just means he's adding info.


ASD = Alaska SeaDuction.


BTW, we might do this trip, Portland-Lewiston-Portland, in September/October this year. ASD did a good job updating Active Captain for the places they stopped on the route.
 
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We are ASD!! Take a look at our blog below and go back a few years. That will give you lots of info. Have any questions, ask away. For info purposes if you go to Kennwick you must pay the bridge troll (AKA GFC) with a box of Klondike bars!
 
Asd

WayneDana2 said:
PS = Post Script, just means he's adding info.


ASD = Alaska SeaDuction.


BTW, we might do this trip, Portland-Lewiston-Portland, in September/October this year. ASD did a good job updating Active Captain for the places they stopped on the route.
Click to expand...

How do I direct a message to ASD or access the info?
Sorry new to this..
I guess you guys are in Portland then..
 
Hi Clivepc. Welcome to TF.

What would you like to know? What size is your boat?
 
Thanks ASD.
When I see all these cool trawlers you guys own it starts pulling me away from the trailer trawler again!
 
We have a sailboat currently but buying a trawler in the not too distant future. we will be living in the Coeur d' Alene area but want to do the loop and explore other areas, Alaska, lakes etc.. so Ranger Tug seems like a good choice but I struggle with the lack of storage on these smaller boats and think they are generally overpriced. being in the PNW means a loop trip is complicated without a trailer boat..
 
Clive, C D'A is a great lake to boat on. Lots of bays to explore. I've been the whole length of it and as far down south to the town of St. Maries (not on my boat). There's also Lake Pend O'Reille and Hayden Lake and a few others to explore.

We did the 31 miles of Lake Pend O'Reille in my 13' Whaler. Stayed at Bayview at the south end, cruised up to Sandpoint at the north end, had lunch then went back. Beautiful trip.
 
GFC said:
Clive, C D'A is a great lake to boat on. Lots of bays to explore. I've been the whole length of it and as far down south to the town of St. Maries (not on my boat). There's also Lake Pend O'Reille and Hayden Lake and a few others to explore.

We did the 31 miles of Lake Pend O'Reille in my 13' Whaler. Stayed at Bayview at the south end, cruised up to Sandpoint at the north end, had lunch then went back. Beautiful trip.
Click to expand...
GFC, That's out thought. have the boat on CDA, or Pend, probably keep the sailboat up there also, then trailer the trawler to wherever, as well as the Columbia trip. Again I just struggle with the lack of room on a trailer trawler although the Rangers are definitely well thought out. The 31 even has 2 heads. Had me heart set on a Westcoast 46 AC but want to do the loop..
 
Clivepc said:
Hollywood, thanks, interesting you say a faster boat. why faster just out of interest?
Click to expand...


To make current less of a factor. When I first attempted to get to Bonneville locks I was not able to get up the last mile through the area tub skippers call "the push". Its an area that sort of bottle necks ( both in width and the bottom comes up ) and the water actually forms a hump at higher flow rates. I ground away solo and at max rpm for over an hour trying to get a 8kt boat upstream in a 8 knot current.. its a spooky stretch of water with current fences that come out from the banks, the only headway at all could be made between the fences.. and that is not a place to put a boat. I finally gave up, turned downstream and until I felt I had decent steerage was doing 17kts!. Two weeks later I had the family aboard and made .04 kt headway.. and that was running in the shallows close to the fences (again), the Admiral was not happy but we made it.


All in all its a fun trip, cool stuff to see.. really cool topography that can change with a bend in the rivers.
HOLLYWOOD
 
Clive, if you're going to trailer your boat to Lewiston and make the trip downstream, take a third person with you. When you launch he can take your truck and trailer back down to Astoria and leave it for you when you get back down there. He can probably rent a car in Astoria on a 1-way rental to get back home. Saves you the long trip from Astoria back up to Lewiston to pick up the truck and trailer.
 
GFC Makes sense..

Hollywood, Shows my ignorance..
But, having spend a little time on the Columbia, I imagine violent turns in the weather/conditions to be possible/probable.

Thanks all,
C.
 
Holla Senor!

Although we are currently in Mexico working our way south. Our trip with ASD 2 years ago was a memorable one. We departed from Portland early spring traveled up the Columbia then on up the Snake to Lewiston. The spring flood made for a slow trip up but we had all the time in the world. The trip back down went much faster.
Mike (GFC) is a wealth of knowledge for this trip, I encourage you to seek his help.

The trip was on our bucket list and glad we did it. Best of luck if you decide to do it also,
Cheers,
 
My Wife and I keep our boat at the Marina at Umatilla Oregon. We have traveled up to the Tri Cities and down we have made it all the way to Kalamath Washington several times. Amazing place to travel. If you have any question do not hesitated to get a hold of me or my Wife. Love to share any infomation that would help.
 
John, that very kind.
Can I get your E mail address for future ref..

Cheers,
Clive C.
TBW
 
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