River Crossing

mos19k · 03-15-2008, 02:41 PM

I was thinking about this the other day, one of my Bug Out locations is in Arkansas and I'm in Florida, little river called the Mississippi between here and there. Now this isn't my main Bug Out location so I don't want to hear about, "you need a closer location", that's not the point of this thread. My question to you is, have you thought about crossing a river sans bridge or ferry and if so how would you do it. In my case I can't imagine trying to cross a car the size of a Cherokee, it's just to heavy and the river is to wide. For myself I've got a canoe that would be used to cross our supplies and then we'd have to hoof it. My other choice is to get a Max or Argo, these are amphibious ATVs.

I know the old army jeeps could be floated using a large canvas tarp and folded from underneath and tucked into the vehicle. This gave you enough buoyancy to row it across the river. I don't know if this would work for the newer jeeps, I think they are much heavier.

Here's the perfect vehicle if I had the funds.

Gibbs Technologies

Windwalker · 03-15-2008, 03:04 PM

Very nice but what does it cost? About the Mississippi, it is full of eddys, crosscurrents,and sawyers. You don't want to try to float anything across without power. It's inviting disaster. Find a bridge, barge and tug, or a ferry.

SwedeSteve · 03-15-2008, 03:25 PM

^+1! That's a BIG river dude. Not something I would attempt.

ArkansasHunter · 03-15-2008, 04:19 PM

I would recommend a Jon boat and carry it on your Jeeps roof and off load up the river and head to your landing at an angle.
The current, logs and debree can make the crossing a serious risk some times.

7mmremmag1995 · 03-15-2008, 05:13 PM

why of course you unload yer Bass Tracker with yer Mercury on the rear and just fish

mitch_mckee · 03-15-2008, 05:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mos19k

I was thinking about this the other day, one of my Bug Out locations is in Arkansas and I'm in Florida, little river called the Mississippi between here and there. Now this isn't my main Bug Out location so I don't want to hear about, "you need a closer location", that's not the point of this thread. My question to you is, have you thought about crossing a river sans bridge or ferry and if so how would you do it. In my case I can't imagine trying to cross a car the size of a Cherokee, it's just to heavy and the river is to wide. For myself I've got a canoe that would be used to cross our supplies and then we'd have to hoof it. My other choice is to get a Max or Argo, these are amphibious ATVs.

I know the old army jeeps could be floated using a large canvas tarp and folded from underneath and tucked into the vehicle. This gave you enough buoyancy to row it across the river. I don't know if this would work for the newer jeeps, I think they are much heavier.

Here's the perfect vehicle if I had the funds.

Gibbs Technologies

You may spend all that money and then have no fuel when you need it.

How about hauling some bikes or Mopeds across the river?

KGunner · 03-15-2008, 06:00 PM

How about finding a rail bridge and using it? There were tons of them in St. Louis where I lived.

irish murphy · 03-15-2008, 06:31 PM

This is a vid i made while driving up the brindies with a couple fellas who liked testing out their trucks.The river crossing is tame but still fun.

YouTube - redrockets 80 series

mos19k · 03-16-2008, 07:44 AM

Cherokee can make it across rivers that are 2 feet or less and no strong current, anything else would be a very risky venture. Using the railroad bridges is already part of my SOP, I have several marked and plotted. RR bridges should be easier to cross, at least in the beginning. Regular bridges will become bottle necks and perfect places for road blocks and check points. Currently we have a canoe but I do agree that a Jon Boat would be better and could carry more gear. We have two mountain bikes that are part of the BO gear, our plan is to use them as an equipment carrier as opposed to actual transportation. The VC carried 100's of pounds of gear in this fashion.

I don't know how many of you have BO locations as either your primary plan or as a last resort. Have you already traveled the path you'll be taking? How many natural obstacles do you have to cross and how will you? If you leave quickly bridges may not be a problem but as traffic builds up they could quickly become traps. Even RR bridges after awhile will also become unusable. If you have large rivers to cross, you know what your vehicle can handle, alternate means may be required. I do like AH's idea of bringing a Jon Boat along, being on foot or bike is better than being trapped. The Moped or small scooter is good but I don't have the room to carry them. Might be an idea to have alternative transportation somewhere on the other side.

This is just thinking out loud, I truly hope that I die an old man with way to many supplies that never got used.

03-15-2008, 02:41 PM	#1
mos19k Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Miami, Fl. Posts: 314	River Crossing I was thinking about this the other day, one of my Bug Out locations is in Arkansas and I'm in Florida, little river called the Mississippi between here and there. Now this isn't my main Bug Out location so I don't want to hear about, "you need a closer location", that's not the point of this thread. My question to you is, have you thought about crossing a river sans bridge or ferry and if so how would you do it. In my case I can't imagine trying to cross a car the size of a Cherokee, it's just to heavy and the river is to wide. For myself I've got a canoe that would be used to cross our supplies and then we'd have to hoof it. My other choice is to get a Max or Argo, these are amphibious ATVs. I know the old army jeeps could be floated using a large canvas tarp and folded from underneath and tucked into the vehicle. This gave you enough buoyancy to row it across the river. I don't know if this would work for the newer jeeps, I think they are much heavier. Here's the perfect vehicle if I had the funds. Gibbs Technologies

03-15-2008, 03:04 PM	#2
Windwalker Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 3,573	Very nice but what does it cost? About the Mississippi, it is full of eddys, crosscurrents,and sawyers. You don't want to try to float anything across without power. It's inviting disaster. Find a bridge, barge and tug, or a ferry. __________________ America: Love it and protect it or leave it

03-15-2008, 03:25 PM	#3
SwedeSteve Thor's Hammer Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Alaska Posts: 10,347 Images: 1	^+1! That's a BIG river dude. Not something I would attempt. __________________ Thank God we don't get as much Government as we pay for! -Will Rogers

03-15-2008, 05:13 PM	#5
7mmremmag1995 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Kentucky Posts: 1,270 Images: 1 Blog Entries: 1	why of course you unload yer Bass Tracker with yer Mercury on the rear and just fish __________________ Just LeDoux it

03-15-2008, 04:19 PM	#4
ArkansasHunter Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: South Arkansas Posts: 10,690	I would recommend a Jon boat and carry it on your Jeeps roof and off load up the river and head to your landing at an angle. The current, logs and debree can make the crossing a serious risk some times.

03-15-2008, 06:00 PM	#7
KGunner Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Fort Collins, CO Posts: 432	How about finding a rail bridge and using it? There were tons of them in St. Louis where I lived.

03-16-2008, 07:44 AM	#9
mos19k Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Miami, Fl. Posts: 314	Cherokee can make it across rivers that are 2 feet or less and no strong current, anything else would be a very risky venture. Using the railroad bridges is already part of my SOP, I have several marked and plotted. RR bridges should be easier to cross, at least in the beginning. Regular bridges will become bottle necks and perfect places for road blocks and check points. Currently we have a canoe but I do agree that a Jon Boat would be better and could carry more gear. We have two mountain bikes that are part of the BO gear, our plan is to use them as an equipment carrier as opposed to actual transportation. The VC carried 100's of pounds of gear in this fashion. I don't know how many of you have BO locations as either your primary plan or as a last resort. Have you already traveled the path you'll be taking? How many natural obstacles do you have to cross and how will you? If you leave quickly bridges may not be a problem but as traffic builds up they could quickly become traps. Even RR bridges after awhile will also become unusable. If you have large rivers to cross, you know what your vehicle can handle, alternate means may be required. I do like AH's idea of bringing a Jon Boat along, being on foot or bike is better than being trapped. The Moped or small scooter is good but I don't have the room to carry them. Might be an idea to have alternative transportation somewhere on the other side. This is just thinking out loud, I truly hope that I die an old man with way to many supplies that never got used.