This page shows various riverboats that I have seen, piloted or rode on........


This is a jetboat that we rigged up to run the entire length of the Wabash River in. It required being pulled out to re-fuel and check for leaks from hitting rocks. The small sign on the side says "Ohio River or Bust".

                                                                                                                                                                                      
The owner of this little houseboat in West Point, KY along the  Oho River apparently had some problems but made the best of it. He has taken up residence, complete with TV and electricity. I suppose he doesn't have to worry much about high water flooding his house, since it floats. It appears to be listing a little to the port side, buy why fuss over little things like that?

Interesting looking jetboat in Venice, Louisiana. The appears to be a helecopter. This would be great for staying out of the weather, however getting out of the vessel if capsized could be a little scary.

                                                                                                                                             
This is something one doesn't see every day. This is not exactly a boat, but it is floating and moving on it's  own  power. The tracks are turning for steerage and the shovel is being used to push it forward. Seen on the Intracoastal Waterway in Texas.

Delta Queen overparked? I didn't actually see an officer write a ticket, while the boat was landed at Wellsburg, WV, but the location of the meter made an interesting photo-op.

                                                                                                                                                   
The American Queen is the largest steamboat the world has ever known. This was taken as from the Delta Queen as she pulled away from Natchez, MS. The American Queen looks like a big wedding cake going down the river.

This towboat had seen better days. It sat for many years abandoned on the Ohio River, but was finally scrapped. It was located at Henderson, Kentucky.

              
The Belle of Louisville during the steamboat race with the Delta Queen. The Belle is one of the few genuine steamboats on American rivers. (We on the Delta Queen won the race)

This fellow at Morgan City, LA was really in the Christmas spirit. I wonder how anyone can read his navigation lights at night, with all those red and green christmas lights.

        
The Delta Queen draws a crowd in LaCrosse, WI. Everyone loves the legendary Delta Queen.

Fall foliage is captured in its glory along the Ohio River Indiana shore, from the bow of the Mississippi Queen steamboat.

             
This is Darin Hay cruising on the river in the dinghy off the Wabash Queen. It is actually one-half of a canoe  that I broke in-two in some rapids. Not to be wasteful, I built a transom on the good half, mounted a trolling motor, and wa-lah, we have a light-weight dinghy. I admit that it is not particularly stable, but as long as the pilot sits in the bottom and does not sneeze, it is functional.

Boating between the skysrapers of downtown Chicago was fascinatiing. This is a fireboat with huge pumps that can reach buildings from the river.

          
This was not a pleasant site to come home to during the winter of 2002. As the ice began breaking up and moving, my boat was destroyed.

This is my boat the Wabash Explorer. It does not have overnight accomodations but it does have a large deck and is easy to set up a tent for the night, right on board.

    
The Julia Belle Swain is a beautiful little steamboat based in LaCrosse, WI on the upper Mississippi River. The  large paddle, narrow beam and shallow draft makes her a fast boat, (as steamboats go)

This is the replica keelboat of the Lewis & Clark expedition. Here it is landed near Clarksville, IN on a journey that follows the same route and time-table as the expedition did 200 year s ago.

 
The Mamie S. Barrett at Deer Park, LA. It was a sad sight seeing this, once fine paddlewheeler, rusting away. When I went aboard I found some unpleasant company in the form of snakes.

Scenic view of the American Queen landed along the lower Mississippi River. I took the photo from the calliope deck of the Mississippi Queen. You can see part of the calliope tubes and one of the ornamental mermaids.

  
I am coming in for a landing in the Ouabache Guide. This is a rugged riverboat that is built for rough rivers  and long cruises. It is owned by my river friend, Dennis Meng who is at the helm.

This doesn't look like a riverboat but it did sink on the lower Mississippi River near Donaldsonville, LA. It was on its way to a new home from Florida but didn't quite make it.

        
Taking a break from my canoe at Staff Island on the Wabash River. I named this island years ago, having seen a large stick at the point of the beach that appeared to be a staff. I have attended several beach parties on this beautiful island.

While riding on the lead barge of a towboat, I had an interesting view of the pushboat nearly 1000 feet away. This was the Ron Shankin on the Ohio River..

          
A wave runner is jumping our rollers off the back of the Mississippi Queen. They love the washboard type waves that trail paddlewheel boats. They have a good time until they get too close.

This interesting view of my riverboat, the Wabash Queen has a story. My chain drive was slipping bad, so my two buddies are trying to keep tension on the axle while I pilot at the upper helm. We finally got her back to the dock and fixed the problem. Notice on the port side of the upper helm, there are leaves. This is from drifting into a tree, during the time that I had no power to the paddlewheel. Ahh...life on the river!