Pontoon Boat & Deck Boat Forum

I usually launch in Pekin, IL on the Illinois River but with the water so low there isn't enough ramp under the water to fit my trailer. My only option is to launch in Peoria, IL and go south through the lock and dam. I know there are a few people here that come through this area and wondered what are the procedures to go through the lock?

The U.S. Army Corp of Engineers run our locks, and I assume they may also run the locks in Illinois. See locking procedures:

http://www.tva.gov/river/navigation/reclockthrough.htm

They even have a virtual lock through video online.

Im not sure of the procedures in your locale, but as a river boater I am positive of of one thing:

Don't piss off the Lockmaster...

They can ruin your day! I had an incident last year, I was locking down river headin back to our dock. I had about 4 ppl with me and a friend (thats being nice) was on his boat with a cpl of loud mouth drunks. As they entered the lock with us they were giving the lockmaster a hard time. So he got back at them (and me, as collateral damage) by waiting approximately 20 minutes for a very slow moving houseboat to enter, which turned into 2 other boats that visibly made their way around the bend. And I swear he set the waterflow to its slowest setting to drop us through. So basicly he turned a 2 boat, 15 minute lock through into a 90 minute disaster.

Needless to say, I told my "not so close acquanitance" to shut the F--k up when hes in a lock with me!

Mgarvie....we put in at Spindler Marina....there are large signs at the CC lock and Dam that advise what channel or VHF freq to contact them...we don't go south of Pekin anymore because of the traffic and Pekin doesn't attempt to clean their ramps at all...come up north to East Port....Spindler...Capt'n Ron's even...we cruise north to Chillicothe and back to the locks....stop and anchor in the no wake zone and are looking to start going to "party beach" by the Paradice Casino....

I've got 2 locks (110' x 600') within 10 miles of our house. I avoid them like the plague. You never know when you'll get stuck on the wrong lake behind a couple of towboats. Even worse is when they have to break the barges apart and move'em through in two lifts.

Many lakes have boat ramps at the dam, and just below the dam. If I was going downriver, I would put my boat on the trailer and drop it in the lower lake 2 miles away. It's just faster, more efficient, and saves about 100 million gallons of water they could have run through the powerhouse to make free electricity.

To Jim and Jill,

I usually camp on the bank with my dogs and fish most of the night close to the Mackinaw. What's it like going north? I need a place where my Great Danes can run around without bothering anyone. What shape are the ramps at Captain Ron's under the water? Just hate to drive very far since I'm pulling a 20 foot Bass Buggy with a Jeep Wrangler.