The Australian Volunteer Coast Guard Association Inc.
River Murray Trip - 1963
23rd September 1963.
Report on the Cruise down the Murray River from Tallangatta on the Hume Weir to the river-mouth at Goolwa, South Australia, by two Australian Coast Guard Auxilliary boats and a private cabin cruiser.
The objectives of the Cruise were :-
To prove that the Murray is safely navigable throughout its entire length during the month of September by the modern lightly-built runabout or cabin cruiser with a view to conducting on an annual basis a Shell reliability trial and to encourage cruising on the river.
To establish Australian Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotillas at the major boating centers along the river, thus introducing training centers in seamanship and safety in boating to this waterway.
To prove the quality of Shell Two-Stroke Pre-Mix in the longest high-speed cruise as yet attempted in Australia.
To prove the quality of Mercury Outboard Engines.
To prove the efficiency of Falcon cars in towing, launching and landing the largest and heaviest trailer boats in difficult conditions.
With regard to the navigation of the River;1963 has been, of course, a very wet year and the river is running at a very high level. Previous years 1962, 1981 were dry years, but nevertheless during September the water level would have been satisfactory for these boats Captain Paddy Hogg was the navigator for the boats.
Captain Hogg had spent his life on the river and owns the "Oscar W", a paddle steamer based at Swan Hill, and for many years was Captain of the "Gem", a large paddle steamer now a museum at Swan Hill.
The major hazard for these frail, expensive, modern boats is of course, the snags. However, much to our surprise, none were hit by the hulls of any of the boats, but all boats did suffer damage to props.
There were three boats on the cruise:-
"Crusader" a 20 foot Benson $ Shaw cabin cruiser plywood construction with twin 45 H.P. Mercury engines with extended stern, giving a total length or 23 feet.
"Akroonah" a 20 foot Mariner cabin cruiser, plywood construction, with twin 70 H.P. Mercury engines and extended stern, also giving a total length of 23 feet.
"FV59" a 20 foot Mariner cabin cruiser, plywood construction with a Volvo Penta 85 H.P. Inboard/Outboard.
Cost of "Akroonah" - £3,000 and FV 59 - £2,600.
Snags were found easy enough to sight, providing a sharp watch was kept. No large snags were seen in the centre of the river. They always appeared to be in towards the banks in the slower-running water.
Captain Hogg, of course, knew where the bad snag areas were and also the rocks and, during the navigation of such areas, speed was reduced to the minimum. There was no surface evidence of rocks and snags in these bad areas; however, it would seem from this cruise that, providing boats kept in mid-stream only easing over to the outside of bends, the river is quite safe during September. The number of bad areas is quite small, when considering the immense length of the river negotiated - 1,250 miles. An average speed of 22 m.p.h. was maintained throughout the journey, except in South Australia where the river is so broad and straight that high winds up to 50 m.p.h. raised short sharp waves up to 3 feet, which, of course, cut speeds back to 3 m.p.h. at times. Right across Victoria we had a beautifully smooth river, even with winds up to 50 m.p.h. The constant gentle curving of the river, together with the protection of heavily timbered banks completely obviates wind on the water. The only exception in Victoria is at Swan Hill, where there is 12 miles of unwooded river banks. Here, a small, short chop developed, but the bends put the choppy section quickly behind us. It can be said that the river in Victoria being so winding is the perfect water for the speedboat. The constant gentle curves makes the journey interesting and if there are other boats in the party they look very well sweeping round the curves. Taking these curves downstream with a full river flowing at 3 - 4 m.p.h. is most exciting and rather like a dirt track rider going round the bends. It is necessary when half way round, and the current catches the stern of the boat, to steer against the slide, otherwise the boat feels that it will swing face about. The river is a speed boater's dream - smooth as silk, downhill all the way on a moving belt of water. This not, however, the case in South Australia; some stretches of the river are as long as 6 miles and, as mentioned above, e foot waves develop in high winds, which pounds the 'daylights' out of the boat and crew.
The earlier remarks concerning snags apply to the river from Tarrawonga to Goolwa. From Tallangatta to the Hume Boat Club on the Hume Weir wall the main course of the river is difficult to fins, as the Mitta River is small and its path is not easy to find through the dead trees, as is the case in the Tarrawonga Weir with the larger Murray. It would be necessary to mark a passage through this timber for safety. The timber is not dense, so there was no fear of getting lost but boats could run into snags.