LakeCumberlandBoaters.com

Hey all. Newbie here. I live just down the road from Burnside Island on Hwy 27 in Whitley City. We've been boating on Lake Cumberland for the past couple seasons. I'm wanting to make the boat trek from Burnside to the Dam. I've seen the CaptBobs chart on maps. It shows 55 miles from Burnside to the Dam. I understand I''ll have to stop several times for fuel, but can this be done to and from in a day? I'll be in a 99 Chris Craft 190 with a 4.3 Volvo Penta SX.

Thanks,
Bill

It can absolutely be done. A 19' boat on that route is best to do in the offseason. How many gallons does your boat hold? Have you checked boattest.com to see what your fuel consumption might be? Take that distance and your speed and the consumption and you can calculate your fuel usage.

I would start with a topped off fuel tank and take off in the morning and run to Conley and (when the restaurant was open I would get breakfast there) fuel up (see how much fuel you used). I think that is about 15 miles? (sorry going by memory and haven't looked at the chart today).

Then head on down the lake to State Dock / JRM, again top off your tank and see how much you used. Depending on your speed and how many times you stopped to swim it very well may be morning or it could be lunch time. I would grab lunch there and either eat there or head on down to the dam to eat and float.

Then head to Grider Hill and on back to 76 falls to see it.

Then back to Grider, by now you should know your fuel usage and know if you need to stop at Grider or can make it back to State dock to fuel up for the ride back.

again busier times makes for harder boating. Middle of the week is best. If a Saturday then you would want to try early may or late September IMO. Or just go for it and take it slow and watch that fuel usage if you have a small tank. I have seen bass boats that were pushing it to get from conley to State Dock and then again I have seen runabouts like yours (I had one close to that size and power) that I could do that whole trip twice on one tank.)

Awesome info and a good strategy. I've rode down to Conley Bottom and below before. We usually put in at Burnside and ride to Fishing Creek and hang out as the kids like the swimming up there. I can do that trip probably 3 or 4 times on a tank. I'm thinking I have a 30 ish gallon tank. Not 100% sure.