Thinking Seriously About Doing the Great Loop

[Chinook]

Just joined the Great Loop Cruisers Association, to begin networking with cruisers either doing or planning on doing the Great Loop. It looks like a well run organization, with lots of resources. Sail boats doing the Loop are definitely in the minority, and I'm getting the impression that trailer sailors are an extremely small subset of the sailing group. Nonetheless, I've been assured that the Loop has been done be boats smaller than ours. While scanning through their Discussion Forum, I ran across a post which said that a Macgregor 25 M would be an ideal boat, because of its shallow draft and lowerable mast capabilities. He also mentioned the 25 mph ability, which most non Mac owners are impressed with. They fail to appreciate that if you do much of that, you're likely to run out of gas a lot, and go broke keeping the tanks filled.

[NiceAft]

They fail to appreciate that if you do much of that, you're likely to run out of gas a lot, and go broke keeping the tanks filled.

Let's keep that our little secret We get so little praise

Ray

[mastreb]

They fail to appreciate that if you do much of that, you're likely to run out of gas a lot, and go broke keeping the tanks filled.

Let's keep that our little secret We get so little praise

Ray

Yeah, but that's just par for the course for the stink-pots. Watching the 40 foot sport fishers fill their 900 gallon tanks at the marina for $10 a gallon just makes me cringe.

[NiceAft]

Stop fretting It's not your wallet

We have the Prius, and they have an SUV* Someone has to keep the economy going.

Ray





*That is the irony of owning a Mac. You have a fuel efficient wind powered boat, but need a fuel guzzler to get it where you want

[Carrierjason]

I would love to try this

[Chinook]

Time for an update on Loop Cruise preparations. Joining the AGLCA was a good move. Lots of good info, networking contacts, and useful forum. I do note that their forum doesn't generate nearly as much activity as this one. I was able to scroll through their membership and locate nearly 2 dozen Washington State boaters who are either planning or currently doing the Loop. I've hooked up with them by email, and will be meeting up with two parties at the Seattle Boat Show. I've ordered and received Doziers Waterway Guides covering the trip (Great Lakes, Southern, Atlantic and Northern). I've been busy reading through them and learning more about the route. I've also begun accumulating charts for the trip. If you've ever winced at the cost of buying a chartbook to cover your intended cruising area, consider the challenge of obtaining paper charts for a route which will be on the order of 6000 miles in length. We already have charts for Florida's west coast, for the ICW from Florida to Virginia, for Chesapeake Bay, as well as parts of Lake Champlain and the North Channel. That leaves a lot of holes. Being cost conscious (translate: cheap), I've been pursuing the option of purchasing charts from cruisers who have recently completed the Loop, and don't plan on doing it again. The AGLCA has proven most useful in locating potential sellars. I've found that charts listed for sale in classified ads go very quickly. So far, I've scored on charts for the river/canal route from Chicago to Mobile Bay, as well as the Hudson River, Champlain Canal and Lake Champlain, Ottawa River, Rideau Canal, Trent Severn Canal, and Georgian Bay/North Channel. That only leaves Lake Michigan, the western portion of North Channel, New Jersey coast, Delaware Bay, and a short stretch of Gulf Coast, from Mobile Bay to Panama City FL. I'm also in need of a Garmin chip for Canadian waters (I just missed on one through the AGLCA ads). If anyone here has charts/chip available for the above mentioned areas, please pm me.

[Catigale]

Mike...I have Erie Canal guide book I would be happy to lend when needed...or send for planning.

[Chinook]

Thanks for the offer, Steph, but we're pretty well decided on taking the more northerly route, via Champlain Canal, Lake Champlain, Richileau River to the St. Lawrence, then up the Ottawa river and across the Rideau Canal and the Trent Severn Canal to the North Channel. We'll have to save the Erie Canal for next time. I do hope we can meet up with you when we're in your neighborhood.

[K9Kampers]

Mike- what is your target time of year for hitting Lake Champlain?

[Chinook]

Not exactly sure, but I'm guessing it would be sometime around mid June. I don't want to cut my time short in the Rideau Canal, Trent Severn Canal, and North Channel regions. That north country promises to be a major highlight of the trip. Timing things is influenced by a number of factors. It seems that arrival date on Chesapeake Bay is key. My sense is that early May is the time to reach the Chesapeake. That should allow for going north on the ICW with the advance of spring. I'm in the process of working up a tentative timetable, which allows me to relate seasons to distances and opportunity for layovers. Once I've put it together, I have confidence that the trip can be done in the style we like. I don't hold rigidly to it once under way, but for longer cruises, it does provide a useful frame of reference, and helps avoid getting caught short on time, or in the wrong place at the wrong time of year.

[Catigale]

Mike... I'll check my books to see if Champlain Canal is covered...they are all part of one big System of course. Coming up the Hudson you will pass right by me of course.

[Chinook]

Coming up the Hudson you will pass right by me of course.

That statement is in need of correction. We won't be passing right by, we'll be planning on dropping in for a visit. And if your guide books do cover the Champlain Canal, it would be great if we could borrow them.

[dlandersson]

I HOPE they have tour packages - Chicago (Hancock tower, Shedd acqaurium, zoo, trolly tour, etc.) does.

Coming up the Hudson you will pass right by me of course.

That statement is in need of correction. We won't be passing right by, we'll be planning on dropping in for a visit. And if your guide books do cover the Champlain Canal, it would be great if we could borrow them.

[Catigale]

[slugbug]

Great trip idea and on my bucket list to do. Have you read the book Honey Lets Get A Boat it is written by a guy and his wife who did this trip twice. The first time in a 40 foot trawler and the second time in a much smaller boat about the size of a M. if you do this I would like to join you during you Lake Michigan leg as part of your flotilla. It would be an honor to sail along side you if even for just part of the trip.