Cruising America's Great Loop
 

I met a boater at local marina who has been traveling on his boat for last yr. He left Tennessee on Tenn-Tom, down to intercoastal, around Fla, up east coast, into St Lawrence Seaway, Great lakes. And was now going to Missipp River via Chicago/Calumet River.

It sounded like a great adventure, that I'd like to do at some point in future. (maybe not on my 353):eureka:

His log book including lots of photos: one set shows a lock in Canada, that involves putting your boat on a huge cradel on tracks that drops 100' http://pogopelli.blogspot.com/

http://www.greatloop.com

There's an excellent article in this month's Lakeland Boating magazing on this topic covering all of the routes. Worthwhile reading.
Jim

That would be this cradle.. It is called " Big Chute". It is on the Trent Severn Waterway between Georgian Bay and Lake Couchiching in Ontario. Its a fun ride and absolutely beautiful.:D

I have done 90% of the "Circle" and have avoided the locks on the Hudson just about as long as I can. One of my few "missing links". :D

Bob

There was an article in Motor Boating Magazine a month or two ago on this. It sounded like a lot of fun, and a great adventure.

Michael

Bob - tell me more about your trips. Are you trailering back & forth & picking up where you left off? Taking so many weeks/months per year? Looks like you have a great boat, working well for cruising? Thoughts/comments/tips?
thanks!

Doing the great loop is a dream I have and hope that I can do it in the next five years.

I first learned about it almost seven years ago and started reading up. Then a couple that are members of the same Yacht Club that we are headed out two years ago late spring out of Charleston going North but they did not complete the trip.

While on a long weekend year before last on the Tennessee River we met a couple that were not only in the middle of the trip but this was their third trip and they were on the way to a meeting in Alabama of several members of the Great Loop Society.

Their boat is the one right behind my 36 on the left. It was nice having coffee with him in the mornings and hearing about their trips.

I think a 34 to 36 foot cruiser would be perfect for this trip.

The other pictures are us going through the lock just east of Chatanoogia.

Man that is wild!

Looks like a beautiful area.

Don't want to hi jack the thread ........but since you asked I will tell you about some of my trips. First my current boat is not ideal for this sort of thing as it is a little "too high perf". Stock powered boats are probably better with the availability of regular gas or diesel even better. I have on order a new 50 NT with tripple Yanmar diesels so I can get back into more long range cruising. That will be ready in March ...... won't it Terry ! LOL

One segment was in a Cig Top Gun from Marco Island around the Gulf to New Orleans. 3 days. Flew home and made arrangements to have boat picked up and trailered back.

Another segment was in a Formula 419. Boat was trailered from MI to Cincinatti. Went from Cinci down the Ohio River and then south thru Kentucky, Lake Cumberland and Tennissee Tom Bigbee Waterway. Arrived in Mobile Alabama at the Dog River Marina to be told I could not leave the boat there as a hurricane was expected in 2 days. We pulled the boat and did an end run around it, trailering it to Marco.

Have gone south to the Keys and up the east coast numerous times. Usually when taking a boat north or south in spring or fall. Once went from Norfolk, VA to Jacksonville, FL in 2.5 days.

2 years ago a buddy ask for help taking his boat south to FL, from Kingston on Lake Ontario. I said with one condition - he trailer to Troy, NY to miss all the locks on the Hudson. Wishing now I had got that behind me. Half way thru the trip he got a call the boat was sold. We loaded it on a trailer and headed for the airport. Was glad as his cruising speed was only 35 MPH and I was looking for a way out . LOL

Have done all the Great Lakes except Superior so the gaps I have left to finish are from Chicago south to the Ohio River, from Lake Ontario to Troy, NY and either do the Welland Canal or finish doing the Trent Severn Waterway. Then I guess I will have finished the Loop.

Funny story. At one of the boat shows either Miami or Ft Lauderdale there was a booth set up giving out info on the Loop. I asked someone there when I finish it " what do I get ? " Guy says - " dunno, well I guess we could give you a T shirt". LOL:D

Bob

Dock / BL6, maybe think about coming up to Canada next summer and join us on our Can / Am Tour of Georgian Bay. You will not find more beauty anywhere in the world.

I have a thread going in "Boating By Region" under "Great Lakes and Canada". It is called " Summer 2008 Can / Am Georgian Bay Tour ". Check it out.:D

Bob

two books i know of on the subject,"honey, let's get a boat"(author unknown to me) and "dreamrider" by Larry G. Harcum,the latter is about doing it on a pwc,has always been a dream of mine.(in a boat of course)

That is incredible. Something I have always wanted to do but I don't have the time, money or the right boat. Maybe someday.

Bob,

Can you elaborate more on the locks on the Hudson?

What is the issue with them.

Thanks for your post they have been very interesting.

Dock

No real issue with the locks other than the fact there are so many of them and time consuming to get thru. I think there are 57 locks. I prefer the open water with the breeze going thru my hair ..... er in my face I should say ! LOL:D

Here are a few pics of the lower Hudson in Oct. 05. This next couple of weeks is actually a beautiful time of year to be on the Hudson with color changes.:D

Bob

Dock, the loop is 5,400 miles I once read.

That sounds like a weeks worth of locking there.

Great photos. I cannot wait to see that part of the trip first hand.

Thanks I was just wondering what the actual distance was. For some reason I thought it was farther.

I'll tell you a funny story. A good friend of ours lives in Charleston and runs a 35 Fountain. I was telling him about wanting to do the great loop and his first comment / question was "What is the record"?

I said WHAT? He said what is the record we have to beat? I explaned that it is not a race and there is not a record and he asked why we could not try it in a performance boat and see if we could set a record. He actually suggested taking about five guys and where possible running around the clock.

Yeah I hang out with some really crazy friends! The sad part is about twenty years ago I would have been up for it!

Thanks again Bob for the info.

well i have done some reading on this trip also and i thank it would be fun if you could spend about 3 to 6 months doing the run. Doc as for a record i do remember a few years ago that some racers did race up the Mississippi from New Orleans to St lewis

We're thinking about taking a year to do the Loop about 6 years from now. Planning on using a Fleming 55 for the job. We've done some long trips in our Formula 382 and loved them.

Been a dream of mine too. Been working out details of changes to be made to my boat to do it. Some things have slowed it down but its looking better again. Seems half the people that have done the voyage have written a book about it.

Dock. The loop that BL6 described in his opening post going up the east coast and into the St Lawrence would be much further. Even close to an extra 1,000 miles I would think.

Its funny when we think back to the things we have done, some foolish and some completely crazy when we were younger.
I was going to tell a story but will pass as I don't want to pull this off topic. Actually could probably write a book and don't really know how I am still here. :D

Bob

I think it should be a race!

I'd like to do it for my 50th birthday run take 6 months leave and see how far you could make it....I think a 30-37 ft with diesels would be the ticket....

I think I remember something about that Mike.

Three months would be a hard run in my opinion but from what I understand could be done. I would really like more time to be able to stop along the way and smell the roses.

Hope you are doing well buddy!

I remember talking with you down in Miami about this trip a couple of years ago. I still love reading about the cruise you guys did in the 382. That was awesome.

Good luck and I hope it works out for you.