The Great Loop

[kiwiboyd]

I'm thinking about doing the Great Loop in 2016 on a 10m rib, has anyone done this yet?

The longest run between fuel stops is 300nm. What's the shortest amount of time you could do this in? There are a lot of locks and some are seasonal locks as well .

[jyasaki]

BoatUS has several articles. A google search for "BoatUS Great Loop" will lead you to them. There must be other online trip reports/guides/etc as well.

I'm on the wrong side of the continent; no chance of me making it.

jky

[RyanPratt]

I have friends that have done it commercially and have said that it is not worth the trip. But then again all my friends are blue water lovers. so i would say they are not the best to say if its a good plan or not.

[jyasaki]

Commercially? Captaining for someone else or something?

jky

[Trimix]

I've just Googled "The Great Loop", sounds quite an amazing trip.

Not something we could do here in the UK, but I wonder what's possible in France / Europe.

[kiwiboyd]

Bear Grylls did the North West Passage and it looked like an amazing trip. I'm going to do part of around Australia on a 35ft Fluid Cabin RIB, which is being built at the moment.

Beneteau did the Great Loop in a swift trawler in 4 months. I would like to see how fast you could complete the Great Loop in a RIB The Greatest Loop By Beneteau

[Seafox47]

Hi, which part of the great loop are you thinking of running? Chicago to mobile or the other way? I have a 6.50 mtr and would be interested in running from chicago to st louis.

[kiwiboyd]

The whole loop, counterclockwise

[Seafox47]

Would you be going counterclockwise fro annapolis? IE north to new york city, up to hudson, thru the erie barge canal, out on oswego, across lake ontario thur the welland canal, across lake erie, north across lake huron, south lake michigan and then via Chicago to stlouis, then all the way south to the gulf, down florida across okeechobee out on jupiter, north on the atlantic, back to Maryland? If you are looking for another rib to go with you, i would go from Lake Erie toChicago and perhaps a short way to the mississipi.
Are you planning this for 2016?

[dbrunes]

Do it please! And post a report thread. Always wanted to do this with my family... but more likely in a trawler.

[John Kennett]

I've just been reading a bit about the Great Loop and it sounds like a fantastic cruise. Are there speed limits on much of it? Is there an official record for the fastest lap?

[kiwiboyd]

In not sure if there is a record, there is speed restrictions in places, but a lot of open water.

[John Kennett]

The Captain John website mentions a guy who did it in 57 days which he reckons is "most likely" a record.

Will you go hardcore and do the Misissippi?