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CHERISHED MEMORIES! ThaT'S WHAT THIS ADVENTURE IS ALL ABOUT. IT BEGINS WITH WHAT MELTS YOUR BUTTER, AND IT ENDS HAVING WRITTEN THE GREATEST CHAPTER IN YOUR LIFE'S STORY.





Your cherished memories will begin the moment you head out on this adventure. It will produce a special kind of excitement that will awaken your spirit and intensify your enthusiasm even as you progress from the dream to reality and envision your own adventure and how it will be.

Long before this voyage is over, you will discover the real secret of cruising the Loop is not found in any book, blog or website. It is found in the powerful live changing effect this adventure has on all of us. Among the fabulous destinations and awe-inspiring waterways, you will discover some profound life-changing insights about yourself. Beyond doubt, this voyage will transform your ordinary ways into extraordinary days. Every day on the Loop starts with great expectations and ends with eager anticipation of tomorrow.



Think cruising the Loop is difficult? It's really not.



Sadly, the first mistake for many is believing that this voyage is limited to either the rich or the most experienced Mariners. While a 6,000-mile year-long voyage sounds tremendously expensive and difficult, it doesn't have to be expensive, and it is certainly not difficult.
If you think about it, this voyage is no more difficult or dangerous than cruising 40-miles a day at a very safe average speed of only about 10-mph. That's about 5-hours a day for 140 days. Only 1-day will you need to cruise 78-miles or more, depending on the route you choose. Only 33 days will you need to cruise 50-miles but less than 60-miles. The remaining 106 days, (give or take a few), you will be cruising 40-miles or less. Now how much safer can that be then that?
While this is an incredible adventure, it has been safely completed over the years by thousands of safe boaters in safe boats. Many of those Loopers had no previous experience. We know several that purchased their very first boat to cruise the Loop. While there are those that would have us all believe we have to be a degreed Meteorologist, a licensed Captain, a Navigation Engineer, a Mechanic, and a Computer Guru, we don't need to be any of those things. We have instant access to them whenever we need them, all along the way via our GPS, VHF, Laptops, and Smartphone Apps. Some people, (and we've all met them), simply want to leave everyone the impression they are better, smarter, richer, or superior to the rest of us.
My friend Terry and I cruised the Loop for the first time in 1971. That was before America's Great Loop even had a name. We had no experience. We were so naive we bought a sextant thinking it might be our most useful piece of navigation equipment. There was no Internet, GPS, Smartphones, Navigation Apps, or anything else. Most importantly, we didn't have anyone telling us how much experience we had to have. Our safe boating experience had been limited to a small local inland lake.
Now, 51-years later, I'm 75-years old. I've have had Open Heart Surgery, have an artificial heart valve, an implanted pacemaker/defibrillator, and I am a cancer survivor with only one kidney. But that didn't stop me from cruising the Loop in 2021. I'm not raising my own flag here, I just want to make a point. As young and inexperienced as I was on my first voyage, and as old and slow as I am on this last voyage. . . if I can do it, you can do it! It's not magic, it's not rocket science. It's a slow cruise in a slow boat that will take you around the greatest boating adventure there is on this planet.



We love our BBQ Grill



PROPANE BBQ GRILL



It is mounted on the stern rail of our boat. It is absolutely the best cooking appliance we have. Keep in mind you will be cruising in the best weather on this entire voyage. Anything you cook in the cabin will heat the inside of your vessel like an oven. Your BBQ grill won't do that.



Anchors & Anchoring out



Know how to anchor out safely



You need a 'GREAT ANCHORING SYSTEM' and you need to know how to use it safely. There are several locations where you will have no choice but to anchor out. Tide changes will 'swing' your boat 180 degrees and strong currents will put tons of pressure on your anchoring gear. Your anchor & anchor chain & rode must hold your 10-ton boat in place, not your 10-pound anchor in place. Having your anchor not keep hold on the bottom and drag is dangerous & scary.



Marinas



can be huge budget busters



About 50% of the marinas on this voyage are worth an overnight stay or two, or even three. Alton, Grafton, Green Turtle, and Paris Landing come to mind. Many others are not worth spending your money on. If there is nothing exciting to do or see in the area, there is not any good reason to spend your time & money there. If your plan is just to stop and go, anchoring out is free. If you are purchasing fuel, most will let you stay free long enough to take showers & do laundry. Otherwise, keep in mind that for a 36' vessel with 30amp service, your cost for simply sleeping in your own boat will be about $100 a night. On a 300 day Loop, you can save $15,000 or more simply by taking advantage of all the free docks & walls, and anchoring out 50% of your nights on the Loop.



FUEL-EFFICIENT BOATS



"MORE FUN THAN FUEL"



This 32' 'true' trawler sports a single engine 90hp diesel and has all the bells and whistles. In our opinion, this type of vessel in the 28' to 36' range is about as good as it gets when it comes to combining fuel-efficiency with comfort for a cruising couple.

The same length sailboat motored around would be the very most fuel-efficient, as would a Ranger Tug and C-Dory with a small engine. Most importantly, when it comes to fuel-efficiency, you want to avoid larger "swift of fast" vessels with big twin engines



BRING YOUR OWN BOAT



WE ARE NOT HERE TO SELECT YOUR BOAT



What exactly is your dream? Is it the voyage? Or is it the boat?

Our only suggestion is to know the long-distance "cruising cost" of your boat. For this epic 6,000-mile voyage, the purchase price is up to you. Be aware however, that the very moment you select your boat, is the very moment you select your long-distance cost of cruising and ownership. We know Loopers that have spent more than $45,000 just for fuel. We spent less than $12,000 for fuel on our 2021 voyage with outrageous fuel prices averaging $6.00 a gallon. There is no need for speed on this voyage. For the most part your speed will be limited to 10-mph or less, with lots of No Wake Zones, Manatee Zones, Speed Limits, and timing your voyage for minimum wait times at Locks & Lift Bridges. In addition, much of this voyage is in shallow waters with shoaling issues. Going fast is seldom safe.



"More Fun than Fuel"



THE REASON BEHIND MY BOATING PHILOSOPHY



Fact is, whether you are frugal or flamboyant, there is just so many fabulous destinations on this voyage, you will want to spend more money on yourself & your cruising companion having fun, then having to pour the bulk of your Cruising Kitty down your fuel tank. It is best to think of this voyage as a 10-month vacation instead of a 6,000-mile boat ride. We all know how vacations always seem to cost us more than we anticipated or planned. Cruising the Loop is no exception. It's really a question of how do you want to spend your money? On yourself having fun eating out and being a tourist? Or pouring it down your fuel tank(s)?



Many Loopers make this voyage more than once.



THERE IS TOO MUCH TO SEE & DO ON ONE VOYAGE



The #1 most frequently mentioned regret most Loopers have at the completion of their voyage is they made it too fast. They wish they had gone slower and spent much more time being a tourist along the way. They wish they had stopped, shopped, stayed, eaten out and enjoyed more places a longer than they did. They just could not anticipate all the wonderful destinations where they wanted to spend more time.



You think you will. . .



BUT YOU WON'T



We're talking about eating on the boat. Most Loopers soon discover they are eating out much more and eating on the boat much less than they anticipated or budgeted for. In fact, we've met several Loopers that crossed their wake with cans of spam, beans, veggies, meats and 'stuff' they packed as provisions on the boat, they in fact never ate. We're not crossing oceans here. We are cruising by and stopping at night in some amazingly incredible destinations that will tempt you off your boat and into a fabulous local restaurant, Tiki Bar, Oyster Bar, Seafood Shack, Steak House or simply some good ole down home regional favorites.

No one we know, eats on their boat near as much as they thought they would.

The only cooking we do on the boat is the fresh fish we caught, and we cook it on our BBQ grill. Other than that, the only food on our boat is fresh fruits and some snacks.



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