GL: Loop boat size

[Jim & Sandy]

I believe that 19' is the air draft limit (bridge in Chicago).  We have an
air draft of 24' w/ antennas up.  By lowering antennas some which we did in
Canada, we have had no issues.  We will lower a hinged mast for Chicago and
then put it back up. I planned for this when the boat was purchased; hence,
specified the hinged mast vs non-hinged.

As a previous poster suggested, get to a rendezvous to see many different
approaches to a "Loop boat".

Jim G
M/V Footloose
American Tug 41

-----Original Message-----
From: great-loop-bounces at lists.samurai.com
[mailto:great-loop-bounces at lists.samurai.com] On Behalf Of Lawrence Zeitlin
Sent: Sunday, August 17, 2008 11:30 AM
To: great-loop at lists.samurai.com
Cc: Lawrence Zeitlin
Subject: Re: GL: Loop boat size

On Aug 17, 2008, at 12:00 AM, great-loop-request at lists.samurai.com  
wrote:

> We completed the loop last year in a 455 Cruiser Yacht, but saw  
> everything
> from a jet ski to 60 sail boats. Trawlers made up 60-70% of the  
> boats and  seem
> to average 8 kts. With fuel prices high, probably the best choice.   
> Sailboats
> don't seem to work well since there is a lot of river and inter   
> coastal
> cruising...and bridges.

The physical limit to Looping is set by the height of the boat.  
Anything with an air draft of more than 17 feet would find it  
difficult. The minimum size is set by creature comfort. I've seen a  
couple doing it in an aluminum canoe. I haven't heard of anyone  
looping in an inner tube yet but surely someone on this list will  
tell me about it. Generally, the younger the crew, the smaller the  
boat. Money tends to dictate the size. Also younger folk seem to  
tolerate more restrictive spaces than geezers.

Twenty years ago my wife and I looped in a 23' Westerly Nomad  
sailboat. This typically English twin keel boat had standing headroom  
for short people, a 2'3" draft and a 7' beam. We had decent living  
accommodations, full length berths, an enclosed head with a  
Lectrasan, and a two burner Coleman stove. Power was provided by a 12  
HP Volvo MB10 engine. The mast was on a tabernacle and could be  
lowered by one person in 10 minutes. This was critical. We could  
lower the mast for a canal or a long bridge wait, then raise it for a  
stretch of open water. Doing the loop in a sailboat with a keel  
stepped mast would be far more inconvenient.

The trip was accomplished in four summer stints and included side  
excursions of a few weeks of cruising in the Finger Lakes, the Fla.  
Keys and the Bahamas. The ability to sail was a definite asset.  
Except for narrow rivers and canals, large portions of the trip can  
be made under sail. The Hudson, Lake Champlain, the Great Lakes,  
Georgian Bay, the Mississippi, the Gulf Coasts, the Florida Keys,  
Chesapeake Bay, Delaware Bay, and the Jersey Shore are all great  
sailing venues. Our fuel bill for the entire trip was only $680. Of  
course gas was a lot cheaper then.

Based on our experience, I would say that the boat was large enough.  
It was very easy for a couple to handle in canals and locks. The fact  
that my wife and I still speak to each other is probably due to our  
resolve to spend at least one night a week in a shore side motel,  
eating a good meal, and taking lengthy hot showers. We anchored out  
90% of the time so that saving paid for our weekly indulgence. With  
the wisdom of hindsight, I would choose a slightly larger boat today,  
but not one much bigger than 30'. Probably 36' would be the maximum  
size. Two elderly people can muscle a boat of that size in locks and  
into fuel docks without the assistance of dock attendants. Our basic  
philosophy remains the same. The boat should be self contained as  
much as possible and not require any marina hookups. Anchoring out is  
a pleasure, not a chore.

Larry Z
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