Great Loop Question

[smittypaddler]

When I started the great loop in 2004, I'd only had Na Waqa on the water twice before; I started in La Crosse on the Mississippi in September, after receiving my new C-Dory from the factory in June. I started with a microwave and a toaster oven, along with the factory-installed Wallas stove/heater. Since then I've added three items that would've made my loop much more comfortable: (1) an air conditioner that slips in and out of the center window at the front of the cabin, and is just small enough to store under the portside rear seat; (2) a Honda E1000 generator, which is just small enough to store aft of the porta potti on the floor of the forecabin; (3) and finally a small electric heater from US West.

Oh my, is it nice now to close the cabin door and turn on the air conditioner when it's in the 90's and 80% humidity outside! And when it's down in the 30's, the electric heater provides just enough heat to be comfortable, without being blasted out of the cabin with the Wallas. I anchor out much more now than I did on my loop, because now I can recharge my house batteries with my own generator.

[Gregw]

Thanks Smitty, sounds like great advise!

I have seen in the gallery here folks installing the small (RV type) roof top AC units, do you prefer the portable type? The AC runs off the generator not the batteries, correct?
Is the lowest setting on the Wallas too hot for medium cold temps? couldn't you just crack a window at the same time? Seems like an electric heater would eat-up a battery charge?

Back on the charts, It seems to me that if I have a GPS chart plotter with the charts loaded, a backup handheld GPS that plugs into a laptop with Wifi, and of course a compass, I would be set.

Did you use one of those "Sun-Showers" or just use showers at marinas?

[Gregw]

Thanks for the web-log links Georgs, I'm reading the one with the Motorcat 30 right now. Interesting boat, it has so many creature comforts, yet still has an outside, open-air cockpit. Well no boat is perfect. I'm enjoying his trip to the Bahamas, I hope to include them on my loop.

[smittypaddler]

Yes, the AC runs off the generator, just barely. I have to choose either the battery charger, or the microwave, or the AC, never more than one, and never the toaster oven, which takes too much juice unless I'm on shore power. The E2000 generator would undoubtedly handle more, but it doesn't fit behind the porta potti, and sticks out into the main cabin when stored, so I chose the E1000. It's also much lighter to lug around, and easier to carry aft outside the cabin to use.

The Wallas, when it works, really pumps out heat! In Carrabelle, Florida, when I was there in late January 2005 it got down into the 20's, and with the Wallas on its lowest setting, I still had to keep the door open. It wasn't very comfortable, with cold drafts from the door alternatiing with hot air from the stove. Later, in Atlantic City in May, a Nor-Easter blew through, with winds up to 40mph, and the temp down in the 40's. That's when the Wallas decided to quit on me, with smoke coming off the circuit board. It was cold and damp and miserable; probably the low point of my trip. Wish I'd had my little electric heater then! No stove at all for the last 1000 miles or so of my trip.

I didn't carry a Sunshower, relying on marinas or a swim. But as I said, I didn't anchor out much, because I didn't have the Honda generator then. I did have a 1000-watt inverter, and two type-27 deep-cycle batteries, in addition to the two starter batteries for my engines. Frankly, it wasn't just the lack of a generator that kept me in marinas most nights. I just felt safer. With a little more experience, now I enjoy anchoring out much more.

Regarding trying it without paper charts, my own preference would be not. I'll probably only do the one great loop in my life, so the extra safety offered with paper charts aboard was worth the cost for me. I was very cautious. I had two laptops on board, one as as a backup, and also a Garmin 2006C color plotter. I was never lost, nor did I ever run aground, and I attribute that to the extra care with charts and piloting. There are some places along the east coast where it's easy to make the wrong turn on the ICW. It looks like you're out in the middle of a big lake, but it's rocky and only a foot deep just a few feet outside the channel markers.

[captd]

[quote
Wallas decided to quit on me, with smoke coming off the circuit board. It was cold and damp and miserable; probably the low point of my trip. Wish I'd had my little electric heater then! No stove at all for the last 1000 miles or so of my trip.

I.[/quote]

Reading your post. It sounds like your batteries were to low to start your Wallas. We learned that the hard way. We thought the wiring was burning up because of the smoke. But it is just heated up diesel oil that didn.t light that was smoking. You probably figure that all out, but I thought I would mention it.
Captd

[smittypaddler]

Nope, it was almost certainly not low batteries, as I was on shore power at the time. As I mentioned previously, I have two deep-cycle hours batteries and a battery charger on board, in addition to a 1000-watt inverter. I've always made sure those batteries are fully charged, fluids topped off, etc. Even as we speak, Na Waqa is in indoor storage, connected to shore power, and the battery charger is trickle-charging as needed.

If you've seen my earlier posts, you'll know I don't think much of the Wallas. When it works it's great, but when it's broken it's too complicated, for me at least, to fix. If I'd known the thing has a computer circuit board on it, I never would've ordered it with the boat. Maybe the alcohol stove isn't as efficient, but at least I'd probably be able to fix it when it broke, and not have to send it to the factory for repairs, as I had to do with the Wallas. I've heard the Wallas is safer than a Coleman propane stove, for example, because of the pressurized fuel bottles. But I run the risk anyway and have a Coleman stove and bottled fuel stored away onboard, for the next time the Wallas breaks, as I believe it will.

[Valkyrie]

Smittypaddler,

Man, are you sure that you aren't running your Wallas on something regulated by a government agency that goes by NRC?

We spent a week on Valkyrie on Lake Erie in early April last year when temps never got above 40 degrees and ran the Wallas constantly. On the lowest setting and with the lid down in "furnace" mode, our digital thermometer showed a comfortable 70 degrees.

I wonder if there is a difference between stoves, but I do agree that it is overly-complicated.

How about putting some pictures of your Great Loop trip in your empty album? I'm sure that you must have some great shots.

Regards,

Nick
"Valkyrie"

[thataway]

The small 5000 BTU airconditioning units from Wal Mart which will fit in the foreward opening window of both the CD 25 and the CD 22 will run off a Honda EU 1000i generator. The Coleman 8300 Polar Cub will run off of the Honda EU 2000i generator.

Our experience with the Wallas (3 stoves on 3 boats has been good, as along as we kept the batteries up and the fuel clean--plus running at high at starting and when turning it off).

There are no major areas which will present sea conditions which will be difficult for any of the C Dories. The longest open water stretches are such that they can be covered in a day. The potentially longest run is in the "big bend" area of Florida, and that can be (should be for the scenery) cut into several segments. You can watch the weather and go when it is good. Used chart guides are available from individuals, on the internet and from consignment shops.

We certainly prefer anchoring out--and have difficulty understanding the desire that folks have for staying at marinas--but that is a choice we make based on the many years of cruising. Definately explore the backwaters and off the track areas. The loop is a very easy cruise and is very enjoyable.

Charts: All of the US charts are on the internet for free. These include the corp of engineers and the NOAA charts. I have chart chips on both Garmin and C maps which cover the entire loop trip. Canada has some unique situations with charts and the private contractor--perhaps Georgs has some solutions for that part of the trip. If you don't want to print the charts, then buy the chart books. These plus guide books--such as the waterway guides--are very sufficient. You don't need to have the latest charts--just have copies of the latest notice to mariners, and up date the charts as you go. The Local notice to Mariners is free from the internet.

[kavaliauskas]

Make sure to check out MarineFuel.com before and during your trip. They have a marina database with real-time marina fuel prices. Could save you thousands during the intracoastal voyage.

[smittypaddler]

FYI, my website has moved; the journal for my great loop is at -

<a href="http://smittypaddler.com/cds/cd4/greatloop/index.htm">
http://smittypaddler.com/cds/cd4/greatloop/index.htm</a>

http://smittypaddler.com/cds/cd4/greatloop/index.htm

[Levitation]

For a fella in a shallow draft boat with an OB that can be partly raised, allowing very shallow water operation, I would not spend a penny on paper charts...

My advice would be different if you were conning a 5 foot draft, 20 ton boat... With a boat like that you need to know where the channel that can handle your draft is..

With a little C-Dory your Garmin (whatever one) if your electronic chart goes toes up, it is a trivial exercise to work yourself to the next town or port to get repairs or whatever...

[DoryLvr]

The topic of sun showers for boats came up in this thread and I thought I'd share an idea I am using. I keep this in my van during the summer to rinse off in the parking lot after surfing.

I bought a 2 gallon weed sprayer and I replaced the weed spray wand with the shower nozzel from the sun shower I had that never really worked with enough force in my opinion. It heats up in the sun just the same, or you can add hot water before pressurizing and then it sprays great. It is also very portable around the boat to rinse windows etc. Granted it doesn't fold flat like the sun shower, but you also don't have to lift it up high to the roof of the boat or car to get the water flowing either. It is easy to fill at any spigot and it is easier to carry down the dock than the bag of the sun shower too.

[Simplicity]

The 22 will be fine for the trip. We did the loop in our 23 Cape cruiser and found advantages to having a smaller boat that draws little water. You have to watch the weather carefully just like the guys in the 40 footers. They don't want to get beat up either!
Don't be in a rush and enjoy the port until the weather clears . We stayed 3 days in both Beaufort SC and Beaufort Nc waiting for Gale winds to subside and couldn't think of 2 nicer places to be stuck. We noticed that all the big guys were right there with us.
Enjoy the trip
Alan
you might want to check out my wife's blog "Great Loop Simplicity"

[getzold]

Check this website for info from a looper that did it in a 26' glacier bay. We were with them for much of the loop (on our Monk 36) and these folks knew how to do it with panache.

http://www.betsyrick.com/

our blog: http://gletzold.blogspot.com/

The C-Dory 22 will be a perfect boat to do the loop on. In fact, we are looking at either a 22 or tomcat to go back and do it again.

Gerry

[Aurelia]

Now this is my kind of guy.

Check out the twins on his boat.

http://towndock.net/shippingnews/dalamar?pg=1