Great Loop Statistics

I

irlboater

New member
Here are the numbers for my second trip around America's Great Loop which I completed on 11/26/15 aboard my 22' C-Dory, Salty. I left my home in Melbourne Beach, Florida on 4/2/15. I started out with a 90 hp Honda but finished with a 115 hp Yamaha which was installed by Wefings Marine in Apalachicola. I traveled 566 hours in 141 days covering 6,638 miles and burning 1,537 gallons of gas.

Average miles per moving day: 47 miles
Average speed: 11.7 mph
Average gallons per hour: 2.7 gph
Average miles per gallon: 4.32 mpg
Total gas cost: $4,176
Average gas cost: $2.72 per gallon
Most expensive gas: $4.06 per gallon
Least expensive gas: $1.85 per gallon
Total locks transited: 210

My route took me up the ICW to Norfolk, up the inland waterway of the Delmarva Penninsula through Chincoteague and Ocean City to Lewes, Delaware. Inside New Jersey to Manasquan. Out in the Atlantic Ocean to New York Harbor. Up the Hudson River with a side trip on the Erie Canal to Niagara Falls. Back up the Hudson to Lake Champlain and the Chambly Canal of Quebec to the St Lawrence River. Through the Lachine Canal in Montreal. Up Ottawa River to Canada's Capital. The Rideau Canal and Trent-Severn Waterway to Georgian Bay and North Channel. Down Lake Michigan on the Wisconsin side through downtown Chicago. The Illinois River to the Mississippi River. Ohio River to the Tenn-Tom Waterway to Mobile, Alabama. The Gulf Intracoastal Waterway to Apalachicola. Hugged the Big Bend of Florida to meet up again with the GICW. Across Lake Okeechobee and back home on the Indian River Lagoon.
 
Sounds fun! And you can leave/return from your backyard :D

Curious how you'd compare the experience with the Honda 90 to the Yamaha 115 (latter is an engine I'm considering).

Just for fun: If you were going to pick a few areas to "be magically dropped into" for more boating in future, which would they be?
 
I really like the Yamaha 115. I get five mph more cruising speed and ten mph more on the top end, which is too fast.

Some of my favorite places on the Great Loop are Hudson River and Erie Canal. I enjoy cruising through the locks and visiting the small towns of the Heritage Canals of Canada like the Chambly, Lachine, Rideau and Trent-Severn. I love the wild, rugged beauty of Georgian Bay and North Channel. The clear waters of Lake Michigan. I even enjoy cruising down the rivers of America's Heartland like the Illinois, Mighty Mississippi, Ohio, Tennessee and Tombigbee. Heck, I guess I enjoy it all! I embrace the change of scenery and seasons. An epic adventure!
 
It does sound like you love it all. It's neat that there are so many different/contrasting areas all on the Great Loop. Sounds like you'd (you'll?) have just as much fun on loop #3 :D

Thanks for your take on the two engines.
 
For comparison here is his summary from his first great loop trip:

image_010.jpg

And a quote from the Spring of 2014.

As I was cruising the Great Loop, I often pondered the differences in cruising style between my boat and the majority of Looper boats. It seemed that they were more comfortable when they were at anchor or tied to a dock because they could take advantage of their plush cabins, having a big galley to cook a meal and La-Z-Boy chairs to relax and watch a flat screen tv. I understand wanting that kind of comfort. Everyone has to strike their own balance.

I seemed more comfortable while I was underway at the helm. I wasn't glued to the depth finder or chart plotter. If I pushed my luck too far and hit bottom, it wasn't a major event requiring thousands of dollars to fix. I cruised close to shore where I could see the landscape change. I cut corners and took shortcuts. I even entered an anchorage after dark on more than one occasion. I took side trips off the beaten path where others can't explore. I saw towns few Loopers ever see.

The locals along the way were always friendly and helpful. I was offered rides to town to shop or sightsee. People liked my story! Many times I heard, "you took THAT boat from Florida" or "yeah, but where did you launch from" and the same questions that all Loopers get, "how long did it take to get here" and "what do you do about storms"! It amazed me to realize people let their fears of the unknown get in the way of them fulfilling a dream because many said they would like to have an adventure like mine but made excuses as to why THEY couldn't do it.

I write this story to tell people that they CAN have an epic adventure like I had. And it didn't cost me a crazy amount of money. Every Looper has made sacrifices to enjoy what America's Great Loop has to offer. A trailerable boat made the dream become a reality for me.

Jonathan Arthur aboard "Salty"
Click to expand...

Wow, I didn't even know that Jonathan was doing the "Loop" again. Sorry we missed you this time! What a feat. Two solo Loop trips in about 3 years!
This has to be some type of record--if only for C Dories!
 
It amazed me to realize people let their fears of the unknown get in the way of them fulfilling a dream because many said they would like to have an adventure like mine but made excuses as to why THEY couldn't do it.

I write this story to tell people that they CAN have an epic adventure like I had.

Jonathan Arthur aboard "Salty"
Click to expand...


Your voyages and philosophy are inspiring! New motor looks like its working good. Would love to see more pictures of your adventures. Just curious - is that you in the Will C - Trent Severn album?

Regards, Rob
 
Thataway Bob; I had company most of way around on my first trip. I visited with you when I was cruising solo. This time, I had a good first mate the whole way! Sorry I didn't stop to visit this time around. I had a meeting with a new motor at Wefings!

Robert H Wilkinson; Thank you for the positive comments. I will post some more pics of my adventure to my album here. I don't think that I am pictured in Will-C's album.
 
Be sure and stop on the third trip!

What was the story on the motor. I know that you take care of the outboard. What failed?
 
Back
Top