This is my reply to a poster on the America's Great Loop Cruising Association forum on the subject of the merits of trailerable boats.
I became interested in doing the Great Loop in 2001 when I read in one of my boating magazines that such a route existed. I was 25 and already had a few long distance boat cruises under my belt. I had cruised the entire east coast of Florida from Jacksonville to Key West, the St John's River and made a Gulf Stream crossing to Abaco, Bahamas aboard a 22' Southcoast Seacraft sailboat. I thought the Great Loop would be the mother of all adventures!
A couple of years later, I purchased a 36' Piver designed trimaran with my brother. We made several trips to The Bahamas and a trip up the west coast of Florida as far north as Cedar Key. I had grand plans to take that tri on the Loop! Our Piver trimaran proved to be more boat than we needed or wanted to maintain. We saw a 26' Telstar trimaran for sale across the state and put the big boat up for sale. By this time, I realized that a sailboat would have many disadvantages to cruising the Loop and I started looking for an outboard powered boat.
In 2010, I saw my first C-Dory 22. Three months and many hours of online research later, I found a deal on a C-Dory located in Annapolis, Maryland. My new trailerable boat would satisfy my immediate needs of cruising close to home on the Indian River Lagoon. It would satisfy my interest in cruising The Bahamas annually, and it would get me one step closer to fulfilling my long term dream of cruising America's Great Loop!
All boats are compromises and I've come to the conclusion that there is no perfect boat. Shallow draft capability is at the top of my list of desired boat characteristics. I liked that I can easily put the C-Dory on a trailer for the months that I don't use it. More maintenance is required when a boat is left in the water here. I heeded the words of fellow cruisers, Larry and Lin Pardey who said, "Go small, go simple, go now!" I also subscribe to the theory that you should buy the smallest boat you can be comfortable on.
With the C-Dory I get an enclosed helm to protect me from the elements, shallow draft to explore and an outboard that I can raise and is forgiving when I do push my luck and end up hitting bottom! The outboard provides great maneuverability in tight situations and doesn't take up valuable space like a diesel or inboard/outboard would.
The shallow draft was invaluable to me while on the Loop. It allowed me to access places a deeper draft boat could never get close to. I found free docks at dozens and dozens of places and many times, mine was the only boat there. That alone was worth the "sacrifice" of the smoother ride of the deep draft boats.
Some examples of me taking advantage of my shallow draft and small boat on the Great Loop include sneaking under a bridge at low tide in Onancock to access the unused dingy/kayak dock. Sneaking in the back way to St Michaels to their free dock. (I should write a book about all the free docks and stealth anchorages I used along the way!) Cruising New Jersey's intercoastal waterway. Canada's seasonal lock and mooring passes as well as marinas charge by the foot. It cost me less than $200 to go through Canada's one hundred locks! I cruised historic Lachine Canal through downtown Montreal, thereby passing the two expensive locks on the St Lawrence Seaway. It was fun watching them measure my boat to ensure that my air draft didn't exceed seven feet. I had a foot to spare!
I read an article in an early edition of the Loop Link about cruising on Michigan's Inland Waterway. It described the clear water, interesting towns and anchorages, a tiny swing bridge and the smallest lock. The waterway was never fully completed so one must backtrack once you reach Crooked Lake, but with the help of a generous local boater with an unused trailer, my boat was transported the six miles to a boat ramp in Harbor Springs on Little Traverse Bay! This inland route was a highlight of my trip!
Once on Lake Michigan, I again started seeing boats displaying the AGLCA burgees and was reunited with Looper friends I met while cruising the first 18 locks of the Trent/Severn. We hadn't seen each other in a month and started cruising together again. And here is where I especially enjoyed being able to get on a plane and travel at 20 miles an hour.
They liked to leave early in the morning. I preferred to sleep in a little later or walk through town again and take my time before getting underway. Typically, I would pass them before noon but they would get ahead of me again because I liked to "stop at every town and fruit stand along the way"! They liked to have an anchor down or be tied to a dock by 2 or 3 in the afternoon. I didn't mind coming in much later but we tended to cover the same miles per day. Sometimes we didn't meet up because they stayed at marinas while I hunted for the free spot to check out the towns.
I parted ways with my cruising friends in Paducah because I had to fly home for five weeks. I didn't know if I had to leave my boat for a few weeks or until next season. Family friends allowed me to keep my boat on his property so I bought a used trailer on Craigslist and sold it when I returned. I actually made $150 on the sale! All of this was possible because of my choice of a small, trailerable boat.
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"
I became interested in doing the Great Loop in 2001 when I read in one of my boating magazines that such a route existed. I was 25 and already had a few long distance boat cruises under my belt. I had cruised the entire east coast of Florida from Jacksonville to Key West, the St John's River and made a Gulf Stream crossing to Abaco, Bahamas aboard a 22' Southcoast Seacraft sailboat. I thought the Great Loop would be the mother of all adventures!
A couple of years later, I purchased a 36' Piver designed trimaran with my brother. We made several trips to The Bahamas and a trip up the west coast of Florida as far north as Cedar Key. I had grand plans to take that tri on the Loop! Our Piver trimaran proved to be more boat than we needed or wanted to maintain. We saw a 26' Telstar trimaran for sale across the state and put the big boat up for sale. By this time, I realized that a sailboat would have many disadvantages to cruising the Loop and I started looking for an outboard powered boat.
In 2010, I saw my first C-Dory 22. Three months and many hours of online research later, I found a deal on a C-Dory located in Annapolis, Maryland. My new trailerable boat would satisfy my immediate needs of cruising close to home on the Indian River Lagoon. It would satisfy my interest in cruising The Bahamas annually, and it would get me one step closer to fulfilling my long term dream of cruising America's Great Loop!
All boats are compromises and I've come to the conclusion that there is no perfect boat. Shallow draft capability is at the top of my list of desired boat characteristics. I liked that I can easily put the C-Dory on a trailer for the months that I don't use it. More maintenance is required when a boat is left in the water here. I heeded the words of fellow cruisers, Larry and Lin Pardey who said, "Go small, go simple, go now!" I also subscribe to the theory that you should buy the smallest boat you can be comfortable on.
With the C-Dory I get an enclosed helm to protect me from the elements, shallow draft to explore and an outboard that I can raise and is forgiving when I do push my luck and end up hitting bottom! The outboard provides great maneuverability in tight situations and doesn't take up valuable space like a diesel or inboard/outboard would.
The shallow draft was invaluable to me while on the Loop. It allowed me to access places a deeper draft boat could never get close to. I found free docks at dozens and dozens of places and many times, mine was the only boat there. That alone was worth the "sacrifice" of the smoother ride of the deep draft boats.
Some examples of me taking advantage of my shallow draft and small boat on the Great Loop include sneaking under a bridge at low tide in Onancock to access the unused dingy/kayak dock. Sneaking in the back way to St Michaels to their free dock. (I should write a book about all the free docks and stealth anchorages I used along the way!) Cruising New Jersey's intercoastal waterway. Canada's seasonal lock and mooring passes as well as marinas charge by the foot. It cost me less than $200 to go through Canada's one hundred locks! I cruised historic Lachine Canal through downtown Montreal, thereby passing the two expensive locks on the St Lawrence Seaway. It was fun watching them measure my boat to ensure that my air draft didn't exceed seven feet. I had a foot to spare!
I read an article in an early edition of the Loop Link about cruising on Michigan's Inland Waterway. It described the clear water, interesting towns and anchorages, a tiny swing bridge and the smallest lock. The waterway was never fully completed so one must backtrack once you reach Crooked Lake, but with the help of a generous local boater with an unused trailer, my boat was transported the six miles to a boat ramp in Harbor Springs on Little Traverse Bay! This inland route was a highlight of my trip!
Once on Lake Michigan, I again started seeing boats displaying the AGLCA burgees and was reunited with Looper friends I met while cruising the first 18 locks of the Trent/Severn. We hadn't seen each other in a month and started cruising together again. And here is where I especially enjoyed being able to get on a plane and travel at 20 miles an hour.
They liked to leave early in the morning. I preferred to sleep in a little later or walk through town again and take my time before getting underway. Typically, I would pass them before noon but they would get ahead of me again because I liked to "stop at every town and fruit stand along the way"! They liked to have an anchor down or be tied to a dock by 2 or 3 in the afternoon. I didn't mind coming in much later but we tended to cover the same miles per day. Sometimes we didn't meet up because they stayed at marinas while I hunted for the free spot to check out the towns.
I parted ways with my cruising friends in Paducah because I had to fly home for five weeks. I didn't know if I had to leave my boat for a few weeks or until next season. Family friends allowed me to keep my boat on his property so I bought a used trailer on Craigslist and sold it when I returned. I actually made $150 on the sale! All of this was possible because of my choice of a small, trailerable boat.
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"