An air draft of 16 feet, 11 inches and a water draft of 3 feet, 5 inches are acceptable. Doing your due diligence on determining the consumption rate of boats you’re considering is important if you need to stay on budget. The compact galley includes a cooktop, microwave and refrigerator/freezer. Make it FUN and make it your own Loop! Captaincees: Off Topic Forum: 1: 20-09-2012 15:22: America's Great Loop: orsailor: Multihull Sailboats: 21: 27-08-2012 06:28: Your great, great [big number] great grandparents might have been cruisers, too. The flybridge offers a lounging area with removable table. The transom hinges opens to extend the cockpit space to the swim platform, creating a “terrace over the sea.”. In some parts, the distances between fuel docks can be significant so a boat that has a range of at least a couple of hundred miles on one tank would be ideal. Length Overall: 27’8” Dry Weight: 5,000 lbs. Base Price: $239,000 Our goal was to find a boat roomy enough for longer cruising with captain, first mate, and… grandbanks.com. Explore Overnight Cruising Boats & Activities. Trawlers – Trawler-style boats (especially those with aft-cabins) tend to have great interior space for living aboard, and are very popular for doing the Loop. Displacement: 6,500 lbs. Recreational trawlers have their roots in workboat designs (usually commercial fishing vessels) but there are numerous brands that are now built specifically for yachting and they can be quite plush. This board shows many our members have chosen. © 2020 National Marine Manufacturers Association. The R-23 is powered by a standard 200-horsepower Yamaha outboard or optional 170-horepower Volvo diesel sterndrive. Each year, an average of 150 people complete the Great Loop, which is a network of waterways that recreational boaters take to effectively circumnavigate the eastern half of the United States. Trawlers area usually (but not always) built on displacement hulls, are powered by a single engine, and have cruising speeds of 7-9 knots with a maximum speed of 10-15 knots. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. Living spaces include a private forward stateroom with an island queen berth, a head with separate shower, and a full galley with household-style appliances. Dry Weight: 5,300 lbs. Other amenities include a flip-up flatscreen TV and home theater, microwave, dishwasher, fridge and freezers. Fuel Capacity: 488 gals. Instructions for creating an ad: 1) Click the button above to post an … Ron and Eva Stob are the authors of “Honey, Let’s Get a Boat … A Cruising Adventure of America’s Great Loop” and the founders and former directors of the America’s Great Loop Cruisers’ Association (www.greatloop.com). This smart, stylish boat is a contemporary rendition of a classic trawler, from a builder that knows a thing or two about the realities of long-distance cruising. The ship-style pilothouse, for instance, features a dramatic, curved windshield and visor and sliding side windows. Water Capacity: 22 gals. Length Overall: 32’9” Inside the beamy salon and galley, a new layout maximizes space, with a pilothouse a few steps up. In the salon, a convertible dinette or L-shaped settee provides additional guest accommodations. The Great Loop: 4 Best Boats for Your Adventure, America’s Great Loop Cruisers’ Association, Boat Camping: 5 Tips for Sleeping Onboard, Boat Storage Ideas: 10 Tips for Staying Organized Onboard, Best Boating Apps: Navigation, Fishing, Weather & More. The versatile model offers a number of power choices to suit the preferences of its owner: 240-horsepower Volvo gasoline sterndrive, 300-horsepower Yamaha outboard or 220-horsepower Volvo diesel sterndrive. Cabin cruisers are boats that by definition, have a cabin aboard but they come in many flavors. Base Price: $629,450 The 40z is an agile performer that parts the waves cleanly and deflects the wave action down and away for a soft, dry and stable ride. Also, although depths vary, vessels drawing more than five feet may find themselves roadblocked by skinny waters. Displacement: 39,600 lbs. Some like to anchor out while others go strictly dock-to-dock. May 22, 2017 - What's the best boat for cruising America's Great Loop? rangertugs.com, Author: Doug Simmons is a regular contributor to HeartLand Boating magazine, Copyright © 2021 - Website by Hub & Spoke. Ranger Tugs R-23 Ranger Tug Boats; As Ferrari is to sexy race cars, trawlers are to functional ‘workboat-look’ recreational boats. Cutwater gives these folks a capable option with its Pacific Northwest “pocket cruisers” from 24 to 30 feet in length. The 44 Eastbay SX is available in three staterooms (a master forward and two guest cabins) or two staterooms (a master forward and one guest cabin). The Great Loop Boat is Time Machine Imagine sailing more than 6,000 miles with a boat rental at the eastern half of the United States. The voyage is between 5,500 to 7,000 miles plus or minus, depending on the route selected and is usually called the America's Great Loop Cruise. Small enough to be economical but large enough to live on for extended periods; Slow enough to enjoy the sites and fuel efficiency, but fast enough to meet your timelines; And be able to get out of the way of dangerous vessel traffic or inclement weather. Some alternate routes on The Great Loop. So, keep your eyes open for a burgee on a WaveRunner in Canada this August. Beneteau is promoting its Swift Trawler 34 on a four-month passage of the route around eastern North America. Although the vast majority of Loop craft are powerboats, about 10 percent of people have completed the journey on sailboats. Both are served by a head with shower; a sink and vanity are opposite. The fastest journey was a promotional event that was done in three months but some Loopers will split up the trip into multiple seasons, preferring to cruise slowly and getting to know the points of interest and the people along the way. With a trailerable boat, you can tow it to a launch ramp, do a leg, and then arrange for the trailer to meet you elsewhere. Beam: 10’4” The new NT40 is an evolution of the builder’s popular NT39, but with significant improvements that make the boat even more functional. (The first Swift Trawler 34, next step up in the line, successfully completed The Great Loop upon its … Get community news, buying bargains, and how-to guides at your fingertips. The bonded windshield and sliding windows maximize visibility — even astern via the glass bulkhead aft. The 44 Eastbay SX is more muscular, of course, equipped with twin Volvo Penta diesel power plants to take you farther faster, on a sturdy hull with upswept bow that can manage the rough stuff you might encounter in big-water portions of the Loop. Mainship Motor Yachts (BEST STYLE) Coming to age during the 1970’s Fuel Crisis, these motor yachts combined diesel engine … Water Capacity: TBD The master stateroom is forward, now with more headroom thanks to the retooled deck. Nordic Tugs 40 The Bottom Line. These hulls can carry more payloads (due to their design) and are extremely fuel efficient. There’s a combined head/shower compartment and a long list of standard conveniences — from a hardtop sports rack, to windshield wipers, to a Garmin navigation suite — that make this boat truly cruise-worthy. While a … We said before we started that we want to visit as many national parks as possible. The interior of the C-24 features wood cabinetry and shelving in the galley (cooktop, microwave, refrigerator, two sinks) as well as in the private forward stateroom. Boats that can be trailered offer maximum flexibility, especially for people who will do the Loop in small segments that may be spaced apart in time so they can return home in between to work or spend time with family. Sailboats find the Loop challenging due to their deeper draft (usually over five feet) and the height of their mast, which must be un-stepped and carried horizontally on deck. Great loop sounds like fun, ... by joining the association. Water Capacity: 30 gals. Starting aft, there’s a bigger swim platform as well as an enlarged cockpit with both transom and starboard boarding doors. Beneteau Swift Trawler 30 Sophisticated and luxurious, the Grand Banks 44 Eastbay SX romances owners with features like Burmese teak cabinetry, quartz countertops, cutting-edge entertainment systems, designer fabrics and much more. Their next book, “Great Loop … Here are six new models to consider when preparing for your 6,000-mile circumnavigation of the eastern United States, and why. ), The new Swift Trawler 30 was designed with an open and practical exterior: The starboard side deck is wide and protected by a high rail. Express boats are usually run by twin engines (or more in the case of outboards) and can travel quite quickly but aren’t necessarily fuel efficient. Base Price: $99,370 Whether you want to travel point-to-point quickly to check out the sites or luxuriate in a lowkey lifestyle at five knots, there’s always a type of boat that you can use for the Great Loop. Today, the AGLCA is a membership-driven organization for veteran loopers, first-timers, and those who dream of some day embarking on such an adventure. A Trawler with a full displacement hull and a single engine is also a very fuel efficient vessel. Plan on eating out a lot. Under the surface, softened chines reduce wave slap while anchored or moored. Displacement: 22,800 lbs. A minimal annual fee is required to join but there’s useful practical information as well as group events and advice from Loop veterans. Almost all Great Loop boats cruise at less than 12 mph to reduce fuel consumption and noise. Other such boats are convertible fishing boats and power catamarans. Beneteau’s Swift Trawler 34 proved its concept and its mettle by completing the Great Loop, a journey of over 5,000 miles encircling the eastern half of the United States, in four months during 2012. beneteau.com. The ideal boat will be: Although the best boat is any that can make the trip, most people do not Loop on sport or tow boats or dedicated fishing boats like small center consoles. Most boats that complete the Loop measure 35-45 feet length, but the journey has even been done on a personal watercraft (PWC). Draft: 1’4” Different people cruise the Loop differently. In 2016, some 150 boaters circled the length of this so-called Great Loop — setting sail from any point along the way and crossing their own wakes about 6,000 miles later. Displacement-hull “true” trawlers are designed to travel slowly over great distances, and can be relatively fuel efficient. A second head for guests can be equipped with shower, plus a washer/dryer, which is a handy item to have while cruising. Water Capacity: 144 gals. What it also has is a pedigree built on comfortable and efficient cruising, thanks to decades of fashioning long-distance trawlers. In our boat search we prepared and revised "must have" lists over more than six months. Fast, fuel efficient and ISO Category A Ocean certification distinguish the 40z as the undisputed best-in-class. Displacement: 13,224 lbs. cutwaterboats.com. For example, the lowest bridge in Illinois is just over 19 feet so your boat’s air draft is a consideration. The "true" pleasure boat trawler: has a full displacement hull, a single engine, and an economical cruising speed of about 9 knots or 10 mph. Fuel Capacity: 80 gals. People do this trek on a variety of boats and although there is no “best” boat, there are some that are more suited to the task than others due to some of the route’s restrictions. Some types of boats that fall into this category are pocket cruisers (usually signifying smaller boats) and motor yachts (typically larger vessels with multiple cabins and two engines capable of delivering higher speeds). This waterway passes through eighteen states. Displacement vessels will usually be propelled by a single economic diesel while planing hulls may have multiple higher revving, gas engines that deliver more speed but also cost more to run per mile. Also, there is an option to cruise along some fantastic spots in Canada that are connected with the Great Loop. Fuel Capacity: 200 gals. Grand Banks 44 Eastbay SX Length Overall: 35’8” capngeo: Powered Boats: 88: 06-06-2013 08:14: My European boat and me to the Great Loop ?How? With a fuel capacity of 190 gallons, the Swift Trawler 30 reports a cruising range of about 200 miles, so be mindful on long stretches with limited services. Keep your vessel safe, simple & humble. This is challenging to do sometimes, traveling at 70mph and flying by most of the other boats on the water. Sometimes it is also referred to as the Great Circle Route. During our day's cruising both through the Trent Severn Waterway and Georgian Bay, we regularly pass by boaters who are doing the Great Loop. They have comfortable accommodations for living aboard for extended periods, ample deck space to carry tenders and good ground tackle for anchoring, and good fuel economy and respectable range. Fuel Capacity (gasoline): 116 gals. Build a Boat for The Great Loop? They’re usually equipped with liveaboard amenities including full baths/showers, galleys, and plenty of stowage for clothes, tools and spare parts. On sterndrive models, the transom bench similarly reverses to create a perch at the swim platform. Plan on a 'slow' voyage. Water Capacity: 80 gals. Beam: 8’6” Yes, ‘trawler’ is a classic, non-Euro ‘look’. Draft (sterndrive): 1’9” Draft: 3’2” Some people prefer to have luxurious accommodations and conveniences like an onboard washer/dryer so they travel with a portable “home,” while others opt for hotel or motel room stays and laundromats. Inside, the boat comes in two layouts: a one-cabin version with a separate head and shower, and a two-cabin version with a forward master and over-under bunks to port. We all want the best, and this Downeast-style yacht has it. Draft: 1’7” Fuel Capacity: 320 gals. See more ideas about cruise america, best boats, boat. Great Harbor TT35 Beneteau Swift Trawler 30. Incorporating the amenities of a larger vessel, the R-23 comes with a VHF radio, illuminated compass, Garmin 7610 GPS with depth sounder and fish finder, and is available with optional HDX radar. This makes the vessel the 2nd most fuel efficient vessel (for its size) to cruise around the Loop. Also improperly referred to as the Great Circle Route (see definition of a great circle), the trip varies from 5,000 miles to 7,500 miles depending on the options used. A deep cockpit aft, high rails forward and an enclosed pilothouse promote safe cruising and shelter from the elements. . To determine air draft, powerboats with flybridges should be measured from the waterline to the top of their hard structures as well as their radio and navigation antennas. It is also much more relaxing to go slow and enjoy the scenery. The boats are now made by Eastern Boats in New Hampshire. This bulkhead opens to invite the outside in, and the salon dinette seat reverses to face aft. The Great Loop is one of the best known and most rewarding cruising adventures in North America, and rightly so. But why make it harder than it has to be? The boats used range from personal watercraft (jet-skis) to 60-foot yachts. Beam: 14’7” Beam: 8’6” mirage-mfg.com. Cumberland Island National Park is coming up at the Florida/Georgia line, but literally no Looper friends we know are stopping there. Budget plenty of "fun money". This lends itself to a specific so called, ‘trawler lifestyle’ which translates to a sailor’s cruising lifestyle with the power of a motorboat. Overview of Specs 2007 Mariner 40 trawler with spacious light filled interior, turn-key is ready for new owners to move aboard and start cruising ... or their own Great Loop adventure! “Bill, you need to do The Great Loop so you can relax, forget about your cares, and enjoy life. A Looper Boat is one which the owners plan to use to circumnavigate the eastern half of the United States and Canada. Both sailboats and powerboats are used The latter now has split anchor and storage lockers, with drain bosses to direct mud, sand and water overboard. The galley includes a two-burner cooktop and oven, refrigerator, twin sinks and storage. A cluster of overhead skylights and an opening glass bulkhead aft provide an open and airy feeling in the cabin. 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