Great Loop Statistics

[irlboater]

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.

[Sunbeam]

Sounds fun! And you can leave/return from your backyard

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?

[irlboater]

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!

[Sunbeam]

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

Thanks for your take on the two engines.

[thataway]

For comparison here is his summary from his first great loop trip:



And a quote from the Spring of 2014.

[Larry Patrick]

Congrats on your trips, someday we would like to do a few month trip, not the Great loop yet ,but will figure something when we retire.

[Robert H. Wilkinson]

[irlboater]

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.

[thataway]

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?

[irlboater]

Nothing failed, yet! It was getting old. Time for a new one.

[Will-C]

[irlboater]

Yep! That's Salty! Pretty cool! Will-C really gets around! Pictures from all over!

[hardee]

Salty, I was peeking into your album and say the gold "Looper" burgee. Nice.

Harvey
SleepyC