Great Loop Question

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.
 
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"
 
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.
 
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...
 
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.
 
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"
 
Best of luck, Greg. My wife and I along with 2 small dogs will be starting the Loop this March. I've done a lot of boating, but this is the largest boat I have ever owned. We bought the boat with extended cruising in mind. We didn't want anything larger, because I will be basically singlehanding the boat. The shallow draft will allow us to explore places other boats can't.
 
Every time that I attend the SBS I'm drawn to the West Wight Potters (The vessel Greg references in a previous posting) and enjoy crawling inside them. I've always felt that it would be fun to own one of those to cruise around in. (They are definitely a "niche" boat not unlike C-Dorys in that respect). Several years ago, I encountered a flotilla of them at Friday Harbor. The majority of them in the flotilla were registered in California and they had been towed up for a well planned out cruise of the San Juan Islands.
 
Its been over 6 months since GregW posted on the list--so is he going to do the loop--this thread started several years ago....It would be nice to know how plans progress and what his boating experiences have been since.
 
That WW Potter is a tough little boat and beats doing the loop in an open row boat!

http://councill.home.mindspring.com/sbj ... tter1.html

There used to be a publication called Small Boat Journal. The editor/publisher was an advocate of gunkholing the Maine coast in an 18 or 20 foot open boat with a canvas dodger/boom tent for overnighting.

http://councill.home.mindspring.com/sbj ... jindex.htm

Ranger 20 sailboat built by ancestor of Ranger Tug company fit the SBJ "style".

Bill Uffelman
Las Vegas NV
 
We're also curious whether Greg did the Loop. We completed it back in '92 in a 20' Flicka sailboat and have re-cruised favorite portions in the 22' C-Dory. A great experience. We'd encourage anyone to do the trip in a C-Dory - you need time (patience), and the dollars (we had sold our house, and lived on both the sailboat and the C-Dory during our cruises) freeing us from the responsibility of house upkeep and expense.
 
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