Single Handed Great Loop

[Volkeno]

New York doesn’t fill the Erie Canal until June 1 usually. I believe people want to get to the Chicago river by Sept 1 and try not to go into the Gulf of Mexico until November 30 because of hurricane season. Those are the major dates I’m aware of and one reason people take a year to do it, although if you break it up into sections you can be flexible except for the major dates of being out of the Great Lakes before fall storms and not going to the Gulf during hurricane season unless your insurance doesn’t care.
I have an Albin 25 which is a good boat for it. Mine was modified into a sedan with an aft cockpit so I was thinking about using an outboard motor for maneuvering in locks. When I used to go through the locks in Seattle in my San Juan 24 the outboard was good for that.
The key for going through locks is to hold both lines and never tie them off. On the sailboat I would run them around a winch if there was a lot of turbulence. A lot of times the lock master would have me tie to another boat and they would handle the lines while I relaxed.

[Rumrace]

Alternative to Oswego And Erie Barge Canal is carry on through the 1,000 islands to Lake Champlain and head south on the canal. Certainly a more picturesque trip.
The Great Lakes have over 5,000 well preserved shipwrecks for those wanting to boat between November and May.
I’ve yet to meet a looper going counter clockwise. Weirdos.

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by Happ

A few years back I got a call from a friend asking if I could help him do the Tennessee - Tom Bigby Waterway. It is an alternate route to transiting the entire Mississippi. The water is much calmer and has no debris in it. There is also uch smaller barges and it is really scenic. It has 28 locks! The northern most lock drops around 80’! The rest are much smaller only 25- 30’. LOL! The good news is the bollards you hook up to move up and down with the water level. How good are you handling locks?

The Tenn-Tom is the standard route for the loop.

The full Mississippi River can be done but from St. Louis, there are almost no facilities for pleasure boats, currents are high, anchoring can be tricky and the commercial traffic is just crazy. It's really the route for those wanting an extra level of challenge.

While definitely the preferred route, the Tenn-Tom has it's challenges.
- Barges are smaller but so is the channel.
- There is still debris and also being much newer, there are often literal forests under the water just outside of the channel.
- Plus you have to deal with many locks.

[Gypsyjon]

Lots of people, , have done the Loop single handed. Easy peasy. Just do not get a boat that is too large and hopefully no fly bridge. Pilot house only. This allows you to rapidly and safely get from the wheel to the wall of the lock!

[boatpoker]

Originally Posted by Rumrace

Alternative to Oswego And Erie Barge Canal is carry on through the 1,000 islands to Lake Champlain and head south on the canal. Certainly a more picturesque trip.
The Great Lakes have over 5,000 well preserved shipwrecks for those wanting to boat between November and May.
I’ve yet to meet a looper going counter clockwise. Weirdos.

So you've never met a looper ?
Clockwise against the river currents from the gulf to Chicago will at least quintuple you fuel costs and drastically reduce range with the hammer down to make 3 knots against the current and the additional fuel usage is a serious problem with the lack of marinas on long stretches without fuel access.

[Jeff F]

Originally Posted by boatpoker

Clockwise against the river currents from the gulf to Chicago will at least quintuple you fuel costs and drastically reduce range with the hammer down to make 3 knots against the current and the additional fuel usage is a serious problem with the lack of marinas on long stretches without fuel access.

As it happens I'm arriving in Chicago tomorrow having come up from Mobile. Great trip. I'll have completed my second solo loop when I get to Ontario this summer.

The fuel costs aren't bad if you resist the urge to put the hammer down and live with the slower speed. My 700 mile range at 7 knots becomes 450 miles at 4.5 knots against an average 2.5 knot current. It just requires patience and creative selection of anchoring locations when you're on the big rivers.

[Cat38skip]

We've been following a number of loopers on youtube and there are 2 singlehanders that we've run across: (there may be others)

Michael Steen
Megan Milan


Check out their adventures.
Both have currently suspended their trips.
One for mechanical problems and the other ... ??


The Loop is on our list...just gotta get it together... someday

[Rumrace]

I’ve met 100’s of Loopers I grew up on the Trent Severn.
Chicago to Toronto a couple times. Toronto to bahamas and back.
I know every single cool fishing spot and every single town village reservation and anchorage on the Trent Severn
Most of my 60 years of boating is Georgian Bay and the Severn. I’m a newb on Lake Ontario and really enjoying it sailing.
I traveled a lot with my good friend in a 32Aft Cabin Carver flybridge. I ran a 330 Sea Ray. Both easy boats to lock with.

[Rumrace]

Just past Burkhorn is a shallow narrows. I towed a sailboat out with his keel stuffed in the silt. A week later I watched the same sailboat get forced out of the centre by a 40’ Chris ( bigger than life owner) so instead of calling him names I rescued the sailboat again. The charts said was 8’ depth. It was 5 in the centre. I drew 3’6” so stayed near the middle. News is it was dredged so stay in the middle.
Top it off the shore line is lined with walleye fishermen casting lines in front of you. Suck up fishing line in sterndrive 800$ damage.
Great Walleye fishing though.
Servern river system BASS COUNTRY!
Have a Safe trip up from Chicago. It’s Torontos big Sister. We started Green Roof Chicago joined us.
Chicago produced plastic cows shipped them all over the US Toronto shipped Plastic Moose across Canada. Great Lakes Humid Humour.
We are members of The Royal Ontario Museum and the Field Museum in Chicago.
If you get to Harry’s on North Dearborn try the calamari. Holland Michigan is worth a visit. Or head over to Michigan City Indiana for cheaper mooring. It’s a great little town.

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by Jeff F

As it happens I'm arriving in Chicago tomorrow having come up from Mobile. Great trip. I'll have completed my second solo loop when I get to Ontario this summer.

The fuel costs aren't bad if you resist the urge to put the hammer down and live with the slower speed. My 700 mile range at 7 knots becomes 450 miles at 4.5 knots against an average 2.5 knot current. It just requires patience and creative selection of anchoring locations when you're on the big rivers.

While possible, it's extremely rare to go clockwise on the loop. Most boats can't power at 7kts for 700miles.

Really only the 200miles on the Mississippi will be a fuel consumption issue. The rest of the rivers are generally slower currents and you swap out up the Tenn and down the Tom with up the Tom and down the Tenn.

Plus at 4.5kts traveling only during the day, you are looking at 4-6 long days to get from Kentucky Lakes to St. Louis.

Traveling in the more typical counter clockwise direction, it's typically 2-3 days for slow boats and faster boats can even do it in a day.

[Rumrace]

In my experience it’s extremely rare. I’m sure I’ve met a looper going counter clockwise but I don’t recall them.
I’ve schooled lots of them prepping for the Lock 45 whirlpool which makes the Mississippi thing funny. How about a marine railway to save gas. We got that it’s lock 44 second one in from the bay. Georgian Bay has 30,000 islands. Some are just nasty rocks feet from the channel. The entrance from the bay into the Severn River is treacherous and ends at a whirlpool There is a yellow black stripe marker from all points is the outside marker. Then you have a narrow underwater channel which you follow the markers or sink.
The folks going clockwise are following the best seasons.
Spring flooding can create a disaster from Chicago south. No one told Chicago it was clever to reverse the flow on the river. Lake Michigan up at the narrows will have chunk of ice from Lake Superior passing by. The western shoreline of Michigan’s mitten is just waking up a boaters paradise in towns to visit. In the next 4 weeks a couple thousand sailboats will get launched on Lake Ontario on both sides of the only Great Lake which doesn’t freeze. You spend a summer in Canada. No one will judge you no matter how funny you look. You hit Chesapeake when we have are heaters on and eating diesel.
The Mississippi does not trump the Gulf Stream or Lake Ontario. The biggest part of the journey in Canada is locking down to Lake Ontario. The Trent drops you off in the most peaceful waters on the Lake. One Lock Rosedale is only 3’
Stay on the wall on Rosedale Island but don’t leave food out for the bears.
Take a detour at Stoney Lake Dock at Viamede Resort. Food is outstanding can squeeze 2 14’ beams on the docks to port.
If you’re worried about gas consumption don’t come. Check out the Loop group for fuel estimates and with gas hitting $8.00 a gallon for silver.

New York Michigan Ohio and Quebec come here a lot. We are so lonely with Covid on.
Actually Toronto Island has been a paradise without all the garbage left by local tourists.
Anyway we saved you some fish and beer so come loop.

[Rumrace]

It’s about the seasons and if you’re worried about fuel don’t come.

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by Rumrace

In my experience it’s extremely rare. I’m sure I’ve met a looper going counter clockwise but I don’t recall them.
.............
The folks going clockwise are following the best seasons.
Spring flooding can create a disaster from Chicago south. No one told Chicago it was clever to reverse the flow on the river. Lake Michigan up at the narrows will have chunk of ice from Lake Superior passing by. The western shoreline of Michigan’s mitten is just waking up a boaters paradise in towns to visit. In the next 4 weeks a couple thousand sailboats will get launched on Lake Ontario on both sides of the only Great Lake which doesn’t freeze. You spend a summer in Canada. No one will judge you no matter how funny you look. You hit Chesapeake when we have are heaters on and eating diesel.
The Mississippi does not trump the Gulf Stream or Lake Ontario. The biggest part of the journey in Canada is locking down to Lake Ontario. The Trent drops you off in the most peaceful waters on the Lake. One Lock Rosedale is only 3’
.....

Did you perhaps grow up after they stopped teaching kids how to read analog watches and are confusing clockwise and counter-clockwise?

Spring flooding at Chicago is only an issue if you are going clockwise. The typical counter-clockwise route has you getting to Chicago around September give or take. Likewise, you don't hit the straights of Mackinaw until July-August, so ice is long gone.

Most loopers take the ICW, so the Gulf Stream is largely irrelevant. Even if you go outside, it's fairly easy to avoid the Gulf Stream...not so much avoiding the Mississippi and as you indicated, spring can be big currents on the rivers.

Locks largely negate big currents going from NY to the Straights of Mackinaw (unless you take the route thru Detroit but even then it's only about 60 miles with significant current to fight)

[Sdpaddler50]

Originally Posted by Jeff F

As it happens I'm arriving in Chicago tomorrow having come up from Mobile. Great trip. I'll have completed my second solo loop when I get to Ontario this summer.

Two solo loops under your belt is impressive.

I run a 46 ft boat fairly extensively solo between Southern and Central California. My wife will sometimes join me for legs or at the final destination. I also have friends come along on occasion, but most of them are still working so they have limited free time. If you are properly prepared and have the proper background and mindset, solo cruising is real joy IMO.

This is probably a better place to get information on cruising subjects than Trawler Forum. There are some really sharp hard core cruisers on there, but also a lot of computer keyboard boaters that have strong opinions on subjects that they are not necessarily familiar with.

Anyway, good luck with the journey if you decide to go.