North American Great Circle

[shorebird]

OK, I've been hearing bits and pieces of the ICW, and the river system from the Great Lakes down to the Gulf, but I didn't know it formed a huge circle around the South Eastern part of North America. Can the route be navigated by sailboat? What parts can be traveled in a 30-40 foot sailboat without a retractable keel/tabernacle stepped mast? Are there areas that would allow sidestepping bridges with low clearances? Is a power boat the only real option for completing the whole circle? I know, there are probably lots of threads dealing with the ICW, but humour me.

[FSMike]

Google "Great Loop". Tons of info.

[Badsanta]

Also check out "AGLCA" lots of info great group of people.

[Mike Vogdes]

Google Capt Johns America's Great Loop, lots of good up to date info there. He is presently doing the loop aboard a 27' Albin Vega sailboat with his son. He claims a good choice is a 30ish sailboat with shoal draft and a diesel auxiliary motor. You can read all about it on his site.

[RabidRabbit]

Yes the mast goes up and down a few times, its no big deal though, draft is not an issue. The biggest limiting factor is a 19' air draft bridge that cant be bypassed after the great lakes. From the troy lock in NY there are many routes. I could go on and on, but I wont.

[SunDevil]

This is what I thought he was talking about...

Except, hug the eastern seaboard, go over to Texas and down into Mexico that way...

The Great Loop sounds like fun too.

[RabidRabbit]

Well thats news to me, not what I thought he was talking about. Many people call the great loop, the great circle or circle route. I beleive the "american great loop cruising ass." likes to lay claim to the "great loop" term, so some written stuff about it won't use the "great loop" term as not to piss them off. They want like $50 a year to be a member and you dont get much for it.