Best place for Great Loop questions?

[MaybeSomeday]

Hi all,

I grew up near a river, and as a kid daydreamed that "maybe someday" I'd float my log raft down it until I hit the Mississippi, and continue down to the gulf... or sail the Caribbean... or ??? I'm recently retired, and starting to think more seriously about getting started on some of these adventures.

As background, I've been around small boats (e.g. ski boats) most of my life, but never anything bigger. I'm a fast learner and pretty handy at many things, so I think I could gain the skills required for cruising. I'm looking into possibly purchasing a boat and doing the American Great Loop, and this seemed like a good forum participate in.

Is there a suitable sub-forum for posting questions regarding the Great Loop?

Thanks,

KJ

[flyingnut40]

did you google the GLCA ???
here, I did it for you,,,,,


https://www.greatloop.org/


Dennis

[MaybeSomeday]

Originally Posted by flyingnut40

did you google the GLCA ???
here, I did it for you,,,,,


https://www.greatloop.org/


Dennis

Thanks, Dennis!

Yes, of course, I'm quite aware of that website, and have spent some time there, but did not find answers to my questions. I'm also aware that there is a forum there, but you have to be a paid member to participate. I'll probably pay the $$ and join up eventually, but am not ready to yet at this stage of my investigation.

I thought there might be some members here kind enough to answer my questions, but wanted to be sure I followed proper etiquette and did not post to the wrong subforum, which is what my post was about.

Thanks for your help, I'll have to check out that 'google' site one of these days.

KJ

[CHAZ]

Ahoi MaybeSomeday,


I found

https://captainjohn.org/GL-2-Intro.html


has very good info about the Great Loop.


Martin


enjoy

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, KJ.

The best place, on CF, might be under: Regional Forums and Groups Americas

https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f162/

[CaptTom]

KJ,

I'm in the planning phase for doing the Loop starting in 2021. I've been on most of the waterways of the Loop at one point or another, but doing the whole thing start to finish seems like a nice adventure.

I recently joined the AGLCA (greatloop.org) and it's probably worth joining when you're getting ready to go, but at $85/year I'd hold off while you're still in the "maybe someday" phase.

You probably would enjoy the book The Looper's Companion Guide, which I also just recently got and strongly recommend.

For dreamers, Capt John's site (that Chaz linked to, above) is probably the best free resource. And each region has its own web sites, like the NY State Canal system or the Trent-Severn. You could spend years Googling and reading up on each leg of the trip.

For all the talk (and all the blogs!) about the Loop, it's really a fairly small number of boaters, probably 200-300, who actually go every year. And only some of those finish.

The Loop is well within the abilities of an experienced river boater, since there is very little "real" navigation involved, and you can do the whole thing without ever leaving sight of land.

I too have looked for a more active Loopers forum. Probably the AGLCA site is the most active, but even that doesn't really have a huge volume. Reddit has even less. The AGLCA experience is more personal, since it's only paid members. Posting there is as likely to get you a direct e-mail response (since e-mail addresses and names are listed) as a posted reply.

[MaybeSomeday]

Thanks, CaptTom! I have a book called "The Great Loop Experience" (I think the AGLCA guy is the author?) and it's been pretty helpful, although there are some gaps. I'll check out the book you recommended.
I had a question about the boat buying process, I'm going to post it to the forum GordMay recommended.

Thanks everyone!