All kinds of boats!

We are meeting loopers from across the US, Canada, the U.K., Sweden, Australia, and South Africa. News of the Great Loop has spread around the World! The Great Loop is the longest, well protected, continuous water way in the World.

There are 58 boats at the Rendezvous which are actively traveling the Loop, and many people who came by car / plane to the Conference. Some are in process, some are planning, and some have completed the Loop, and come to catch up with friends they met.  There are 240 people attending. 

There are seminars on maintenance, trip planning, traversing some of the more difficult segments, and many, many stories from Gold Loopers who have finished.

One of the activities was a “Boat Crawl” yesterday afternoon. Anyone who wanted to open their boat up for tours put a sign on it, and you could get a tour. We found out that about anyone would let you look at their boat if you asked. We didn’t have a sign posted, but showed ours to numerous people. Many were interested in our dinghy davits. They had seen how easy it is for us to raise and lower our dinghy without expensive lift systems or electric winches. I think I sold some St. Croix Davit systems!

It is really fun to see all the different boats that people are doing the trip in.  Below are just a few.

One couple in a Gibson Houseboat got up to speak, and said that no one had told them they couldn’t/shouldn’t do the Loop in a houseboat, so they did! However, the Gulf crossing was a bit nerve wracking!!

Two guys in a small runabout are doing a 600 mile segment of the Loop.

A friend is meeting them down river with the truck / trailer, so they can trailer back home.

The owner was trying to convince his wife that they could do the trip in this boat, but she insisted he give it a “trial run” first. The guys were sure having fun!

The two parked parked side by side are Mainship trawlers.  A very comfortable boat for the journey and we have seen many of them.






 

Trawlers seem to be the most popular boat.  They come in all sizes. The red one belongs to couple that a lot of Loopers will recognize. Jim & Lisa Favors. It is a 26’ (I think) narrow beam Ranger Tug. It is made to be trailerable with a standard pick up truck, without wide load permits. Jim & Lisa completed the Loop a few years ago on a Fatham Trawler, and then wrote some books. “Women On Board” being one. We read it.

They then decided they wanted to be able to travel any navigable river in the U.S. They are doing that now.  Spirit Dancer the one with the green trim is a 49’ Defever trawler. Nice and roomy.

Newer and older boats!

My favorite is parked right next to us. It is a 1964 Roamer, made by Chris Craft. This is a steel hull boat. The couple that own it are a little older than us, and have been restoring it for 10 years. It was a complete restoration, including replacing and rewelding much of the hull structure. They installed new Volvo diesel engines and transmissions. All  the systems have been upgraded. I could tell walking through it, and listening to them talk about it, that it was a labor of love.

In 1964 they did not have electronics and navigation equipment we have today. When they tried to add it to the helm, they discovered that they had to rebuild the entire helm station. It came out pretty impressive!

OK - so what is THE BEST boat to do the Loop in?? Just ask any Looper, and you’ll hear the same response:

“It’s the boat you like, that fits your wants and needs, and that resides in YOUR slip!!

Pat will be around later with some more sights from Joe Wheeler State Park.

Captn Ken