Do the loop in a Mac?

[richandlori]

It could be done in a Mac, there isn't any technical doubt about it, it's just a matter of personal desire and what living conditions you will tolerate. How many crew are on this trip? I would say two adults and two kids MAX. (again personal preference).

With ample civilization along the way, piece of cake! Go for it and keep a great log with plenty of photos and write a book about it!

[Chip Hindes]

Not laughing.

I'm near Albany, the start of the Erie Canal. Taking the Hudson south to the ICW and then all the way to FL, or the Erie Canal west to and through the Great Lakes have always been in my mind. Until I get closer to retirement, because of the huge amount of time involved I've never considered hooking the whole thing together into one long trip.

There was a recent story in one of the sailing mags (Cruising World, maybe?) by a guy who tried going down a portion of the Mississippi in a small sail boat, as I recall 22 feet. After a couple of fairly hair raising experiences with dams and big boats, he got scared and abandoned the trip not that far into it. Has anyone ever done an extended cruise on one of the big rivers in their Mac?

BTW, you can also bypass the Erie and take the northern loop through the Champlain canal, Lake Champlain, then turn left at Montreal and from there to the Great Lakes.

[McSkipper]

Hey Slamjammer
I'm not laughing. Completing the loop has been a dream of mine for several years. My wife and I intend on starting when I retire in 4ys, 7 months and 23 days - but whose counting!
I've read a lot of cruising books including "Honey Let's Buy A Boat" by Ron Staub. He founded America's Great Loop Cruisers Association. There newletter has great deals on charts and chartplotter chips that "loopers" used to complete the trip with their big rigs, the trawlers and the other big boats.
After considering the costs, the problems others have had fixing one system after another, haul outs to fix shafts from those big gifts floating just beneath the surface, I decided my Mac was definitely the way to go.
The Admiral and I have spent up to a week on board w/o a marina and have gotten along fine. It is close quarters and you need to consider that when taking on crew.
I strongly suggest looking into taking a course on Piloting such as the US Power Squadron offers. Get good charts and know how to use them if you don't already.
A guy from Reno, NV recently did the loop in 109 days in a 14' sailboat.
Sure the Mac can do it. I quess the question is can you do it in the Mac?
I look forward to hearing of your adventure. We're right behind you.

[Pouw Geuzebroek]

There was a threat some time ago about a Canadian couple that did not do the complete loop, but I think a great portion of it. Check this site out, if it is not the loop it is still a great trip they made in their Mac.
http://peterborough.cps-ecp.org/WendyGraham.htm

[Idle Time]

I dont see any rason why the Mac wouldnt be a great boat to do it on..if you dont take too many along. We've never done more than 3 weeks at a time and that's a bit different from what you plan but it sounds great. I have a friend who did the TenTom etc to Mobile and they loved it. Theirs was a 26' Chrysler sailboat. We did the Okeechobee Waterway west, down the gulf, thru the 10,000 Islands , by Long Key, into the Atlantic and the back up the ICW in Miami to the waterway. Took 13 days..was a great trip...didnt get to smell any roses. Our buddy ship (same 26' Chrysler) had a schedule. Next time we'll do it alone. Cant wait to read about it and hear the stories. Let us know when you leave.

[LOUIS B HOLUB]

MY OPINION: The trip would be comfortable in a MacGregor M or X. The SHALLOW draft would be GREAT for "SMELLING THE ROSES" and Stops along the way that would be impossible with LARGER BOATS. HAPPY SAILING !! (and if needed--MOTORING) !!

[Idle Time]

Actually the Mac should be the ideal boat. Easy to lower the mast for cruising but easy to raise when you make it to the lakes and Gulf etc. Our buddy boat carried a 3 or 4 gal yard sprayer. Black. It gave them extra water, warmed up easy and as each came aboard from a swim in the Gulf etc they sprayed down with it for a rinse. Very water efficient.

[Dave X2000 Jac]

I have also looked at the possibilty of "Looping". One detail that is worth consideration is to reverse your plan by heading east through the Great Lakes - taking advantage of the prevailing westerlies. A few years back, good friend decided to sail his 34 foot Coronado to our 30th high school reunion from his home on Lake Champlain to our town just east of Cleveland, OH. He made it in time, but everyday (to his regret) he had to motor into the wind instead of sailing like he had hoped. He was counting on a few air masses from the north giving him a north wind and some south wind as the air moves up the edge of a cold front. You will not be doing much sailing if you take your MAC east to west through Lake Ontario and Lake Erie.
I guess that I need to research "The Loop" thoroughly. Is there a time of year when the leg from Florida's west coast to the Mississippi could be done with a prevailing north or south wind?
Any local knowledge there?
Dave "Jac"
P.S. I am in year 33 of being a junior high science teacher. Every year, to impress the students of the importance of paying attention in science class, I relay this story from my past: In 1971, five college friends and I set off on a 40-day 10,000 mile motorcycle trip around the U.S. I did it on a Honda 450cc - 70-75 MPH every day with no problems. Fantastic and unforgetable. One day, as we were cruising west into the Badlands of South Dakota, we passed a young man (18-20?) on his bicycle, also heading west. At the next scenic overlook, he caught up to us. He was in a great deal of pain. His legs had been hurting for weeks now. His face and lips were cracked. His arms were raw and blistered. When I posed the obvious question, his response was "Boy, do I wish I had paid better attention in science class. I had no idea the wind blew every day of the summer, HARD, from west to east. If I had done this correctly and flown to the west coast, the wind would have pushed me all the way back to New York. I would have hardly needed to pedal through the flat areas. I feel so STUPID!!"

[Moe]

Wouldn't the trade-off for a west to east run across Lakes Erie and Ontario be having to head up river all the way from Mobile to Chicago?

[Chip Hindes]

The westerlies may be a problem once you get to the Great lakes, but it should be no problem sailing up the Hudson, as long as you don't try to do it right after the spring thaw. The Hudson is tidal all the way to the first lock in Troy.

Once you get to Troy, all the way to Buffalo on the Erie Canal is mast down, motoring time. The locks, bridges power lines etcetera are numerous and low clearance. You can take side "smell the flowers" trips to Oneida and the Finger Lakes for sailing, but you won't be making any progress on completing the loop.

If you have to beat against the prevailing westerlies to make any progress, at least on the Lakes the necessity to tack is infrequent.

[Dave X2000 Jac]

I guess that I need to do some more research on the Mobile to Chicago or Chicago to Mobile run. What I had read was that only a small percent of that run was on rivers with significant current. Most of the run was on dammed up valleys that behave more like lakes - Kentucky Lake, Tombigbee, etc.
Anyone with first-hand knowledge wish to help out here?
Dave "Jac"