Epic Boat trips: The Loop
So you decided to take a long boat trip. Preparing for your long journey ahead can be one of the most exciting and/or terrifying parts of the trip. Everything from needing to know where you can fuel up, to how much food and water you need to have on board to be prepared for anything, is hard to plan for. Luckily for you, I’m here to help with some advice and provide other resources for you to check out to be fully prepared for your boat trip.
The Loop:
The Loop is a 5,000 – 7,500-mile trip (depending on the route chosen) that goes along the Mississippi river, through the great lakes, around the east coast of the United States and entering the Mississippi river again to complete the loop. The maximum draft …show more content…
GPS has helped a huge amount with navigation, but the experience with boating is still needed for the trip.
Having a Dinghy
A Dinghy is essential for the great loop as you will be anchoring numerous times throughout your trip. Also, some places will not be accessible by a larger boat, so you will need a dinghy to sightseeing these places of interest. Furthermore, if something breaks down on your boat, you will need a dinghy to get to shore in case of emergency.
Boating Speeds
Average boat speed throughout the loop are around 10 knots (~11 mph), so be sure to plan accordingly for your next destination. The point of this trip is not to cover a lot of ground quickly but to enjoy yourself. The great loop is meant to be an experience, so you should stop and explore as much as possible (without making the trip last …show more content…
Most cell phone companies will have a deal for minutes outside of the U.S.
Internet access can be available if you use a wifi box supplied by your cell phone company. We would recommend a Mifi box or wifi air cards from Verizon, but it can also be available from most major cellular data suppliers.
Boat tools and spares
For anyone that has owned a boat for an extended amount of time, you know that there will be some issues that come up with your boat. You must be prepared for the most common issues, so your trip on the great loop won’t be delayed too much. Try to be prepared with as many spare parts for any moving mechanism on your engine and boat. Also, spare propellers are a must, as it will get pretty shallow in some parts of your great loop trip.
Also, you should have a mechanic look through the engine to make sure everything is in working order before you start your trip.
Complicated Situations
As mentioned above, some parts of your trip can become fairly shallow, so you should be sure to monitor your depth the entire time you are
So you decided to take a long boat trip. Preparing for your long journey ahead can be one of the most exciting and/or terrifying parts of the trip. Everything from needing to know where you can fuel up, to how much food and water you need to have on board to be prepared for anything, is hard to plan for. Luckily for you, I’m here to help with some advice and provide other resources for you to check out to be fully prepared for your boat trip.
The Loop:
The Loop is a 5,000 – 7,500-mile trip (depending on the route chosen) that goes along the Mississippi river, through the great lakes, around the east coast of the United States and entering the Mississippi river again to complete the loop. The maximum draft …show more content…
GPS has helped a huge amount with navigation, but the experience with boating is still needed for the trip.
Having a Dinghy
A Dinghy is essential for the great loop as you will be anchoring numerous times throughout your trip. Also, some places will not be accessible by a larger boat, so you will need a dinghy to sightseeing these places of interest. Furthermore, if something breaks down on your boat, you will need a dinghy to get to shore in case of emergency.
Boating Speeds
Average boat speed throughout the loop are around 10 knots (~11 mph), so be sure to plan accordingly for your next destination. The point of this trip is not to cover a lot of ground quickly but to enjoy yourself. The great loop is meant to be an experience, so you should stop and explore as much as possible (without making the trip last …show more content…
Most cell phone companies will have a deal for minutes outside of the U.S.
Internet access can be available if you use a wifi box supplied by your cell phone company. We would recommend a Mifi box or wifi air cards from Verizon, but it can also be available from most major cellular data suppliers.
Boat tools and spares
For anyone that has owned a boat for an extended amount of time, you know that there will be some issues that come up with your boat. You must be prepared for the most common issues, so your trip on the great loop won’t be delayed too much. Try to be prepared with as many spare parts for any moving mechanism on your engine and boat. Also, spare propellers are a must, as it will get pretty shallow in some parts of your great loop trip.
Also, you should have a mechanic look through the engine to make sure everything is in working order before you start your trip.
Complicated Situations
As mentioned above, some parts of your trip can become fairly shallow, so you should be sure to monitor your depth the entire time you are