Hello Jim E et al; Prior replies to your query about a boat for the Loop mention limits on air draft (15-17 feet depending on which route you use through Chicago and whether you want to go through the western Erie Canal) and 4-5 feet of water draft (the Trent Severn makes you sign a waiver if your draft is more than 5 feet); these are important, and can make or break your choices when doing the Loop. My favorite piece of advice comes straight from Skipper Bob: "buy the smallest boat that will do what you want." Not sure of his rationale or priorities but am sure that he is right.  Smaller boats can get into beautiful cruising areas that bigger boats bypass, can anchor in smaller spaces, and sometimes get dockage when other boats can't fit in; and the bigger the boat, the more time and money you spend on maintenance instead of boating, recreating, and relaxing; and probably many other reasons.  Bigger boats with bigger motors, bow and stern-thrusters, and stabilization may be a more comfortable ride or allow transits that are not possible in a smaller boat, while smaller boats may be easier to maneuver in other circumstances (also: think windage).  There are also other factors such as where the doors on the pilothouse are located, height of the bow or a stern deck/platform compared to where dock and lock cleats and lines are located, and whether you have 360 degree walk-around versus steps (or no access) when you are docking or locking that will affect suitability for you.  Everybody has got different needs, priorities, and budget.  This list is an excellent source of advice and commentary. Best wishes, Kathie King (looped 07-08 on Winnie W, 36 foot Sundowner) ________________________________ From: "great-loop-request@lists.trawlering.com" <great-loop-request@lists.trawlering.com> To: great-loop@lists.trawlering.com Sent: Friday, September 27, 2013 12:00 AM Subject: Great-Loop Digest, Vol 129, Issue 19 Send Great-Loop mailing list submissions to     great-loop@lists.trawlering.com To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit     http://lists.trawlering.com/mailman/listinfo/great-loop_lists.trawlering.com or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to     great-loop-request@lists.trawlering.com You can reach the person managing the list at     great-loop-owner@lists.trawlering.com When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than "Re: Contents of Great-Loop digest..." Today's Topics:   1. Rendezvous at Joe Wheeler State Park (Joe Benson)   2. Boat for the great loop (Jim Elsevier)   3. Re: Boat for the great loop (Bill Donovan)   4. Re: Boat for the great loop (Joseph Pica)   5. Re: Boat for the great loop (John Mencel) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message: 1 Date: Thu, 26 Sep 2013 08:46:53 -0500 From: Joe Benson <joehbenson@gmail.com> To: great-loop@lists.trawlering.com Subject: GL: Rendezvous at Joe Wheeler State Park Message-ID:     <CAETTSb7uZyTFe51E1g1+UgG_1MvKBupxbSF7TfD-WMEFfGrmbg@mail.gmail.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Wheeler Yacht Club <http://www.facebook.com/Wheeler.Yacht.Club> would like to invite all Loopers that are staying over the weekend after the Rendezvous at Joe Wheeler State Park to join us for an evening of Chili and Football on the 700 dock. Invitation and details can be found here: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B1qMIlroRKSAUHJ0Q0poUVdKMlU/edit?usp=sharing -- Joe Benson Vice Commodore Wheeler Yacht Club ------------------------------ Message: 2 Date: Thu, 26 Sep 2013 17:04:41 -0700 (PDT) From: Jim Elsevier <captjim@rocketmail.com> To: "great-loop@lists.trawlering.com"     <great-loop@lists.trawlering.com> Subject: GL: Boat for the great loop Message-ID:     <1380240281.96114.YahooMailNeo@web140304.mail.bf1.yahoo.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 New to list. Lived aboard a Tayana37 for a couple of years and now looking for a trawler to do the great loop. Understand that I need something with a maximum draft of 5 feet and air draft no higher than 22 feet. Suggestions???? ? Jim ------------------------------ Message: 3 Date: Thu, 26 Sep 2013 21:44:27 -0400 From: Bill Donovan <trailersource@mindspring.com> To: Jim Elsevier <captjim@rocketmail.com> Cc: "great-loop@lists.trawlering.com"     <great-loop@lists.trawlering.com> Subject: Re: GL: Boat for the great loop Message-ID: <44DFBA68-550A-42CD-805F-1132E3C8EE2C@mindspring.com> Content-Type: text/plain;    charset=us-ascii Jim: You will get a suggestion from everyone, so many it will only confuse the issue.  In the meantime, I will correct one thing for you: if you want to do the Loop, your air draft (bridge clearance) needs to be less than a charted 19.1 feet (in Chicago).  Best of luck in finding the perfect boat for you and your crew -- there are hundreds of them out there! Bill > On Sep 26, 2013, at 8:04 PM, Jim Elsevier <captjim@rocketmail.com> wrote: > > New to list. Lived aboard a Tayana37 for a couple of years and now looking for a trawler to do the great loop. Understand that I need something with ...snip... ------------------------------ Message: 4 Date: Thu, 26 Sep 2013 23:01:33 -0400 From: Joseph Pica <joseph.pica@gmail.com> To: Bill Donovan <trailersource@mindspring.com> Cc: "great-loop@lists.trawlering.com"     <great-loop@lists.trawlering.com> Subject: Re: GL: Boat for the great loop Message-ID:     <CAAs74xrG=PEaWJHZ27oRR4ML84GnqBRmTmVcDsRAXed_oekXYg@mail.gmail.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Yes Bill is correct  but if you get a boat with an air draft that can be lowered to 15'6" there are many more venues you can cruise not the least of which is the Western Erie Canal(@15'6" and the Champlain Canal (@17') both incredible cruising venues.  The less draft the better! On Thu, Sep 26, 2013 at 9:44 PM, Bill Donovan <trailersource@mindspring.com>wrote: > Jim: > > You will get a suggestion from everyone, so many it will only confuse the > issue.  In the meantime, I will correct one thing for you: if you want to > do the Loop, your air draft (bridge clearance) needs to be less than a > charted 19.1 feet (in Chicago). > > Best of luck in finding the perfect boat for you and your crew -- there > are hundreds of them out there! > > Bill > > > On Sep 26, 2013, at 8:04 PM, Jim Elsevier <captjim@rocketmail.com> > wrote: > > > > New to list. Lived aboard a Tayana37 for a couple of years and now > looking for a trawler to do the great loop. Understand that I need > something with ...snip... > > _______________________________________________ > > http://lists.trawlering.com/mailman/listinfo/great-loop_lists.trawlering.com > > To modify your Great-Loop subscription options (change email address, > unsubscribe, etc.) go to: > http://lists.trawlering.com/mailman/options/great-loop_lists.trawlering.com > -- Joe Pica Carolyn Ann GH N-37 MTOA #3813, AGLCA #5485 http://carolynann-n37.blogspot.com/ ------------------------------ Message: 5 Date: Fri, 27 Sep 2013 03:40:22 +0000 From: John Mencel <jmencel@bell.net> To: Joseph Pica <joseph.pica@gmail.com>, Bill Donovan     <trailersource@mindspring.com> Cc: Great Loop List <great-loop@lists.trawlering.com> Subject: Re: GL: Boat for the great loop Message-ID: <BLU171-W84BB98A08320BD1F6A43BECA290@phx.gbl> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" I agree with Bill and Joe. Air draft is critical and maximum 17' will let you go through downtown Chicago which is amazing. You should also find a vessel which draws maximum 4 ft if possible. As Bill said everyone can chime in with different vessel possibilities but if price is a consideration,(for many it often is) maybe start with an idea of what your budget is to narrow things down. You can do the loop with a great older boat costing less than $100,000 (as I did), or if you plan on spending $200,000 or $600,000, or more then that opens up a ton more possibilities. If you have a price point in mind then those with knowledge in that particular price range might jump in. John > Date: Thu, 26 Sep 2013 23:01:33 -0400 > From: joseph.pica@gmail.com > To: trailersource@mindspring.com > CC: great-loop@lists.trawlering.com > Subject: Re: GL: Boat for the great loop > > Yes Bill is correct  but if you get a boat with an air draft that can be > lowered to 15'6" there are many more venues you can cruise not the least of > which is the Western Erie Canal(@15'6" and the Champlain Canal (@17') > both incredible cruising venues.  The less draft the better! > > > On Thu, Sep 26, 2013 at 9:44 PM, Bill Donovan > <trailersource@mindspring.com>wrote: > > > Jim: > > > > You will get a suggestion from everyone, so many it will only confuse the > > issue.  In the meantime, I will correct one thing for you: if you want to > > do the Loop, your air draft (bridge clearance) needs to be less than a > > charted 19.1 feet (in Chicago). > > > > Best of luck in finding the perfect boat for you and your crew -- there > > are hundreds of them out there! > > > > Bill > > > > > On Sep 26, 2013, at 8:04 PM, Jim Elsevier <captjim@rocketmail.com> > > wrote: > > > > > > New to list. Lived aboard a Tayana37 for a couple of years and now > > looking for a trawler to do the great loop. Understand that I need > > something with ...snip... > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > > http://lists.trawlering.com/mailman/listinfo/great-loop_lists.trawlering.com > > > > To modify your Great-Loop subscription options (change email address, > > unsubscribe, etc.) go to: > > http://lists.trawlering.com/mailman/options/great-loop_lists.trawlering.com > > > > > > -- > Joe Pica > Carolyn Ann GH N-37 > MTOA #3813, AGLCA #5485 > http://carolynann-n37.blogspot.com/ > _______________________________________________ > http://lists.trawlering.com/mailman/listinfo/great-loop_lists.trawlering.com > > To modify your Great-Loop subscription options (change email address, > unsubscribe, etc.) go to: http://lists.trawlering.com/mailman/options/great-loop_lists.trawlering.com                         ------------------------------ Subject: Digest Footer _______________________________________________ http://lists.trawlering.com/mailman/listinfo/great-loop_lists.trawlering.com To modify your Great-Loop subscription options (change email address, unsubscribe, etc.) go to: http://lists.trawlering.com/mailman/options/great-loop_lists.trawlering.com ------------------------------ End of Great-Loop Digest, Vol 129, Issue 19 *******************************************

looking for a trawler to do the great loop. Understand that I need > > something with ...snip... So far lots of great suggestions. A few more.... Once you get into the 36+ foot range, you'll want a trawler with a "Port side door" (a necessity for single handers) so that you can do port side ties in the locks. Think about it. You're first mate is laid up for some reason, you're southbound and enter the Alton lock for example where they usually tie the work barges to the west wall. Now what? During inclement weather and while otherwise driving from below, you'll also need free and clear access to the chart table for the person not at the helm. Additionally, you'll need a place for them to sit (usually portside forward) so that they can offer that extra pair of eyes so important to safe passage in nasty weather and be able to brace themselves against the chart table (space). Take care with the galley down arrangement. It's a good arrangement if you think through how to deal with the what might happen if you're sitting there in a tall director's chair in order to see out the windshield, doing 10 knots, and then running aground. If you plan to keep the boat, get the one you feel really comfortable on. If you plan to sell the boat after the loop, get one that turns over quickly and with good resale. DeFever 44's and 44+5's CPMY and the 49 RPH come to mind. Here's another item.... Unless you plan to buy new, you'll not find many trawlers during the days of the "luxury tax" (1991 - 1997). Many builders went out of business or built only a few boats during that time. That's why you see a fair number of good boats from 1977 to 1991, then virtually none until 1999. Bob Dr. Bob DeGroot MTOA # 1896