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Old 09-12-2019, 03:18 PM   #1
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A Greater Loop?

When I first heard of the Great Loop, many years ago, I somehow got the impression it was a bit "greater."

In my mind, it went up the Gulf of St. Lawrence, through the Great Lakes, down through Chicago and all the way back around. In other words, no Hudson River "shortcut." Sort of a combination of the Great Loop as we know it today, plus the salt water portion of the Down East Loop.

Does this route have a name? Does anybody DO this loop?

Just curious.
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Old 09-12-2019, 03:27 PM   #2
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Or the real Great Loop.....East Coast, Nothwest passage, Pacific, Panama canal, and back.


Of course the Great Great loop is around the horn.....


anything bigger is circumnavigation.
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Old 09-12-2019, 03:46 PM   #3
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You're all loopy.
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Old 09-12-2019, 03:49 PM   #4
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Old 09-12-2019, 03:58 PM   #5
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Great Loop Squared
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Old 09-12-2019, 03:59 PM   #6
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There is not a ton of resources for the recreational boater out there. That is a long run. That is more expedition than most recreational loopers are looking for.
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Old 09-12-2019, 04:25 PM   #7
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Since I have already done the Rideau Canal, the Erie Canal, the Champlain Canal, Lake Champlain and the Ottawa River, and I rather enjoy the Maine Coast, Nova Scotia and PEI, I was thinking of going around the Gaspe Peninsula when I do my loop too. Was planning to learn some French first.


Edited to add:


I have no intention of doing the loop in a year or less. I plan to take my time.
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Old 09-12-2019, 04:43 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CaptTom View Post
When I first heard of the Great Loop, many years ago, I somehow got the impression it was a bit "greater."

In my mind, it went up the Gulf of St. Lawrence, through the Great Lakes, down through Chicago and all the way back around. In other words, no Hudson River "shortcut." Sort of a combination of the Great Loop as we know it today, plus the salt water portion of the Down East Loop.

Does this route have a name? Does anybody DO this loop?

Just curious.
If one looks at the history of doing the Great Loop, it started with smaller boats with much of the trip in more protected waters. Obviously, portions of the Great Lakes and the corner of the Gulf of Mexico had to be more carefully transited. Traveling up to and through the Gulf of St. Lawrence in late spring and early summer would likely have eliminated the vast majority of vessel that do the Loop. While many now take more than one year to do the Loop, in the beginning it was a one year trip. Hard to imagine doing much of the Northern part if you invest the time to cruise out and up to the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

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Old 09-12-2019, 06:15 PM   #9
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The "loop" up the Hudson (a destination in and of itself), Out the St. Lawrence, thence to the Maritimes (don't leave out Newfoundland if you can) is known as the Down East Loop. It's fantastic, with incomparable scenery, people and experiences. Many nice side trips. IMO, far far preferable than the so called Great Loop.
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Old 09-12-2019, 06:22 PM   #10
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Wifey B: We've done both sort of, but separate. We did the traditional loop but went to Lake Ontario and to Toronto and through the Welland and hit all the Great Lakes. Then in a different year we went up the coast and around and down to Montreal, then back. Did the two different routes a couple of years apart.
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Old 09-13-2019, 12:18 AM   #11
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Originally Posted by psneeld View Post
Or the real Great Loop.....East Coast, Nothwest passage, Pacific, Panama canal, and back.


Of course the Great Great loop is around the horn.....


anything bigger is circumnavigation.
Matt Rutherford did the Really Great Loop (completely around N & S America) in a 27' sailboat. The Panama Canal short cut is for sissies.
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Old 09-13-2019, 05:29 AM   #12
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"In my mind, it went up the Gulf of St. Lawrence,"


Lots of current on the nose for many miles, a 7K trawler might be too slow.
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Old 09-13-2019, 06:12 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mischief Managed View Post
Since I have already done the Rideau Canal, the Erie Canal, the Champlain Canal, Lake Champlain and the Ottawa River, and I rather enjoy the Maine Coast, Nova Scotia and PEI, I was thinking of going around the Gaspe Peninsula when I do my loop too. Was planning to learn some French first.


Edited to add:


I have no intention of doing the loop in a year or less. I plan to take my time.
Most of people speak English and French in the Canadian Atlantics, but for sure you will make Acadiens and Quebecois happy is you speak French

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Old 09-13-2019, 06:17 AM   #14
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Originally Posted by FF View Post
"In my mind, it went up the Gulf of St. Lawrence,"


Lots of current on the nose for many miles, a 7K trawler might be too slow.
Where current is the strongest playing with tides is necessary for a trawler. In Quebec City area the current is truly impressive, few weeks ago I have seen a sailboat trying to fight against current and tide, engine at WOT and all sails out, he was not able to go an inch forward and was even carried back by the current.

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Old 09-13-2019, 08:14 AM   #15
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The "loop" up the Hudson (a destination in and of itself), Out the St. Lawrence, thence to the Maritimes (don't leave out Newfoundland if you can) is known as the Down East Loop.
I guess I should have mentioned I've already done the Down East Loop.

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Originally Posted by Mischief Managed View Post
Since I have already done the Rideau Canal, the Erie Canal, the Champlain Canal, Lake Champlain and the Ottawa River, and I rather enjoy the Maine Coast, Nova Scotia and PEI, I was thinking of going around the Gaspe Peninsula when I do my loop too. Was planning to learn some French first.
Yeah, knowing French would help. We did OK, but it was good to be able to communicate again once we left Quebec. Everyone was great, and frankly their English was better than my (almost non-existent) French, but it wasn't easy.

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Lots of current on the nose for many miles, a 7K trawler might be too slow.
But below Montreal, it's also a reversing current. You can play the tides. Capt. Cheryl Barr's book A Complete Cruising Guide to the Down East Circle Route gives great information on this.

I guess it's the fact that this route goes offshore, in less protected waters and less populated areas, which drew me to it. I wished I'd been able to extend the trip to Newfoundland, but that just didn't work out. Maybe some day.

We did the whole thing in 45 days underway. Most were short (5-7 hour) days. We spent an equal time in port, usually waiting out weather or sometimes just sightseeing, for a total time of 90 days.

For the combined "Greater" loop, maybe if you started in Maine in the Spring, by mid-September you'd be heading South again. I've done almost all of it but the Great Lakes, and the stretch between Chicago and the Tenn-Tom. But I'll have to do some chart work to see if that timetable works.
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Old 09-13-2019, 09:04 AM   #16
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You definitely want to do the St. Lawrence west to east. Yes it reverses a bit like the Hudson, but downhill makes it all easier. Cheryl Barr's "The Downeast Circle Route" is a great planning tool. https://www.landfallnavigation.com/d...cle-route.html

Whoops, hadn't seen Captain Tom's note when I posted that, and I agree with it all. But here's the link to Cheryl's book.
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Old 09-13-2019, 09:11 AM   #17
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For the route going out the St. Lawrence and around, how long are the runs between fuel stops (for both gas and diesel)? Depending on what's available, that might limit what boats could make the run.
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Old 09-13-2019, 11:35 AM   #18
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For the route going out the St. Lawrence and around, how long are the runs between fuel stops (for both gas and diesel)? Depending on what's available, that might limit what boats could make the run.
As we went both ways, here were our distances between marinas.

Boston to Halifax Waterfront 380 nm.
Halifax to Strait of Canso Yacht Club 180 nm.
Strait of Canso to Summerside, PEI, 130 nm
Summerside to Gaspe Marina 180 nm.
Gaspe to Saint-Anne-Des-Monts 130 nm
Saint-Anne-Des-Monts to Tadoussac, PQ 140 nm
Tadoussac to Vieux Port de Quebec 110 nm
Vieux Port de Quebec to Marina Port d'Escale, Montreal 140 nm.

Returning we went Halifax to Portland which was also 380 nm. I'd have to look closer to see if there's fuel closer to Halifax.

As to French, we were fortunate to have two aboard who spoke fluent French. Our niece, 5 at the time, delighted in learning as much French as she could along the trip.
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Old 09-13-2019, 11:49 AM   #19
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As long as that 380nm leg could be cut down (possibly by taking slightly less direct routing to enable an intermediate fuel stop), that seems pretty do-able fuel wise for most boats.

I know that leg is the only one you've listed that I'd have trouble with. Running up on plane at 17 - 18 kts and assuming I never draw the fuel tanks below 25%, I'm good for about 170nm between fuel stops. If I run like a trawler and keep it around 6.5 kts that 380nm leg is just within reach (keeping the same 25% reserve). Unfortunately gas engine efficiency falls off a cliff at light load, so even at 6.5 kts I'm only good for about 1.2 - 1.3 nmpg.
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Old 09-13-2019, 12:47 PM   #20
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As long as that 380nm leg could be cut down (possibly by taking slightly less direct routing to enable an intermediate fuel stop), that seems pretty do-able fuel wise for most boats.

I know that leg is the only one you've listed that I'd have trouble with. Running up on plane at 17 - 18 kts and assuming I never draw the fuel tanks below 25%, I'm good for about 170nm between fuel stops. If I run like a trawler and keep it around 6.5 kts that 380nm leg is just within reach (keeping the same 25% reserve). Unfortunately gas engine efficiency falls off a cliff at light load, so even at 6.5 kts I'm only good for about 1.2 - 1.3 nmpg.
As there is a lot of fishing south of Halifax and many docks, I'd feel certain fuel would be available between Halifax and Southwest Harbor. I don't see fuel as the challenge for most cruisers, but I do see the offshore runs as something many are not used to.
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