I read about the loop, what's the East Coast<->West Coast, "The U" ???

I read about the loop, what's the East Coast<->West Coast, "The U" ???

So, am a forum newbie so have to ask a newbie question:

Does anyone travel from the East Coast to the West Coast (or vice versa?)

By truck or Panama Canal. Not too many..

Even less by the Northwest Passage.

Ted

Flying is the best way.

meridian said:

By truck or Panama Canal. Not too many..

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Well by truck doesn't sound very fun. Wonder what the major impediments are of the canal route, have met a few cruisers / sailers in the Caribbean side countries who seem to be having a good time

A bunch of Nordhavns do it every year.

Ice pack was small again...Northwest Passage isn't too bad if you like a lot of ice in your cocktails.

There's a great book, Cruising the Big U. We're doing it I guess much like we are doing the Loop, just not in one run. We came down and through the Panama Canal and have gone up the East Coast as far as Boston. So we still have a way to go up the East Coast. One day we'll cruise back to the west coast. We also short cut one part, we'll cruise sometime later. We cut across from Cancun to Key West so haven't cruised the coastline from Cancun to Corpus Christi.

It's much different than the Great Loop. On the Loop, you never are far from a port, no exceptionally long runs required. Rough seas can be avoided more easily. On the U, the first challenge is Cape Flattery to San Francisco. Then you have some long stretches once you hit Mexico and all the way around through Central America, through the Canal and until you're back in the US. Great Loop is two countries. Big U is as many as ten countries. I think the Big U is still one of those great trips even if only once in your lifetime. The problem is that, unlike the Loop, you then have to do a reverse U to get home, or ship the boat.

The Big U is considerably longer and significantly more expensive trip as you pay to enter many countries, pay to use the canal, and have the cost of a greater distance.

A good friend of mine, Adrian Salzer, wrote the book "Cruising the Great U". His premise was that there are plenty of areas to cruise in the Americas as an achievable goal vice forever dream of the Pacific Puddle Jump or do a transatlantic crossing.

3 year trip, from Seattle to Glaicer Bay (shakedown), then Seattle to Southern California, on to Mexico, thru the Canal, then the Eastern Caribbean, Western Caribbean, the Keys, and up the Atlantic Seaboard to Maine.

All coastal cruising on a Selene.

Pau Hana said:

A good friend of mine, Adrian Salzer, wrote the book "Cruising the Great U". His premise was that there are plenty of areas to cruise in the Americas as an achievable goal vice forever dream of the Pacific Puddle Jump or do a transatlantic crossing.

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We loved the book. To me, if you've done the Loop and you're dreaming of greater cruising and cruising full time, but crossing the Atlantic or Pacific are just out of the range of things you want to do then the U is great. The name of the book is actually "Cruising the Big U". Oh, there is also a Big U Cruising Association with a one time $68 membership. I don't think it is active now though nor is his website.

Another Selene also made the trip. Their account is on the Selene site.

Ted said:

Even less by the Northwest Passage.

Ted

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It's easier now than it's ever been. A cruise ship with 1600 passengers went through this summer. Trawlers won't be too far behind...

Jeff F said:

It's easier now than it's ever been. A cruise ship with 1600 passengers went through this summer. Trawlers won't be too far behind...

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One already when through in about 2009. It was Bagan, a Nordhavn 57, owned by Sprague Theobald. He made a documentary film of the trip called "The other side of the ice". It's a little more about crew drama than I'd care for, but interesting none the less. Lots of good lessons, like if you want to reunite your fractured family, don't use the Northwest Passage to do it....

twistedtree said:

One already when through in about 2009. It was Bagan, a Nordhavn 57, owned by Sprague Theobald. He made a documentary film of the trip called "The other side of the ice". It's a little more about crew drama than I'd care for, but interesting none the less. Lots of good lessons, like if you want to reunite your fractured family, don't use the Northwest Passage to do it....

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I was reading a similar comment about the Big U yesterday. It basically said if your relationship was shaky, this wasn't for you, as you'd quickly destroy it. However, the writer was talking about it making her and her husband's relationship stronger than ever.

I think cruising in general is largely like that. It's not going to fix dysfunctional families or couples.

BandB said:

I was reading a similar comment about the Big U yesterday. It basically said if your relationship was shaky, this wasn't for you, as you'd quickly destroy it. However, the writer was talking about it making her and her husband's relationship stronger than ever.

I think cruising in general is largely like that. It's not going to fix dysfunctional families or couples.

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Boats can indeed be a test of a relationship.

In Sprague's case, it did bring his kids and him together, so that was a good outcome. But it created a bit of a mess along the way on a trip where you would want to minimize that. Actually looking back on it, I think it was really once person who was the problem, and he wasn't family. So I guess it's more a lesson in making sure you have a harmonious crew before embarking on a dangerous voyage.

The final blow up and ejection of the problem crew (the captain) was in the original cut of the movie. I bought a copy from iTunes right when it came out). But at last year's Trawlerfest in Anacortes there was a showing of the movie, and that whole section had been cut and replaced with a title screen saying "Clinton left the project on blah blah blah date". I guess it was a bit too much dirty laundry.

Anyway, if you are into remote voyaging, I definitely recommend it.

twistedtree said:

The final blow up and ejection of the problem crew (the captain) was in the original cut of the movie. I bought a copy from iTunes right when it came out). But at last year's Trawlerfest in Anacortes there was a showing of the movie, and that whole section had been cut and replaced with a title screen saying "Clinton left the project on blah blah blah date". I guess it was a bit too much dirty laundry.

Anyway, if you are into remote voyaging, I definitely recommend it.

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But Television and Movies depend on the conflict. It's much like the show "Below Deck". They must have a deck hand who is impossible plus some other conflict.

BandB said:

But Television and Movies depend on the conflict. It's much like the show "Below Deck". They must have a deck hand who is impossible plus some other conflict.

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So true, but I think/though Sprague's "documentary" tried to rise above that. Have you seen it? It's definitely worth a view.

another book about a guy / group that made the E to W via the Lewis & Clark route... interesting.

River Horse by the author of Blue Highways

kev_rm said:

Well by truck doesn't sound very fun. ........

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A friend of mine took his boat from the US east coast to Alaska and back. He trailered it and slept and cooked in it along the way. Being of the fiscally tight persuasion, he spent most nights in Wal-Mart parking lots along the way.

He said it was fun.

Pau Hana said:

A good friend of mine, Adrian Salzer, wrote the book "Cruising the Great U". His premise was that there are plenty of areas to cruise in the Americas as an achievable goal vice forever dream of the Pacific Puddle Jump or do a transatlantic crossing.

3 year trip, from Seattle to Glaicer Bay (shakedown), then Seattle to Southern California, on to Mexico, thru the Canal, then the Eastern Caribbean, Western Caribbean, the Keys, and up the Atlantic Seaboard to Maine.

All coastal cruising on a Selene.

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Which again illustrates that with a well found vessel and fuel range of 1000 miles or so many boats can truly venture forth. One need not have 2500 miles of fuel capacity to enjoy the Americas.

BTW Peter, it was nice meeting you at Shilshole.

There are a number of cruising boats that can easily be towed by the owner.

The U would be simple at 75mph across fly over country.

FF said:

There are a number of cruising boats that can easily be towed by the owner.

The U would be simple at 75mph across fly over country.

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Which would, of course, defeat the whole purpose and eliminate the pleasure.

"Which would, of course, defeat the whole purpose and eliminate the pleasure. "

Going North from the big ditch in Panama has never been on most folks "good ride" list.

A long slog to windward is more a hardship than an adventure .

FF said:

"Which would, of course, defeat the whole purpose and eliminate the pleasure. "

Going North from the big ditch in Panama has never been on most folks "good ride" list.

A long slog to windward is more a hardship than an adventure .

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Have you ever made the trip you're speaking so disparagingly toward? We have.

North from Panama City you find Bocas del Toro and it is one of the favorite places we have been. Beautiful. Very remote. La Ceiba Honduras, Roaton, Fantasy Island, which is on Roaton. All nice. Some like Guatemala and Puertos Barrios Izabel but we didn't go there. Then Belize City, followed by Puertos Aventuras, Mexico and the beautiful reefs of Cozumel, then Playa del Carmen. Then the final area on that coast with Cancun and Isla Mujeres. Incredible trip, then a short run across to Key West or you can continue along the coast and take the long route.

You refer to everything that you don't think you'd like disparagingly. One of the great beauties of the world, a masterpiece that is so amazing Bill Gates took his family there on vacation to spend time looking at how the locks themselves work and all that is done behind the scenes, yet you call it a "big ditch." Have you seen it up close and studied the history? Then you talk about "a long slog windward" and not being a "good ride". Admittedly doing the big U isn't on the list of what most people plan on doing, but then they wouldn't be interested perhaps in this thread. This thread isn't about towing a boat cross country, it's about cruising the Big U and if that doesn't appeal to you or you know nothing about it then why do you feel the necessity to talk about towing a boat at 75 mph?

This isn't about trucking either or about flying. It's about doing the Big U and for those of you who don't understand the pleasure in doing it, then that's ok, but don't then disparage it.

When I went to the Canal the first time it was to an Air Force base.

The AF treats visiting Navy pilots better than the Navy does.

They provide a ride from the parked aircraft to base operations.

On the way in the driver passed back a list.

"Here is the list of Off Limits spots , the good ones are underlined".

The Canal is a great engineering experience , the new one will be as interesting, when complete.

My up the left coast experience is limited to sail , not power , and due to the winds many folks will go 1/2 way to Hawaii, to avoid the slog.

Big power boat , good speed , big fuel tanks , may well be a great adventure, instead of a wet slog..

FF said:

When I went to the Canal the first time it was to an Air Force base.

The AF treats visiting Navy pilots better than the Navy does.

They provide a ride from the parked aircraft to base operations.

On the way in the driver passed back a list.

"Here is the list of Off Limits spots , the good ones are underlined".

The Canal is a great engineering experience , the new one will be as interesting, when complete.

My up the left coast experience is limited to sail , not power , and due to the winds many folks will go 1/2 way to Hawaii, to avoid the slog.

Big power boat , good speed , big fuel tanks , may well be a great adventure, instead of a wet slog..

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And, we weren't discussing sail here. As to the left coast even better than the right coast. Costa Rica, where we enjoyed Golfito, Quepos, Puntaneras and Liberia. Chinendega, Nicaragua was perhaps the biggest surprise of our trip, beautiful resort there. Costa Del Sol, El Salvador and Quetzal, Guatemala. Huatulco, Acapulco, Ixtapa, Navidad, Vallarta, Mazatlan, La Paz, Cabo San Lucas and Ensenada although today we would never go to Acapulco. Then on up the coast. We loved the entire way.

Now, admittedly, our experience and information was this century.

The expansion opened on June 26.

Many of us couldn't get from the east coast to the west coast in our boats because they are too small to make the trip safely. Also, it would be a pretty expensive trip.

WesK said:

Many of us couldn't get from the east coast to the west coast in our boats because they are too small to make the trip safely. Also, it would be a pretty expensive trip.

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Now both of those points are very true. I would say though at least half the boats here could make that trip. Some would have to be more aware of range than others. Technically, most of it is coastal cruising. As to expensive, yes it can be. Then so is the Great Loop for most who do it. Even Capt John makes that point that one needs to recognize up front it's not cheap. He's just in his personal pursuit of the cheapest possible but not how most do it. If you're taking a 50' boat on the Loop or from East to West then the primary differences in cost will be the Panama Canal, Customs fees at each country, and higher fuel prices, plus it's a much longer distance. However, then to get the boat home, you're talking spending the same amount or a sizable amount again where with the Loop you are home at the end.

I think the biggest reason you don't have more Big U'ers is that you have to get back home so double the pleasure, double the fun, double the time, double the cost.

The place the big U really does come in is for those seeking a longer adventure, willing to spend years doing it, but who don't want to, or don't have the boats to, do trans-ocean cruising. If you do the Big U at the same pace as the Loop, then the annual cost would be very little more, just a lot more years involved. Not for everyone, but neither is the Loop. Still, the Big U is quite an adventure and I highly recommend the book even for those not inclined to make the trip.

Would be interesting to see how many smaller trawlers have made the whole or part of the trip.

expense, other than the canal passage shouldn't be any more than those that have traveled that far cruising just doing multiple loops or continuous snowbird trips. Real rough guess of somewhere around 6000 miles is what I have done in the last 3 years just snowbird trips and not that much more than a loop. costs in some of those countries might offset some of the canal costs. That 6000 is from around Hatteras to San Francisco. I guess double it if going Maine to Alaska.

Other than some long Pacific legs beating to weather as FF pointed out in less than 50 foot stabilized trawlers might be uncomfortable, but many 36 or 40 something footers here could do it if you wanted to bad enough.

I could see doing the Caribbean side through the canal and up into Costa Rica. N ot sure I would want to slog in a 40 footer all the way to Puget Sound before finding shorter legs.

Time would also play in for smaller boats...but some even may be able to trade some range for speed if one wanted to and could afford the increase in fuel cost....just like a loop or any cruise.

I have gone from Virginia to Alaska to Virginia in 2012. We liked it much better than the great lakes loop, but we would rather be on the hook than on a dock.

Were looking at doing it again in 2017, but still need to do some research on California and what BS i will have to deal with there. Florida is getting to be a pain in the butt also as i went around them a few months ago.

We have done the panama canal 6 times now and would love to see the work they have done.