Great Loop engine hours.

[Iknowimcrazy]

I'm interested in getting a rough idea from any Loopers; how many actual engine hours did you accumulate? I know there are countless side trips and variations. Just curious.

 

[psneeld]

You might want to ask for a range f boats that would be traveling at a similar speed you plan on..otherwise the number could be really meaningless.

Some people stop at all different lengths of days...often just getting off the loop to a marina adds an hour or so every day...so the longer you travel...not only makes the loop faster...it can drastically reduce the number of hours....

Lot's of variables to consider...time of year waiting for bridges/lock due to traffic...wow...I think it would be easier to tae a guess based on total miles, speed travelling and your cruising style.

 

[Iknowimcrazy]

Yeah. Good point. I've limited my search to Loop boats that perform adequately sipping less than 2.5 gals. per hr. I thought I wanted an MT but a few brokers talked me out of 30 year old MTs. If I could find a Manatee in the 100K to 120K range I would be interested.

 

[Capt.Bill11]

Go ask that on the Loop List. I've seen a number of people post that kind of information.

 

[CPseudonym]

Some people stop at all different lengths of days...often just getting off the loop to a marina adds an hour or so every day...

Pardon the West Coast boater asking what is probably obvious to a local question.

Are anchorages typically closer to the ICW? I "get" the distance to marinas.

 

[seasalt007]

I second the request for engine hours based upon typical trawler behavior.

 

[jleonard]

I'll take a stab at it.
The loop is 5000 to 6000 miles roughly depending on exact route.
A trawler going 6 miles per hour would be roughly 1000 hours.
We are a little faster at about 8 mph, that would reduce the amount of hours.
There is a fair amount of idle time while waiting for locks, etc, that would also be added.
I think you could figure 1000 hours roughly at trawler speed and be in the ballpark

 

[psneeld]

Pardon the West Coast boater asking what is probably obvious to a local question.

Are anchorages typically closer to the ICW? I "get" the distance to marinas.

It's all over the map...pun intended...

Some, actually many marinas are right on the ICW as are anchorages...just depends where you stop...I may have been thinking more...passing jersey and coming in several miles then hunting down the marina or travelling the Chesapeake where the marina may be 10-12 miles of your main route.

For my behavior which I would change if looping and not worried about making distance my way...the 2500 miles of NJ to Ft Piece, Fl (via DelBay and Chesapeake) and return is about 2500 statute miles...and took me 400 engine hrs.

 

[River Cruiser]

A stop we made on Lake Huron it was 9 miles in to the marina and then again back out.

 

[markpierce]

It depends on how fast one goes. JLeonard's post sounds right if traveling somewhat under hull speed. A "loop" seems to be about eight years of my very-part-time boating.

 

[Pura Vida]

Had the Admiral had more time to come to grips with the economy of the Manatee I might have a different boat myself. I have always been bad to second guess myself.

 

[Great Laker]

I'm interested in getting a rough idea from any Loopers; how many actual engine hours did you accumulate? I know there are countless side trips and variations. Just curious.

We are completing the Great Loop tomorrow, and I can give you some accurate statistics about the trip. We cruised in an American Tug with a single Cummins 5.9, 380 HP, turbo diesel.

The basic loop as depicted by America's Great Loop Cruising Association (AGLCA) is 5,250 miles. We added 1,600 miles with side trips to Chattanooga, the Keys, additional criss-crossings in the Chesapeake Bay, and taking the route through Lake Champlain, Montreal, Ottawa, and the Rideau Canal (instead of the Erie Canal which was closed due to flooding damage to the dams.)

So, over 305 cruising days, we went 6,850 miles, accumulated 914 engine-on hours, and consumed 2,191 gallons of diesel. That turns out to be an average of 2.4 gph and 7.5 mph (including all engine-on hours). Much of the trip we traveled at about 2 gph, but there were some extended periods, especially long open water crossings, where we ran as high as 4 gph.

I hope this helps.

 

[Iknowimcrazy]

Thanks everyone. That was very helpful. I'm getting a real good idea of my actual expenses.

 

[bayview]

The primary objective of many loopers seems to be to burn the most fuel in one year.

 

[Iknowimcrazy]

Ha! I have no timetable. I'll see if I can do it burning the least amount of fuel.

 

[Bay Pelican]

If I were to guess the median looper makes the trip in 2 to 3 years, 2,000/3,000 miles a year is not burning a lot, at least per hour.

 

[Rambler]

Seems that the point of a trip like that would be to enjoy oneself and not fret over engine hours or fuel burn rates.

 

[Iknowimcrazy]

I'm not wealthy, comfortable is more like it. I will have to abide by a budget.

 

[jleonard]

Seems that the point of a trip like that would be to enjoy oneself and not fret over engine hours or fuel burn rates.

Yes true!

 

[psneeld]

Seems that the point of a trip like that would be to enjoy oneself and not fret over engine hours or fuel burn rates.

True enough...but some people have schedules or timetables to meet and leaving the boat or wintering over is not in the cards...so sacrifices are made...money, time, comfort, or experiences...hopefully never safety...but every capt and boat is different.