Never trawled

[OldDan1943]

Originally Posted by Gilligansdeckhand

I’m not making any loops my 1st voyage. I’m considering hanging out in the Gulf of Mexico for quite awhile to get experience doing basic boating maneuvers such as anchoring, docking for refueling, mooring which I think is maybe anchoring, and just learning to be courteous to other boaters. Also what it takes to change from salt water to fresh as I will go up the Mississippi River to around Blytheville AR where I have family in Jonesboro. I’ve briefly read where a person can tie off to mooring buoys for a nightish so there is another learning curve. I am adding the other intents of loop travel to see what is the most advantageous boat to get. I will also be taking classes from both registered instructors and people I know in southeast Texas who charter deep sea fishing guides.

In my mind, the difficulty with doing the loop is, it might take 2-3 years to complete if, you are going to stop and see the things along the way. Folks go north from FL and at some point, they stop because of the winter and cold weather and ice, come back the next year to do the Great Lakes, around MI, though the Industrial Canal .... making your way south.... So many things can go wrong and break down.... stuff you nor I know how to fix, so that means, finding the good folks to do the repair...
Once on the Mississippi another can of worms.... avoiding the commercial traffic..... Finding anchorages for the night might be a problem w/o good prior planning. This it why I suggest to join the wagon train of folks doing the loop. Take good notes on your charts and in your note book for maybe 3 reasons, 1. in case you want to do it again, 2. have something to read in your later life and finally 3. pass the information onto someone who wants to do the loop.
There is an computer organization of 'loopers'.... (someone else can tell you the name.)
I would like to do the loop.... but I doubt if I ever will. I was blessed to bring my Nordhavn46 down from Long Island to Ft Lauderdale.... we would run inside and at night, outside (stabilizers) My tool kit consisted of pliers, an adjustable wring and 2 stumpy strew drivers and 2 regular screw drivers and no spare parts. Outside, one night, the professional captain came up saw the water breaking over the bow and up against the pilot house windows and promptly got 'a little concerned' until I reminded him, the N46 could take worse weather than we could survive. Oh yea, that made him feel good. LOL
Naturally, I told the midship berth (I was the owner) he tried the forward cabin and saloon. I think maybe he would sneak into the owner's cabin while I was standing watch at the helm. I didn't care. He would mysterious go though a case of beer during 2 or 3 night, open the board door and pee over the side. I told him, he had to stop doing that because if he fell over the side, I would not know until it was my turn to stand watch. This was back in the early 90s so I purchased an expensive really really basic hand held GPS. There was a LORAN system onboard but, no current chips. He made fun of my GPS but after we complete the trip, he admitted, he used it all the way down.
I am pretty sure, we carried 1000 gallons of fuel so once we filled up in NY, we had no worries.... we had 5 water tanks but neither of us understood the valving system.... we ran out of water about 12 before our final destination.... only later did I discover, we had a 5th tank of about 150 gallons... unused. LOL The 1986 used water as ballast.
When outside, we ran WOT, fuel usage be daymned. SMIRK. inside.... we tried not to create a wake.
So you see, I am not a looper... not even a 1/2 looper.... IF I had to do it over, I might have take twice the time and stopped along the way to enjoy the sights. We spent a night at a marina w/o a reservation but the owner had LOTS of room. One other night at an unnamed dock behind someone's house, quietly leaving early before they woke.
My only regret was not circling the Statue of Liberty.... he was in a hurry to get out into the ocean and it was beginning to get dark.
The N46 purred at WOT, never used my "tool kit", the fuel must have been clean because it was never necessary to change filter.
So you see, God really does protect fools. LOL

My recommendation, hook up with other loopers have fun but realize, you may have leave the boat for the winter.

[Action]

The third post was a very good suggestion. Get some semi-formal training.
Any and all boating classes that you can find take them. It would be good to know what the colors and lights mean on the water. (Among thousands of other things)
Eventually you will want insurance. The insurance company is going to assign risk based on what you know and your experience. Class graduation would be a document that proves some experience/knowledge.

Cruising on a lake or river, versus coastal cruising versus ocean crossing may be like tent camping, travel trailer versus six figure motorhomes. There is large differences in those. Not to discourage you from jumping into the deep end but you need to know what to do to survive and thrive. AAA doesn't do the Azores.

Besides classes, look at boats/yachts. Online is good and since you are mobile go to a marina and see if you can get inside some. Then visualize how you will live in it. The Tear Drop experience is good to morf into yachting. You have that experience in living in a small space. And I suspect you are getting the taste of, there is a whole lot more.

Get educated so the risk on the water is reduced. And hopefully you will never have to have a SOS situation.

[Pete Meisinger]

Americas Great Loop Cruising Association, AGLCA for short will give you more information to put your plans together.

As far as heading up the Mississippi,probably not your best plan. A cheap trawler might not even be able to buck the current. Also I'm not crazy about the idea of messing around the Gulf for a couple years. Spending one Hurricane season on the gulf will probably convince you. Go hang out on the East Coast where hiding places are more numerous. Also for a learner, the Great Lakes will teach you a lot.

If you are a vagabond, go where the boating is good, you don't need an ocean to learn

pete

[Action]

Originally Posted by Pete Meisinger

If you are a vagabond, go where the boating is good, you don't need an ocean to learn

pete

Great advise!!!!

Once you have the vessel go practice on some calm noncrowded water

[Gilligansdeckhand]

Originally Posted by Spinner

The Northwest Passage (that’s what would go between Maine and Alaska is very challenging. I met a man in Wrangell Alaska who has done that voyage 7 times. His boat, custom built in Scotland, looks almost like a submarine (and it’s yellow)!

Here is an article about the Northwest Passage:

https://www.boatinternational.com/de...passage--41287

I read the article from the attached link. It was intimidating to say the least. It wouldn’t even consider such a trek unless I had a decade of cruising experience. That doesn’t mean it’s a no go, I never say I can’t. I did get a tip for a phone from the link I would need to text and share locations with the kids. Thanks

[Gilligansdeckhand]

Originally Posted by Action

Great advise!!!!

Once you have the vessel go practice on some calm noncrowded water

From the comments I’ve read I am definitely going to do that very thing. I don’t want to be a problem for other boaters and be as safe as possible.

[Gilligansdeckhand]

Originally Posted by Pete Meisinger

Americas Great Loop Cruising Association, AGLCA for short will give you more information to put your plans together.

As far as heading up the Mississippi,probably not your best plan. A cheap trawler might not even be able to buck the current. Also I'm not crazy about the idea of messing around the Gulf for a couple years. Spending one Hurricane season on the gulf will probably convince you. Go hang out on the East Coast where hiding places are more numerous. Also for a learner, the Great Lakes will teach you a lot.

If you are a vagabond, go where the boating is good, you don't need an ocean to learn

pete

I hadn’t thought about the current. You mentioned the Great Lakes as a source of experience. Can I enter the north end of the Mississippi and use the current to go south to Arkansas to see the kids. Will I be using the current instead of fighting it.

[Portage_Bay]

Some of the things to consider when purchasing an older work boat for pleasure use are:
- If it is an exfishing boat it was designed to carry a lot of weight. You may encounter stability problems carrying less weight.
- Because they're big and heavy they often have heavy duty engines which can mean high fuel burn making long passages expensive.
- There's a good chance an inexpensive old work boat is going to be nearly worn out from hard work.
- The haulout and machinery / systems repair may be much more expensive than a pleasure boat.

None of these are show stoppers if you go in with your eyes open.

Originally Posted by Gilligansdeckhand

I’m not going to be deterred by difficult but the fuel range is an eye opener. Given what you’re saying the Panama Canal would maybe be my best option. Is there a charge to use the Canal. Will there be room to add a fuel tank in the 26’ boat I was talking about.. I mentioned to someone that my thought is leaning to getting a work boat, like a shrimp boat, and modify it to work for me. Is that feasible? Y’all are giving me a trove of information already.

[Gilligansdeckhand]

Originally Posted by Action

The third post was a very good suggestion. Get some semi-formal training.
Any and all boating classes that you can find take them. It would be good to know what the colors and lights mean on the water. (Among thousands of other things)
Eventually you will want insurance. The insurance company is going to assign risk based on what you know and your experience. Class graduation would be a document that proves some experience/knowledge.

Cruising on a lake or river, versus coastal cruising versus ocean crossing may be like tent camping, travel trailer versus six figure motorhomes. There is large differences in those. Not to discourage you from jumping into the deep end but you need to know what to do to survive and thrive. AAA doesn't do the Azores.

Besides classes, look at boats/yachts. Online is good and since you are mobile go to a marina and see if you can get inside some. Then visualize how you will live in it. The Tear Drop experience is good to morf into yachting. You have that experience in living in a small space. And I suspect you are getting the taste of, there is a whole lot more.

Get educated so the risk on the water is reduced. And hopefully you will never have to have a SOS situation.

Getting information 3 years early is part of avoiding issues later that I can cause from not having the necessary experience. The insurance information was handy to know. I’m definitely doing the classes. Would going to a captains seminar and having the captains credentials help with the insurance. I have been in a few trawlers and compared to how I’m living now it would be a luxury.

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Mr. G. Pardon me for being blunt but you're all over the map. Panama Canal, Northwest Passage, circumnavigation of South America in either 26' or 30' boat of unknown capacity/range with a limited budget with one or two marine educational courses and a few lessons from your charter running brother.


Sorry, my friend but you're gonna die. I'm NOT saying don't follow your dreams but you have to start off with realistic and achievable expectations and I honestly don't think you're going to be able to cross oceans with only 3 years experience.


There is nothing that can't be accomplished with enough money, time and effort but IMO you will be much farther ahead by taking baby steps and setting modest goals.

[garmstro55]

Originally Posted by Aquafarm

Only two pleasure boats have ever made the northwest passage from Maine to Alaska.

https://www.yachtingworld.com/featur...-passage-70357

https://www.boatinternational.com/de...passage--41287

I believe Matt Rutherford did this trip, non-stop solo.
https://reddotontheocean.com/

[Gilligansdeckhand]

Originally Posted by RT Firefly

Greetings,
Mr. G. Pardon me for being blunt but you're all over the map. Panama Canal, Northwest Passage, circumnavigation of South America in either 26' or 30' boat of unknown capacity/range with a limited budget with one or two marine educational courses and a few lessons from your charter running brother.


Sorry, my friend but you're gonna die. I'm NOT saying don't follow your dreams but you have to start off with realistic and achievable expectations and I honestly don't think you're going to be able to cross oceans with only 3 years experience.


There is nothing that can't be accomplished with enough money, time and effort but IMO you will be much farther ahead by taking baby steps and setting modest goals.

Since you’ve read my posts that are letting people know the passages I’d like to make then you read the one where I said it is to let people know where I plan to go so I can get true right boat for them all instead of having 11 boats. And surely you read the one where I mentioned that I did plan to get professional lessons and to live in calmer waters for quite awhile before making the loops. I mentioned possibly getting a shrimp boat and modifying it to fit my needs and a response I got let me know that they are designed for weight and without the weight it would be unstable and a gas hog, so the shrimp boat is out. And another post let me know that staying in the Gulf wouldn’t be a good idea because of the hurricanes. Which I hadn’t taken into consideration. Read all the posts, understand them and make helpful replies. Telling people all the “ideas” I have for the cruising lifestyle is to get information. You didn’t give me any and seem to be intending to make me appear unstable. If you don’t understand my intent just ask. I will enlighten you in any way I can, other than to say to read back through all of posts and “read” them. If my writing didn’t express that I was looking for ideas on what boat I would need given the voyages I “hope” to make them I will explain it to you differently. And one post enlightened me on what to expect if I were to make the Alaska trip so I’ve either canceled that or decided to wait and see what I learn and do it in a decade or so. I never said I had 3 years experience, not once did I say that. I don’t even have a boat yet. And I should have said he was my brother in law, I will go back and check. I don’t think you are able to comprehend that all the “dreams” I have mentioned are so I would get the right boat. I don’t really want you to respond anymore please. Everybody but you has been helpful. Everybody dies.

[Gilligansdeckhand]

Originally Posted by RT Firefly

Greetings,
Mr. G. Pardon me for being blunt but you're all over the map. Panama Canal, Northwest Passage, circumnavigation of South America in either 26' or 30' boat of unknown capacity/range with a limited budget with one or two marine educational courses and a few lessons from your charter running brother.


Sorry, my friend but you're gonna die. I'm NOT saying don't follow your dreams but you have to start off with realistic and achievable expectations and I honestly don't think you're going to be able to cross oceans with only 3 years experience.


There is nothing that can't be accomplished with enough money, time and effort but IMO you will be much farther ahead by taking baby steps and setting modest goals.

Yep. I said brother in law. And because he charters deep sea in the Gulf is why I mentioned hanging out in the Gulf for awhile to learn things.
“I have a brother in law that is a captain who charters his boat in the Gulf, Sabine lake and south.”

[OldDan1943]

Remember, you can start with a small boat and grow in size as you become more comfortable and experienced.
If you are going to buy your 'last boat' first, a mid 30 ft boat. I had a 46ft, 2 stateroom boat.... no one wanted to go with me and my 'then' wife. The wife divorced me, they dropped the boat in the boat yard, so I bought a 34/36 single stateroom American Tug. Good for 2 people although my princess's folks come for 2 months so we give up the stateroom and we sleep on the famous slide out berth in the salon. I will point out, the AT's head has 2 doors so we don't have to walk through the stateroom to get to the head at night. Those 2 months are a bit cramped but, manageable .... As much as I enjoy their enjoy their company.... 2 months is more than enough time. LOL

[OldDan1943]

Alas, so many people 'plan' to cross the ocean but few ever attempt it.
Be reasonable in you dreams.... plan on 2 or 3 miles off shore and the ICW.
IF you actually start to plan a trans Atlantic or trans Pacific voyage, the future, at the proper time, look at a mid 40ft boat.
Accept it will take at least a year to 'refit' the boat to make it 'yours'.

[Gilligansdeckhand]

Originally Posted by OldDan1943

Remember, you can start with a small boat and grow in size as you become more comfortable and experienced.
If you are going to buy your 'last boat' first, a mid 30 ft boat. I had a 46ft, 2 stateroom boat.... no one wanted to go with me and my 'then' wife. The wife divorced me, they dropped the boat in the boat yard, so I bought a 34/36 single stateroom American Tug. Good for 2 people although my princess's folks come for 2 months so we give up the stateroom and we sleep on the famous slide out berth in the salon. I will point out, the AT's head has 2 doors so we don't have to walk through the stateroom to get to the head at night. Those 2 months are a bit cramped but, manageable .... As much as I enjoy their enjoy their company.... 2 months is more than enough time. LOL

In my earliest of searches I googled what size boat I would need and it recommended around 34’ so I’ve been leaning that way but one of the earlier posts mentioned a 26’ would be a good starter. I don’t have a house anymore and would be living on the boat and don’t want to limit myself to one coast or the other and the fella that recommended the 26’ said it might not be suitable for the Canal or around South America. Side note, I have spent so much time alone these past 4 years that I don’t feel comfortable being around people. When I visit my kids I hang out for about 3-4 days tops. I normally leave at zero dark thirty and they aren’t even up. They understand this about me tho

[Gilligansdeckhand]

Originally Posted by OldDan1943

Alas, so many people 'plan' to cross the ocean but few ever attempt it.
Be reasonable in you dreams.... plan on 2 or 3 miles off shore and the ICW.
IF you actually start to plan a trans Atlantic or trans Pacific voyage, the future, at the proper time, look at a mid 40ft boat.
Accept it will take at least a year to 'refit' the boat to make it 'yours'.

Since getting so much advice in this thread I have pretty much bailed on the transatlantic idea. While dreaming all this up i asked google the minimum sized boat for that voyage and it said 32’. Your advice is why I started the thread. Thank you.

[Gilligansdeckhand]

Originally Posted by OldDan1943

Alas, so many people 'plan' to cross the ocean but few ever attempt it.
Be reasonable in you dreams.... plan on 2 or 3 miles off shore and the ICW.
IF you actually start to plan a trans Atlantic or trans Pacific voyage, the future, at the proper time, look at a mid 40ft boat.
Accept it will take at least a year to 'refit' the boat to make it 'yours'.

Since my plan to start isn’t for another 3 years I will be maybe 61 at launch. I mentioned that given what I’ve been reading from everybody’s replies, if I did a cross ocean voyage I would have to wait til getting 10+ years boating experience. From the sounds of it that might not even be long enough and will put me in my 70s. Maybe I’ll save that for my last trek, say right after being diagnosed with a terminal illness. Lost my mom to cancer and my dad has bladder cancer. He’s been in remission for about 20 years tho. 😉

[OldDan1943]

You might not want to ask "what equipment will I need?" You will get so much advice you might want to start with a 36ft boat. LOL
Remember, you are buying a boat so either you come with a woman or you might attract more than one. LOL Tease.

[mvweebles]

Originally Posted by OldDan1943

In my mind, the difficulty with doing the loop is, it might take 2-3 years to complete if, you are going to stop and see the things along the way. Folks go north from FL and at some point, they stop because of the winter and cold weather and ice, come back the next year to do the Great Lakes, around MI, though the Industrial Canal .... making your way south.... So many things can go wrong and break down.... stuff you nor I know how to fix, so that means, finding the good folks to do the repair...
Once on the Mississippi another can of worms.... avoiding the commercial traffic..... Finding anchorages for the night might be a problem w/o good prior planning. This it why I suggest to join the wagon train of folks doing the loop. Take good notes on your charts and in your note book for maybe 3 reasons, 1. in case you want to do it again, 2. have something to read in your later life and finally 3. pass the information onto someone who wants to do the loop.
There is an computer organization of 'loopers'.... (someone else can tell you the name.)
I would like to do the loop.... but I doubt if I ever will. I was blessed to bring my Nordhavn46 down from Long Island to Ft Lauderdale.... we would run inside and at night, outside (stabilizers) My tool kit consisted of pliers, an adjustable wring and 2 stumpy strew drivers and 2 regular screw drivers and no spare parts. Outside, one night, the professional captain came up saw the water breaking over the bow and up against the pilot house windows and promptly got 'a little concerned' until I reminded him, the N46 could take worse weather than we could survive. Oh yea, that made him feel good. LOL
Naturally, I told the midship berth (I was the owner) he tried the forward cabin and saloon. I think maybe he would sneak into the owner's cabin while I was standing watch at the helm. I didn't care. He would mysterious go though a case of beer during 2 or 3 night, open the board door and pee over the side. I told him, he had to stop doing that because if he fell over the side, I would not know until it was my turn to stand watch. This was back in the early 90s so I purchased an expensive really really basic hand held GPS. There was a LORAN system onboard but, no current chips. He made fun of my GPS but after we complete the trip, he admitted, he used it all the way down.
I am pretty sure, we carried 1000 gallons of fuel so once we filled up in NY, we had no worries.... we had 5 water tanks but neither of us understood the valving system.... we ran out of water about 12 before our final destination.... only later did I discover, we had a 5th tank of about 150 gallons... unused. LOL The 1986 used water as ballast.
When outside, we ran WOT, fuel usage be daymned. SMIRK. inside.... we tried not to create a wake.
So you see, I am not a looper... not even a 1/2 looper.... IF I had to do it over, I might have take twice the time and stopped along the way to enjoy the sights. We spent a night at a marina w/o a reservation but the owner had LOTS of room. One other night at an unnamed dock behind someone's house, quietly leaving early before they woke.
My only regret was not circling the Statue of Liberty.... he was in a hurry to get out into the ocean and it was beginning to get dark.
The N46 purred at WOT, never used my "tool kit", the fuel must have been clean because it was never necessary to change filter.
So you see, God really does protect fools. LOL

My recommendation, hook up with other loopers have fun but realize, you may have leave the boat for the winter.

Dan - I delivered several N46s. Two things. First, all my delivery contracts stipulated a dry boat. No drinking no alcohol whatsoever. I'm no teetotaler - as I write, I'm sitting in a brew pub. Served me well.

Second, the best berth on any boat in a headsea is on the floor in the salon. If grab a cushion off the settee and sleep on my belly with arms and legs splayed to give stability. Wasn't great, but I managed a decent sleep most of the time.

For the OP, delivery captains often go the wrong direction against weather. That's behind me by 15+ years.