Question for Great Loop folks

If you were going to take a trawler from Boston to Tennessee..which way would you go? South and around and up at Mobile or north through the Great Lakes and around? I may have a contract on a boat soon and need to get it here. I'll will be looking to get it here, and unfortunately won't have much time for sightseeing, etc..I'll do that when I am retired hopefully! Thanks for the input!

We recently bought a boat in Knoxville, but had been looking at boats all over. We live near Chattanooga and opted to keep boat in Scottsboro, Al. at Goose Pond. Went thru the same thought process, if I bought a boat in New England, how would I get it home? Settled on a plan to go South because could move the boat through the winter. For what it’s worth.

I would go down to New York, up the Hudson, and across the Erie canal. Going up the Tombigbee could be brutal depending on current and boat speed.

You will need to clear approximately a 17' bridge after Chicago, so check your boats height above the water.

Ted

The Erie Canal closes soon. Maybe store in nearby Boston and make the move in the late spring? A lot depends on your boats cruise speed and vertical clearance.

markmclain said:

If you were going to take a trawler from Boston to Tennessee..which way would you go? South and around and up at Mobile or north through the Great Lakes and around? I may have a contract on a boat soon and need to get it here. I'll will be looking to get it here, and unfortunately won't have much time for sightseeing, etc..I'll do that when I am retired hopefully! Thanks for the input!

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The key question is when? If you're doing it this year, you have no choice, you must go down the coast and up through Mobile. The Erie Canal is closed for the winter. Your only other choice isn't viable for most as it is Nova Scotia to Quebec and down to the Great Lakes.

Under normal circumstances I'd rate South along the coast and Great Lakes about equal. Where in Tennessee also would play a minor role in the decision.

Marinas are pretty much closed for the winter throughout Michigan. (Fuel pumps shut down, water systems and waste pump out systems winterized).
Yards are in the midst of wrapping up boat haul outs.

Rufus said:

Marinas are pretty much closed for the winter throughout Michigan. (Fuel pumps shut down, water systems and waste pump out systems winterized).
Yards are in the midst of wrapping up boat haul outs.

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Yes, but if one can't get there, won't really impact the OP.

Rufus said:

Marinas are pretty much closed for the winter throughout Michigan. (Fuel pumps shut down, water systems and waste pump out systems winterized).
Yards are in the midst of wrapping up boat haul outs.

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Yup, best to go south and avoid some nasty cold weather on that boat and the uncertainty of any services. It will take you a month or more of steady slogging to go the northern route, meaning probably December arrival. NAH!

Going up the 495-mile TennTom is no big deal especially in the dryer months. takes a week. Worst I have ever seen was maybe 2 MPH head current, and you get miles of little to no current as you pass each lock. You will see little traffic.

Stop in here, and I'll give you my Excel sheets on anchorages and marinas and locks from my most recent trip.

I'd take a lot of time and see all the sights whichever way you go because once you get there, it's either up or down river for you.

Can you put it on a truck? I don't know which way is quicker, but both routes are very long delivery trips. You're basically 1/2 a loop away from the boat.

Wow, thanks everyone for the excellent response!! It looks like south is the direction to go, but with that being said I may find a marina to house the boat until spring...if I waited til spring, would you still pick south or do the northern part of the loop? If I end up having to leap frog and come back home for a couple weeks, then move the boat further, which way would be best? I cannot get this boat home via land because it appears a previous owner glassed the flybridge on, so removing it would be a really big deal. Thanks again everyone, you guys are great!

Assuming you wait till Spring, going through the Great Lakes is preferred. If the boat is a planing hull, it would be less of a difference dealing with currents. This is one of the reasons the Great Loop is done counterclockwise.

Ted

markmclain said:

Wow, thanks everyone for the excellent response!! It looks like south is the direction to go, but with that being said I may find a marina to house the boat until spring...if I waited til spring, would you still pick south or do the northern part of the loop? If I end up having to leap frog and come back home for a couple weeks, then move the boat further, which way would be best? I cannot get this boat home via land because it appears a previous owner glassed the flybridge on, so removing it would be a really big deal. Thanks again everyone, you guys are great!

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Leaving in Spring favors Northern route, although would leap frogging work at trawler speeds on northern route to get to TN by October? Leaving in Spring going South bumps into hurricane season.

The fly in the ointment going the north route would be if there are spring floods. That can shut down the canal system for a week or more depending.
That's just something to keep in mind.

If you wait, will you then have time for sightseeing or still be a rushed trip? Summer on the Great Lakes would be a great time. However, the northern route delays your departure until at least May 15 and possibly later. All depends on the opening of the Erie. Going down the East Coast, you could leave as early as early April, might encounter some cold, but others would be heading north by then.

The North route is far more interesting and enjoyable than slogging up a fast river with 70 ft high banks blocking the view.


The Northern routes small boat easy with multiple marinas or anchorages and loads of free docks.

FF said:

The North route is far more interesting and enjoyable than slogging up a fast river with 70 ft high banks blocking the view.


The Northern routes small boat easy with multiple marinas or anchorages and loads of free docks.

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But the discussion has centered on what the PO can do in the coming weeks which will see him in rather adverse conditions regarding weather and services.

Having been UP the route he would travel if he chose the southern route several times, I would disagree with the characterization of the area as 70-foot high banks and fast rivers because it is just not so, except the Mississippi which is indeed fast and boring and bereft of services for the most part south of St Louis.

We brought our last boat home from Virginia to Michigan. We started on the first of May. We had a few hours delay due to flooding on the Erie but no real delays. The Trent Severn Waterway is awesome. The locks are very interesting. But if you are bringing it home this year you will have to go the southern route. Personally I would wait til the spring and go through the Great Lakes. Have fun and good luck.

rgano said:

But the discussion has centered on what the PO can do in the coming weeks which will see him in rather adverse conditions regarding weather and services.

Having been UP the route he would travel if he chose the southern route several times, I would disagree with the characterization of the area as 70-foot high banks and fast rivers because it is just not so, except the Mississippi which is indeed fast and boring and bereft of services for the most part south of St Louis.

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I agree...the Tombigbee is more enjoyable than the Mississippi.

Thanks everyone! I really appreciate all the valuable information. I'm flying up to take a look at the boat this weekend...I'm sure I'll have more questions!

Erie canal usually opens about mid May. Some years it's later, sometimes much later.

Okeechobee Waterway Closure

markmclain said:

Wow, thanks everyone for the excellent response!! It looks like south is the direction to go, but with that being said I may find a marina to house the boat until spring...if I waited til spring, would you still pick south or do the northern part of the loop? If I end up having to leap frog and come back home for a couple weeks, then move the boat further, which way would be best? I cannot get this boat home via land because it appears a previous owner glassed the flybridge on, so removing it would be a really big deal. Thanks again everyone, you guys are great!

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I don’t think it has been mentioned but, the Okeechobee Waterway will be closed between Jan 1 & Mar 31, 2022 requiring travel around southern FL.

If you decide to await Spring, I would reverse my earlier recommendation and go north. Be sure that you have the air draft to clear the lowest known obstructions.

I studied both routes back to Chattanooga from Baltimore. The route around Florida is shorter, but not by much. I estimated 42 travel days through the Great Lakes back to Chattanooga. But that was in delivery mode.

The gotcha for a next spring leave from up north and going through the Great Lakes, will be the Illinois River for 2022.

Lock closures in 2022.

Brandon Road Lock and Dam (Mile 286) on the Illinois Waterway – Upper Bulkhead Recess Installation
Restriction period/partial closure (70’ width restriction, pass traffic during overnight hours only): 9 May 2022 thru 14 Aug 2022
Full closure: 15 Aug 2022 thru 4 Sep 2022
Final restriction period/partial closure: 5 Sep 2022 thru 8 Sep 2022

Okochobee is scheduled for closure from January 2, 2022 through March 31, 2022. Going around the tip of Florida will add a few days to your trip, though I doubt you will get there by March 31st coming from up north.

Due to the restricted operating period and the commercial traffic taking precedence over pleasure boating, it will be a little tougher to get through the restricted lock, but you will get through, with the best way to do so, staging above the lock and arranging the best time with the lock operator. After it closes completely, 15 Aug thru 4 Sept, there will also be a restricted period, complicated by a large back up of commercial craft. So getting through prior to the closure would be best.

The Erie Canal opened May 22nd this year if I remember correctly, and folks traveling through dealt with limited lock closures and some flooding. A couple of folks had a two week long delay at one lock. Could be the same for next year. If what you are doing is just trying to get her home, then traveling down the coast might be best.

My suggestion would be to get part of the trip completed this fall, if you can leave fairly quickly, and operate in delivery captain mode, at least to the Chesapeake or further if you can make it. Weather is a bigger factor now, so that should also be a consideration. Weather days will slow your trip. Be aware that finding winter slip space or a haul out spot will be a little more difficult due to the surge in purchased boats this year the further south you go. For example, slip space for extended stays in southern Florida for this winter is almost non-existent. The transient spots are available, but loopers are reporting a lot of issues finding winter dockage. Coming through their in the spring should not be the same. And, of course, at this point in the northern climes, you are dealing with limited availability of water, pump outs, and shorter days.

The TomBigBee will be manageable with the only real issue being spring rains and flooding. That may slow you down some and there will be more debris in the water. The key to safety is to try to stay away from a schedule.

I agree with Helmsman. It's getting late in the season to be setting out from Boston in a new old boat though.

I was going to suggest a first segment this fall to Kingston NY and haul there for the winter. But if it is to be a pure scheduled delivery the southern route probably makes more sense. Early spring departure, and into the rivers before the hurricanes come through.

UPDATE! Ok, folks...I did it! I purchased the boat! 34 Marine Trader double cabin. Now I have to get it to Tennessee from Providence RI. After looking at the flybridge in person, I can safely say it would be MAJOR work to get that thing off...although if anyone has any ideas on how that might be done, I'm all ears...it would save a ton of time for me. Assuming it can't, I have to get it here by water. I am able to keep the boat in RI until spring, and based on the comments, it looks like the northern route may be the way to go. I have a logistical nightmare on my hands, as I can't take off work and move it in one single push, I'll have to move it somewhere, park it, then come back in 2 or 3 weeks, move it more, etc.
I really appreciate everyone's help and advice. I'm sure I'm going to have a LOT of questions.
Thanks!

Hire a delivery captain.

markmclain said:

UPDATE! Ok, folks...I did it! I purchased the boat! 34 Marine Trader double cabin. Now I have to get it to Tennessee from Providence RI. After looking at the flybridge in person, I can safely say it would be MAJOR work to get that thing off...although if anyone has any ideas on how that might be done, I'm all ears...it would save a ton of time for me. Assuming it can't, I have to get it here by water. I am able to keep the boat in RI until spring, and based on the comments, it looks like the northern route may be the way to go. I have a logistical nightmare on my hands, as I can't take off work and move it in one single push, I'll have to move it somewhere, park it, then come back in 2 or 3 weeks, move it more, etc.
I really appreciate everyone's help and advice. I'm sure I'm going to have a LOT of questions.
Thanks!

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Wifey B: Strike through logistical nightmare. Bring in "Dream Opportunity." Forget about single push. Think about vacationing on my new boat in wonderful places all throughout the next year or so. You were looking for a loop boat, well do a sllllllllloooooooooooowwwwwwwww looooooooop.

Go the northern or southern route depending on the cruising time you'll have this summer. Northern if you can complete by October, Southern if you need longer. No hurry. Fine cruising everywhere. Anytime you can get a week or more, go cruise. Start with how many days you can do it this next year and then see how it would work. Single push is vastly overrated when you can have multiple dream vacations. Getting it home may be one of the best times ever.

Congrats on your new boat. Yes, definitely look at it as an opportunity to have a great trip home.

Thanks!! Yes, that's exactly the way I need to approach it! I think the worry I have is being able to find places to keep it between trips..if I can figure that out, I will feel better. A couple people have mentioned hiring a captain, which I have considered...at least for a leg or two of the trip. We'll see. I'm anxious to get at least an outline of a plan together. Thanks everyone!

markmclain said:

Thanks!! Yes, that's exactly the way I need to approach it! I think the worry I have is being able to find places to keep it between trips..if I can figure that out, I will feel better. A couple people have mentioned hiring a captain, which I have considered...at least for a leg or two of the trip. We'll see. I'm anxious to get at least an outline of a plan together. Thanks everyone!

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Wifey B: No problem finding good marinas along the way.