My wife and I did the GREAT CIRCLE CRUISE now called the Loop.
Our boat was the 45 CHB that you see. We were almost always the largest boat. That is really not needed a 32 would suit us just fine.
We did it in multiple YEARS, 5 to be exact. Doing the trip, 5500 miles in a year/season is the norm but one cannot, i repeat cannot see all the good stuff in that time.
We left La. March 1 and arrived in Baltimore for the winter in Oct. Most people that we met were clearing Chicago before then!
Did the Tortugas, Key West, and such for weeks!
In the spring of the next year toured MORE of the Chesapeake and anchored many places and went up several of the rivers. By the way we were told that at the end of our FIRST season in the Chessy. that we spent more time there than most all cruisers on the trip and then the second year more weeks there.
On arriving in Waterford, NY, we went up the Champlain and on to Ottawa by way of Montreal, then 3 WEEKS to do the 150 miles of the Rideau. Those two waterways are fantastic and one cannot do them and the Erie in one season and clear Chicago by Labor Day.
We wintered the boat several winters in Waterloo, NY, a good place just off the Finger Lakes. Also got to do the Cayouga-Senecal canal as well.
Back in Canada more canal travel and the North Channel and Georgian Bay, WOW. So many anchorages!
Then the length of Lake Huron back to NY.
Get the picture?
We did the Southern end from the south up the Tenn-Tom, Kentucky lakes, Tenn. River and such over two more seasons. While we were at it did the Alabama River to end of navigation and the Arkansas river to its end at Tulsa, Ok. To name a couple.
There is no way to see all there is in one season/year, just cannot be done.
We stored the boat each winter wherever we happened to be, they were not planned in advance.
We always traveled without a schedule as that is, by far, the most DANGEROUS thing that one can have on a boat.
As one said, if someone is to meet you tell them WHERE OR WHEN but not both.
We did more than 9,500 miles on the trip and loved it. We do not do bad weather, period. Twice we were at anchor for 6 days waiting on weather, another time we left our anchorage in the North Channel 3 days in a row and came back in due to weather, made a nice crossing to Drummund Is. on the 4th.
As far as cost, I always treated cruising with the fact that I had the boat, it was paid for, insured and such if I stayed home or cruised so that is not a factor, same with eating meals and such, eat at home or on the cruise. Cruising cost is what you spend OVER THE AMOUNT THAT WOULD BE SPENT AT HOME. Now the cost does not and is not so great.
We anchored about 2/3 of the time, often just off of a marina. Only used a marina when we had to.
About parts, correct we were not crossing oceans, so I had the usual parts on board, all hoses, belts and such and every tool that I could.
Big stuff can be shipped in but I did have handy all phone numbers of supply houses that would have the parts, such as Morris control cables, needed one in Lake Huron and got it overnight from CALIFORNIA on a saturday!
The most important thing is to JUST GO, there is no perfect time and you may not be able later due to health or?
One is only two days from home on the whole trip, by air.
Just go,
CCC