Boat for general cruising and great loop

Coming from 55 years as a sailor, and looking at what type of powerboat to purchase. One thing I am looking at is doing the great loop, as well as other coastal cruising in FL and North east.

Am looking at a powercat or swift trawler only because I would like to get past the 50 mi a day limit I had on a sailboat. Now maybe 50 mi on a powerboat has you much less tired at your destination than a sailboat, so you can do more mi per day? But 7kts at 8 hours is 50mi.

On the great loop, I am not sure how fast you can go. The parts of the ICW in S FL I know don't allow for fast speed / large wake, I don't know about other parts of the loop, so not sure that speed makes a difference for the loop.

But for other coastal cruising, I would like to be able to do 100 mi days, 12kts does this. 15kts gets me 150 mi days. Bene swift trawler and powercat gets me this. 40' is around top of my comfort zone. I need beds that are walk off because of bad knees, also want separate shower. Don't like that power cats have no side door to the side deck to single hand dock. But love their space. And I come from a sailing cat, which was the best boat decision I had since my wife gets seasick, and the motion was much better than monohull.

Is this making sense? I have looked at lots of sites on the loop, but haven't found one that is really a day to day blog explaining how far, how fast, etc.

Hope some with way more experience can chime in. Thanks.

Some parts of the loop will let you run fast, some won't. Length of day really depends on the people and where you are. Some areas are more demanding than others and some people hold up to long days better. In good weather, I'm fine with a couple of 10 - 12 hour days given at least 1 capable person with me.

An ocean going boat will let you miss the slow spots. Buy a long boat and get a hull speed better than 7 knots. I did my whole life. Doesn't have to be new. I run at 10 knots and can do above 12 at 1gph.

@rslif: what speed is 'fast' on loop?

@lepke: don't understand what a "long" boat is. Also, what are the slow spots?

Appreciate the quick replies.

"Fast" refers to any speed that produces a significant wake. For my own boat, that basically means anything above 6 - 6.5 kts. You can push it up to 7 at the expense of more wake. Beyond that, going faster means getting up on plane and doing 17 kts with this boat (which is only a bit more wake than 7 kts). But even if wake isn't a concern, there are some places where you just don't want to go that fast due to tight spaces, etc.

Some spots on the loop have outright speed limits, but most don't. Just periodic no wake zones, then you're free to do whatever is reasonable once you're out of those zones.

If you haven't already done so, joining the Great Loop Cruisers Ass. ( great loop.org) will give you access to routes, itineraries and help from cruisers who have done the loop in every kind of boat imaginable.

I have always sort of figured on 50 miles or 8 hours as being about my max.Both in distance but more so regarding time on the water.

Lets pretend I had a "Go Fast" boat which cruised at 30 miles an hour. Could I plan on over 300 miles in a day? I doubt it. Eight hours bouncing at 30 mph or even at 15 mph is different on the body than eight hours at eight knots. I have been known to turn the helm over and take a little nap. Could I do that at 15 or 30 mph? I sort of doubt it. Even at just 15 mph the noise, vibration and waves are considerable more than at trawler speeds.

Certainly a little additional speed will get you further in a day but there is more at play than just the math.

pete

There must be an additional factor to consider beyond speed X Hours = estimated goal miles.

I’m reading this thread and trying to understand and appreciate the need to be in such a rush. I would think such a pace would become tiresome after just a few months. Nevertheless, if you find a 40’ boat you like to go the speeds you want, you’ll probably need to think about just how much time you’re going to spend fueling and/or looking for fuel. They’re thirsty!

And, if you go monohull, your wife will want active stabilizers or a gyro. $$$$$

A friend's 52 power cat (horizon) burns 38 gph at 18 kts. 7 gph at 8 kts so has flexibility. 28 foot air draft so between bridges and no wake zones, not sure he averages more thank 9-10 kts, maybe less unless he goes outside.

The missing link in OP post is budget. There are a lot of monohull boats in the 40 foot range with island queen berths that have twins and capable of 15 kts.

Cats are stable at anchor of course. Not everyone likes their ride underway with chop. Stabilization isn't needed for Loop and Bahamas. Nice, but not needed.

If we're throwing in fuel burn numbers, I'll put in some numbers for my boat. At 6.5 - 7 kts, figure 5 - 6 gph with the gas engines I have. Cruising on plane at 17 kts, figure about 30 gph. Diesels in the same hull would take the numbers down to somewhere around 2 - 2.5 gph at low speed and around 20 at 17 - 18 kts.

All the canals I've been on have a 8mph (7kts) speed limit. Higher speed could be useful for crossing large lakes and open ocean.

Don’t forget to budget 15 mins-2 hrs per lock, depending on size, traffic, commercial priority, etc. Then there are lift bridges, which will slow one down ...even if opening on demand.

Generally if you have a boat capable of 30 + knots, you aren't going that speed for long periods of time. Faster speeds can provide a nice jump before you have to slow down for whatever reason. It may be weather with winds increasing in the afternoon so a fast morning jump gets you where you want to go by 1300 hrs.

Where my boat is moored, there is an area I like to get over quickly then slow down to 7 - 9 knots. I will also cross this area on the way home quickly as well.

I always say, you can make a fast boat go slow, but you can't make a slow boat go fast. Its nice to have an option of speed if you need it due to safety, convenience, effective time management, or beating everyone to the next great anchoring area and being there by noon.

Also in my area, there are "rapids" that can only be transversed at slack or near slack, and you might literally have only five minutes to cover a 1/3rd of a mile, nice to be able to blow through these types of locations at 14 knots rather than slog on at 7 knots.

My rule of thumb is: the closer a destination, the faster you can go for an early arrival, the further the destination, the slower you want to go for fuel efficiency.

My idea of a relaxing/enjoyable cruise isn't at 15, 20, or 30 knots. Why not just drive an automobile for the trip if you are in a hurry?

While there are some places where you are speed restricted on the Loop, depending on the route you take, 60 to 80% can be faster. What I found on my Loop trip was that many of your days will be less 50 miles to your next stopping point.

Ted

I would say that the western part of the Loop is probably slower than the eastern part. Why? Locks would be the biggest issue on the rivers. Yes, there are a few long distances between some, and there are areas within those stretches where for numerous reasons fast speed in a 40-ish footer would be illegal or inadvisable due to possible damage to moored vessels and piers, etc. Lots of things along the banks are not known to the Looper before they just suddenly are there, and high speed with a big wake following means it con be too late to slow down. 12-15 knots is more than likely OK for the prudent skipper, but really high speeds, well, not so much. The eastern portion offers some open water passages where it would be very nice to cover lots of ground, at the expense of forgoing some scenic cruising and pleasant stopovers.

I think that the boats you're considering for NE/FL and parts between will work for the loop. There are only a couple of places where you really have to go more than 50 miles in one day. But lots of sections where you can cover ground faster if you want, and a few where it's really useful, like getting across the Panhandle.

The AGLA has planning tools. But there are lots of different styles of boat and styles of cruising, and variations in the route.

"One thing I am looking at is doing the great loop, as well as other coastal cruising in FL and North east."

I do not know enough about larger Powercats to comment on them but for this application
I would suggest that you would like to have the higher cruising speeds (15-18 knts) along with the ability to travel at less than hull speed. There are numerous places where either tides are against you or where there are longer hauls where the speed will come in handy.
For the loop and river cruising in the NE plan for both your air clearance and draft to work with your intended destinations. Consider what (if any) tender you will find useful for your trips and make sure your boating choice supports the tender.
Good luck with whatever you choose....

I can't tell you how many folks we've met and talked to that rushed through the loop and came back to explore the NE, Erie Canalm Lk Champlain, Rideau, TSW, 1,000 Is Georgian Bay, North Channel... some for 2-4 seasons because they missed it all the first time around.
Dont just count the miles... take some time to smell the Rose's or you'll miss many of the best parts.

jbinbi said:

Am looking at a powercat or swift trawler only because I would like to get past the 50 mi a day limit I had on a sailboat.

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Lots of powerboats will do that and run slow too (see avatar) , so limiting your search to powercats and "swift" trawlers... may overly restrict your search for the right boat.

-Chris

Check out Aspen power cats. They offer some interesting power combinations, including very fuel efficient outboards, due to asymmetric hulls. Well proven and a smart company owner who loves to cruise, anywhere.

Avoiding diesels in this day and age of marvelous outboards is not a bad thing. Many builders of merit are going this way. Its a revolution.

ranger42c said:

Lots of powerboats will do that and run slow too (see avatar) , so limiting your search to powercats and "swift" trawlers... may overly restrict your search for the right boat.

-Chris

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A really good point.

After owning a few sailboat speed full displacement hull Trawlers and a desire for 20% additional speed with plans to travel to ICW we built a 38’ Helmsman trawler. The hull shape and very wide beam provides 7.5 knot cruise with great economic fuel burn while enjoying a large interior. You may want to check out this make / model boat. Good luck with your search.

John

I have been looking at a gas boat purchase that would take me around Lake Michigan and down Lake Huron. In planning the trip I felt I would prefer to run at roughly 10 miles per hour for 10 hour days. The 100 mile per day plan had me blowing by some of the best harbors in the world. The longest run between harbors was I think 40 miles (Harbor Springs to Mackinaw?) My point is that even though the boat will go 24 mph, I plan to reserve that for when I NEED to be somewhere more quickly. I want to slow down, and I want to see as much as I can. Gas engines at 6 GPH versus diesel at 3GPH is not the hit I was planning on. Gas engines today are making more sense for me and my budget. More boat, less engine.
Examples:
Onekema to Arcadia- 8 miles
Arcadia to Frankfort- 10 miles
Frankfort to Leland- 40 miles (Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore)
Leland to Charlevoix- 34 miles
Charlevoix to Bay Harbor- 14 miles
Bay Harbor to Petoskey- 3 miles
Petoskey to Harbor Springs- 3 miles
Harbor Springs to Sturgeon Bay-27 miles (while not a harbor, Sturgeon Bay is incredible)

You get my point. This coastline is some of the most beautiful water in the world. Check that. This coastline IS the most beautiful water in the world. What you are proposing has you missing ALL of it. Reserve speed is fine. Using it as a norm defeats the reason for being there in my opinion.Bill

moparharn said:

Gas engines at 6 GPH versus diesel at 3GPH is not the hit I was planning on. Gas engines today are making more sense for me and my budget. More boat, less engine.

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Good points, good argument for gas, good argument for stopping to smell the coffee...

Fuel preference perhaps different for OP with aspirations for a 6000 NM trip.

-Chris

Check out the American Tugs, semi-displacement hull.
Can go slow..... hull speed about 7.5 knots......
Factory Sea Trial results, for my boat
Hull speed about 7.3 knots....1.4gph, 1200rpm
8knts. 2.1gph, 1400rpm
all the way up to 3000 rpm, 17knt, 18.1gph.
To be honest, 1/2 fuel, 1/2 water, 12vt fridge running
Now, tell me who will not add stuff such as food and clothing and tools and spare parts. So take the above with a grain or two of salt.

ranger42c said:

Fuel preference perhaps different for OP with aspirations for a 6000 NM trip. -Chris

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Maybe not a big deal, 400 to 500 hours, piece of cake for an outboard or two.

sunchaser said:

Maybe not a big deal, 400 to 500 hours, piece of cake for an outboard or two.

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Outboards are faster and easier to replace if necessary.
Remember, they now have diesel outboards too.