motorsailer anyone?

[JeffM]

I didn't even know there was water in some of those places! I think I'm with Gary, though: I have had such a ball this summer putting the boat in at different ramps and immediately going adventuring in new places. Hmm...maybe I could do the loop in short, practical, easy stages. With the help of my mast steppers, bridges are not a big problem. Hmmm...

[Howard]

I have Bick Remmey's book on the GCC, and while he did it in a little less than 6 months actual cruising time, spread over a two year period, it seems like he was more interested in getting it over with than doing it. He would often cruise 5 to 7 hours at 19 knots and do over 100 miles, but bypassed a lot of interesting places to get there. The Chesapeake for example. He did something like Norfolk to Annapolis in 4 or 5 days? Yup, you can get from the south to the north that fast, but what about the crab cakes at Stoney's or dinner at Veras on the Patuxant? What about cruising all the way up the Potomac to Washington, DC? You could spend the entire summer on the bay and not see half of it. It might take a guy 2 or 3 years to do this, but so what? If the alternative is sitting in a house waiting waiting for the phone to ring so a client can yell at you or watching one more rerun of Friends, I'm all for it!

As for the masts, once you are past Peoria on the Illinois River, you don't have to worry about bridges until somewhere on the east coast of Florida. If you run into a bad stretch of bridges and condos, drop the masts, fire that engine and move on. But with 18 inches or less of draft, I bet you can find a quite place to anchor even in those stretches of forlorn wilderness. Enter the Princess 28 with masts you can drop, room for provisions for a week or two and the ability to go outside and sail, plus motor at 6 knots plus if you want, burning very little fuel, and you have a low cost alternative boat for the trip.

Having said all this, I recently spoke to the designer of this boat:

http://www.skiffamerica.com/

a former hard core sailer and now a confirmed power cruise. This boat will cruise at about 15 knots with low power and fuel requirements, has shallow draft and is probably capable of the entire trip. He claims some folks spend the entire winter on them.

[Guest Oyster]

Sure you can drop any properly rigged mast on most all sailboats. This also creates some issues in current ladened areas. This also creates some issues with getting about the boat on deck. You still will need an all weather boat, which allows you to continue to cruise, especially in the summer time, dealing with thunder storms and weather fronts that will be encountered. Along the Mississippi, anchoring is very limited with offshoots, unlike the gulf coast and the eastern part of the trips. At minimum you still need a steering station inside and area that is fully accessible, easily.

I have also found that when cruising with wimmin, even a week, they become a bit on edge in cramped quarters, especially with cold sandwiches for an extended period of times. Yes its all done each year by many people. But this has also turned off many wimmim for further enjoyments on the boat with you if you insist on doing the one carryon trip with a day cooler for a week. . Something to seriously take into consideration in an extended cruising boat. I speak from experience. :wink:

[Howard]

PS: Forgot to mention that there might be one thing worse than sitting on the water looking at those condos and that might be living in one. We once spent a weekend at a high rise condo in Clearwater and the first time I saw all those rules my jaw dropped. I stopped reading at rule #30. Get me outta here! :shock:

And I agree with Garry. If you found yourself at the Apostle Islands and it was late September and you didn't want to float back to Chicago, for less than the cost of one tank of gas in that 30' powercruiser, I could catch a bus or a plane home and pick up the old Suburban. Nothing goes to weather like that 3/4 ton Suburban.

[Howard]

Gotta agree with Oyster on this one too. Many a good cruisin plan has gone bad once wimmin got involved. I can think of at least two examples where the choice of cruising boat was made to satisfy the wimmin. Didn't help. They still didn't like it. There are a few who like to do it and will give up creature comforts of land and make the sacrifices but most are nesters and like their happy homes. I think it's a secruity issue with them. In case anyone hasn't noticed, we are wired differently. Not bad, just different. One does need to take this into account. And let's not kid ourselves. Cruising is a man's sport. Most women out there will go along to get along, but deep down, most really do not like it. Again..most. Not all, but most.

It wouldn't be easy for me, but I could make this trip in the 17 foot cabin sailer I already have. But I don't know of ANY wimmin who would last a week on it. Even those who like to sail.

One last comment on doing this under sail and then I'm done. I currently sail on a man made inland lake. The useable water between bridges is less than 20 miles, and it's a confined channel seldom wider than a mile. Always, the wind, if any, is either dead on the nose or dead downwind. Or so it seems.

We have about 20 active sailboat owners on this lake, and most weekends will find from 5 to 10 boats on the water. To get from point A to point B, you have two choices. Sail or motor. Most will sail out, anchor for the night and motor back. Others, like me, mostly use our motors only to get on and off the dock and in close quarters with other boats, such as rafting up at anchor. Others don't sail at all and haven't for years. More than once when I've been out trying to get one knot of speed out of light air, they would come by to tell me there was a good reason why they put a motor on the boat.

Often times, the choice depends on if you have to be home by 5 PM and you have two hours to drive, so you must be back at the dock by 2:30 in order to tie up, stow gear and pack to leave. But it's also a personal choice.

For me, it's a personal choice to sail. Tricking the wind into taking you from point A to point B is part of the fun and challenge. As long as you don't have to be to the dock by 2:30, stay put. The wind will eventually blow and/or the tide will change. You will get there eventually.

You don't have to play golf, you could just ride in the cart....but why do that?

PSS: I do play golf, but I don't ride in a cart. I walk. If there was any doubt I tend to do things the hard way, that should clear it up.

[Scott Dunsworth]

OK if I drop my speed requirements to 8 kt. cruising and a top end of 10 can it be done?

As far as the great circle or loop cruise goes I will not go if I have to rush anywhere. Other than advoiding weather. I plan to take 8 months to do it or longer if necessary. If the wife gets bored or tired she can fly home till she is ready to resume our adventure and I'll pick her up again. She is sure she wants to be there for the Great lakes, west coast of Florida, the Keys and the Carolinas. The long stretchs of river is what will get her bored.

Speaking of rivers a lot of folks like to do the Kentucky lake, Tenn-Tom waterway instead of the Mississippi river. There is not near the tows to deal with. You also exit into the Gulf at Mobil.

Scott

[Dale Niemann]

Scott

I think your wife has the best spots picked out. I see the loop route has two choices in the northern section. I would definitely not miss the North Channel of Lake Huron. I have been there and it is a beautiful place. I believe August and Sept are supposed to be the best but it would be great anytime (be prepared to fight many many of those pesky little insects that like your blood).

I was born and raised on the Mississippi River and I thought it was great when I was a kid. However, now that I live on the west coast of Florida and have been to Maine and other cruising areas, I think I would skip it. The river is very muddy and from what I hear there are not too many spots for fueling and resupply for small boats. However, having said that I know all the townsfolk are very nice and will help you if they can. Also from what I hear from friends I would take the Kentucky lake, Tenn-Tom waterway. Towboats and barges are not much fun in small low powered boats. I know you already know this though.

The west coast of Florida has a lot of nice spots to cruise but also has a lot of condos. Our club the West Coast Trailer Sailing Squadron will be happy to help you. We trailer all over Florida for daysails, weekends and week cruises. Check it out.

http://members.ij.net/wctss/wctss/index.htm

[Scott Dunsworth]

Thanks Dale

I was a member last year but let it slip by this spring. I always wait with anticipation for the updates to wcts web site. The outings look fun, friendly and somewhat adventurous.

I hope to make a few of the outings this spring. Can you tell me which would be the best for my Belhaven?

As for the great circle, I would do it in my Belhaven if I was going alone.

Scott