See full version: How big of a trawler to singlehand
When you think about a boat and budget for living aboard and cruising the Great Loop, you must think about what it takes for you and your 1st
Mate to be comfortable and happy both physically and financially. For sure, boats that are great for over-night or long weekends simply won't work over
the long haul for spending a year cruising the Great Loop. more
Full displacement vs semi displacement & What the difference means to you on this voyage: here
When cruising America's Great Loop, the type and size of your boat, the distance you travel, the time it takes, the amenities on board, are
all important factors to consider. The most important of these however, is to remember that the moment you select your boat, you have also
selected your ongoing cost of cruising and ownership. Most often, it is the shocking reality of on-going expenses, why so many great "used
boats" are on the Market for thousands of dollars less than their original purchase price. Most often it is simply because the owner discovered the cost
of cruising long-distance in such a large fast boat was unacceptable.
Additionally, there will be a huge difference in fuel between the vessel advertised as "1-gallon per mile" vs the vessel advertises as "2-gallons per
hour". The first one will burn 5,429 gallons of fuel on our route, and the second one, though it sounds like more at first, will only burn 1,357 gallons of
fuel.
Super trawlers are meant to only target small forage and bait fish but, because their nets are so massive, that restriction is impossible to regulate. The reality is when you're using nets big enough to trap the Titanic, you're going to catch everything and everyone in the water. here
In 2012 Environment Minister Tony Burke said he could impose "tough" conditions on super trawlers on behalf of "non-target" marine animals. while still apparently allowing 10 seals (per day!) to be killed as 'by-catch'. With casualty numbers like that, entire family groups of protected seals could be wiped out in the blink of an eye. here
Legal (and illegal) heavily subsidised super trawlers have decimated West Africa's fish population, all in order to feed Europe's insatiable, and unsustainable, desire for seafood. Adding insult to injury, these foreign-owned super trawler companies also then sell fish back to the local fisherman who can no longer fend for themselves and their families.
Scientists have warned that our marine life is being fished to the brink of extinction. One study has predicted that our ocean life will have collapsed by 2050. [links]
Because super trawlers can drag their nets through the water for several hours, if a dolphin, shark or turtle becomes enmeshed it's highly unlikely that they'll be able to escape. These animals will then either drown — or be crushed to death by the sheer weight of the fish around them. Controversy is ongoing about claims that a whale shark — a threatened and legally protected species — died after being caught in the net of notorious super trawler, the 'Geelong Star'. Despite claims by the Australian Fisheries Management Authority that the shark was "freed from the net and swam away without difficulty", images since leaked have again raised concerns about the fate of this animal, and led to calls for footage of the incident to be released to the public. [links]
Attractive Appearance – I love a dark hull, but it’s not a requirement. What is a requirement is a boat that makes us feel good when we dinghy up or walk down the dock each day – something we’re proud to own.
Re-sale value after The Great Loop. Assume that we’d sell the boat after our Great Loop adventure – but maybe we’d decide not to sell, but we’d like to keep that option open.
If we want to cruise America’s Great Loop, we need a boat for that. The Great Loop has a few requirements … mainly height, draft & fuel range restrictions, although if you have a super wide catamaran (23’+), you won’t be able to cruise the Trent Severn Canal System in Ontario – one of the highlights of the route.
Newer … maybe 10 years old-ish. We loved our 30 year old Passport, s/v Winterlude, but not the maintenance required to keep a 30 year old sailing classic mostly-restored. So if we decide on a new-to-us boat, it must be less maintenance intensive with minimal exterior teak.
Click on The Great Loop to go directly to Captain John’s Boats for the Loop Recommendations.
Good Dinghy 9.8-ish hp Yamaha or Tohatsu; dinghy & outboard storage system
Equipping the boat for the Loop is another matter which we have addressed in several long-range cruising articles on our America's Great Loop Cruise "Smellin da Roses" web site, so we will limit this discussion to the vessel selection process and its amenities for individual lifestyles and cruising needs.
The point is, that most people do not change their likes or dislikes just because they start long-range cruising. We are all creatures of habit and will soon become miserable if we must change our lifestyle for the prolonged period of time that is required to complete the America's Great Loop Cruise-eight to 12 months or more. more
(13) A hard top bridge enclosure if possible (no need for a flying bridge). A pilothouse design with good side vision is ideal. If there is a canvas bridge enclosure, it should be as waterproof as possible unless the vessel has a lower station. A raised bridge or raised deck cruiser is also a good option versus a flying bridge. [links]