– Spacious living spaces
– Fuel-efficient at lower speeds
Hopefully, this article has provided some ideas and examples of what your best Great Loop boat might be. Beyond a few hard limitations, it’s a matter of taste and style. There’s no right or wrong answer–you’ll often see many unexpected vessels doing the Loop.
If you’re considering the Loop, check out the America’s Great Loop Cruisers Association for more details.
There’s no set size limit for length, but all boats looking to complete the Loop must pass under a low fixed bridge in the Chicago area. If your boat is more than 19 feet, 6 inches above the water, thou shall not pass.
Some people have reported that boats as long as 70 feet have completed the Loop. But taking a vessel of this size is not recommended, as you must navigate numerous tight locks and low bridges along the route. Most Loopers choose boats less than 50 feet long.
The smallest boat is the one that you’re comfortable on. Jet skis have completed the Loop, but they’re limited to staying in hotels or camping. It’s best to have a boat that will be comfortable to live on for the better part of a year. Most people want a boat at least 35 feet long to do that.
Most cruisers take about a year to do the Loop. Several factors affect this plan, and it’s always an individual choice. Generally, you’ll be northbound in the spring to be westbound through the Great Lakes in the summer. Then you “fall down” the rivers in the autumn so that you can over-winter in Florida. But many people take breaks, leave their boats in storage, and complete the Loop in sections. Furthermore, many folks want to take their time and enjoy the scenery. It’s not a race, after all.
Matt has been boating around Florida for over 25 years in everything from small powerboats to large cruising catamarans. He currently lives aboard a 38-foot Cabo Rico sailboat with his wife Lucy and adventure dog Chelsea. Together, they cruise between winters in The Bahamas and summers in the Chesapeake Bay.
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by SOPHIE PENDRILL, WPEC staff
A 50-foot yacht caught fire on Saturday in Clearwater Harbor, Fla. (USCG)
CLEARWATER, Fla. (WPEC) — A 50-foot yacht caught fire on Saturday in Florida's Clearwater Harbor.
The U.S. Coast Guard stated that a good Samaritan brought two boaters from the yacht to the Clearwater Harbor Marina to report the fire and meet emergency medical services.
After the fire was reported, the USCG and partners began to put the fire out.
No injuries have been reported at this time.
Our top six picks of the latest offerings from names like fliteboard, lift and aerofoils are designed for all rider types., j. george gorant, j. george gorant's most recent stories.
Electric surfboards, the fastest-growing segment of yacht toys, make it possible to carve waves in even the flattest conditions. Most foil-less e-boards don’t really look much like a surfboard, but still deliver a fast-running, sharp-turning surfing experience, thanks to compact electric motors and electronic hand controls. The recent explosion of e-foil designs, from oversized models with handlebars for beginners to sleek, low-volume boards for advanced riders, means there’s a board for every enthusiast. Plus, foils deliver advantages. “Hydrofoils need less power and lighter batteries, so they extend run times,” notes David Trewern, founder of Fliteboard, one of the original e-board manufacturers. “It’s hard to beat that feeling of riding above the water.” A dozen competitors are looking to carve up their own slice of the market with feature-rich models for beginners to elite riders alike. Here are six of the big kahunas.
Stylish, sturdy, and technical, the limited-edition Marc Newson Design series from Fliteboard is the ultimate e-foil for riders who want a beautiful stealth look and exceptional foiling. The pictured MN86 has a generous 5’4” x 26” footprint for riders that crave stability, while its sleeker sister boards, the MN60 and MN60 Wave, deliver faster speeds and tighter turns. All incorporate a monobloc design with advanced, high-modulus pre-preg (HMPP) construction that ultimately results in a lightweight, stiff ride. Its titanium conical wings are designed for minimal drag. The series, which will be limited to 999 examples, offer different wing options for varying conditions and an interactive color display on the hand controller that delivers data from every session. This e-foil lifts cool tech to a new level. From $19,995
The super-stable Vinga 3 SR, with its high volume and double-concave bottom, offers easy starts, low-speed planing, and forgiveness for mistakes. The 3 SR has a top speed of 31 mph for fast carving, with a riding time of up to two hours for exploration. Its deck is covered with a soft-grip pad for comfort while offering secure footing for the rider. Awake designed this as the beginners’ board to build skills for advanced e-foiling. From $13,900
Aerofoils’ collaboration with Audi finds the automaker’s e-tron aesthetics integrated into a board that, with its tight turning radius, shares the marque’s penchant for agility. The pictured Performance model is just what it sounds like, offering advanced riders knife-like turning, fun in the surf and a top speed of 34.2 mph. The e-drive is integrated into the fuselage and pushes the wing directly, which Aerofoils says creates more stability and the potential for tighter curves. The e-foil also has up to two hours of battery life. From about $17,300
Lift’s new 57-inch-long, all-carbon-fiber Sport has sound-dampening technology and new wings—with multiple wing options for fast cruising or razor-sharp carving—that enhance stability at higher speeds. The add-on Blowfish attachment is an inflatable collar that goes around the edge of the Sport, offering even more stability or the ability to cruise seated, like a small boat. The Lift4 series also includes a 50-inch Pro model for advanced riders. From $12,995
The E is the largest board in SiFly’s range, designed for beginners and heavier riders. But the design team didn’t skimp on style or a safe-but-thrilling ride. Its 6’3” length delivers stability, while its 28-mph top end is fast, but not scary fast. Battery life is two hours, while charging time is 2.5 hours. The E has two mast lengths and three wings that dial in stability and speed for specific owners in different conditions. From about $7,800
Swedish newcomer LIND has reimagined the electric surfboard, sans foils, in a classic California style. Available in a shortboard or mid-length for different abilities, the Canvas is beautiful and lightweight, featuring modular construction that doesn’t require tools. It’s about as close to surfing as you can get without waves. The board weighs just 15 lbs., and the battery and jet can be carried separately in a custom backpack. The Canvas also features a compact, powerful and lightweight powertrain that delivers a top end of 37.2 mph. The craftsmanship on this board is exceptional. From $24,950
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So, without further ado, here's the SAIL Top 10 Best Boats for 2023. After exploring a mix of bluewater boats, racer/cruisers, speedsters, dinghies, and multihulls, we've settled on the very best the industry has to offer. We were excited to see that designers and builders are steadily pushing the envelope in propulsion, electrical ...
For many, seamanship is essential to the yachting experience. If you prefer life behind the helm, you'll want to opt for an owner-operable yacht under fifty feet. Ready to captain your own ship? Here are five of our favorite motor yachts for 2022. Regal 38 Fly Hatteras GT45X Galeon 405 HTS Leopard 42 Cruiser Yachts 38 GLS
The Oyster 495, European Yacht of the Year 2023. A new breed of 50 foot sailing yacht, delivering bluewater sailing performance, luxurious living space for six guest and shallow-draft keel option.
The fully fish-rigged sportfish yacht comes with a queen bed stateroom, salon and a full galley. It's a modern take on a classic yacht. Bertram boats are reliable and a safe choice. With 126 SQ FT of cockpit room, you have plenty of space for casting, socializing, dining, sunbathing, and whatever else takes your fancy.
The Cruisers Yachts 50 GLS is a large and luxurious outboard-powered dayboat that rides well, entertains a large crowd, and offers cruising amenities.
Fuel Capacity: 660 gal. Cruisers Yachts - Oconto, Wisconsin; 800-743-3478; cruisersyachts.com. More: 2023 Boat Buyers Guide, 2023 Boat Buyers Guide Runabout Boats, Boats, Cruisers Yachts, Runabouts. The Cruisers Yachts 50 GLS is outfitted to be the ultimate dayboat, but with its overnighting capabilities you'll want to spend multiple days aboard.
When you buy a new boat with Denison, such as a Beneteau or SŌLACE, you get a range of benefits, including warranty protection and service support. Here are five new boat models under 50 feet available for sale with Denison in 2023.
Egg Harbor's advanced technology; engineering and design produced the lightweight, composite construction that offers one of the longest ranges of any 50-foot sportfishing yacht in the world. The 50's roomy flybridge, a key distinguishing SportYacht characteristic, rivals those found on much larger yachts. She is an example of design integrity ...
Three French boats of similar size and price points came together to form the Best Full-Size Cruiser 50 to 54 Feet class, but the Dufour stole the show.
The master brings the warmly relaxing interior atmosphere below deck with rounded furniture, unexpected decorations and a finishing touch of matte bronze. Between a boutique hotel and a home-away-from-home, the suite offers every comfort. Azimut Fly 50, a 50 foot flybridge yacht which grants an unmatched feel of delight and wellness.
See the best motor yachts by length, including sportfishing, catamaran, superyachts and express cruising luxury vessels.
The Cruisers Yachts 50 GLS is an express cruiser with entertaining capabilities throughout, 50-knot speed, and a Bahamas-friendly draft.
Relatively compact offerings ruled the waves with regard to the Boat of the Year fleet for 2023, and nowhere was this more evident than in the "big boat" Full-Size Cruiser division, with a quartet of nominees firmly ensconced in the 40- to 50-foot range. But this Euro-centric class—a pair of entries came from German consortium Hanse Yachts AG, with Sweden (Hallberg-Rassy) and Slovenia ...
2023 Boat of the Year: Best Midsize Cruiser It was terrific to see a trio of boats in the mid-30-foot division, but also to discover that all three yachts in the class were exemplary sailboats.
In 2023, those shipyards were number one, two, and three respectively in total length of new build yachts. ... The entire 40-to-50 foot segment for Sea Ray, which includes a 450 Express Bridge and a 480 Sedan Bridge, leads the brokerage market entirely in terms of number of sales in the U.S. ... If you are researching what the best flybridge ...
For all that today's sailing hardware makes it possible for shorthanded crews to handle larger and larger boats, there's still something special about a well-found monohull in the mid-30ft range. Case in point, the Marc Lombard-designed Beneteau Oceanis 34.1, what looks to be a fine performance-cruiser with twin rudders, twin helms and an easy-to-handle rig with a self-tacking headsail ...
This boat is the solution to the best on-water escape with your family or friends. This 50-foot Formula boat offers outstanding amenities and is the ultimate luxury boat for boating enthusiasts. You'll enjoy a single-level, wide-open bowrider that invites mingling and easy access to all of the areas in the 500 Super Sport Crossover.
For every shoe, there's a foot, and for every boating enthusiast, there's a yacht. For those individuals who like to cruise their yachts across blue water, spend months on board or voyage to remote beaches and quiet coves, a trawler yacht is the go-to vessel choice. But even within this yacht genre, there are many options. For example, there are some mighty midsize trawlers that are easily ...
Cruisers Yachts 50 GLS The 50 GLS for sale at your local dealer is the flagship in the adventure-seeking GLS series of sport luxury bowriders. The 50 GLS features relaxing bow seating, dinette seating accompanying an ample exterior galley, and a generous cockpit complete with dual beach doors. The accommodation level features a forward queen size berth, a mid-berth sleeping area, and a head ...
The Fountaine-Pajot and Lagoon—longtime pillars in the production catamaran community—came head-to-head for the title of best cruising cat over 50 feet.
Winner best performance yachts 2023 - Beneteau First 36. Where once we could assume a cruiser-racer was a fairly standard format design, over the last decade it's been much more the sexy ...
This new 50-footer is amongst the best ones even among Hallberg-Rassy's undeniably high legacy of cruiser yachts. Performance, reliability and dignity of both sailing and living are found in balance which is served with the excellent ergonomics of electrically powered deck hardware.
Selecting the best boat for the Great Loop to navigate the route's diverse waterways makes all the difference on this marathon adventure.
A 50-foot yacht caught fire on Saturday in Florida's Clearwater Harbor. Sat, 24 Aug 2024 23:18:32 GMT (1724541512376) Story Infinite Scroll - News3 v1.0.0 (common) ...
E-folis is the fastest-growing segment of yacht toys. Here's our top six picks from names like Lift and Aerofoils for all rider types. The 6 Best Electric Surfboards to Catch E-Foil Wave