While I toyed with converting an appropriate 21-25' IO boat and powering with a small, high efficiency outboard, I realized that the handling and stability of the hull would suffer greatly from the removal of nearly 1,000 pounds at the stern. Since fuel economy is a particularly critical element, this small outboard option on a comfortably-sized hull was not feasible.
Nearly everyone who has been to the Great Loop websites (America's Great Loop or Great Loop Cruising Association) knows that you can make this trip with a variety of different types of craft, but either a diesel trawler or sailboat is the best platform.
While I have equipped my personal sailboat with nearly everything I'd need for this trip, I decided that a project boat would be a better selection for now.
With the exception of the Great Lakes, some areas of the Gulf, Florida Coast and East Coast of the U.S., there's not much of the route that lends itself to hoisting the sails. The boat that made last year's trip was coming from the Hudson River and I met up with it in Hammond, Indiana (very near Chicago). The skipper noted that there was only four or five days on the way from Buffalo to Chicago where the winds were favorable to travelling by sail power. And, there were no days possible in the 1200 miles down to Mobile. Kingston, NY to Mobile represents a full 1/3 of the loop!
A sailboat with a mast also has to contend with the complexity of carrying it, stepping it, un-stepping it, rigging it and associated costs. The option of shipping it to Mobile was taken on this trip and not regretted.
So, what about having a low cost sailboat and not even have the mast available? What about converting a sailboat to a long, skinny looper boat powered by a diesel or small outboard?
I selected this particular boat as the basis for this project for a variety of reasons:
- It was very, very reasonably priced.
- It was missing many parts, but did have some things that could be sold, including the mast, winches, sails and some sailing hardware.
- It was trailerable. While not trailer launch able it could still be stored on the trailer at any time it needed to be out of service and "portaged" by road on areas of the trip where it was desirable.
- It was nearly a blank canvas. While interior bulkheads and bilge framing was intact, nearly everything else was missing. This will allow me to modify as I see fit without "wasting" any components.
- It has a long companionway/hatch opening that was originally equipped with a pop-top to allow standing headroom in the main cabin. This area can be equipped with the equivalent of a canvas pilot house.
- It has a head and holding tank. While it may not be serviceable as is, it can be repaired or replaced and the space is already dedicated to this use.
