Get your Great Loop Adventure off to a good start with an experienced Great Loop cruiser on board.
Possible routes for the Great Loop.
So you’ve decided that you want to do the Great Loop. You’ve got your perfect looping boat and maybe even a willing companion. But are you really ready to tackle the day in and day out realities of cruising in unknown waters?
That’s where I can help. I’ve traveled nearly 10,000 nautical miles along the Great Loop in my own boat and with others. I’ve learned, through first-hand experience — not from online sources like armchair Loopers and for-profit associations pushing meet-ups and sponsors — exactly what you need to know and do to have a smooth, enjoyable, and successful Great Loop cruise.
I’ll Teach You What You Need to Know
I’ll join you as a working crew member for the start of your Great Loop cruise, staying on board for one to four weeks — as long as you need to feel comfortable about continuing on your own. I’ll tell you everything I think you should know to make your trip better — and you can pick my brain to learn more. Think of me as your Looping Professor on your own private, hands-on Great Loop course.
At a minimum, I’ll teach you about:
- Prepping your boat to make travel and docking easier.
- What to bring and, maybe more importantly, what not to bring.
- Planning the next month, week, and day of your journey.
- Checking weather and notices to mariners along your route.
- Using onboard navigation and autopilot systems, as well as tablet-based navigation systems.
- Understanding aids to navigation.
- Dealing with unexpected situations, including those that cause plan changes.
- Finding and selecting marinas, free dock walls, and anchorages.
- Docking and anchoring out.
- Making the most of destination amenities.
- Dealing with pets on board.
- Meeting other loopers for docktails and other get-togethers along the way.
- Handling common chores like reprovisioning, doing laundry, pumping out, and fueling.
- Getting boat maintenance and repairs.
- Saving money along the way.
Unless you need active assistance, I’ll leave all boat operations up to you. I think it’s best for you to get your own experience, right from the start, especially if the boat is new to you. I’ll guide you as needed and be there if you need help.
Requirements
I do have a few requirements to join you:
- Your boat must be seaworthy and have passed a Coast Guard inspection within the past 6 months. These inspections are free and are conducted at marinas by Coast Guard Auxiliary members.
- Your boat must have private sleeping space for me. It doesn’t need to be big — heck, I could sleep in a Ranger Tug “cave” — but it does need to be private. I do not need my own head.
- I require a minimum time of 5 days with you and would prefer not to stay more than four weeks. Any portion of a day counts as an entire day.
- I charge a fee of $200 per day for my services.
- I require a $500 travel allowance if I am traveling from west of the Mississippi. (I am based in Washington State.) If I’m joining you directly from a previous job, the travel allowance may be negotiable.
- If meals are not provided, I require a $100 per day meal allowance. (I am not a picky eater and have no problem joining you for meals.)
Contact Me
If you are interested in having me join you for the start of your Great Loop adventure, get in touch now:
- Call me and leave a message: 509-699-8044. My phone does not ring for unknown callers, so if you don’t leave a message, I won’t call back.
- Use the form below to email me. Be sure to tell me a little about your boat and your experience, as well as where you’re starting your loop. (Don’t worry, I don’t collect or sell email addresses or other information.)