Who’s Looping?

Conversations with 3 different loopers this week are a good example of some of the range of people doing the loop.  One thing these three loopers have in common is that they bought their boat shortly before they began the Great Loop. 

Looper 1 is a couple in their 40’s (considered young for a Looper) who are trying to do the Loop for free. They bought their used 36’ sailboat for $9,000 and look for every way they can to incur no costs. They don’t stay at marinas and either anchor out or look for free places to tie up.

Looper 2 is a recently retired couple (typical Looper) with a 36’ aft cabin boat built in 1977. These boats sell for ~$40,000.  He bought this boat because it was in his price range and he does almost all his work himself.  They do the usual mix of marinas, anchoring out and are fairly typical.

Looper 3 bought a 51’ sedan bridge boat in May.  The boat was built in 2003 and sells for around $300,000.  This is the higher end of typical Looper boats, but not unusual. This Looper decided to do the Loop shortly after buying the boat and was very excited about being able to use the smaller airfields around the loop to be able to fly home when needed on his Cessna Citation (Private Jet). This was the first we had heard of that approach.

There are a few sailboats doing the Loop. They have to “step” their masts to get under a few bridges, so they look different in the marinas or anchored out. 

Sail Catamaran with the mast stepped (laid down)

There are also people doing the Loop in personal watercraft (Seadoos) but we haven’t actually seen them to speak with them, although it would be an interesting conversation.