Great Loop Radio: Doing the Loop in a 14-foot, Self-Built Boat

There's been a lot of talk lately about Looping in record time, but how about completing the Loop over almost 13 years? And, what if you could compare a trawler, a powercat, and a motor yacht as liveaboard Looping boats? Bruce & Hilary recently completed the Great Loop after more than 12 years, and over that time, they did Loop segments aboard a Silverton, an Endeavor catamaran, and a Mainship. They'll share their unique insight into Looping slowly, and the features of the three very different boats they used to complete their Great Loop. 

Chances are you've heard about 71-year-old Robert Youens who recently completed the Great Loop on his jon boat, Ageless Wanderer, in just over 19 days. On this week's episode of the Great Loop Radio podcast, Robert joins us to share the story of his adventure. We'll talk about why he decided to try to break a Great Loop speed record and how his journey was similar in many ways to more "traditional" Loopers who complete the route in over a year. Robert also talks about the extensive research and planning he did before starting the 6,000-mile route, and why taking on an adventure of this nature is a privilege that must be earned.

What do you do after you've finished the Loop? Post-Loop blues is a real thing! For Rev & Sam, they turned Life After the Loop into a business where they help others fulfill their Great Loop dreams, and they also continue boating in new and different settings. Listen this week as we catch up with Rev & Sam and hear all about their Life After the Loop.

We continue our Story of Our Loop series this week with our guests, Mike & Darlene. They did the Loop in a non-traditional way by traveling home every other weekend. They'll share how they made the frequent trips home work, how they arranged travel, and how their way of Looping may have changed their overall experience. Mike & Darlene provide inspiration for those who may need to travel home frequently while Looping to handle family, work, or health obligations.

Our popular "Story of our Loop" series returns this week as we feature Malcom & Rachel from "Stay Cool", a Mainship 390 that completed the Great Loop in 2023. Malcolm and Rachel share why their chose their boat, the details of their adventure, how they stayed in compliance with regulations as Canadians traveling for an extended period time in the U.S. and advice for future Loopers. You can learn more about Malcolm & Rachel on their YouTube channel, https://www.youtube.com/@staycool123.

If you enjoyed our episode a few weeks back on "Looper Lore", then you'll appreciate this episode as we bust some Great Loop myths. Kim & Ted from Pony are our guests as we explore some of those Looper sayings, or pieces of advice, that you might want to reconsider when planning and cruising your own Great Loop adventure.