We have completed The Great Loop in a 260

[Bob Fliegel]

Follow Up Question?

Also, I would be curious as to which sections of the trip you considered among the most beatiful and which sections you found to be disappointing?

 

[Bob Fliegel]

Follow Up Question?

Also, I would be curious as to which sections of the trip you considered among the most beatiful and which sections you found to be disappointing?

 

[Bob Fliegel]

Follow Up Question?

Also, I would be curious as to which sections of the trip you considered among the most beatiful and which sections you found to be disappointing?

 

[Vern]

Very Impressive

I love the photos. Thanks for giving us the opportunity to look at them during our long cold northern winters. I intend on looking at each one.You have also answered indirectly a question I've had about durability of an outboard. I've always been afraid to motor with my almost new Nissan 9.9 for more than an hour or so. Just my neurosis.What do you think was the cause for semi-submerged hulls? Hurricane debris?

 

[Vern]

Very Impressive

I love the photos. Thanks for giving us the opportunity to look at them during our long cold northern winters. I intend on looking at each one.You have also answered indirectly a question I've had about durability of an outboard. I've always been afraid to motor with my almost new Nissan 9.9 for more than an hour or so. Just my neurosis.What do you think was the cause for semi-submerged hulls? Hurricane debris?

 

[HAL]

LOOP

I was wondering how you were doing on the 260 great loop.How did the rudders get broken? I thought long periods of fighting excess weather helm probably led to broken rudders. You were motoring most of the time.What gas mileage did you get?Did you notice any difference in the way the 260 sailed with your trip level of ballast, compared to usual loading?

 

[John Nantz]

More Congratulations

Way to go John! That's a real accomplishment. Looked at your great pictures and it looks like it was a really interesting trip.One picture seemed to be of a really large sand dune, I guess. Didn't know they could get that large. The pelican picture was a really good one.I'm really impressed that the two of you were able to make it with everything in a 26-footer. Heck, when we go somewhere with our 35 we've almost got it down to the boot stripe!There was nothing mentioned, but one of the hazards could have been the sun? For a continuous trip that long it would seem that sun exposure would be a killer.Earlier this year I was trying to figure out how the connection went between Chicago and the Mississippi and tried to follow the river that went through the city but couldn't find any information about depth or bridge clearance. Perhaps that was one of the areas where you had to drop the mast?So now that you got this tremendous trip under your belt - any plans for an encore? Probably take a good rest for a bit?A bit of trivia: A friend of mine and his buddy went down the length of the Mississippi on a raft using drums. This was in the early '60s.Anyway, congratulations on completing such a great trip and thanks for sharing your experiences and photos with us!Very Well Done!

 

[LKYusnret]

Answers to some of the questions

Some of our background: We retired last Jan to become long term boat live a boards. I was already retired Navy sailor mostly on subs, also retired from Toyota and last was Volvo Trucks. Anita retired from Polo Ralph Lauren. I had been planning on a round the world trip for 30 years, Anita wanted to do the Loop before we started out on the circumnavigation. We have owned the 260 since 2001 and started to get it ready for this trip about 3 years ago. As an electrical engineer I had a head start. I installed marine air with reverse cycle (Heat), a 15 amp shore power connection, 2 K Honda generator, 2400 watt inverter, 4 type 31 gel batteries (enough power to run the AC on batteries for about 6 hours on the hook), a microwave, auto pilot with RF remote, pressurized water with 26 gal tank, Flat screen TV with DVD player, 500 Watt inverter to charge cell, spot lights etc. Chart plotter with fish finder, 24 inch anchor roller with Claw anchor, full battened new main with 3 reef points, asymmetrical spinnaker, roller fuller jib, what we call the camper top (over 6 ft head room) new cushions for the aft bunk (about 4 inches thick) new engine 9.8 4 cycle now with 1012 hours on engine, new 4 HP 4 cycle and 6 ft dink, florescent lighting below deck, battery monitor, new VHF radio with 2 remotes, designed doors for the hatchway, pedestal steering with remote engine controls enough gas stowage for about 40 gals of gas, improved bulge pump, treated the below water line with anti-fouling paint, added a 2 burner alcohol stove, added a 4 watt Cell phone amplifier with outside cell antenna, had straightened the bond between deck and hull with SS bolts every 6 inches all the way around, carry 25 ft of chain with 200 ft of rode, and a stern anchor with bracket on the stern rail. We have an Bimini to keep the sun off us most of the time. Anita and I agree the the Erie canal was our favorite of the trip (we traveled the full 490 miles of it, least favorite was the Tim-Tom canal. The broken rudder I believe was caused by the flexing of the rudder up and down creating a flex structure fracture, we never hit anything. Baums Rush seemed to not sail as well (slower) with the loading we had. We have taken Baums Rush to the Bahamas Twice but we haven't posted any pictures. I feel that sometimes this web site is a little critical so I just post what I have done and not much on the trips we take. For the people that are interested in out future trips send me a note to add you to our e-mail list. We are now back home in NC till the first of the year, then we start a major refit on our other boat Bright Eyes (Corbin 39) that we are planning on taking around the world. LKYusnret2@aol.com John and Anita S/V Baums Rush and Bright Eyes.PS we are now in the process of selling Baums Rush if anybody is interested.