Bob, we completed the loop 2006 - 2007 in a 36' sailboat, starting in Georgian Bay.  By using the Great Loop Lists and email we were able to get the interest of three other sailboats doing the loop the same year.  Through a coordinated effort we shipped four masts from Waukegan to Mobile on the same truck.  Mast were removed by Northern Marine in Waukegan, prepared for shipping by owners and shipped late October (after hurricane threats) to Turner's Marine in Mobile.  Spending two months in the river systems without a mast over the deck made it easier to lock and get into marinas.  It also reduced our use of bandaids from head injuries.  Sharing a truck reduces the cost, which, by the way was still about $1,000 for transportation and storage at both ends.  We carried our mast thru NY canals as we could stay on the canal walls at night and the distance was much less.

Gerry Hawke -  AERIE

Bob, I would echo what Gerry said.  I'm a 30+ year sailor who's moved to
powerboats due to a bad back.  We did the loop in 2006 on our trawler, so
know both sailboats and looping.  Step the mast and put it on deck for the
Erie portion of the trip; there are lots of yards in the Albany area, all
have significant experience in doing so - and many even have the left-over
mast cradles/wood pieces from other transits that you can use to create your
own cradle. Put your mast back up for the Great Lakes (come on, that's GREAT
sailing!) then step it again in the Chicago area and ship it to Mobile -
preferably with a group like Gerry did.

You really don't want to have the mast on deck for the river portion of the
trip - it lengthens your LOA, upping your dockage fees but more importantly,
it makes locking much more difficult because you always have to be careful
of your mast overhanging the stern and bow - the last thing you want to do
is smash your mast up against a lock wall on a lousy approach.  And your
deck space becomes crowded and an unpleasant place to hang out.

Just my two cents....

Paige Caldwell

Email:  MPonGolden@gmail.com

Website:  www.GoldenTrawler.com http://www.goldentrawler.com/

-----Original Message-----
From: great-loop-bounces@lists.trawlering.com
[mailto:great-loop-bounces@lists.trawlering.com] On Behalf Of
gerry.hawke@sympatico.ca
Sent: Tuesday, November 22, 2011 10:37 AM
To: triacondor@yahoo.com
Cc: great-loop@lists.trawlering.com
Subject: GL: Up & coming looper

Bob, we completed the loop 2006 - 2007 in a 36' sailboat, starting in
Georgian Bay.  By using the Great Loop Lists and email we were able to get
the interest of three other sailboats doing the loop the same year.  Through
a coordinated effort we shipped four masts from Waukegan to Mobile on the
same truck.  Mast were removed by Northern Marine in Waukegan, prepared for
shipping by owners and shipped late October (after hurricane threats) to
Turner's Marine in Mobile.  Spending two months in the river systems without
a mast over the deck made it easier to lock and get into marinas.  It also
reduced our use of bandaids from head injuries.  Sharing a truck reduces the
cost, which, by the way was still about $1,000 for transportation and
storage at both ends.  We carried our mast thru NY canals as we could stay
on the canal walls at night and the distance was much less.

Gerry Hawke -  AERIE

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