How NOT to Finish the Great American Loop -- May/June 2023 Update

[@manfredseidler1531]

I stumbled into your post... I'm the lucky one... best of luck, the best is yet to come

[@TheBoomershines]

Welcome aboard! And thank you for the kind words :)

[@rgronback]

So glad to hear you are going to make videos of the whole loop. Looking forward to it. (not sure how I missed your monthly updates, so they're first). 13 year batteries!? Amazing.

[@TheBoomershines]

Glad you found us again! The updates will be a bit of a spoiler but also only cover the very tip of the iceberg that was our Loop. Hopefully all the episodes are entertaining and informative. Thanks for watching!

[@Captain_Clark_CDoryAdventures]

Very cool errrrbody. Blessing to the beloved captain. I'm a registered nurse and I know that injury is no joke. Sending light, love, and prayers your way as always! ❤❤❤

[@TheBoomershines]

Thank you!!! Thankfully he has managed to avoid that surgery thus far. Fingers crossed...

[@jaymarlin3565]

Nice to see a man and a woman who love each other and are not afraid to show it. A good plan. Keep the camera rollin'..!

[@TheBoomershines]

Thank you! Will do!

[@jodiplock4784]

So true, we need to look around us and stop watching the news

[@cheerio3847]

another idea to add to your list of possible future fun things to do with the kids - rent a boat and take the french canals from the Med all the way up thru the country. I've seen bits of others taking boats thru the french canals and it looks so interesting and a cool way to see and travel France.

[@TheBoomershines]

I LOVE this idea!!!! Going to research now.....

[@markkloecker925]

Happy birthday!!!!!!

[@TheBoomershines]

A VERY belated thank you LOL :)

[@dianemilligan7370]

Can’t wait for the Loop videos! Hope Mark’s surgery goes well!

[@TheBoomershines]

Thank you!!!

[@finneri7130]

Good luck with your next chapter. Looking fwd to see the loop videos!

[@TheBoomershines]

Thank you! Us too LOL

[@sammybowden9440]

Looking forward to seeing all your adventures!

[@TheBoomershines]

Yay! Thank you!

[@jerryhaidinger3218]

Great recap….MB…get well soon!

[@TheBoomershines]

Thank you!

[@BellsRidesAboardSeaBoss]

What a great story and I look forward to seeing more videos of the loop as you edit. Have fun reliving your adventure and Enjoy the Ride.

[@TheBoomershines]

Thank you for this sweet comment! We are finally editing and posting our loop adventure (and apparently also responding to kind comments 10 months late -- sorry about that). We are having a blast reliving the adventure. Hope you enjoy it too!

[@riverfisher2123]

Really looking forward to this. Ya'll do a great job, very entertaining. Thanks

[@TheBoomershines]

Awww thank you so much for taking the time to say that. :)

[@wendybusby9525]

Congratulations!

[@TheBoomershines]

🥳

[@sterlingd9035]

Soo glad things worked out and he is better HAPPY Birthday can't wait for the shows to come Best Wishes

[@TheBoomershines]

Thanks so much

[@teachingrounds]

You guys are such great story tellers

[@TheBoomershines]

Thank you :)

[@bistrobuzztv9226]

Thank you for all of the great advice! 😊 We just had all the batteries changed a few weeks ago, and we just purchased our boat!

[@TheBoomershines]

Congratulations! Are you doing the Loop?

[@tripperwin1379]

Wow so awesome truly love to hear about the great people and experiences you all have had. Love “what is the best that can happen” the Erwin household is adopting!

[@TheBoomershines]

Definitely adopt it! That saying is a game changer :)

[@mvanvliet4953]

I JUST found you. Looking forward to your Loop videos!

[@TheBoomershines]

Welcome aboard!!!

[@mvanvliet4953]

...and you have finished the Loop, gone to The Bahamas, and sold your boat :( . I will enjoy catching up on your adventures!

[@TheBoomershines]

Lots more episodes to come. We are just getting started on editing all the footage. Thanks for joining the adventure!

[@karlmacburnie1573]

Congratulations! There are many many forks in our short life here on earth to enjoy. God Bless y'all and I'm looking forward to seeing your adventures relived.

[@steveng.6845]

Love you all. I can’t wait for the detailed story of your loop adventure. I’m looking forward to doing my own version soon.

[@TheBoomershines]

You will have a blast on your loop. Thanks for your sweet words. More videos coming soon.

[@rickwilliams5141]

Cannot wait to see and enjoy the actual loop trip with you Guys. In the meantime, Happy Birthday, all the best with the move back into your house, kids to school, etc, etc. Just do not start another life's chapter until you have finished this one. Ie, edit and publish your Great Loop adventures:)

[@TheBoomershines]

LOL Don't worry. I need time to recover from this life chapter before starting a big new one. So lots of Loop videos to come.

[@rickwilliams5141]

@@TheBoomershines Fantastic and all the best for the future:)

[@mikehlavinka2964]

Congratulations and happy birthday. Looking forward to all the future videos to come. Just seeing the manatees and the snorkeling was fabulous. What a great story.

[@TheBoomershines]

It was an incredible experience. We can’t wait to share more!

[@johnschieffelin3226]

Can't wait for the "real" Loop experience videos. I've enjoyed all the videos but wished for more detail about places you visit. Hope the neck is OK. I suggest waiting until you are back in Atlanta where you can take your time to find a truly world-class neck/spine surgeon. That surgery is very tricky and life could get worse if it is done wrong.

[@TheBoomershines]

Agreed! Thankfully Mark got well enough to keep going until we can really do our research. Thanks for your patience until we get to the good stuff of our adventure.

[@darrellyoung9586]

Just 17 miles......You will make it. No problem. So my sister and her husband bought a boat to do the Loop. They live in Milton, GA. They are members of the Atlanta Power Squadron. They started in GA and got all the way around to Jacksonville before the stbd engine died. The boat sat there for a year without being able to get the engine repaired. Finally a Marine Inspector wanted to buy the boat. He did. Ran on one engine back up to GA, so the "boat" has now crossed its wake. My sister and brother-in-law have yet to finish the loop. But they have a Boston Whaler, so they will one day take it to Jacksonville and make the run up the ICW to their starting point of Thunderbolt, GA. Now that is how NOT to finish the Loop.

[@TheBoomershines]

Oh no! They were so close. I hope they finish their loop in the Whaler. What a story that will be. Thanks for sharing :)

[@patrickhampton6248]

Happy birthday

[@TheBoomershines]

Thank you!

[@tmac709]

👍

[@edwardhartman8575]

Have fun, see you later.

[@TheBoomershines]

Thanks :)

[@hhhhhh7658l]

I would definitely get multiple opinions before surgery. I had major back problems for about 20 years bulging disk . My dr said don't have surgery until last resort. Everyone I know that gets disk surgery keeps having more problems. Hope you feel better no worse pain

[@edwardranno7119]

Wow 13 year old batteries,you are crazy🎉🎉🎉

[@TheBoomershines]

Agreed! That was an impressive run for those guys.

[@jackwmoody]

I live in Gainesville on Lanier. Come up for your boat withdrawal fix if you need....

[@TheBoomershines]

Thanks Jack! I grew up in Lanier! It can definitely be Ocean like at times. We are on a lake about an hour and a half north of you:)

[@ppgwhereeverett4412]

This STILL is my favorite boat !! IF I had the money I would give you your asking price (I don't care how much) !! I can actually say that since I Don't have the money ! lol

[@TheBoomershines]

LOL. SeaSHINE is our favorite boat too. And there is nothing else like her with 4 staterooms and head. A true unicorn.

[@billdomb]

what KIND of spine surgery? Mind sharing any details?

[@sisaacs6071]

FuzzyNugget checking in on Captain Mark, how are you doing??? And Secondly how are my clients and what were their votes on leaving SeaShine??? Here's my human, 😳😳😭 I vote sell the dirt house or lease it out KEEP THE BOAT!!! Safe travels 🙏 and Keep us posted on the Neck please.... Scott and FuzzyNugget the traveling Cat

[@TheBoomershines]

FuzzyNugget -- you are so thoughtful. We just posted an update on Captain Mark. If you look closely, you will see a cameo from one of the ship kitties. The ship kitties are adjusting well to land life. Lots of tree climbing and frolicking outside. Scott-- if we didn't have to deal with school, we'd still be on SeaSHINE but school (and my sanity LOL) calls.

[@csranch2000]

Why do you need to hire a captain to go near Harbor Island? I have never heard that before. Getting ready to take our boat down to Bahamas and trying to learn all we can before the adventure. Where are you listing your boat?

[@TheBoomershines]

Google The Devil’s Backbone on the approach to Harbor Island and you will see why a local knowledge pilot is needed. He hops on and hops off. SeaSHINE is listed with Great Loop Yacht Sales.

[@csranch2000]

@@TheBoomershines Thanks so much. I don't think I will have a problem as we only draft 3'2" on our 40' They are saying drafting less than 10' shouldn't be a problem. I had not heard about hiring a capt. to guy one through. Might be good if needed. Thanks!

[@richardrada8108]

Hi, can you please comment on how much fuel you consumed? You just mentioned 7000 miles. Well I just sold my boat that got say .75 mpg. @ 24-26kts. Which is best speed for fuel burn, 2200-2300rpm on twin Cummins 450hp Diamond Series. So your boat being a bit larger, presumably a bit heavier but maybe not as fast? What is your mpg? Then fuel last year I’d guess maybe $5 a gallon if lucky but nearer $6. So somewhere north of $40K? Then maybe at anchor many nights? But surely $100+ a night for a marina berth? So as I’m considering purchasing another somewhat bigger boat and possibly doing this trip I just wanted to ask a few basic questions. I have watched a number of your interesting videos, especially on your boat search. If this data was shared in another video I apologize. Please let me know if you can. Thanks Rick

[@TheBoomershines]

Thanks Rick! SeaSHINE is a long range cruiser and built extremely robust. She is around 40 tons, yet at a cruise of our usual Loop speed she would get a fantastic 1 MPG traveling about 8-10 kts. She can go upwards of 18 kts, which is an incredible feat for her tonnage. You will VERY rarely go your best cruise speed of 24-26 kts on the Loop. You will settle in under 10 kts for MANY miles. As far as fuel prices…I wish the fuel prices were as you guessed. We paid nearly $9 gallon in Canada, luckily with her economy of cruising we only used half our in 6 weeks of constant moving. Make the Loop your own and every has a budget that works for them.

[@richardrada8108]

@@TheBoomershines Not 40 tons, possibly 40,000#. But who is counting

[@TheBoomershines]

@@richardrada8108 Nope. 40 tons is correct. 77,000 #’s dry. She is a hefty girl. Believe me I was definitely counting… especially when finding a haul out.

[@brooksmieure5385]

How did you do the loop while still having kids????!!!!

[@TheBoomershines]

It wasn't always easy LOL. But it was also awesome! We homeschooled while doing the Loop and made so many wonderful memories.

[@ppgwhereeverett4412]

We pick up trasl (lots of it sometimes) every time we kayak on the California Delta !! Plastic !! Bottles, bags, tops, etc and just Trash !

[@TheBoomershines]

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! Every little bit helps!

[@billdomb]

We e at Riviera Beach City Marina. Wanna try getting together?

[@TheBoomershines]

So sorry I am just now reading your sweet comment. We were up to our eyeballs in crazy while we were at Old Port Cove so our social life - and our social media manners -- suffered. Hope you are still enjoying life on the water and thanks again for reaching out and for the kind offer.