This is why we love cruising the Georgia Coast! Sapelo Island to Savannah on the Loop

Planning for slack tide in Savannah gives us a very early departure from Sapelo Island. This morning is the type of morning we think of when we think of "Georgia Coast". Beautiful water, remote, and tons of wildlife!
Thanks for watching!
Cheers from the Loop,
Jennifer and Elliot
#greatloop #boatlife #savannah
🎥 Episode 226 | Filmed on April 4th, 2022
🇺🇸 America's Great Loop | Sapelo Island, Georgia
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ABOUT US
Hi! We are high school sweethearts from Atlanta, Georgia who decided to take a year off to travel around the world. Together we decided to create vlogs for our journey as a fun way to remember it. On September 15, 2019, we left Atlanta with 3 bags, 2 one-way tickets, and 1 goal of traveling for a whole year. Little did we know, 6 months later we would find ourselves in a nationwide lockdown in India. After spending 5 months in India, we came back to the United States and decided to purchase a 34’ Trawler, dive headfirst into boat life, and kick-off America’s Great Loop.
The good, the bad, the ugly - and most importantly, the real and real funny. We’re not here to tell you “how it’s done.”, just how we’ve done it. And that whatever it is that’s calling you - the way you’ll do it is much more attainable than it may seem.
Thank you for following us along our journey!
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[@mcouture8169]

Another wonderful video 🙂! How Elliott works on an engine in a white shirt without getting it dirty is simply amazing.

[@SchoandJo]

hahah. You can't notice any stains when the shirt is already stained beyond belief 😂

[@frankrice5364]

Thank you for sharing

[@buckpowers4837]

Enjoy Savannah and the trip is one that will go down in the memory books. Pay attention to the small headaches early and it may well eliminate the big ones. Enjoy

[@SchoandJo]

Great advice! Thanks so much Buck!

[@ChrisMathews518]

Wow! I grew up on Tybee Isle. and Savannah. Been in the Ga. mtns. 17 yrs. now and you have made me soooo homesick. I had a boat when i was 12 and i have been down all those rivers, creeks and sloughs. Cheers Y'all and thanks.....

[@SchoandJo]

Oh right on, Chris! Thanks for watching!

[@SchoandJo]

Love the Ga mountains as well!

[@tmac709]

That was a nice peaceful daytime cruise. I hope your engine problem had an easy fix. When Ollie conks out...she conks out! 😀

[@SchoandJo]

If only we could all pass out like Ollie does 😁

[@lesterwicklein717]

thanks for vids...

[@SchoandJo]

Thanks Lester!

[@frankrice5364]

Awesome vedio

[@SchoandJo]

Thanks Frank!

[@hueandsteve1989]

Pretty sure Ollie love you guys, but, remember it’s her boat, she’s the boss & you guys are along for the ride as the crew. We love our furry family members. Does Ollie react if you say dolphin when taking her for a walk? I’m glad everything’s ok with Pivot.

[@SchoandJo]

Haha surprisingly she doesn't react too much to dolphins while we are walking, she knows theres the correlation to the water I guess?? Pivots running well, just some blips on the radar 😁 99% sure it was a combination of low fuel with an old filter - but no issues since we refilled. As always thanks for watching Steve!

[@timgreen4137]

You guys seem to spend a lot of time just sitting. To enjoy the surrounding sights. Do you ever "fish for dinner" off the side of your boat? The waters are all pretty and clean in the Caribbean area.

[@SchoandJo]

Nope! We haven't fished off Pivot, we're not too much into fishing but we do have the gear onboard. We much rather exploring areas! While we are underway we are focused on the cruise though 😁

[@DD-xx8wh]

another great episode! ...if one can only do the Loop infrequent shorter segments, what are some of your favorites?

[@SchoandJo]

You could spend a season in the Chesapeake, a few seasons in the NE part of the loop doing different routes i.e. the triangle loop, downeast loop, standard loop. You could spend a season in the keys and east coast of Florida, and you could spend a few seasons in the Lakes, even going up to Superior. Lots of amazing options! All in all, you can just cruise a section as long as you want, then pop the boat out of the water and come back when the weather is better next year, taking it like that it could be a good 5-6 year loop 😁

[@DD-xx8wh]

@@SchoandJo Awesome! thank you for your time and detailed comments!...ah yes indeed, love the Chesapeake and Superior ideas! both beautiful and unique American experiences- can't wait to do much research and planning. Really enjoying and learning from your episodes, all the best and fun safe travels to you two!!

[@williamhalling7744]

Did u know Pelican's normally starve to death at the end of there life due to going blind from diving for food. But there is a funny sang.... " A funny bird is a Pelican, his Beek can hold more than his bellycan, his Beek can hold food for a week, but I don't know how the hellican".

[@SchoandJo]

Did not know that! Also just said this to Jenn and she gave me a deadpan look haha! Thanks William

[@noelanderson703]

Hi Guys. Do you have a vacuum gauge on your filter system, it gives you an indication of your filter condition, but do change your filters as per the engine operation manual as I believe there may be a flow-on effect to the injectors IMHO. Have fun Guys. Love from Noel down under.

[@SchoandJo]

Hey Noel! There is some existing framework for a vacuum guage, but it doesn't work. Its on the list of boat projects, however towards the bottom 😁 Definitely would be valuable, hopping off the side of the ICW isn't always as smooth and easy as it was today! Thanks!

[@Janchez]

A vacuum gauge on your primary will indicate if you are starting to clog. However there is another way to check and that is by monitoring your max rpms. With clean filters check to see what the max rpm that the motor will reach in calm water. This should only take about 30 seconds to a minute for the boat to come up max speed and rpm from your normal cruising speed. Note the max rpm and do this at the helm that has the most reliable tach. For you guys maybe check max rpms once a week since you're on the go. When you are starting to clog you'll lose a couple hundred rpms from your max number. Don't be tricked by a dirty bottom or prop though because those can also bring your rpms down. If you lose 400-500 rpms you better plan on a filter change soon. It's tough to go by raw hours on the filters because dirty fuel will shorten the filter life. Also you if your tanks are dirty you may run fine for a 100 hours in calm water but clog after a few hours in 3-4 foot chop. It also depends what micron you're running on the primaries, I like 10 micron so the secondary filters have very little work to do.

[@SchoandJo]

Nice, thanks for the tips Jan! Makes a lot of sense, we will have to test max RPMs with a new filter! We use 2 micron for the primary for the same reason. Probably overkill but if it 'aint broke!

[@archdavis6942]

Awesome! So glad you got to take a break on Skidaway. It’s beautiful out here! Nice to meet you at the Publix.

[@SchoandJo]

Was nice to meet you as well Arch!! Thanks for sayin hi!

[@gtrevarthen]

You guys work hard on your videos, it shows!

[@SchoandJo]

!! Thanks so much 😁

[@keithmoore7515]

Broken record here but so enjoyable... so real... and watching you grow into such a proficient Captain is obvious. Thanks 😊

[@SchoandJo]

Thanks so much Keith! Really appreciate your comment 🤙

[@holgerlafrenz2895]

You two have grown as boaters quite a bit in the last year. We can tell you are more relaxed cruising and you don't let the little hiccups rattle you. Thanks for taking us on your epic journey. Safe travels.

[@SchoandJo]

Thanks so much Holger!

[@AdventuresofAplusK]

Always so impressed by how knowledgeable you are on boat maintenance, Elliot! 👏🏼 Also the wildlife shots rocked! Loved the bird with its reflection below it 😍

[@SchoandJo]

😊 Thanks y'all!

[@johnsummers9434]

Hello to you both. When you get a chance change to Racon filters and fit two then you can switch between them if you experience a blockage. Racon are about the best. Not cheap but you'll have peace of mind.

[@SchoandJo]

Thanks John! Actually our generator filter is set up like that (to be the secondary) but we have yet to try it out!

[@clarkeblocker]

Glad y'all we're able to connect with Mom and Dad. I hope y'all enjoyed your stay in Savannah! We'll stay tuned for more Great Loop videos to come! Safe travels...

[@SchoandJo]

Hey right on Clark! We heard so much about you and Cole - thanks for watching. Your parents are pretty cool 😁

[@gtrevarthen]

You work hard on your videos. It shows!

[@SchoandJo]

Thanks so much William!

[@hawaiianpool]

Great fun in Georgia, we like how you take everything in stride. A handy item you may like is a vacuum gauge, Racor RK 19671 RK19671 T-Handle Vac gauge. Calm seas safe travels

[@SchoandJo]

Oh sweet, thanks for sharing Denny - will take a look!

[@hawaiianpool]

@@SchoandJoyou are welcome mv/ADAGIO

[@steveandereggen3182]

Another great video. So many beautiful and interesting places you visit and provide to us an incite on your experiences. On my submarine we had "preventive maintenance" standards, very important especially on a Navy submarine. Filters, either fuel, hydraulic or other liquid filters would be changed before problems occurred. Anything is better than headaches of breakdowns, never know when they are going to happen. Having my boat in Alaska staying ahead of the game made our cruises much more enjoyable. Hugs to Ollie from Lady and Angel. Aloha!

[@SchoandJo]

Makes sense! It's all risk and reward! Definitely didn't plan for this but made the most of the situation. Next time will plan a bit differently 😁 Its all learning! Cheers and Aloha!

[@suzanneaydelotte801]

This was such a relaxing video to watch! I’m so glad Elliott knew just what was going on with the fuel/engine problem and that it was easy. I loved all the drone shots of Pivot and Fred (is that the correct name for your dingy?). The cruise through this sound was so calm and I’m happy that it was not like St. Andrew’s Sound! Safe and smooth cruising you three! 🛥

[@SchoandJo]

Thanks so much Suzanne! Fred is correct, kind of a weird name but there is a story behind it 😁 We love reading your comments, they make our day 😁

[@suzanneaydelotte801]

@@SchoandJo Awww thanks! That means a lot to me! I love watching! I’m glad I remembered Fred’s name! I love naming things! 😃

[@SchoandJo]

@@suzanneaydelotte801 😁😁

[@nancyhealer8257]

So enjoy your videos! And Ollie! Also, the new beard looks good!

[@SchoandJo]

Haha thanks Nancy! Jenn may not be the biggest fan of the beard though haha

[@royyoung3456]

Do you polish your fuel through the filters?

[@SchoandJo]

We don't have any fuel polishing systems onboard. Maybe one day will have the tanks cleaned!

[@HopeOfJoe]

Just a really nice, easy going vlog episode ‼️ ✌️ ✨ 🌊💨🛥🏝🌞✨

[@SchoandJo]

Thanks Richard! 🤙

[@MrTwig1227]

Why tie Fred on a long day instead of putting him to rest on davit?

[@BobEstler]

I see Olie growls at sunbeams. They are sneaky but not very bright.... Also, like any good dog, she also likes to check her scent mail.

[@SchoandJo]

Haha!

[@ClassXIRoads]

Focus was going nuts there at the end, were you getting air into the racor ? Good cruise with just a quick hick-up for the fuel issue. Thanks for doing these again

[@SchoandJo]

Yep, somehow got some air into it. My thoughts are 2 fold - 1 the filter needed to be changed so it was letting less fuel in and 2. we were semi-low on fuel. A couple of wakes and we could have sucked some air into the fuel lines. BTW we cleaned up the wires and lines on the underside of the bimini 😁

[@ClassXIRoads]

@@SchoandJo OH good , did I miss that ..I'll go back and take a look-see

[@SchoandJo]

@@ClassXIRoads hehe we didn’t film doing it but saw your comment and thought now was as good a time as any 😁

[@Prototheria]

You guys are getting better at crisis management. You both stayed calm, worked as a team, Jen was right there ready to drop the hook and once you guys determined that you had limited power, you found a safe place to diagnose. From a pilots perspective, though- that would have been a good time to change the filter. It's much better to have a problem on the ground than in the air and if the filter cuts fuel once, it'll do it again. Like mentioned below, you may be able to run at reduced power settings, but my take on that is that capability should only be used to get you to a safe place to fix the problem, not continue your trip regardless of distance because you may also lose the engine at a critical phase, ie- docking, maneuvering in a marina, or anything a wind or current may bring to the table. I don't see having spares beyond the usual consumables- fluids, belts, impellers, filters- necessary on the ICW because you're almost always within dinghy range of a marina (how much range does your dink have, BTW?), but if you're going to be away from services more, as in the Bahamas, you'll want to pack stuff like starters and alternators and know how to change them. Some have and will continue to say that's overkill but I've yet to hear anyone say that being prepared got someone killed. Great job, guys. I think I speak for everyone when I say we really appreciate the work you put in to pushing nearly daily videos!

[@SchoandJo]

Thanks so much! Good ideas about changing it then, while in a safe spot vs moving. We were fortunate it happened then vs 2 hours later when we were docking! Our dinghy can go max 21 miles and doubled with our 2 batteries. That is idling though and is greatly diminished when going at actual speed. Great thoughts on spares too! Cheers!

[@russgaulke1364]

There must be a recommended interval for changing your fuel filter rather than waiting for it to fail. Someday you may not get lucky enough to "just pull over".

[@SchoandJo]

It's not necessarily cut and dry with boats... Every engine, fuel tank, filter configuration, is different - part of experimenting is knowing the risks and rewards. We chose to delay changing our filters more than 50 hrs to experiment with how long they would last. We didn't expect it to cause the engine to shut down, we expected it to tell us when starting and taking longer to start. But that's life sometimes things don't work out as expected and as long as you handle them appropriately or as we've heard lately "Don't make a bad situation worse" then you learn from them!

[@flyfliker]

Never scrimp on fuel filters. Always have new filters on hand.

[@SchoandJo]

I think we have like 10 or so? We stocked up a few months back and, as you saw, are trying to determine the optimal spare cycles 😁 Originally we changed at 50 hrs and now I think we will change at 75-100 hours depending on how it sounds and where we are. Cheers!

[@DrewBritten]

"This island isn't connected to anything..." ,😂😂🤣🤣 Pretty sure that's the definition of an island.

[@SchoandJo]

Hehe well some islands are accessible by a long bridge 😁

[@brianprinty3662]

what kind of boat is pivot ?

[@SchoandJo]

Pivot is a 34' 1989 Marine Trader Double Cabin - you can read about more details here: schoandjo.com/boat-life/ Cheers!

[@pap91rt50]

Another ✌ journey interrupted by that pesky maintenence...oh well..it had a happy ending...

[@SchoandJo]

The say boat life is working on your boat in exotic locations - not sure if the suburbs of Savannah are exotic but it is what it is 😁

[@leannenuttall5655]

Honey you're going north way to early.

[@SchoandJo]

We're right on track with the Loop! If you think about it, we are planning to be in Canada for the summer and since we move at ~6kts, we have to keep a decent pace :) While we wish we could stay in each place for the best part of the year, that would be a multi-year loop or you would never finish the loop haha 😁 Thanks for watching Leanne!