| West Wight Potter Owner's Home Port Sailing Stories Want to share your sailing story? ______________________________________________________________________________________________ |
The Great Loop!
Map & Bog Below
Buzz Gentes, of Champaign, Illinois plans to leave Peoria, Illinois, in his highly modified 2009 West Wight
Potter 15, during the 1st week of October, traveling south on the Illinois River.
He will enter the Mississippi River at Grafton, Illinois, and continue down the Mississippi River to the Ohio
River.
Then travel up the Ohio River (he is hoping for normal 1.5 mph currents) to the Tennessee River, and
traveling on into the Kentucky Lake.
Travel out the south end of Kentucky Lake, still on the Tennessee River, which then turns into Tenn-Tom
Canal. This will take him to Mobile, Alabama on the Gulf. He plans on arriving there Thanksgiving week,
2009.
Buzz will then follow the Inter-Coastal Waterway around the west side of Florida down to the Okeechobee
Waterway, which goes across Florida to Stuart, Florida just north of Miami.
Here Buzz is planning on heading to the Florida Keys. Then after visiting the Florida Keys he will head
back up the east side of Florida.
He plans on leaving Florida area the last of March 2010, heading north on the Inter-Coastal Waterway all
the way to the Hudson River.
Buzz will then go up the Hudson to the Erie Canal.
Then traveling through the Erie Canal into Lake Erie.
He will follow the South coast of Lake Erie into Lake Huron.
Buzz plans on traveling Lake Huron on into Lake Michigan.
And then follow the west side of Lake Michigan south to Chicago, Illinois.
At Chicago Buzz will enter the Chicago River for about 20 miles, then back on the Illinois River and down to
Peoria, Illinois where his Great Loop voyage started.
Prior to Oct. 01, 2009 You can contact Buzz at: gentes@msn.com
You can follow Buzz Gentes' progress by reading below the map or visiting his web site at:
http://greatloop.thedalamar.com/
Map & Bog Below
Buzz Gentes, of Champaign, Illinois plans to leave Peoria, Illinois, in his highly modified 2009 West Wight
Potter 15, during the 1st week of October, traveling south on the Illinois River.
He will enter the Mississippi River at Grafton, Illinois, and continue down the Mississippi River to the Ohio
River.
Then travel up the Ohio River (he is hoping for normal 1.5 mph currents) to the Tennessee River, and
traveling on into the Kentucky Lake.
Travel out the south end of Kentucky Lake, still on the Tennessee River, which then turns into Tenn-Tom
Canal. This will take him to Mobile, Alabama on the Gulf. He plans on arriving there Thanksgiving week,
2009.
Buzz will then follow the Inter-Coastal Waterway around the west side of Florida down to the Okeechobee
Waterway, which goes across Florida to Stuart, Florida just north of Miami.
Here Buzz is planning on heading to the Florida Keys. Then after visiting the Florida Keys he will head
back up the east side of Florida.
He plans on leaving Florida area the last of March 2010, heading north on the Inter-Coastal Waterway all
the way to the Hudson River.
Buzz will then go up the Hudson to the Erie Canal.
Then traveling through the Erie Canal into Lake Erie.
He will follow the South coast of Lake Erie into Lake Huron.
Buzz plans on traveling Lake Huron on into Lake Michigan.
And then follow the west side of Lake Michigan south to Chicago, Illinois.
At Chicago Buzz will enter the Chicago River for about 20 miles, then back on the Illinois River and down to
Peoria, Illinois where his Great Loop voyage started.
Prior to Oct. 01, 2009 You can contact Buzz at: gentes@msn.com
You can follow Buzz Gentes' progress by reading below the map or visiting his web site at:
http://greatloop.thedalamar.com/
Dalamar on November 15, 2009
I got a text from Dad yesterday that he and Tug are still in Demopolis at the Demopolis Yacht Basin. There was a
meeting at the marina yesterday. The dock master said if you have two engines the soonest he recommended
leaving is this coming Wednesday. Single engine boats should wait another week. After the meeting the dock
master came up to Dad and Tug and said that if they leave before next Sunday to be careful because there are
trees floating out there that could flip their size boats. The current is about 8 mph while the normal current is 2
mph.
Tug’s parents are flying in for the holidays so with the info from the dock master to just be patient and safe and
the fact that Tug’s family is going to be there, they have decided to stay in Demopolis until the 28th.
Dalamar on November 10, 2009:
Dad texted this morning that he and Tug are doing well. They are in a covered slip at the Demopolis Yacht
Basin. They are waiting out the storm there and in the meantime getting maps together for other parts of their
trip. Other boaters are coming over to see who the silly guys are and giving them maps. They are waiting out
the storm in their boats and he says he has slept in his boat every night since he left.
In case anyone wonders who Tug is check out these links. We just thought Dad was roughing it. It sounds like
they are enjoying their time together. They are traveling to Mobile Al together now and will meet up again after
the holidays. It sounds as if Dad is learning a lot from Tug.
http://siouxcityjournal.com/news/local/article_3bc7bb5f-5478-57c2-a580-c7779ee1b364.html
http://siouxcityjournal.com/news/local/article_fff078c6-b915-569c-85e6-09b462c38019.html
http://siouxcityjournal.com/news/local/article_b608c862-8e49-593b-b898-789287b9260c.html
Dalamar on November 9th, 2009
What a month this has been, I left Peoria on October 4, sun shining and in the high 60’s. Then the complete
month of October, 4 days out of every 7 it rained and was 50-55 degrees for the highs. There were numerous
days it was only 30’s at night.
The boat and both the 2 HP Honda outboards have performed perfect. Kentucky Lake/Tennessee River from the
Kentucky Lake Dam to the south end at Pickwick Lock and Dam is 204 miles. I was able to run 5mph in the large
south part of the lake, but the closer I got to Pickwick Lock and Dam, the faster the current was and the last 2-3
miles the fastest I could go was 1-1.5 mph against the Tennessee River current.
I am now at Midway Marina, 393 miles from Mobile Bay/Gulf of Mexico on the Tombigbee Waterway. I sure am
learning a lot. There is miles and hours of just looking around and enjoying everything and then all of a sudden,
15 seconds of sheer terror, “what is going on?”. I had a log catch on the rudder and jam between my running
motor. Took about a minute to figure out what is happening. Another time, I got into some type of floating plants
and had them wrapped around both motors props. Took about 30 minutes to clear the plants off the props while I
floated on Kentucky Lake.
Last night I anchored in a cove with a young man on a 14 ft sailboat that he built. This morning I could not get the
anchor free, but he came over and helped me. The anchor was attached to a log bigger than my boat. We were
able to save the anchor.
The lock at Pickwick Dam lowered me 84 ft to Pickwick Lake. Went through three locks today and now feel
comfortable going through them.
Now that the weather is getting better I will try to do an update every 7 to 10 days.
**Authors notes** Right now I do not have a laptop with me, so I will be sending updates to Dawn to type up and
post for me until further notice.
GETTING READY FOR THE GREAT LOOP.
Dalamar on September 13th, 2009
Five years ago it seemed retirement was a dream of other people. But when looking at everything and saw that it
would be possible to retire at age 62, then everything starts running thru a person’s head. What are you going to
do when you retire, sit home watching TV, sit on a bar stool telling stories about the past and what you are going
to do in the future. Ten years later you are still sitting on the same bar stool. I thought maybe living on a boat
would be fun, and in looking at different web sites and boats the great loop was mentioned. I thought what is the
great loop? Doing research the last three years and I joined AGLCA which has information and support that has
made everything possible to this point. Purchased a boat, retired August 31,2009, the boat is in the Illinois river
and running trials to make sure every thing works. Will leave from East Peoria on the Illinois River the 1st week
of October 2009.The boat I purchased to do the great loop is a little different than most. It is a sailboat without
the sails, does have a weighted swing keel and rudder. It is 15 feet lightweight, fiberglass, with a small cabin. It
has two Honda 2hp outboards, that can be used together or just use one outboard. The outboards can be
hooked to the tiller handle as one or both for steering control. Numerous comments about doing the loop alone
and in a boat this size with two 2hp motors. But I believe anything is possible if planned and you know what your
limits are and that of your equipment. There will be some interesting moments I am sure. Will try and do a post
each week, if this wiz bang computer works with me and doesn’t try and impress me with fancy stuff that makes
no since to a 62 year old. I have already cussed it and threatened to throw it overboard.
Email
thedalamar@gmail.com
I got a text from Dad yesterday that he and Tug are still in Demopolis at the Demopolis Yacht Basin. There was a
meeting at the marina yesterday. The dock master said if you have two engines the soonest he recommended
leaving is this coming Wednesday. Single engine boats should wait another week. After the meeting the dock
master came up to Dad and Tug and said that if they leave before next Sunday to be careful because there are
trees floating out there that could flip their size boats. The current is about 8 mph while the normal current is 2
mph.
Tug’s parents are flying in for the holidays so with the info from the dock master to just be patient and safe and
the fact that Tug’s family is going to be there, they have decided to stay in Demopolis until the 28th.
Dalamar on November 10, 2009:
Dad texted this morning that he and Tug are doing well. They are in a covered slip at the Demopolis Yacht
Basin. They are waiting out the storm there and in the meantime getting maps together for other parts of their
trip. Other boaters are coming over to see who the silly guys are and giving them maps. They are waiting out
the storm in their boats and he says he has slept in his boat every night since he left.
In case anyone wonders who Tug is check out these links. We just thought Dad was roughing it. It sounds like
they are enjoying their time together. They are traveling to Mobile Al together now and will meet up again after
the holidays. It sounds as if Dad is learning a lot from Tug.
http://siouxcityjournal.com/news/local/article_3bc7bb5f-5478-57c2-a580-c7779ee1b364.html
http://siouxcityjournal.com/news/local/article_fff078c6-b915-569c-85e6-09b462c38019.html
http://siouxcityjournal.com/news/local/article_b608c862-8e49-593b-b898-789287b9260c.html
Dalamar on November 9th, 2009
What a month this has been, I left Peoria on October 4, sun shining and in the high 60’s. Then the complete
month of October, 4 days out of every 7 it rained and was 50-55 degrees for the highs. There were numerous
days it was only 30’s at night.
The boat and both the 2 HP Honda outboards have performed perfect. Kentucky Lake/Tennessee River from the
Kentucky Lake Dam to the south end at Pickwick Lock and Dam is 204 miles. I was able to run 5mph in the large
south part of the lake, but the closer I got to Pickwick Lock and Dam, the faster the current was and the last 2-3
miles the fastest I could go was 1-1.5 mph against the Tennessee River current.
I am now at Midway Marina, 393 miles from Mobile Bay/Gulf of Mexico on the Tombigbee Waterway. I sure am
learning a lot. There is miles and hours of just looking around and enjoying everything and then all of a sudden,
15 seconds of sheer terror, “what is going on?”. I had a log catch on the rudder and jam between my running
motor. Took about a minute to figure out what is happening. Another time, I got into some type of floating plants
and had them wrapped around both motors props. Took about 30 minutes to clear the plants off the props while I
floated on Kentucky Lake.
Last night I anchored in a cove with a young man on a 14 ft sailboat that he built. This morning I could not get the
anchor free, but he came over and helped me. The anchor was attached to a log bigger than my boat. We were
able to save the anchor.
The lock at Pickwick Dam lowered me 84 ft to Pickwick Lake. Went through three locks today and now feel
comfortable going through them.
Now that the weather is getting better I will try to do an update every 7 to 10 days.
**Authors notes** Right now I do not have a laptop with me, so I will be sending updates to Dawn to type up and
post for me until further notice.
GETTING READY FOR THE GREAT LOOP.
Dalamar on September 13th, 2009
Five years ago it seemed retirement was a dream of other people. But when looking at everything and saw that it
would be possible to retire at age 62, then everything starts running thru a person’s head. What are you going to
do when you retire, sit home watching TV, sit on a bar stool telling stories about the past and what you are going
to do in the future. Ten years later you are still sitting on the same bar stool. I thought maybe living on a boat
would be fun, and in looking at different web sites and boats the great loop was mentioned. I thought what is the
great loop? Doing research the last three years and I joined AGLCA which has information and support that has
made everything possible to this point. Purchased a boat, retired August 31,2009, the boat is in the Illinois river
and running trials to make sure every thing works. Will leave from East Peoria on the Illinois River the 1st week
of October 2009.The boat I purchased to do the great loop is a little different than most. It is a sailboat without
the sails, does have a weighted swing keel and rudder. It is 15 feet lightweight, fiberglass, with a small cabin. It
has two Honda 2hp outboards, that can be used together or just use one outboard. The outboards can be
hooked to the tiller handle as one or both for steering control. Numerous comments about doing the loop alone
and in a boat this size with two 2hp motors. But I believe anything is possible if planned and you know what your
limits are and that of your equipment. There will be some interesting moments I am sure. Will try and do a post
each week, if this wiz bang computer works with me and doesn’t try and impress me with fancy stuff that makes
no since to a 62 year old. I have already cussed it and threatened to throw it overboard.
thedalamar@gmail.com
11-15-09 X
X 10-04-09
X 12-05-09
01-13-10-X
02-06-10
X
X