New Book About The Great Loop on a Ranger Tug

[j&lgray]

I am pleased to announce that I have published a book about our boating adventure on the Great Loop that we did on a Ranger Tug. The Great Loop connects by water Florida to the Great Lakes, the east coast to the inland river system and Chicago to Mobile, Alabama. Our adventure included a side trip to Ottawa and Lake Champlain. Our cat Millie was also aboard. Only about 200 boats do the Loop each year.

Finding Serendipity, An Adventure of Boating on North America's Great Loop is intended to nudge boaters to do this premier experience. It is also intended to take the non-boater aboard Andiamo to experience America and Canada by water. This is not a how-to book, there are great books about that. What was the best part? The people we met along the way. We were unexpectedly changed by this experience.

Many of you have looked at our website, http://www.andiamo-ranger29.com that chronicles this trip as we did it. It receives about 3,000 views a week. This book builds upon that journal with additional stories and information. Ranger owners were instrumental in the success and enjoyment of this adventure. Thank you to all the Tugnuts who we met or emailed with about this topic. We loved all the rendezvous and boat shows that we were presenters at.

The book is available in paperback and ebook at Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Finding-Serendip ... 1733598553

I am donating the net proceeds of this book to boating safety and education programs.

 

[SJI Sailor]

Congratulations on the book! I was just wondering what boat book to read next, and now I know. Looking forward to reading it!

 

[knotflying]

Congratulations on the book John. It will be wonderful to read a piece that has captured the boating experience that we have all come to enjoy.

 

[trailertrawlerkismet]

We’ll done John!! I’m looking forward to reading about your adventures, a chance for Lisa and I to relive our time from when we did the Great Loop.

Jim F

 

[Joseph]

I’ve just begun reading your book, and am certain that I’ll appreciate it. We know well the stops on the beginning of your journey, having cruised that area for years. I was amused by your stay at Salty Sams Marina. We’ve used the FMB Mooring Field many times, even stored our Leopard 42 sailing catamaran there for the first year of COVID, as Sams was always too disorganized (and loud) to accommodate us.

We’re surprised that your route did not take you from FMB to The Everglades, truly a wonderful place in February. I guess it’s not on The Loop.

We look forward to our new cruising grounds in the Pacific NW after taking delivery of our new R31 early in 2022. Much to learn, but the area looks so enticing that I expect years of rewarding exploration.

 

[mfreeman_1998]

Excellent! Good stuff John and Laurie. We are on the Loop on Amy Marie and just downloaded your book. I’m sure it will be a great resource. Thanks!

 

[Mtkitchn]

Just downloaded your book and looking forward to reading.

 

[j&lgray]

Whew!
Thank you to the Ranger and Cutwater owners, past and present, who have contacted me about their enjoyment of reading "Finding Serendipity, A Boating Adventure On North America's Great Loop. My notion of writing about our experience was to take the reader with us as we discovered the Great Loop. And in this era of COVID restrictions, it was intended to be a great escape and the reader to another place.

What I did not expect was the many compliments and comments that were in two themes: "This was the best representation of actually doing the Loop". and "It rekindled so many memories of boating in that area (or doing the Loop).

We did the over 6,000 mile nearly two times: the entirety on a Ranger 29 (Andiamo) and nearly a second complete loop in installments on a Ranger 25 and Ranger 27 and loved all of it.

Sales have exceeded expectations. All the net proceeds are donated to boating safety programs.

So, thank you. You are part of an amazing boating community.

 

[Dream Catcher]

Just finished the book and it was fantastic. Anyone looking to run the loop, own a small boat or looking for what it would be like to take an extended trip on a small boat, this is the book for you. Not only do we learn about navigating the waterways of the loop, we learn a little something about most of their stops along the way. Buy the book and find a comfortable chair. Enjoy the journey.

 

[DenverReds]

I’m reading Serendipity now. Lots of highlighting notes around places and routes. Thank you. Did you have AC on your Ranger? I’m trailering my Ranger 25SC to the Loop from California to start the trip in April. Any tips on where to drop the boat? I was thinking Gulf Shores, Alabama but maybe you have a different view on where to start if the boat splashed in April?

 

[CaspersCruiser]

I’m trailering my Ranger 25SC to the Loop from California to start the trip in April. Any tips on where to drop the boat? I was thinking Gulf Shores, Alabama but maybe you have a different view on where to start if the boat splashed in April?

This question wasn’t posed to me, but I’ll offer my input. Generally, loopers are in the north Florida to North Carolina area in April. John and Laurie Gray were in the Carolinas in April in their Ranger 29.

There’s no reason you can’t start in Gulf Shores in April, but that will put you on the tail end of the looping season all the way around if you loop counterclockwise, as most looper do. Looping clockwise will put you against the current on the rivers.

Have a nice trip!

 

[DenverReds]

Thanks for the input. I’ll consider splashing the boat closer to the east coast - St. Augustine or Jacksonville, to get in sync with the other Loopers. I can hit the gulf and Keys on the end of the trip in the late Fall.

 

[Maggie Anne]

Just started reading Serendipity, it's excellent. I probably will never get to do the Loop in the normal course of events, as we still have lots of the Pacific NW to explore but I really enjoyed reading about your adventures. Thanks, bob