Greatest Loop enters Ft. Pierce inlet

Captain Chris Yacht Services caught Greatest Loop on video as she steamed into the Fort Pierce inlet.



Since our last update, the intrepid trawler has covered the waters all around Florida and has swapped out three skippers including Stanton Murray of Murray Yacht Sales,  Alex Wilkes of Denison Yacht Sales,  and Garth Hitchens of Annapolis Yachts Sales, where the vessel was commissioned before its departure in May of this year.

Alex Wilkes picked up the route in Key West Florida and encountered some rough weather along the way. His crew post describes day 53 when cruising from Palm Beach to Orange, Florida. “About 12 nautical miles outside the inlet, we hit a very aggressive storm which truly put the little 34 to the test,” he writes. “With winds between 45 and 60 mph, we were in a torrential downpour, and 4-8 footers. We were taking waves over the bow, but running at eight knots. The Swift 34 plowed through it all and got us out of the storm after an hour and a half of battle. It was really challenging for The Greatest Loop, but she did just what we expected of her.”

With only a few weeks to go, The Greatest Loop still has some highlighted events ahead. Two celebrations are scheduled for St. Barts Yachts in Charleston, SC and Oriental, NC. Annapolis Yacht Sales of Deltaville, Virginia will host her on Labor Day weekend and then she’s due back in Annapolis at the end of the first week of September.

The tour amassed numerous sponsors including Raymarine, Navionics, Zodiac, Trawler Fest, DeLorme, Interlux, Dometic, Cummins, Onan, MarinaLife, ValvTect, Vessel Vanguard and the National Marine Manufacturers Association to name a few. “That has been a great promotion for both Beneteau and us,” said Garth Hitchens. “We think we even have a buyer for the boat once it returns.”

You can follow the boat on The Greatest Loop website, where a map and crew posts will keep you updated on the boat’s progress on her home stretch.

Written by: Zuzana Prochazka
Zuzana Prochazka is a writer and photographer who freelances for a dozen boating magazines and websites. A USCG 100 Ton Master, Zuzana has cruised, chartered and skippered flotillas in many parts of the world and serves as a presenter on charter destinations and topics. She is the Chair of the New Product Awards committee, judging innovative boats and gear at NMMA and NMEA shows, and currently serves as immediate past president of Boating Writers International. She contributes to Boats.com and YachtWorld.com, and also blogs regularly on her boat review site, TalkoftheDock.com.