Zeeland family to spend year on sailboat as it travels America's Great Loop
ZEELAND — The Majors, a family of four in Zeeland, began sailing in 2019. It wasn’t long before the family developed a passion for life on the blue water.
Now, they'll embark on a year-long adventure on their sailing vessel. Chris and Alison and their children Ewan (10) and Gwynnie (8) will embark on America’s Great Loop. Their official start date is May 5.
The Majors will move onto their sailboat, which is currently in Deltaville, Virginia, on April 15. They'll spend a couple of weeks anchored in the area before traveling to Norfolk, Virginia, for the America’s Great Loop Cruisers Association Spring Rendezvous — a conference during which they'll prepare for their adventure.
America's Great Loop is a continuous waterway that encompasses the eastern portion of North America, including the Atlantic and Gulf Intracoastal Waterways, the Great Lakes, the Canadian Heritage Canals and the inland rivers of America's heartland. It’s roughly 6,000 miles long and the Majors estimate it'll take about a year to complete. It covers 15 states and two Canadian provinces.
“America’s Great Loop seemed like a really neat opportunity to combine our enjoyment for sailing as a family, getting to take our home with us somewhere and really getting to explore the eastern U.S. from a different perspective,” Alison said.
Chris is looking forward to seeing the Statue of Liberty in New York City from the water. He said he’s also looking forward to exploring the south, including Florida and the Keys.
“There’s so much to see and do, you probably don’t get to capture everything,” he said.
Alison grew up in Zeeland, and became interested in sailing later in life. Friends of the Majors introduced them to the hobby, although both Alison and Chris grew up traveling the world on vacations and school field trips.
“We both appreciated what we learned and how we grew as kids during those types of experiences and wanted to give our own kids those same opportunities,” Alison said.
The Majors purchased a boat in 2019. Their first major trip was to Mackinac Island and, last summer, they spent a month living on the boat.
“A lot of our preparation has been getting out there and sailing, spending time on the boat as a family and figuring out what are some of the comforts we would really like and what are things we could live without,” Alison said.
The Majors purchased a new sailboat for the Great Loop last October — a 2005 Beneteau 423. The 43-foot, three cabin boat will serve as the Majors’ full-time home for the next year. It features a diesel heater for northern latitudes and colder nights, Chris said.
“We were just delighted it came with that,” Chris said. “It’s like having a fireplace on a boat.”
Ewan and Gwynnie are also excited for the trip. Alison said they’ve been homeschooled the last couple of years and have learned to live a “more nomadic” lifestyle.
“We’ve been keeping them involved in all of our planning,” she said. "They’re really excited for those experiences and opportunities.”
Chris said the family is “learning as we go.” They'll rent out their Zeeland home as they focus on life on the boat.
When they've told friends and family of their plans, Alison said the typical response has been, “You’re doing what?” After their initial surprise, they've been supportive.
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“The importance of getting out and seeing other parts of the world and learning from other people has been something that I think this community really embraces and encourages,” Alison said.
Learn more about the family's adventures at svfika.com.
— Contact reporter Evan Sasiela at esasiela@sentinel-standard.com. Follow him on Twitter @SalsaEvan.
This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Zeeland family to spend year on sailboat traveling Great Loop
