(And we’re not above asking the Internet)
We have the science. We have the students. We have a six-month-old dog named Teal’c who is already convinced he’s the chief science officer.
What we don’t have yet is the boat.
A 6,000-Mile Plan, One Vessel Short
In October 2026, Cultivating Currents is launching the Living Loop Lab—a 6,000-mile citizen science expedition circumnavigating America’s Great Loop. We’re talking Gulf Coast to the Great Lakes and back, with a crew of teen scientists collecting real water quality data for NOAA’s national monitoring network at every port along the way.
We have confirmed partners. We have a launch date—October 10th, at the Pontchartrain Conservancy Lighthouse in New Orleans. We have a founder who planned all of this from landlocked Laramie, Wyoming, which either makes us very determined or very optimistic. Possibly both.
What we need now is the vessel that makes it all possible.
What We’re Looking For
We’re not picky about brand. We’re not chasing a dream yacht. We need a solid, liveaboard-capable vessel—a trawler, motoryacht, or similar—that can handle a multi-year voyage and double as a floating classroom and research station.
Here’s the short spec list:
- 45–65 feet in length
- Max air draft of 19’6″ (Great Loop bridge clearance — it’s a thing)
- Max beam of 23 ft (lock clearance — also a thing)
- Draft of 5 ft or less
- 250+ gallon fuel capacity
- Enough berths for a crew of 4–6
- Deck space for science gear, microscopes, water samplers, and one very enthusiastic service dog in training
- Swim deck to accommodate divers, dive gear, easy water access
Mechanically sound. U.S. documented. Ready to do something meaningful with the miles it has left.
Why Donate Instead of Sell?
Fair question. Here’s the honest answer: a donated vessel used directly in our youth science mission may qualify for a fair market value tax deduction, which for a vessel in this range can be genuinely significant. Your tax advisor can confirm the details, but the short version is that your boat could do more good, and do more for you financially, as a donation than sitting in a slip waiting for the right buyer.
And then there’s the other thing. This expedition is being documented. Every port stop, every water sample, every teen who looks through a microscope for the first time and says wait, what is that—it’s all going on film, on the web, and into a permanent public record of a voyage that’s never been done quite like this.
Your vessel would be part of that story. Permanently.
Here’s What We’re Asking
Three things, and only one of them requires you to own a boat:
1. If you have a vessel that fits the description above—or close to it—please reach out. We’d love to talk. No pressure, no hard sell, just a conversation about whether it could be a fit.
2. If you know someone who has a vessel they’re not using—a friend, a marina neighbor, a fellow Great Looper who upgraded last year—send them this post. You might be the connection that makes this whole thing happen.
3. If you just love the idea and want to help us find our boat—share this. On Facebook, in your marina group, in your AGLCA community, wherever boaters gather and talk. The Great Loop community is exactly where this vessel is most likely to be found.
The October 10th clock is ticking. Teal’c is ready. The science is ready.
We just need a boat.
Get more information on our “In-Kind Donation” page or reach out to:
📧 director@cultivatingcurrents.org
📞 877-810-1015
Download the Vessel Donation Flyer
Cultivating Currents is a federally recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Vessel donations are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law — consult your tax advisor for details on fair market value deductions.