Captains Dustin Kidd and Marc Crutcher have set a new Great Loop record, completing the roughly 4,280-mile circuit in 11 days, 21 hours and 51 minutes aboard a Highfield Sport 800 RIB powered by twin Yamaha 200 hp outboards.
The pair completed the run on September 18 aboard White Lightning, a 26-foot-8-inch aluminum-hull RIB sponsored by Highfield Boats and Yamaha. Their elapsed time bested the previous publicly documented record of 12 days, 18 hours and 10 minutes, set in 2025 by Peter Hajas and crew aboard the 40-foot Lady Lor.
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A Record-Breaking Great Loop Run
The Great Loop is a network of waterways that forms a roughly 6,000-mile circuit around the eastern United States and parts of Canada, although individual routes and mileage vary. Kidd and Crutcher began their run at Kentucky Dam on the Tennessee River in western Kentucky at 1:14 p.m. CDT on September 6.
They returned to the same location at 11:05 a.m. CDT on September 18, completing the circuit in just under 12 days.
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The public satellite track logged approximately 4,280 miles, while the captains estimated their actual distance at about 4,500 miles. The 286-hour attempt produced an elapsed-time average of roughly 15 mph, including fuel stops, locks, weather delays and rest. The tracking data showed an underway average of approximately 22 mph, with about 85 hours spent stationary.
The route included some memorable moments, including an arrival in New York Harbor on the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks.
“The feeling in the air was amazing coming into that harbor at that time,” Crutcher said.
Highfield Sport 800 Takes on the Great Loop
The record-setting White Lightning is a 2027 Highfield Sport 800, an aluminum-hull rigid inflatable boat (RIB) measuring 26 feet, 8 inches and powered by twin Yamaha 200-hp outboards for a combined 400 hp.
The boat represents a different approach to the Great Loop than the larger fiberglass vessels often associated with long-distance cruising. The previous record-holder, Lady Lor, is a 40-foot Contender powered by triple 350-hp outboards.
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According to the captains, the Highfield RIB’s combination of relatively low weight, rigid-hull performance and inflatable tubes helped make it suited to the varied conditions of the Great Loop. The boat’s rigid hull provided performance on open water, while its tubes added stability in rough conditions. Its shallower draft was also useful on inland waterways.
The Highfield Sport 800’s lower weight meant the boat could achieve its desired performance with less horsepower than a heavier fiberglass boat, according to the team. That contributed to fewer fuel stops during the record attempt.
How the Record-Setting Crew Managed the Run
Route planning and fuel management were critical during the nearly 12-day Great Loop run. Kidd and Crutcher also shared helm duties, allowing the two-person crew to maintain a continuous rotation during the attempt.
Night-running electronics, extended fuel capacity and careful route selection were among the other factors the captains identified as important to the record.
“The Great Loop tests every part of a boat and every part of a crew,” Kidd said. “White Lightning gave us the combination of strength, performance and versatility we needed, while the twin Yamaha 200s delivered the power and confidence to keep moving. Crossing our wake at Kentucky Dam was an unforgettable moment.”
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For Kidd, the record run was also a return to the Great Loop. He previously completed the circuit in 2018 aboard Knot Kidd’n, a 1989 50-foot Chris-Craft Constellation.
That experience eventually led to Bourbon City Marine Center in Louisville, Kentucky, where Kidd is the owner. The Highfield dealership serves Midwest boaters, including Great Loop cruisers looking for tenders and support vessels.
This time, Kidd and Crutcher completed the journey aboard a much smaller platform—and set a new publicly documented Great Loop record in the process.
