Captain Red Flowers Heads for Canada in Great Loop Challenge for Cancer Research
- Scott Way
- 3 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Captain Scott “Red” Flowers is nearing the halfway mark of his Great Loop Challenge as he works his way through a more than 7,300-nautical-mile route in support of pediatric cancer research.
The Captain is making good time.
After departing DeLand, Florida, on August 8, the previously successful 'Looper' has already made it up the Eastern Seaboard and will soon be turning inland toward the Hudson River, the Erie/Oswego Canal and into Lake Ontario.
From there, Captain Flowers and team will head for the Trent-Severn Waterway, Georgian Bay, Lake Huron, Lake Michigan, Chicago, the Illinois River, the mighty Mississippi, and finally to the Gulf Coast.
Flowers and crew are aboard a custom Portā DARK:30 Velocity in what will be Flowers' second Great Loop Challenge organized in support of the National Pediatric Cancer Foundation (NPCF).
The 2026 route is different than years past. The new route is an expanded version of Flowers’ 2024 Great Loop run, with the trip extending beyond 7,300 nautical miles and including waterways throughout the eastern United States and Canada. Planned stops include Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina; Portland, Maine; Halifax, Nova Scotia; Tampa, Florida; and Key West, Florida, along with additional stops that have been announced or are expected along the route.
Flowers reached Portland, Maine, on August 12, marking an early milestone, although he is not yet at the halfway point of the expanded route. The typical Great Loop route covers approximately 6,000- 6,500 miles, while Flowers and his team will cover a daunting 7,300 miles this time around.
They will be attempting to operate around the clock outside of planned stops.
Flowers’ 2024 attempt was a victory in itself when he completed the trip in a staggering 19 days, 19 hours and 50 minutes aboard a 28-foot Canyon Bay 28H center console. That run established the fastest documented completion of the Great Loop at the time. The record was subsequently broken by Robert Youens, who completed the route in 19 days, 13 hours and one minute aboard a 16-foot Jon boat in 2025.
Flowers’ 2024 journey also raised approximately $450,000 for the National Pediatric Cancer Foundation. The initial $1 million fundraising target was not reached during that first challenge, which became one of the core motivations for his 2026 return. The NPCF says the 2026 challenge is intended to complete the fundraising effort started during the first trip while continuing to raise awareness and funds for pediatric cancer research.
Flowers’ connection to the cause stems from his own battle with Stage 4 melanoma in 2017. While undergoing treatment, the veteran boater encountered children undergoing intense cancer treatment and began looking for ways to use his boating background to support finding a cure. The NPCF is a nonprofit organization that funds research intended to develop less toxic and more effective treatments for pediatric cancer.
In the 2026 launch announcement, Flowers said, “When I see these children fighting cancer, I am amazed at their courage and strength.” He added, “Please help us raise money to give the 43 children diagnosed every day better treatment options; they deserve it.”
For the 2026 challenge, Flowers is not only expanding his route, he's also expanding his vessel and his team. He's running a custom 30-foot Portā DARK:30 Velocity, built for long-distance endurance and continuous operation.
The vessel is powered by twin Honda BF350 V8 outboards, with Honda Marine serving as the title sponsor of the challenge.
Flowers is also being joined by Scott Portā, president and founder of Portā Products, and Jim “Slim” Berns, chief operating officer of Sharrow Marine.
Honda Marine is not only supporting Flowers' fundraising mission, they are also using the opportunity to demonstrate the capability and reliability of the BF350 outboard. Flowers' boat is running twin BF350 outboards that will be pushed to their limits.
After reaching Portland, Maine, Flowers and his team will detour north to Halifax, Nova Scotia, before eventually turning west and south through the remainder of the expanded course.
You can follow Flower's journey on the Great Loop Challenge Facebook and Instagram, and you can donate directly to the National Pediatric Cancer Foundation. #news #greatloop
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