Robert Youens, Great Loop Speed Record Holder, Set to Attempt New Record in 2026
- Scott Way
- 23 minutes ago
- 3 min read
The record seemed impossible, but somehow, some way, Robert Youens got it done. In August 2025, the ambitious adventurer miraculously circumnavigated North America by boat in a staggering 19 days, 13 hours, and 1 minute.
And now he's gearing up to break his own record.
The unfathomably short timeframe in which Youens completed 'The Loop' is one of many incredulous details. The fact he accomplished the feat in a miniscule Jon boat, just 16' long by 7' (84") wide, is another. That his vessel was powered by a meager 60 hp Tohatsu outboard is a third.
The 'Ageless Wanderer' covered the epic 6000 mile (9700 km) journey -- a circular route through the Great Lakes, the Illinois River, the Mississippi River, the Gulf of Mexico, Chesapeake Bay, and the Eastern Seaboard -- and beat the previous record by a full six hours.
There has been a trend in recent years to run 'The Loop' at breakneck speed, but it typically takes boaters between 10-16 months. Most boaters attempting the Loop do so in a yacht or cruiser, usually in the 40-55 foot range and loaded with creature comforts and amenities to make the experience akin to a traveling apartment. Even then, less than 10% who begin the Loop ever complete it. In the past three years, for whatever reason, speed records have become the quest -- a man in a pontoon boat completed the Loop in 34 days (albeit in stages), and the previous record holder, Captain Red Flowers, ran the route in 19 days and 19 hours aboard a 28-foot center console.
Now, with one Loop under his belt and the illustrious gold burgee in hand, Youens will attempt the even more elusive platinum burgee -- the mark of a two-time Looper.
If that weren't enough, he plans to do it in 12 days. He'll also be bringing a co-captain, Steve Hernden, aka Tortuga Steve, a fellow boater and YouTuber who's also completed the Loop.
Fans have been following along with Youens Facebook page as he documents the construction of his new boat -- a Weldbilt 2370MV -- as the manufacturer has been adding custom design features to make it even more efficient for Youens' next race around the continent.
In a December 9th post, Youens revealed several pictures of the new vessel, including an inside look at its custom bow shape, a tiny sleeping compartment, and a reinforced aluminum assembly. Youens is also stepping up in size for 2026 -- jumping from his tiny 16-footer to a more seaworthy 23-foot layout with a 7'8" (93") beam.
According to Youens, "(t)he boat has extra ribs and triple full length internal keelsons for added strength. The transom is extremely over built of box tubing and double transom knees. The impact zone in the front has massive structure to absorb the thousands of miles crashing through waves. In addition, an Ice skid was added to the center keel so the boat can handle high speed jumping of huge logs on the Illinois, Mississippi, Tennessee and Tenn-Tom waterway. It is built to handle the rigours of a Great Loop Unlimited Speed Record Run, operating 24 hours a day 7 days a week."
Once the hull is complete, it will then be shipped to St. Louis for installing fuel tanks, highrise bow, center console, sleeper compartment, hydraulic steering, and electrical trim tabs. Next it will head down to Arkansasfor a custom paint scheme at Mighty White Marine along with most of the electronics and a larger 140 hp Tohatsu outboard with an extra long 25" shaft. Finally, it'll head back down to Texas, where Youens resides, for final preparation.
But before Youens makes his 2026 record attempt, interested boaters can find him on the boat show circuit. He'll be a keynote speaker at the Toronto International Boat Show on Saturday Jan 17th and Sunday January 18th before he heads down to the Miami International Boat Show for a featured address on Friday, February 13th.
In the meantime, you can check out Youens' full breakdown of his record-setting trip in the video below:
