Captain Red and the 2026 Great Loop Challenge powered by Honda Marine Enter the St. Lawrence Seaway

Captain Red and the Dark:30 crew have entered the St. Lawrence Seaway on the 2026 Great Loop Challenge powered by Honda Marine

The 2026 Great Loop Challenge powered by Honda Marine has reached another major chapter.

When Dock Side Live Radio caught up with Captain Red, the crew aboard the Dark:30 Velocity had rounded the East Coast and entered the St. Lawrence Seaway, taking on the most extreme northern route of their journey. After days of challenging ocean conditions, Red said the crew was already focused on navigating the locks ahead and continuing toward the Great Lakes.

This year's 2026 Great Loop Challenge powered by Honda Marine, is about much more than completing the route. The mission is to raise awareness and funds for the National Pediatric Cancer Foundation.

Rather than following the more traditional Hudson River and Erie Canal route, the team deliberately chose a longer and more demanding path.

“We wanted to stretch our wings a little bit and challenge ourselves a little more and make an effort to raise awareness and funds for our foundation,” Red explained.

One of the most meaningful moments of the journey is still ahead. The crew plans to take the Honda powered Dark:30 into every Great Lake, including Lake Superior. At the site of the Edmund Fitzgerald, they plan to place a Great Loop Challenge and National Pediatric Cancer Foundation challenge coin in the water in remembrance and recognition of the maritime history surrounding the legendary ship.

A Boat Being Tested in the Real World

The journey is also providing an extraordinary test of the Dark:30 Velocity and the marine technology aboard it.

After running the boat through big seas, long days and overnight passages, Red's confidence in the platform continues to grow.

“I'm more and more impressed with this boat every day I get in it,” he said, praising the strength and rigidity of the Velocity hull and the boat's performance in rough conditions.

The equipment aboard the boat is being put to work as well. Raymarine electronics have helped the crew navigate rocky northern waters and even identify lobster pots during nighttime passages. The Dark:30 also brings together equipment and technology from companies including Honda Marine, Seakeeper Ride, Dave Clark, Big Bumper and others.

But behind the technology is an experienced crew

Red highlighted the knowledge each member brings to the mission, including extensive experience in boat building, racing, electronics and marine systems. That combination has become particularly important as the crew encounters conditions and waterways they have never experienced before.

The Mission Comes First

For all the talk about boats, technology and adventure, Red repeatedly brought the conversation back to why they are making the trip.

The Great Loop Challenge began as a campaign Red and his wife started roughly seven years ago. Today, that vision has become a very real effort to support the fight against pediatric cancer.

“Please give. $5 really helps,” Red told Dock Side Live Radio listeners. “There's 43 kids every day get diagnosed with some form of cancer.”

His message was simple: everyone can play a part

The public can follow the team's progress through the 2026 Great Loop Challenge powered by Honda Marine's “Where's Red” tracker and daily live updates. Red also plans to bring followers directly into the experience, including live coverage as the Dark:30 makes its way through the lock systems and climbs toward the Great Lakes.

There are still thousands of miles, new waterways and plenty of challenges ahead. But every mile carries the same purpose.

Adventure may be what people see.

The mission is why they keep going.

Follow the journey and support the mission at TheGreatLoopChallenge.com

Dock Side Live Radio will continue following Captain Red and the Dark:30 crew as the 2026 Great Loop Challenge powered by Honda Marine makes its way through the Great Lakes and ultimately back toward Florida.