NEW! Axiom 2 Chartplotters Now Available
Explore
20 Days, 18 Hours and One Powerful Mission
Friday - 30 October 2026
Watch the video above to hear Captain Red tell the story of the Great Loop Challenge in his own words and learn how Raymarine and Teledyne FLIR technology helped him navigate the journey safely.
Some journeys are measured in miles. Others are measured by the difference they make.
Captain Red Flowers recently completed the Great Loop Challenge in a record-setting 20 days and 18 hours, taking on one of North America’s most demanding boating journeys with a purpose far greater than setting a record: raising money and awareness for the Pediatric Cancer Foundation.
For Red, the mission was deeply personal.
Ten years ago, he was diagnosed with stage 4 melanoma. During treatment, Red and his wife saw firsthand just how many children were also undergoing treatment for cancer. The experience stayed with them, and they made a commitment to do something to help.
“Nothing’s more precious than raising funds for pediatric research.”
The Great Loop became their vehicle for turning that commitment into action.
Completing the Great Loop on an accelerated schedule meant the crew needed to keep moving through long days, nighttime passages and periods of extremely low visibility. For Red, safety was the biggest concern.
Before departure, Raymarine equipped the boat with a comprehensive electronics package built around three Axiom 2 chartplotter displays, radar and a Teledyne FLIR M364C marine thermal camera.
The M364C became particularly important after dark and in challenging visibility.
“Without that camera, we wouldn’t have been able to pull this off in the amount of time we did safely.”
With thermal imaging helping Red see his surroundings at night, and radar and Axiom 2 providing critical navigation information at the helm, the integrated system gave the crew the tools they needed to keep moving confidently around the clock.
On a journey where maintaining momentum was critical, the Raymarine system also helped the crew manage the practical details of keeping the boat moving.
A third Axiom 2 display was installed for the crew behind the helm, allowing them to monitor the route, identify upcoming fuel stops and send destinations directly to the captain. Rather than slowing down to plan each stop, the team could work together and keep the journey moving forward.
Fuel monitoring was another important part of the equation. Red relied on Axiom throughout the trip to monitor fuel burn, route information, trip data and the distance to upcoming waypoints.
For Red, that combination of information, visibility and ease of use made the electronics much more than equipment on the dashboard. They became an integral part of accomplishing the mission.
“If we would have had one component missing from our panel, let it be the Teledyne FLIR camera, the radar, or any one of the three Axiom 2s, I don’t think we would have been as successful.”
After 20 days and 18 hours, Red completed the Great Loop Challenge in record time. But the real measure of the journey goes beyond the record.
It was the fulfillment of a promise made years earlier: to use his experience, his boat and his passion for life on the water to help children facing cancer.
Raymarine is proud to have supported Captain Red Flowers and his crew on an extraordinary journey undertaken for an even more extraordinary cause.
