Great Loop 30/60/90-Day Planning Timeline

Quick decision map

90 days out: prove the boat and plan are real

Confirm air draft, draft, fuel range, insurance geography, registration/documentation, maintenance status, safety gear, crew availability, and the first month of likely route options. This is also the time to schedule yard work, not merely hope it fits.

60 days out: tighten the first cruising chapter

Call key marinas, check lock and bridge resources, prepare spare parts, confirm pet and border paperwork where relevant, and build a first-month weather and bailout map. The goal is not to freeze the route; it is to know the fragile assumptions.

30 days out: reduce departure friction

Stock consumables, download charts, test apps and backups, organize documents, practice docking and anchoring roles, and make the first week intentionally modest. A calm first week is worth more than a dramatic first week.

Final week: avoid heroic changes

Do not start major optional projects unless they solve a real safety or reliability issue. Confirm weather, fuel, crew, communication, and the first two bailouts. Leave with the boat you have actually tested.

Useful next step

Turn this page into a boat-specific note. Write down the current assumption, the proof you have, and the next verification step. The best Great Loop planning habit is making vague confidence visible before it becomes expensive.

Related tools: Great Loop Tools, Fuel Range Calculator, Trip Pace Planner.