Great Loop Tool
Great Loop Boat Fit Scorecard
Compare two candidate boats against the route you actually want to run. The score is not a survey, sea trial, or insurance answer. It is a pressure test for bridge stress, shallow-water stress, docking stress, comfort, systems, and route fit.
Last reviewed: 2026-06-26. Verify all specs on the actual boat in cruising trim. Published numbers often miss hardtops, antennas, dinghy storage, canvas, davits, modified arches, and owner-installed gear.
Route style weighting
Boat A
Boat B
Comparison verdict
How to use the score
The higher score is not automatically the better boat. A lower-scoring boat can still be the right choice if its weak areas are acceptable to your crew and budget. Use the category bars to decide what to verify next: measure bridge height, test docking, inspect engine access, price repairs, or spend a rainy day aboard before buying.
Scoring a boat without fooling yourself
A scorecard works only if the weak scores are allowed to matter. A beautiful boat can still be a poor Loop boat if it is too tall, too thirsty, too hard to dock, too awkward to service, or too uncomfortable for ordinary rainy days.
Score the boat for the route you will actually run. A couple moving slowly with frequent marina stops needs a different fit than a solo skipper anchoring often, working remotely, or trying to keep a tight seasonal calendar.
Planning checks
- Give extra weight to air draft, draft, handling, fuel range, service access, and helm visibility.
- Score daily living honestly: sleeping, cooking, showering, storage, noise, and heat matter for months.
- Do not let one excellent category erase a route-critical weakness.
- Re-score after survey and sea trial, when optimism has more facts to answer to.
Publication notes
Written and maintained by TheCenterOf editors. Last reviewed: 2026-07-06. This page is planning guidance for boating and Great Loop readers. It is not a substitute for current charts, notices, marina confirmation, weather forecasts, official rules, professional advice, or onboard judgment.
Corrections, broken links, and first-hand route updates are welcome through the contact and corrections page.
Official sources to verify
Use this page as a planning framework, then verify current details before making route, safety, insurance, customs, or departure decisions.