Great Loop Month-by-Month Planner

Best use: refit, survey follow-up, Florida/Gulf staging, shakedown weekends.

Watch: winter fronts, yard delays, parts delays, insurance restrictions.

Do: run every system, fix leaks, test heat/AC, rehearse anchoring and dock approaches.

Best use: route decision cleanup, provisioning templates, customs and documentation checks.

Watch: last-minute upgrades becoming schedule traps.

Do: create a conservative spare-parts list and confirm insurance navigation language.

Best use: Florida movement, ICW practice, Okeechobee/coastal decision planning.

Watch: early thunderstorm patterns, bridge fatigue, calendar optimism.

Do: start slower than you think. Crew rhythm is more valuable than mileage.

Best use: Atlantic ICW progress, bridge routines, marina/fuel rhythm.

Watch: shoaling, currents, spring weather windows, popular stop compression.

Do: keep a daily bridge note and call ahead when a stop matters.

Best use: Chesapeake, Delaware Bay staging, New Jersey coast planning.

Watch: exposed legs, fog, cold fronts, canal timing uncertainty.

Do: stage patiently for Delaware Bay and outside/coastal hops.

Best use: Hudson, Erie/Champlain decisions, canal towns, northern transition.

Watch: canal notices, bridge/lock closures, high-water or maintenance delays.

Do: verify air draft and canal restrictions before committing to a branch.

Best use: Trent-Severn, Georgian Bay, North Channel, Great Lakes cruising.

Watch: big-lake weather, dock demand, remote-service gaps.

Do: preserve fuel margin and choose harbor pairs before crossing open water.

Best use: northern cruising, Canada if chosen, slower scenic legs.

Watch: vacation crowds, storms, smoke/visibility in some years, parts scarcity.

Do: reserve key stops and do maintenance before heading into sparser service areas.

Best use: Lake Michigan southbound, river staging, fall positioning.

Watch: cold fronts, lake fetch, harbor spacing, shorter days.

Do: stop treating summer daylight as normal. Build earlier arrivals.

Best use: inland rivers, tow/lock discipline, southbound progress.

Watch: debris, current, commercial traffic, closures, limited fuel.

Do: plan fuel and anchorages with backups before the day starts.

Best use: Gulf Coast, Florida return, warmer-water reset.

Watch: fatigue after river segments, storm-season leftovers, holiday schedules.

Do: schedule a real rest stop, not just a repair stop.

Best use: winter base, family logistics, boat reset, slower cruising.

Watch: crowded warm-weather marinas and deferred maintenance temptation.

Do: review what the boat taught you and update the next season's plan.