Great Loop Money Planning
Great Loop Sample Budgets
Estimate monthly and full-loop cost from the choices that actually move the number: boat length, marina nights, fuel burn, route miles, food/living style, communications, maintenance reserve, and emergency margin.
Last reviewed: 2026-06-26. Planning ranges only. Verify current dockage, fuel, insurance, yard, haul-out, storage, and local costs before committing.
Full-loop budget estimator
Scenario reality check
| Scenario | Usually true | Hidden risk |
|---|---|---|
| Frugal couple | Smaller boat, slower speed, more anchoring, more cooking aboard. | Anchoring must be a real skill, not a spreadsheet assumption. |
| Normal couple | Mixed marinas/anchorages, routine town meals, normal maintenance help. | Weather waits and parts delays can turn normal into comfortable quickly. |
| Comfortable couple | More dockage, reservations, restaurants, rental cars, and professional service. | Convenience can hide a boat that is larger or more complex than needed. |
| Remote-work crew | Higher comms cost, power upgrades, marina-before-meeting days. | Lost work time can cost more than dockage. |
| Guest-heavy cruiser | More marina nights, food, laundry, transport, privacy needs, and schedule pressure. | Guests change the route even when they do not pay the bills. |
Budget traps with real bite
Restaurant drift
A tired crew can turn a $25 dinner plan into $90 several times a week.
Rental cars and rides
Provisioning, airports, medical visits, and parts runs quietly add up.
Transient dockage
Popular towns, holidays, and weather waits can make dockage the fastest-moving line.
Rushed repairs
Expedited parts, hotel nights, and lost schedule margin are repair multipliers.