AGLCA is all about Loopers helping Loopers—and YOU Make the Call is a perfect example of that spirit in action. Each fall/winter, this daily post helps Loopers determine when conditions are right for their Gulf crossing. In this episode, Tsali Bentley joins us to explain what goes into each YOU Make the Call update, where you can find it, and why he’s so dedicated to volunteering to provide this invaluable service. He also shares how the idea began and how it’s evolved to support today’s Loopers. Want to learn more about the Great Loop? How about building camaraderie with others who have done the whole route so you can find out what it's actually like? Join AGLCA for accurate and thorough Great Loop information and access to other members. Find out more at www.greatloop.org/joinus.

This week on the podcast, we continue our “Story of Our Loop” series with a special father-son edition! Richard and Jacob recently completed the Great Loop together, and they’re joining us to share their incredible journey. Hear how they chose their boat, the highlights of their adventure, and what they gained—both individually and as a family—by taking on the Loop side by side. The Great Loop is the boating adventure of a lifetime. Loopers follow the 6,000-mile route in their own boats, cruising up the east coast, into the Great Lakes, through the inland rivers, and through the Gulf of Mexico. Learn more at www.greatloop.org.

Day Shapes are required by the rules of navigation to be displayed under certain circumstances, but recreational vessels seem to rarely use them. Robert Rice joins us once again this week to tell us all about Day Shapes, what they mean, and when to use them. The Great Loop is a 6,000-mile circumnavigation of the eastern U.S. and a part of Canada. Loopers undertake this adventure of a lifetime aboard their own boats, often taking a year or more to complete the route. America's Great Loop Cruisers' Association provides information and inspiration for those planning for, currently cruising, or dreaming about a Great Loop adventure. Join us for events, members-only forum access, marina and fuel discounts, and more! www.greatloop.org/joinus

This week's episode is all about marinas. Based on listener suggestions, the Home Port Crew shares insight on how to select marinas when cruising the Great Loop, how and when to make marina reservations, and how to find long term slips or storage for your boat before, during, or after the Great Loop. The Great Loop is the boating adventure of a lifetime. Loopers follow the 6,000-mile route in their own boats, cruising up the east coast, into the Great Lakes, through the inland rivers, and through the Gulf of Mexico. Learn more at www.greatloop.org.

As this year's fleet of Loopers heads south on the inland rivers, we pick up this week where we left off in early September. Carolyn and Pete Westbay are our guests this week and they provide tips on navigating from Paducah, KY along the Ohio River to Mobile, Alabama on the Gulf Coast. We'll cover strategies for communicating with lock operators and tow captains and provide some ideas for where to stop and what you'll see along the way. Want to learn more about the Great Loop? How about building camaraderie with others who have done the whole route so you can find out what it's actually like? Join AGLCA for accurate and thorough Great Loop information and access to other members. Find out more at www.greatloop.org/joinus.

Most Loopers choose not to cruise at night, but sometimes lock delays or long runs make it necessary. Robert Rice is back this week to explain the proper lights to display at night, as well as what the lights on other vessels and on aids to navigation are telling us. Want to learn more about the Great Loop? How about building camaraderie with others who have done the whole route so you can find out what it's actually like? Join AGLCA for accurate and thorough Great Loop information and access to other members. Find out more at www.greatloop.org/joinus.

There's been a lot of talk lately about Looping in record time, but how about completing the Loop over almost 13 years? And, what if you could compare a trawler, a powercat, and a motor yacht as liveaboard Looping boats? Bruce & Hilary recently completed the Great Loop after more than 12 years, and over that time, they did Loop segments aboard a Silverton, an Endeavor catamaran, and a Mainship. They'll share their unique insight into Looping slowly, and the features of the three very different boats they used to complete their Great Loop. Want to learn more about the Great Loop? How about building camaraderie with others who have done the whole route so you can find out what it's actually like? Join AGLCA for accurate and thorough Great Loop information and access to other members. Find out more at www.greatloop.org/joinus.

As Loopers prepare to head down the inland rivers, the Great Loop Radio podcast this week covers the part of the Great Loop route from Chicago, IL to Paducah, KY. This route section includes the Illinois Waterway, Mississippi River, and Ohio River. Wes and Amy Litsey join us to share the details. If you’re looking for more, AGLCA members can check out the article about this part of the route in the September Great Loop Link e-magazine (https://www.greatloop.org/great-loop-information/great-loop-link.html) and join us for our Virtual Docktails on September 17th (https://www.greatloop.org/ems-event-calendar.html) where one of the breakout rooms will also cover this topic. The Great Loop is a 6,000-mile circumnavigation of the eastern U.S. and a part of Canada. Loopers undertake this adventure of a lifetime aboard their own boats, often taking a year or more to complete the route. America's Great Loop Cruisers' Association provides information and inspiration for those planning for, currently cruising, or dreaming about a Great Loop adventure. Join us for events, members-only forum access, marina and fuel discounts, and more! www.greatloop.org/joinus

Lithium batteries are a hot topic! Every time the idea of converting your boat from lead acid to lithium batteries comes up on the Great Loop forum or Facebook group, controversy ensues. Are lithium batteries safe for Looping boats? Will you realize a return on your investment if you upgrade to lithium? This week's episode of the Great Loop Radio podcast covers lithium batteries. Gold Looper Mike Bell is our guest. He helps explain the technology behind lithium batteries, what types of cruisers might benefit from the conversion to lithium, and answers some of the questions regarding safety issues. Join us for this enlightening discussion on lithium batteries on the Loop. Want to learn more about the Great Loop? How about building camaraderie with others who have done the whole route so you can find out what it's actually like? Join AGLCA for accurate and thorough Great Loop information and access to other members. Find out more at www.greatloop.org/joinus.

Chances are you've heard about 71-year-old Robert Youens who recently completed the Great Loop on his jon boat, Ageless Wanderer, in just over 19 days. On this week's episode of the Great Loop Radio podcast, Robert joins us to share the story of his adventure. We'll talk about why he decided to try to break a Great Loop speed record and how his journey was similar in many ways to more "traditional" Loopers who complete the route in over a year. Robert also talks about the extensive research and planning he did before starting the 6,000-mile route, and why taking on an adventure of this nature is a privilege that must be earned. Want to learn more about the Great Loop? How about building camaraderie with others who have done the whole route so you can find out what it's actually like? Join AGLCA for accurate and thorough Great Loop information and access to other members. Find out more at www.greatloop.org/joinus.

More and more people are working aboard while doing the Great Loop. Why wait until retirement to cruise the Great Loop if you can do your job remotely? This week's episode features Alison Major, author of "Remote Work Afloat". Alison is a Gold Looper and founder of Loop Life Academy, an AGLCA sponsor. Join us as we discuss tips for setting yourself up for success when transition to working aboard. Remote Work Afloat - https://www.remoteworkafloat.com/ Want to learn more about the Great Loop? How about building camaraderie with others who have done the whole route so you can find out what it's actually like? Join AGLCA for accurate and thorough Great Loop information and access to other members. Find out more at www.greatloop.org/joinus.

What do you do after you've finished the Loop? Post-Loop blues is a real thing! For Rev & Sam, they turned Life After the Loop into a business where they help others fulfill their Great Loop dreams, and they also continue boating in new and different settings. Listen this week as we catch up with Rev & Sam and hear all about their Life After the Loop. Often described as the adventure of a lifetime, America's Great Loop boasts a 'low risk, high reward' travel experience. Boaters journey over 5,000 miles around the Eastern part of the United States and into parts of Canada. The Great Loop was once a route known only to lifelong boaters and long-distance cruisers, but the secret is out. Join us as we unpack the Great Loop planning steps, from buying a boat to securing boat insurance; dive into a variety of stops and excursions along the way; share the highlight of Loopers who've crossed their wake; and of course, answer all of your questions about how to make this dream a reality. Enjoy our podcast, join America's Great Loop Cruisers' Association (AGLCA), and add this adventure to your bucket list! Our website (www.greatloop.org) is your one-stop-shop for information about the Great Loop.

Understanding and using sound signals are important for safety aboard, and sound signals are required to be used in certain situations. On this episode, we once again welcome Robert Rice to tell us which sound signals are most likely to be needed by Loopers, and which they are likely to hear on the waterways of the Great Loop. The Great Loop is the boating adventure of a lifetime! Loopers travel 6,000 miles aboard their own boats, cruising the New York State Canals, the Great Lakes, the inland rivers, the Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, and Chesapeake Bay. The route circumnavigates the eastern U.S. and takes most Loopers a year or more to complete.

Join us as Eric Martin, our current Harbor Host of the Year and Manager at Donovan's Shady Harbor, provides tips on what to expect when needing work done at a boatyard while on the Great Loop. Eric will include suggestions on what parts to carry with you, how to go about planning for scheduled maintenance, and what to do when you need unexpected or emergency repairs.

We continue our Story of Our Loop series this week with our guests, Mike & Darlene. They did the Loop in a non-traditional way by traveling home every other weekend. They'll share how they made the frequent trips home work, how they arranged travel, and how their way of Looping may have changed their overall experience. Mike & Darlene provide inspiration for those who may need to travel home frequently while Looping to handle family, work, or health obligations.

We explain our sponsor program on this episode of the Great Loop Radio podcast, including how it started, how it has changed, and why members should engage with this program. Spoiler Alert - You'll save money! The Great Loop Route is a 6,000-mile nautical adventure that takes you through some of North America's greatest cities, historic sites and heartlands. At its essensce, it's a circumnavigation of the U.S. and part of Canada that Loopers cruise aboard their own boats, often taking a year or more to complete the journey. Want to learn more about the Great Loop? How about building camaraderie with others who have done the whole route so you can find out what it's actually like? Join AGLCA for accurate and thorough Great Loop information and access to other members. Find out more at www.greatloop.org/joinus.

Our popular "Story of our Loop" series returns this week as we feature Malcom & Rachel from "Stay Cool", a Mainship 390 that completed the Great Loop in 2023. Malcolm and Rachel share why their chose their boat, the details of their adventure, how they stayed in compliance with regualtions as Canadians traveling for an extended period time in the U.S. and advice for future Loopers. You can learn more about Malcolm & Rachel on their YouTube channel, https://www.youtube.com/@staycool123. The Great Loop is the boating adventure of a lifetime. Loopers follow the 6,000-mile route in their own boats, cruising up the east coast, into the Great Lakes, through the inland rivers, and through the Gulf of Mexico. Learn more at www.greatloop.org. #greatloop #aglca #boatlife #bucketlist #greatloopers

Local Notice to Mariners are something that should be in every Looper's toolbox. Checking these reports can give insight into the local issues you may encounter on each movement of your boat on the Great Loop. Robert Rice joins us once again this week to discuss where to find Local Notice to Mariners and how you can use them to be more prepared for the Great Loop. RESOURCES MENTION IN THE EPISODE: Subscribe to LNM by email https://www.dco.uscg.mil/Featured-Content/Mariners/Local-Notice-to-Mariners-LNMs/ Click on one of the areas in the list on the left side, then choose “Please subscribe to receive email updates here: ” to sign up for a weekly email. Graphical Point & Click Map – generate your own list Read the userguide: https://www.navcen.uscg.gov/sites/default/files/pdf/msi/MSI_UserGuide.pdf https://www.navcen.uscg.gov/msi Canadian Coast Guard NAVWARNs https://www.notmar.gc.ca/index-en https://e-navigation.canada.ca/topics/notices/index-en

It's unlikely that someone will fall overboard during your Great Loop adventure, but you should still be prepared for this scenario. In this episode, Robert Rice joins us once again to discuss a sobering exercise in which he participated where he learned just how difficult it can be to get someone who has gone overboard back into the boat. We'll cover strategies to avoid going overboard and discuss options for retireving somenone who is in the water. Join us for this important safety episode. The Great Loop is the boating adventure of a lifetime. Loopers follow the 6,000-mile route in their own boats, cruising up the east coast, into the Great Lakes, through the inland rivers, and through the Gulf of Mexico. Learn more at www.greatloop.org.

With the Erie Canal undergoing repairs between Locks E16 and E17, that route is not yet open to Loopers needing to transit the area to continue the Great Loop route. The Lake Champlain route option is a popular choice in most years, but even more Loopers are considering it this year instead of waiting for the Erie Canal to fully open. This week, AGLCA member Bill Ogilvie joins us to discuss this route, the specifications of boats that can clear the bridges and fit in the locks, and what to expect as you navigate this scenic route option.