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Ever wondered if you should get a vessel safety check on your boat before starting the Great Loop? Rob Rice joins us on this episode to talk about vessel safety exams. We'll cover what they are, why you should get one, and how to schedule it.

From fire extinguishers to life rafts to personal locator beacons, distress and safety equipment is important for your Great Loop cruise. After presenting an enlightening seminar at our Spring Rendezvous, Jeremy McConnell of Northwest Creek Marina is our guest this week to talk about this important topic. Northwest Creek Marina is an AGLCA sponsor, and Jeremy, a retired U.S. Coast Guard Master Chief, is the General Manager there. In his role in the Coast Guard, Jeremy managed and executed thousands of Search and Rescue operations. He'll tell us from his firsthand experience why having distress and safety equipment, and knowing how to use it, can make all the difference in the unlikely event that something goes wrong while your on the Great Loop.

This week we talk about watching your wake. It's important for all Great Loopers to practice safe and courteous boating! The biggest error we see in this area is boats not slowing enough in no wake zones, minimum wake zones, and when passing other boats, docks, marinas, and other shoreside infrastructure. We break it all down for you this week with our guest, Brian Brown. Brian is a Gold Looper who had a career in the marine industry. Join us for this important episode.

Robert Rice is back this week to talk about AIS for the Great Loop. He'll cover the different types of AIS, price points for some of the options, and why you should consider adding AIS for the Great Loop if your boat is not already equipped with this helpful technology.

Robert Rice with the US Coast Guard Auxiliary joins us this week to talk about the Basic Rules of the Road. This is must-know information before starting the Great Loop. Whether you're a new boater or ready for a refresher, don't miss this episode.

With Hurricane Season upon us, we brought in John Fitzgerald, President and CEO of Saunders Yachtworks, to share what you should do now to be ready in case a storm heads your way. We'll talk about options like hauling out, moving to a safer location on the water, what to remove from a boat that is in the path of a storm, and more.

The AGLCA Home Port Crew takes on the topic of security aboard with a discussion on how to keep your vessel, your belongings, and the people aboard secure while Looping.

On this week's episode of the Great Loop Radio podcast, Gold Looper Dave Fuller, who is the current Coast Guard Auxiliary Director of Education, shares details on the courses available through the Auxiliary and other places that Loopers should take before starting their Great Loop adventure.