Welcome to AGLCA's Virtual Docktails where Loopers can connect on special interest topics! Each Zoom social breakout room will be hosted by a Gold Looper or a representative from AGLCA. The groups are intended to be interactive and fun with no structured agenda or presentations! For the March event, the breakout room topics are below.
Anchoring Around The Loop
Whether it’s a secluded anchorage tucked away in Canada, a group of Loopers making their way down the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway, or a quiet pocket of water along the coast, anchorages have a special way of creating some of the most memorable moments on the Great Loop. From peaceful sunsets and morning coffee views to impromptu dinghy meetups and docktail-worthy stories, anchoring often becomes a highlight of the journey. Join this group to share your favorite anchorages, discover must-visit stops for your own Loop, and swap real-world tips. We’ll also dive into anchoring best practices, helpful techniques, and a few “learn from my mistake” stories about what not to do. If you love anchoring, or want to learn to love it, this is the breakout room for you!
DECL
A growing number of Loopers are setting their sights on the Down East Circle Loop (DECL) each summer. This incredible 2,500-nautical-mile journey typically begins in New York City and travels clockwise through the Hudson River, Erie Canal or Lake Champlain, St. Lawrence River, across the Northumberland Strait, and down the Atlantic Coast. It’s widely considered one of the most scenic and adventurous boating routes! If you’re excited to talk all things DECL, this discussion is for you! Whether you’ve already completed the Down East Circle Loop and want to share your tips and favorite memories, or you’re in the planning stages and looking for advice, we’d love to have you join in. Even if you haven’t started Looping yet but are curious about this popular adventure, come listen, learn, and be part of the conversation.
Challenges of Looping
If you spend any amount of time on social media or at an AGLCA event, you’ve probably seen the highlights: breathtaking sunsets, dolphins riding the wake of a Loop boat, and plenty of legendary docktails. You may also hear stories about buddy boats, unforgettable side trips, and who’s offering the best fuel prices this week. But what about the moments we don’t always capture, the challenging days on the Loop? Because yes… those happen too. At AGLCA, we know many future Loopers want to be prepared for the unexpected. And we also know this community is full of experienced cruisers who are eager to share how they’ve worked through obstacles and come out stronger on the other side. Join this Virtual Docktails if you’d like to be part of an honest, helpful conversation about challenges on the Loop. And the practical ways Loopers overcome them!
Marina 101
No two Great Loop journeys are ever exactly the same. One big reason? The hundreds of marinas you’ll encounter along the 5,000+ mile route. With so many options, deciding where to stop can feel overwhelming. Do amenities top your priority list? Is price the deciding factor? Or does location and nearby attractions matter most? And the questions don’t stop there. Loopers often wonder how far in advance they should make dock reservations, what’s appropriate to tip a dockhand, and the proper etiquette for using a marina’s courtesy car or laundry facilities. With so many marina-related questions, AGLCA decided it was time for a dedicated Virtual Docktails focused entirely on this topic. If you have questions or firsthand experience you’d like to share, we’d love for you to join the conversation!
My Boat Is The Best
AGLCA recently released our list of the most popular boat makes to complete the Loop in 2025. Shortly after, we received several great questions about why the combined total of the Top 10 boat makes represents only a small fraction of all boats that finished the Loop.The simple answer? There are so many different types of boats out there and every Looper chooses the boat that’s best for their journey. In fact, if you asked 50 Gold Loopers, about 90% of them would probably tell you their boat was the best boat for the Loop. (Okay, that’s an unofficial statistic… but we’re pretty confident it’s close.) So let’s start a fun discussion: In your opinion, what made your boat the best boat for the Loop?We’d love for Gold Loopers to jump in, share their experiences, and make the case for why they loved their particular Loop boat!
During the registration process, you will inidicate which breakout room you plan to attend but you will also be able to move to another breakout room during the event if you choose to do so.
Upon registering, you will receive the Zoom link for the virtual docktails but you will also be able to find it in "My Events", which can be found under "My Account" on the homepage menu bar of the AGLCA website when you are logged in. Just click "View Booking" by the appropriate event to see the Zoom link.
Registration closes on Wednesday, March 18th at noon eastern.