Spring Rendezvous 2026

Tsali & Jacque Bentley

Platinum Loopers

Crossing their wake in 2022 and again in 2024, Platinum Loopers Tsali and Jacque Bentley have cruised over 15,000 nautical miles around the Great Loop.  As lifelong sailors, Tsali sailed across the North Atlantic Ocean aboard a Hylas 49 in 1997.  Leaving sailing behind, they attended their first Rendezvous in 2019 where the Looper Crawl provided the perfect showcase in determining the best Looper boat to fit their needs – a Mainship 400 trawler named COMPASS ROSE.  Tsali and Jacque continue to maintain their dirt home in the Appalachian Mountains of north Georgia.  COMPASS ROSE makes her home port in north Alabama on the Tennessee River at Goose Pond Colony Resort & Marina where Tsali and Jacque serve as AGLCA Harbor Hosts.  Veteran AGLCA speakers, they present route sessions on the North Channel, New Jersey coastline, New York City Harbor, Hudson River, Florida Panhandle, Florida’s west coast, and the Florida Keys.  They also present Looping 101 sessions titled Locking around the Loop and A Day in the Life of a Looper.  Tsali writes the daily weather publication of You Make the Call which supplements weather information for captains deciding to cross the Gulf.  He has also written for the Great Loop Link e-Magazine.  The Bentley’s can be found on several AGLCA podcasts from Women on the Loop to Looper Lore.  Tsali and Jacque were recognized by the AGLCA as the 2022 True North Harbor Host of the Year and the 2024 Ron & Eva Stob Volunteer of the Year award winners.

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Jordan Bohonek

Gold Looper, Great Loop Yacht Sales

Hailing from Minnesota’s “Land of 10,000 Lakes,” Jordan Bohonek has a lifelong love for boating. Starting young with a classic 1973 Glastron Tri-Hull, his passion grew alongside the size of his boats. He and his family cherish exploring the unmatched beauty of the St. Croix River bordering Minnesota and Wisconsin. After traveling 39 states in their RV, Jordan, his wife Emily, and their children Lauren and Reed, craved a fresh perspective. In 2024, they embarked on and completed the adventure of a lifetime – America’s Great Loop. This journey not only fueled their love for boating but also sparked Jordan’s desire to be part of the incredible “Looper” community. Shortly after crossing their wake, Jordan took his years of sales and customer service in the trucking industry to Great Loop Yacht Sales where he is passionate about building long-term relationships with customers and guiding them through the process of buying or selling their Great Loop boats.  When he's not on the water, Jordan enjoys whipping up delicious meals in the kitchen, tinkering with restored muscle cars and restoring classic wood boats with Emily.

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Chad Buchner

Parks Canada

Chad embarked on his career with Parks Canada in 1999, beginning as a student at the renowned Peterborough Lift Lock. Born into a family deeply rooted in the waterway tradition, he gracefully carried on the legacy of his Lockmaster father. His dedication and expertise in the field led him to leading the Trent Severn’s operations for over a decade. 

Chad’s achievements and commitment to presenting “North America’s finest interconnected system of navigation” have not gone unnoticed. He’s been prominently featured in various TV shows, such as “Water ways” and “Powerboat Television.” These appearances have allowed him to share his profound knowledge and passion for the country’s historic canals, further solidifying his role as a respected figure in the industry. He is currently the A/Associate Director of Ontario Waterways, working alongside David Britton, Director of Ontario Waterways.

His journey is a testament to the harmonious blend of tradition, innovation, and a deep-seated love for Canada’s waterways. 

 

 

 

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Parker Griffo

Worth Avenue Yachts

No bio provided

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Ted Hingst & Kim Fleer

Gold Loopers

No bio provided

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Jay Kraft

Trawlers Great Lakes

Water and boats have always been a part of Jay’s timeline.  Hailing from Traverse City, Michigan, his boating career began by pushing his 9’ pram off the beach of an inland lake in Michigan as a child and running a GunBoat 48 on the East Coast and Caribbean has enhanced that timeline.  As the founder of Bay Breeze Yacht Sales and Trawlers Great Lakes, Jay has also been the Nordic Tug dealer for the Midwest since 2002; trawlers have been the focus since then. Jay remains actively involved in the day-to-day and routine maintenance of the Trawlers Great Lakes fleet while sharing his knowledge with clients on how they can save time and money by taking on vessel maintenance themselves.

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Robert Leviton, MD, MPH

Maritime Medicine

With more than 30 years of experience leading and practicing clinical emergency medicine across the United States, Robert has spent his career preparing for the unexpected. As an Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine at New York Medical College, a published author, and a nationally recognized speaker, he has trained physicians, built systems, and responded when seconds mattered most.

That same commitment has always drawn Robert to the sea.

From cruising Long Island Sound under sail, navigating the Mediterranean and Caribbean, and serving as medical officer for disabled sailing regattas in the U.S., Canada, and Ireland, to collaborating with the U.S. Coast Guard on maritime emergency response, Robert's professional life has steadily converged with his life on the water. Today, as he navigates the Intracoastal Waterway and his home waters aboard his Nordic Tug, the rhythms of the sea often echo the urgency of lights and sirens bringing patients to our emergency departments—unexpected, unforgiving, and demanding preparation.

Out of deep respect for the sea, our oceans, and the mariners who venture upon them, Robert developed the Maritime Medical Emergency Management course and companion medical kit. These resources translate real-world emergency medicine into practical, actionable tools—designed to help mariners manage the most common medical emergencies at sea, protect those aboard, and continue their voyages safely and confidently.

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Wes & Amy Litsey

In Progress Loopers

Wes and Amy Litsey are lifetime AGLCA members and avid inland river cruisers. Amy is newer to the lifestyle, and still works aboard full-time. Wes is a USCG Licensed 50T Master, and comes from nearly two decades in the trucking industry. Wes is also serving a three-year term on the Board of Directors of Marine Trawlers Owners Association (MTOA).

Wes and Amy cruise on Toscana, a 1981 Island Gypsy 44' trawler. She is a Loop veteran, making the trip in 1995-96 with her previous owners. Wes bought her in 2019, and they have been cruising and improving her over the last seven years. Over 17,000 miles later, Toscana is nearing completion of the Great Loop and plans to cross her wake at Macinac Island this summer!

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Alison Major

Gold Looper, Loop Life Academy

Alison Major is a Gold Looper who completed America’s Great Loop with her family aboard their sailboat, Fika, while working remotely and homeschooling along the way. Before casting off, she spent more than a decade as a software engineer, a background that still shapes her practical, systems-based approach to cruising. Alison has anchored hundreds of nights in rivers, bays, canals, and quiet corners of the Loop, and now helps future Loopers build confidence through her work at Loop Life Academy, where she teaches, writes, and mentors cruisers at every stage of the journey. Her work has been published in Practical Sailor, and she’s been interviewed by cruising publications and podcasts in the U.S. and U.K. She’s also the author of Remote Work Afloat and a TEDx speaker, and she’s especially passionate about helping first-time Loopers feel prepared without feeling overwhelmed.

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Michael Martin

Platinum Looper, Great Loop Yacht Sales

When Michael Martin became a yacht broker in 2013, he set his sights on a particular niche of the boating industry, the America’s Great Loop Cruisers' Association. After assisting hundreds of boaters in finding, buying and selling their dream Loop boat, Michael was ready for an adventure of his own. He completed his first Loop in 2016-2017. Upon completion, he re-homeported his boat to Charleston, SC and continued living aboard. In 2022, he completed his second Loop.

Michael’s first-hand knowledge of the Loop waters gives him a unique advantage as a broker. He’s able to offer valuable insight, support and an insider’s perspective to his buyers and sellers. Michael prides himself on having sold many Loop boats multiple times. He considers it the ultimate compliment when a client completes the Loop and turn to him when they’re ready to find the next owner for their boat.

As a founder of Great Loop Yacht Sales, Michael ensures that each client is provided an exceptional experience. Prior to becoming a yacht broker, Michael had an international business career that set the foundation for him to manage all aspects of the yacht buying and selling business. Michael also proudly served in the U.S. Navy as an Electronic Technician. 

When he’s not working, Michael’s love of the water and boating continues below the surface as he is a certified scuba diver, diving primarily in Mexico and Florida. Additionally, Michael holds a Private Pilot’s license.

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Mike McKeown

Wye Heritage Marine Resort

No bio provided

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Charlie & Robin McVey

Platinum Loopers

The McVeys joined the AGLCA in October 2014 and bought their first Loop boat in January 2015.  Since then they have completed 3 Loops, including the Trent Severn Canal and 2 side trips to the Bahamas. In addition, they have enjoyed snowbird trips to Florida, river cruising to Nashville, Chattanooga and the Tennessee River headwaters, two “U-turn” Loops and summer exploration on the Chesapeake Bay. After 10 years and almost 32,000 miles, they continue to cruise and enjoy their adventures. Charlie and Robin have a dirt home in Counce, TN and serve as Harbor Hosts in the Pickwick Lake area (TN & MS).

 

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Kim Russo

Gold Looper, AGLCA Director

Kim Russo has been involved with AGLCA for over 15 years and has been the Association’s Director for 10 years. She has presented on the Great Loop at many of the nation’s largest boat shows, including Miami, Chicago, San Francisco, Seattle, and New England, as well as TrawlerFest and Cruisers’ University. Kim’s Great Loop adventure was finally realized!  She officially began her Loop in late February of 2022 from Fort Myers, Florida aboard The Perch and she crossed her wake there in February of 2024.

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Aubrey & Terri Smoot

Gold Loopers

Aubrey and Terri have over 45 years of boating and cruising together and now reside on the Chesapeake Bay with their powered catamaran, the Shorebilly Too, docked in their backyard.  Aubrey got his first sailboat when he was 8 years old and was an avid sailor up until the mid-90s when he converted over to power.  His marriage proposal to Terri was aboard an O'Day Mariner.

The Smoots traveled the Great Loop with the 2023/2024 fleet, crossing their wake on April 26th. Their trip encompassed 8,239 miles with multiple side trips including Quebec City, both shores of Lake Michigan, Chattanooga, Florida Keys and the Bahamas. They traveled with their Vizsla, Yudee, on a 2022 Aspen C108 power catamaran.

Eager to take on the next adventure, the Smoots embarked on the DownEast Circle Loop June 2025 and completed September 24th of the same year.  This route was 4,317 miles long encompassing the St. Lawrence Seaway, the Canadian Maritimes and the U.S. Northern Coastline.

These days they spend their time running around the Southern Chesapeake enjoying the small towns, tiki bars and restaurants that line the water. Loopers are always welcome at their dock and encouraged to stop if able.

 

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Ben & Laura Stein

Gold Loopers, Panbo

Ben Stein is the editor and publisher of Panbo.com, the marine technology hub. Ben and his wife, Laura, boated for over 19 years, first on Lake Michigan, then on the Great Loop 1.5 times, and now in SW Florida. The Stein family started their first Great Loop from Chicago in August of 2016 and finished in October of 2017. They started again in July of 2018 and landed in Ft. Myers in March of 2019. Ben and Laura traveled with daughters Molly and Madelyn. Prior to the Loop, they explored nearly all of Lake Michigan by boat. Currently Laura, Ben and the girls spend every chance they get exploring the waters around the SW Gulf Coast of Florida. Laura serves as an AGLCA Family Ambassador and Harbor Host. The Steins reside in Ft. Myers and are happy to help when you come through the area.  

 

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Foster Schucker & Susan Wilson

Gold Loopers

Foster has been an avid sailor and boater since growing up on the Choptank River (it’s off the middle part of the Bay).  Susan boated for years along the Connecticut Shore. After boating together for a decade on the Chesapeake Bay, they embarked on The Loop in 2014 on the Quo Vadimus for one of their greatest bucket list adventures.  Now, as Gold Loopers, they are Harbor Hosts for the Upper Chesapeake Bay and still enjoy boating on the Bay.  Foster is also the President – “Butter Tarts Aficionados – Mid Atlantic Region”.

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Ed Tillett

Waterway Guide

Ed Tillett is Editor-in-Chief of Waterway Guide Media where he works with a team of editors, writers, marketing and IT experts dedicated to producing the company’s 21 publications, mobile apps, digital platforms and data resources. A lifelong resident of Virginia and a former radio and television news anchor, Ed is an award-winning multimedia producer who has been honored with five Tellys and seven Communicator of the Year awards for his work in instructional design, media production, scripting and directing. Before joining Waterway Guide, Ed was part of a diverse team of IT engineers and instructional designers at Northrop Grumman Corp. 

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Tim & Diane Vandersall

Gold Loopers

Tim and Diane Vandersall hale from Northeast Ohio where they lived most of their lives and raised their eight children.  Discovering the Great Loop in 2014, they slowly began to turn the dream into reality.  They bought their Loop boat, Wilma May, in Alabama in 2020, retired, sold nearly everything they owned including their home, cars and possessions in 2022, and moved their remaining things to Wilma May in August of that year. They set sail on the Great Loop on the Tennessee River on November 1, 2022 and finished 366 days later.  They currently live aboard while cruising the east coast and beyond.

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