The Spring Rendezvous includes more than 20 seminars split into two tracks. The Route Briefing track includes more than 11 hours of seminars covering the portion of the Great Loop Route from the Chesapeake to Alabama's Gulf Coast, including Canada. Speakers will lead you through these waterways, pointing out favorite marinas, anchorages, things to see and do, and navigational information along the way.
The second track is our Looping 101 track. This encompasses more general Looping information, such as finding the perfect Great Loop boat, weather, marine electronics, and more. Registered attendees will be polled about topics of interest to them about a week after registration opens. The Looping 101 track agenda will then be created from the top topics on the poll.
Attendees are free to move between the two tracks at will. You are not required to pre-register for individual seminars.
In addition to the Rendezvous sessions, there will be an optional pre-Rendezvous safe boating course for an additional fee on Thursday, May 1st from 8:30 am-5:00 pm, with registration beginning at 8:00 am. You will be able to select this as an add-on during the registration process. The registration fee of $65 includes course materials and a boxed lunch. This session is only open to Rendezvous attendees.
Boat America, a safe boating course taught by the Coast Guard Auxiliary, is approved by the National Association of State boating Law Administrators (NASBLA). Any adult boater with a NASBLA-approved course boating education card can legally operate a powerboat when visiting any state requiring boater education. This course fulfills the requirement for some states along the Great Loop for transiting boaters to have completed a NASBLA-approved course.
Topics include: Boat Basics and Trailering, Rules of the Road and Safe Operation, Boating Laws and Required Safety Equipment, Boating Emergencies, Water Sports.
Some insurance companies offer boat insurance discounts to boaters who successfully complete this course.
All seminars and meals will take place at the Norfolk Waterside Marriott. The meeting facility is a very short walk from Waterside Marina for those staying there and for those staying at the Tidewater Yacht Marina or Ocean Yacht Marina, you can ferry over using the Waterside Ferry Stop.