Getting to Know Us As time goes on, more people sign up for Canoe Sailing Magazine so they can participate in the forum, or receive my occasional emails. To add to the appeal, I hope to soon add videos that will be available only to those who are signed up. What ‘soon’ means is anybody’s guess, though! But, those folks are all good connections and seem to be happy with what we bring you every issue. Getting away from the electronic connections for a moment, April 19th I had the chance to visit the Great Florida Gulf Coast Small Craft Festival sponsored by the Florida Gulf Coast Chapter of the Traditional Small Craft Association (TSCA ). I gauked at some very nice wooden craft and spoke to a few folks about sailing canoes and wooden boats. I brought my sharpie skiff there to sell so I could turn right around and decide whether to restore my E.M. White replica, or bite the money bullet and order a replacement. While there, I met Bill Whalen who owns a beautiful 1917 Old Town with a 55-foot lateen. Bill has a swell boat of which he’s taken good care. I asked about its canvas covering and how it stands up to salt water and Bill says it’s no problem. Hmmm…I now have to consider going canvas if I’m to have a new one built…just what I need—options. The weekend of May 2 – 4 I’ll cruise up the Gulf coast a couple hours to the Cedar Key Small Boat Meet, where I’ll have a chance to meet more canoe and kayak sailors. All these face-to-face meetings help me connect with folks who know a lot about what we do, have “been there and back again,” and enjoy sharing what they know. I’ll come away with good information I hope to share with you very soon, or maybe some of the attendees will take that bull by the horns and share their own insights in these electronic pages. Yes—connections are good. Keeping in the connection theme, you’ll note a poll this issue asking your opinion regarding a global canoe and kayak sailing club. I know many folks enjoy the camaraderie a club offers, and where better to have it begin than in Canoe Sailing Magazine? I’m not sure what form it would take, but I do know that it would represent all types of sailing canoes and kayaks regardless of materials, style, culture, whatever. No one umbrella organization exists right now and I know there are many readers out there who would enjoy an opportunity to belong to a such a dynamic group of like-minded (obviously intelligent and progressive) folks. In this issue, you’ll see some pretty darn interesting pieces, beginning with the opening image taken from Fredric Fenger’s tale of his seminal journey in the rudderless decked canoe, Yakaboo. Building upon that theme, we have a photo journal of contributing editor Benson Gray’s 1931 Old Town, complete with a copy of its ordering form. I added some comments about the boat and my speculation about its original owner. A second photo journal in our “Reef Knotes” section is from John Haugen-Wente, who sends photos and comments about his Algonquin canoe and Klepper kayak. As you may have seen me mention, I highly encourage personal stories about your own sailing adventures, building projects and other interesting experiences. Dan St Gean discusses his somewhat vertical learning curve regarding outriggers, David Eblen is kind enough to share his development of a sailing ‘yak with outriggers (sounds like a trend, huh) and Marty Cooperman and Heike Robinson contribute a fine piece about their trip along Florida’s Big Bend Saltwater Trail. Tom Lewis, who provided us with a great method of using PVC pipes as clips last issue, shows us three quick solutions for typical problems, the most interesting and useful of which is using a bungee cord to retain a sheet while providing a quick-release method. Very cool. Keith Morris, commodore of the Open Canoe Sailing Group, was kind enough to share with us a version of the Beaufort Wind Scale he edited specifically for canoe sailors. This is a great piece and I’m happy to have yet another contribution from OCSG. Well, that about wraps it up for me this issue. Before I go, I’d like to remind you that the advertisers you see here help fund this magazine ONLY when you visit them online. Also, please take a look at our Canoe Sailing Magazine Stuff, which is more than just T-shirts, money from which goes into keeping this publication online. That’s it. Thanks for being here. I hope to connect with you personally sometime!
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