Cruising World – August 2019

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ABACOS RADIO—CHECK

In the information section of

Tim Murphy’s “Back to the

Abacos” (June/July 2019) sto-

ry—“To the Abacos: On Your

Own Boat”—please note the

correct time and VHF station

for the Abacos Cruiser’s Net is

0815 on VHF 68, every morning.

Organized more formally back in

1991 by the late Bob and Pattie

Toler, the Cruiser’s Net provides

daily local weather, community

announcements, and invitations

from local shops, restaurants and

beach bars, as well as an open-

mike session to ask questions,

share helpful information, and

news of arrivals and departures.

Not nearby? Check out the audio

playback on barometerbob.org.

Lorraine and Bob Morecraft

S/V Scaramouche

Hope Town, Elbow Cay, Bahamas

DO THE WAVE

David Kilmer’s short article on

the virtues of waving (“Always

Wave,” June/July 2019) was an ex-

cellent read. Many people would

have experienced exactly what

David so eloquently put into

words. Such a simple gesture, free

of charge, with friendship its on-

ly intent, can be such a powerful

thing when one is alone out there.

We should feel sorry for those

who have never experienced it.

Mark Mansell

Via email

FIRST THINGS FIRST

The May 2019 Cruising World

article “Toys ’R’ Aboard” contains

an incorrect assertion: “The

fi rm (Hobie) introduced the fi rst

production-line catamaran in

1968.” The Aqua Cat preceded

that item by about eight years.

Built by the hundreds, they were

fi rst made in Connecticut, and

later down South, if I remember

correctly. I was a sailmaker with

Fairclough at the time ( circa

1960), and we made hundreds of

sails for the Aqua Cats. Hobie

was not the fi rst.

Perry Hood

Newport, Washington

YOU SHOULDN’T HAVE DONE IT

Having cruised and raced extensively internationally, up and down the

East Coast and in the San Francisco Bay for many years, I believe that it

was irresponsible for Cruising World to publish “Small Wonders” in your

May 2019 issue. Those who know the bay (and who have rescued their

share of unfortunate and/or foolhardy boaters in distress) understand

that what the albeit experienced author did alone in his 10-foot wooden

open dinghy was foolhardy precisely because of the bay’s “strong winds,

tricky currents, chilly water and plenty of commercial traffi c [that] make

for dangerous sailing, especially when much of it is often shrouded in

fog.” Despite citing many of the Golden Gate and Bay’s extreme boating

hazards, the article was silent on advising potential copycats about even

the most basic boating safety precautions. What separates courage from

foolhardiness is good judgment, an attribute that Cruising World and the

author seemingly lacked in this case.—John Henry, Oakland, California

It’s Showtime!

Boat-show season is

about to kick off with

the Newport Inter-

national Boat Show,

located in Newport,

Rhode Island. The

show, which runs

from September 12-15,

2019, is known as the

place to see new boats

and gear launching in

the North American

market through its

Newport for New

Products program.

Up next is the U.S.

Sailboat Show, in

Annapolis, Maryland,

October 10-14, 2019.

This is North Amer-

ica’s largest in-water

sailboat show, and is

not to be missed.

Heading to a show?

Come say hi to team

Cruising World! More

info at newport

boatshow.com and

annapolisboatshows

.com.

Sail South with

the Salty Dawgs

Looking to sail south

in company? Join the

Salty Dawg Fall Rally

to the Caribbean!

Pre-departure events

will begin on October

26, 2019, in Hamp-

ton, Virginia, and

departure is sched-

uled for November 2.

Activities in Hampton

will feature seminars,

weather briefi ngs and

plenty of social activ-

ities. Participants can

choose either Antigua

or Abacos, Bahamas,

as a destination.

saltydawgsailing.org

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AW

Is a 10-foot wooden dinghy too diminutive to take on a big

cruising adventure in San Francisco Bay?

Clarifi cation

The Lagoon 450 was

referenced in the Lagoon 46

review, “Meet the New Cat

in Town” (June/July 2019). It

was fi rst launched with a fl y-

bridge in 2010 and refreshed

with a raised helm station,

called the SporTop, in 2016.

More than 900 of the 450F’s

and 450S’s were sold. The

$620,000 base price cited for

the Lagoon 46 is for a light-

ly equipped boat in sail-away

condition, delivered to the

East Coast of the U.S.