10 passagemaker.com July/August 2018E
very boat owner knows the importance of hauling
out. Power wash the bottom and apply fresh anti-
fouling, change the zincs, inspect the shaft seals,
through-hulls and transducers. Put her back in
the water and touch up the brightwork, polish the
stainless, clean the cushions. Hauling out annually will help
keep your boat shipshape; neglect it for even one season, and
you’ll inevitably regret it.
The time has come for this magazine to spend some time
at the yard. We’re working on a design and content overhaul
to prepare PassageMaker for many cruising seasons to come.
Like the familiar rumble of your Ford-Lehman, you’ll recognize
longtime contributors Steve Zimmerman, Nigel Calder and
Dag Pike. We’re also adding some new voices, such as Robert
Reeder, Cecilia Kiely, Bob Arrington and Stephenie Hollyman
as we delve deeper into such matters as weather, electronics
and the gear that helps you get the most from your time at sea.
And speaking of new faces, our design will also be markedly
different to improve story flow and readability, and to help
you better comprehend some of our complex how-to articles.
We’ll have much more to discuss when the redesign launches
later this year, but for now, we’re thrilled to be in the slings
and anxious to get back to where we belong: on the water.
On another matter, a 10-year subscriber emailed to offer
a critique of our May/June cover (right), which featured an
Aspen power cat. Normally his letter and my response would
run in CrossTalk, but since this is our “Bluewater” issue, I
thought this space was a better fit.
I want to thank Jerry—and anyone else—who takes the time
to write us with praise, questions or concerns. Among other
things, Jerry wrote: “Your latest issue has a catamaran on the
cover. I found this rather strange, as I do not consider this type
of vessel a ‘passagemaker.’ ”
Firsthand accounts of circumnavigating in power-driven
vessels are what inspired PassageMaker founders Bill and
Laurene Parlatore to create the magazine, and these stories
continue to fuel us. Over the years, owners of Nordhavns,
Krogens, Northerns and a bevy of custom trawlers have
contributed to—or inspired—many of these stories. These
adventurers who set out to explore the oceans have inspired
countless readers, including those who might be unable to
make such a commitment of time and resources. With every
issue, we aim to celebrate the adventurous spirit that soappeals to our readers, many of whom have been cruising
with PassageMaker since 1995.
Here is where Jerry and I may differ: I believe the Aspen
C120 fits squarely within our mission. This catamaran earned
its stripes cruising more than 10,000 bluewater miles, including
the Pacific from Dixon Entrance to Cape Mendocino and
beyond. Larry Graf ’s designs have withstood the test of time,
and these capable boats belong in the conversation, even if
they don’t fit the mold of a traditional passagemaking vessel.
Safe cruising, QTIME TO HAUL OUT
From the
Pilothouse
Jonathan Cooper
Editor-In-Chief
[email protected]