How we light our boats is changing, inside and outside, here’s a primer on how to change with the times.

With all due respect to Thomas Edison, the incandescent bulb may be a marvel of technology, but it’s not a particularly efficient one.  Luckily Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) have come of age and boaters looking to capitalize on their benefits have more choices than ever.  Let’s take a look at the advantages they offer over their incandescent predecessors and how they can help reduce your energy budget afloat.

How they work

Incandescent bulbs produce light by jamming large amounts of electrical current through a resistive tungsten filament, which gets so hot it begins to glow.  It works, but the problem is only five percent or so of the energy used is actually converted into light, with the remaining 95 percent being lost in the form of heat.
LEDs on the other hand, produce light as current moves from one type of semi-conductor crystal to another type of crystal within the LED.  Much of the energy used to light an LED is also lost as heat, but what makes them more efficient than incandescent bulbs is that they can produce the same amount of light with up to 90 percent lower amperage draw.  As the amount of power draw (and heat generated) is so much less than the finger-searing bulb mentioned above, an LED remains cool to the touch.
LEDs require a “driver” (essentially a self-contained power supply) that provides constant current-regulated power over the LED’s range of operating voltage (10VDC to 30VDC for example). The regulation provided by this driver not only provides a more consistent level of light output throughout the operating range, but (unlike incandescent bulbs) also allows the LED to be dimmed without changing the color of light produced (i.e., white becoming yellow).
Most LED units have the driver built in, however some models use an external driver to provide power to one or multiple LED arrays.  Systems with external drivers cost less to produce, but are in general are not as good as each LED having its own driver.  One major disadvantage is that if the external driver fails, all of the lights it powers will stop working.
With such great energy saving potential, it’s easy to see how replacing only a few incandescent bulbs can generate a noticeable reduction in power requirements.
Navigation lights (some of which draw up to 25 watts of power) certainly have potential in this regard, particularly while under sail or at anchor.  While LEDs and navigation lights seem like a perfect match, LED technology (which has been used commercially since the ’60s) has only recently been able to produce LEDs of sufficient color, intensity, and beam patterns suitable for use as navigation lights.

Replace or wait
LED replacements can be in the form of new fixtures or LED bulb replacements to retrofit your existing ones.  As with incandescent bulbs however, not all LED lights are created equal.  Before swapping out existing incandescent lights, make sure that the new LEDs are as bright as the factory installed originals.  This is especially crucial when replacing navigation lights–always ensure the ones you install have been tested to and comply with U.S. Coast Guard specifications. LED manufacturers, such as Dr. LED, (doctorled.com) provide a chart so that you can select replacement bulbs that will fit the size and brightness requirements exactly.
If swapping out the entire fixture, you should need nothing more than the basic tools—wire cutter/stripper, heat shrink butt connectors and crimper, screwdrivers, perhaps nut drivers or a socket set.  If you’re retrofitting a bulb to the existing fixture, no tools would likely be needed, although you may want to have a screwdriver handy to open the fixture up when swapping out the bulb.
For exact replacements, there’s no need to replace the fixture assuming it is working properly (clear lenses, good wiring, etc) unless you simply want new fixtures.  There will be no need to replace or upgrade the wiring when switching to LEDs as they draw a lot less current (assuming the existing wiring is in good condition).
If you wish to upgrade to something with increased brightness, you may have to replace the existing light fixture (depending on the LED’s physical size and mounting configuration) but in most cases I’d say even then that the wiring will likely still be of sufficient size, although it wouldn’t hurt to verify.
If cost is a consideration then retain your existing lighting. A quality LED can be pretty expensive relative to the old style. I just bought a new LED to replace the one in my anchor light (retaining the old fixture). West Marine’s price was $49.99 – the original bulb was probably less than $4.00. That can mount up if you swap out the entire boat’s lighting. Consider, though, that you’ll likely never have to replace one and won’t worry about draining your battery during nights at anchor.

In the photo,  I’m running a 25-foot plywood Ancarrow Aquilifer powered by a pair of 300 horsepower V-8s.

I never had a ’57 Chevy or a boat with tail fins, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t like them. As far as I know, tail fins on a boat served absolutely no purpose except to make the boat look like it was going 100 miles an hour even it it was on a mooring and that was my kind of fun. Some of the pictures on pages 58 and 59 certainly took me back a few decades.

In the photo,  I’m running a 25-foot plywood Ancarrow Aquilifer powered by a pair of 300 hp V-8s. The builder, Newton Ancarrow, had brought the boat up to Long Island Sound and I was trying to sell him an advertising contract. Newton was a chemical engineer and a character. When he couldn’t find a boat company that would guarantee a top speed, he decided to build his own boat. In 1961 he bought property on the James River in Richmond, Virginia, and went into boat building full time producing a series of boats he called the Fleet of the Future. In addition to the Aquilifer he launched the Gladiator, the Patrician and the Praetorian. He guaranteed the boat would go 60 mph or your money back. (I don’t think he mentioned that to the cute blonde model in this picture before she got in the boat.)
The boat yard formed the direction for the second half of Newt’s life. His yard was downstream of the Richmond sewage plant and it wasn’t long before watching the destruction of his beloved river stirred him to action, despite apathetic city officials. He spent his own money to make a documentary film called “The Raging James.” He showed it to anyone who would watch and finally got it aired on public television where it caused such a stink that Richmond and the Virginia Water Control Board had to enact measures against pollution. Today, a park on the James River is named for him, so I figure those are two great contributions Newt made to the boating world.
Since we are in high cruising season, I want to share a cautionary tale with you. I know there are a lot of you who, like me, tow your tender. Either for safety reasons or because your insurance company says so, you only tow in daylight hours, so you’ve never had to consider additions to your running light array to warn other vessels that there is a line between you and that bobbing boat behind you.
Plan ahead. You never know when a headwind or a malfunctioning impeller or some other impediment is going to put you behind schedule and force you to tow after dark. Unless you can haul in that tow line and put your tender up on your hip, you could be frantically searching through Chapman’s for the light code and then climbing around with a flash light and duct tape trying to arrange legal lights. Be safe. Plan ahead.

These new machines will get you to the hot spots in

good time, great comfort and high style

Tiara 4300 Open The new flagship in the builder’s line of dual-purpose boats that fish and cruise represents the best of the Open series. The straight sheer and squared transom create strong lines, while solid offshore performance (41 mph at WOT) comes compliments of a modified V-hull and diesel power. Notable is the quiet ride (81 decibels at cruise) and the visibility through a well-engineered windshield. The cabin, with its exquisite woodwork, sleeps six. LOA: 45’ 11; Beam: 15’ 4”. Price: $907,990 base w/twin 715-hp Cummins. tiarayachts.com

World Cat 320 CC Fans of this brand raved about the take-any-seas ride of the builder’s 320 Express Cabin, and then asked for a center console version. World Cat created this hard-core rig with a few key family-friendly features, such as seating forward. Twin hulls are resin-infused for stiffness and less weight. Among the model’s best features are the helm enclosure and deep, safe cockpit. LOA: 32’ 2”; Beam: 10’ 6”. Price: $250,000 w/twin 300-hp outboards. worldcatcom

Pursuit 26 DC This dual console due out this month is the ultimate multitasker—the layout is so flexible you can ski, cruise and entertain in a single afternoon—but it’s still a Pursuit, which means fishing is the core of its mission. For proof, check the standard equipment, which includes a livewell, rod stowage, fishbox, transom door, and roomy cockpit. The deep-V hull is designed for a single V-6 or V-8 outboard. LOA: 25’ 10”; Beam: 8’ 9”. Price: $109,280 w/300 hp Yamaha. pursuitboats.com

SeaHunter 37T  Tournament performance is critical for competitive anglers who can’t waste any time getting to the fishing grounds. For that set, there’s this 37, a center console with carbon/Kevlar construction that runs up to 72.2 mph with triple 350s. When powered by twin 300s, it kisses 60 mph and offers a range over 500 miles. LOA: 37’ 10; Beam: 11’ 2”. Price: $215,865 w/twin 300-hp. seahunterboats.com

Jupiter 26FS  As the new entry-level model in the company’s fleet, the 26 makes it possible for more anglers to own and enjoy the brand known for a tough blue-water ride and impressive finish. Although priced competitively, the Jupiter’s performance isn’t compromised. With a single F350 Yamaha or twin F150s, the 26 cruises at 35 mph. It’s easy to trailer, too, and a good list of standards makes it a turn-key rig. LOA: 26’ 5”; Beam: 8’ 8”. Price: $114,950 w/Yamaha F350. jupitermarine.com

Bertram 800 The Miami-based builder will debut a blockbuster this summer. The largest Bertram to date, it showcases aggressive lines and luxury interiors. Open and enclosed bridge (shown here) versions are offered. The company reports a cruising speed of 29.5 knots with two 2,400-hp MTUs. A nice item in the cockpit is the L-shape mezzanine lounge. Inside, there are four guest staterooms plus an optional crew stateroom near the galley for a personal chef. LOA: 82’ 8”; Beam: 22’. Price: inquire. bertram.com

Bonadeo 36 This custom builder is so confident in the quality of its composite boats it took a model stripped of its rubrail to a boat show. This was to prove that the purpose of a rail on a Bonadeo is not to cover a sloppy hull-to-deck joint. This fall, look for the new 36 Walkaround. It resembles the 34, only with an outboard bracket that frees up more usable space in the cockpit. LOA: 36’ 8”; Beam: 10’. Price: $299,000 w/twin outboards. bonadeoboatworks.com
Marlow Prowler Havana Not only is it one of the most elegant center consoles on the water—note the classic tumblehome and teak accents—this Marlow is also a versatile fishing machine. When powered with inboards, it boasts less draft than similar-sized models, which means you can run it on the bay or in the ocean. Comfort features include a hard top and cuddy cabin with a head and double berth. LOA: 37’ 6”; Beam: 11’ 8”. marlowyachts.com.

Cabo 44 This Hardtop Express is a departure for the builder. As the first Cabo with a three-sided bridge enclosure, it’s right for anglers who want better protection, visibility and comfort in all weather conditions. We like the second stateroom too, which can be set up as an “angler’s room” for gear stowage if you don’t need extra accommodations. LOA: 47’ 7”. Beam: 16’ 6”. Price: TBD. caboyachts.com

CF Boatworks Arrow We can’t forget the other kind of Southern fishing, especially when this mahogany flats boat is as finely finished as a jewel box. Weighing just 800 pounds, it can easily be carried aboard a battlewagon;  lifting rings are part of its gear. A 28-gallon livewell is built in and gleaming mahogany toe rails keep feet and line on deck. A radical console design cuts drag. She flies at 48 mph on a 90-hp engine and draws eight inches. LOA: 16’ 6”; Beam: 7’ 6”. Price: $42,000. cfboatworks.com

The Dutch may have invented “jachting,”

but America took boating to an art form.

Americans, by and large, are an inventive breed: We invented the outboard motor, runabouts, the cabin cruiser, commuters, the stern drive and the convertible sportfisherman. The First Americans invented one of the most enduring boats of all time—the canoe. What could possibly signify freedom more than recreational boating? As Americans, we are free to build a boat or buy a boat and keep it just about anywhere we choose, to toodle around lakes, up and down rivers and go in and out of harbors at will. Ask people what they like about boating and most of them will say it gives them a feeling of freedom. So in this month, where independence is celebrated, we share some truly classic boat bits that celebrate the exuberance of those who shaped our sport in chrome, mahogany and fiberglass. Most photos were made at the Antique Boat Museum in Clayton, New York, which will host its 46th annual Antique Boat Show and Auction July 31-August 1.

Adding custom enhancements organizes your

boat and fishing gear so you’re ready to land the

big one—and prepared for an emergency

Organization is a huge key to success when things get wild on sportfishing boats. It could be a triple dolphin hook-up or a man-overboard—in either case knowing where the right piece of fishing or safety equipment is located can make all the difference.
Having a “place for everything, and everything in its place,” is a great way to go boating. Every boat owner probably has at least one compartment that’s a miscellaneous repository of boat supplies—i.e., it’s full of mismatched junk—and if you have two or three of those compartments, you’re officially a disorganized pack rat.
Look for those hidden gems for stowage. You probably have a lot of open space, but if it’s not well-organized, an upgrade company can help. “People have dead space on their boats but they don’t know what they want [to put in it],” said John Shiebler of Custom Marine Plastics in Palm Beach Gardens. “We sit down with people and come up with a game plan. They can bring their boat in or bring in CAD drawings. We know how to maximize the useable space.”

For more information:

Beachcomber Fiberglass Technology, Inc.

Stuart, FL 34997

772-283-0200; sales@beachfiber.com

beachfiber.com

Custom Marine Plastics

Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410

561-516-1111 or 954-540-6610;

info@CustomMarineFL.com

custommarinefl.com

Space Maker Fiberglass Products

2331 Edison Avenue

Jacksonville, FL 32204

(904) 387-2558; info@spacemkr.com

spacemkr.com

A perfect example is under leaning posts and bench seats. There is a huge amount of space for drawers, and the cabinets may have a drop down door or two doors that swing out. Custom Marine can make hideaway doors that slide completely out of the way. “We’ll build in a cabinet with drawers and boxes, and then we’ll make the cabinet doors hideaway by sliding back inside the compartment and latching,” John said. “That way you’re not banging into the doors or breaking the doors off with your shin.”
“We assess the boat and how we can store those common items such as a boat hook, dock lines and fenders, so you can get to them in just a few steps,” John said.
Keeping your tackle organized is another challenge. It’s more than filing compartments with Plano boxes. Space Maker Fiberglass Products in Jacksonville makes a compartment with vertical slides for big fishing lures, which helps keep you from grabbing the end with the hooks.
Bert Morsch founded Space Maker 14 years ago after receiving scores of requests for custom stowage work from other owners who saw the work he did on his 20-foot Robalo.
“They liked my boat, but they wanted a cabinet that was two inches smaller or four inches wider, so that’s how the whole custom thing got started,” Bert explained. “Now we work on everything from Boston Whalers to big Hatteras yachts.”
StarBoard, a name brand of high-density polyethylene is the most common material used to construct cockpit cabinet and drawer upgrades. StarBoard is highly durable and resistant to UV damage, and it comes in a variety of colors. Acrylic materials, such as Plexi-glass, are also available in a wide array of colors to give a richer look to doors and cabinets.
Beachcomber Fiberglass Technology in Stuart, Florida., installs pre-built stowage cabinets in sportfishing boats. The company can also build or customize a slew of other marine products, such as boarding steps, dock boxes, bow pulpits, deck coolers, electronics boxes, and swim platforms.
“There are three ways to go about what we do, and we work mostly on the larger sportfishing boats and motoryachts,” said Michael Cohen, owner of Beachcomber, which has been operating since 1978. “We have a standard line of product that fits most boats. If that doesn’t work, we can modify that standard item, and if that doesn’t do it, we will create exactly what they need, a one-off.”
Cohen says over the past year he’s been into a custom project on a 52-foot Hinckley jet boat, building an elaborate hardtop, carbon-fiber radar mast and a swim platform.
“There is a lot of naval architecture involved, and between our company and Hinckley we’ve done something really special and made the boat truly unique,” Cohen said.

New ways to hit the water

If you enjoy “messing about in boats,” and we assume you do, we’ve taken a look at some of the toys that a family or a gathering of friends can enjoy when they’re out and about on the water. This summer, why not expand your horizons beyond your usual boat or boating activity and find some new ways to hit the water.
It doesn’t have to be big and loud to generate interest. There’s nothing like playing with something round to get every one out in the water. Welcome Waboba, it’s the acronym for Water Bouncing Ball—knowing that makes it easier to say. There are three versions. We like the Extreme ball; it has more bounce so it can launch off waves or smoother water surfaces. Start by throwing sidearm to skip it across the water then work up to bouncing it. Each ball comes with game instructions. Though, you’ll no doubt make up your own.
MSRP: $8.99 – $9.99 waboba.com

Liquid Image’s Scuba Series HD is the world’s only dive mask that has an integrated waterproof digital video camera, plus it shoots photographs at 5 mega pixels. It operates to a depth of 130 feet, so it’s ideal for snorkeling, Snuba and scuba. The goggle lenses are made of tempered glass and have integrated crosshairs that help you line up shots. Turn the camera on, and press the shutter button to record in the desired format. An LED inside the mask tells you if you are in still image or video mode. Four AAA-lithium batteries will power you through 2000 still images or two-hours of video.
MSRP: $250 liquidimageco.com

The best way to kick off boating season is to sit back, float and enjoy.  A rigid, floating party island, the Bev Barge from Weekend Products is easily the heart of on-the-water festivities and great way to relax at the sandbar.  Featuring two recessed serving areas, 12 cup holders, a 36-quart cooler, an umbrella and eight inner tube attachment lanyards, it ensures snacks and drinks are never too far out of reach.
MSRP: $249 weekendproducts.com

Is there anything more fun than laying on an inflated platform and getting dragged behind a boat at high speed? Age doesn’t matter, fun is fun.  We looked at two towables from Rave Sports. The Slingshot accommodates one to three riders. The two on the outside sit with backrests while the center position rides prone. The Mambo was introduced in 2005, but remains one of Raves’ more popular models It holds three riders, all lay prone. This one is great fun and catches serious air. Both got big raves from our official testers who are both under 30.
MSRP: $219 – $270 ravesports.com

The Airis Velocity is Walker Bay’s top of the line, one-person, inflatable, performance kayak and weighs just 33 pounds. The dual action pump fills the boat rock hard in no time. An experienced paddler, our tester loved the boat; “The seat was so comfortable I didn’t want to get out of it.” At the end of the day it deflates and fold into its portaging backpack. Features include integrated storage, three foot rest positions, splashguard, rear skeg, four molded carrying handles and a cup holder—hey, it’s supposed to be relaxing. This 12-foot kayak holds paddlers up to 275 pounds. Walker Bay makes the same boat into an angler’s model with a camo skin and 32 attachment points for gear as well as smaller Plat and Sport models.
MSRP: $1,299 walkerbay.com

Although Nautica’s XP Jet Line comes in five models 9, 10, 12, 13, and16 feet, it was the nine-footer that caught our attention. It seems rather personal. It’s large enough to take a couple of friends along for the ride yet small enough not to feel too big when you’re solo. The PWC-style seating, steering, and throttle controls enhance its cool. The XP Jet line is powered by a 143HP turbo charged 4-stroke Weber motor. You can order it with custom hull, deck and console colors, as well as two tone tube colors—select colors to match your big boat or your mood—custom color cushions and teak decks.
MSRP: $24,275 nauticaintl.com
Perhaps you need a day boat to entice the grandkids to visit more often. The Regal 2100 with the RX package features cool graphics, arena seating and plenty of room to carry skis and wakeboards and up to 10 people. The combination of its FasTrac hull design and lightweight, composite materials allows the boat to reach performance numbers with the standard 4.3L engine that rivals the competitors larger engine, while delivering astonishingly economical fuel consumption. A performance stereo system with eight speakers and a subwoofer keeps the crowd enthused. The collapsible sport tower is standard.
MSRP: $42,473 regalboats.com

You can use a boat to dock and dine in Palm Beach style. There are times when plastic just belongs in your wallet, not your boat. Bill Coffman of CF Boatworks in Fort Lauderdale is crazy about two things: mahogany and speed. A naval architect turned boat builder, he and his team create hand-built, trailerable wooden runabouts that are anything but retro and deliver high speeds (60 mph+) in real sea conditions. You can’t have this 33-footer, it’s a just completed tender for a 230-foot megayacht, but its 27-foot sister is nearing completion in Fort Lauderdale.
MSRP: Inquire (based on power and customization)
cfboats.com

From the folks who gave us the Hobie Cat comes the Mirage Tandem Island. It’s one of the coolest, most versatile toys we found. This 18.5-foot two-person kayak has attachable outriggers that turn it into sailing trimaran with a 10-foot beam—affectionately referred to as a “Sail/yak”. It even has a kick-up centerboard to keep leeway to a minimum. To reef the boomless mainsail, simply roll it up around the mast. If the wind dies, pedal the dual Mirage Drives, use the paddles or resort to the optional Torqeedo electric motor. Optional trampolines hook between the crossbars to allow you to carry the gang. Weight, rigged190 lbs.
MSRP: $4,699 hobiecat.com

This may be the ultimate water toy. Glasair’s Sportsman is a serious user-built aircraft with dazzling performance specs.
The company’s “Two Weeks to Taxi” program assures that you will build the plane in two weeks at its facility. The wings fold back creating a manageable 8.5-foot width for on-deck stowage and it weighs only 2,500 pounds. With two pilots and full fuel tanks, the Sportsman will haul over 300 pounds of gear, cargo, or extra passengers in two jump seats. The standard model has a top speed of 145 knots, an 18,000 foot ceiling an1d can take off and land fully loaded in less than 400 feet. You can cover 600 miles in four hours and still have half-an-hour fuel reserve.
MSRP: $200,000 (with floats) glasairaviation.com

This summer, campers of all ages

can learn boating skills

The Annapolis Maritime Museum and Annapolis Community Boating will join forces this summer to run two Maritime Heritage day camps for children ages 11 to 14. Kids will earn their Maryland Boater’s Certification while exploring the creeks and waterways in kayaks, canoes, small motorboats and sailboats. Campers will get the chance to sail, paddle and motor with their counselors in Annapolis Community Boating’s fleet of small boats. The camp will be based at Annapolis Maritime Museum’s headquarters in the old McNasby Oyster House in Eastport.

Sessions start June 21 and July 19 with classes running two weeks. Lessons include swimming safety, basic boating classes, navigating, instruction for the Maryland boating license, and a day of fishing and crabbing. Visit amaritime.org for details or to download an application.
Sea Sense, the boating school, is well known for its instructional courses aboard sail and power boats in which the focus is learning while doing. Recently, Sea Sense has added single-engine trawler training on Chesapeake Bay from Annapolis, Maryland. These new courses include traditional scheduled classes for women as well as customized instructional charters for couples, families, and groups. Training is conducted aboard a new, 47-foot Selene. Summer sessions in the Chesapeake are set for June 7-11, July 19-23, and August 16-20. If you’d rather beat the heat, there are also five-day liveaboard courses in New England June 21-25 and July 12-16. In Anacortes, Washington, there will be a class August 19-15. For those women who want to learn to sail instead, there is a seven-day liveaboard course in New England  June 21-27 and in Bellingham, Washington, beginning August 1. Visit seasenseboating.com for details.
Florida Sailing and Cruising School is offering a 10 percent discount on all summer classes, power or sail. These classes are held at  Southwest Florida Yachts’ homeport in North Ft. Myers,  or on Charlotte Harbor, Florida. They have regular classes, but will create a schedule for groups of two or more. Learn everything from the basics to overnight coastal navigation. Contact them at flsailandcruiseschool.com or at 239-656-1339.
SeaTrek is a tropical summer boating and scuba program for teenagers held in the British Virgin Islands. Students live and learn aboard a Moorings 4500 sailing catamaran. The two or three-week camps are set up to group children of various experience levels and the counselor to student ratio is 1:3. Programs run June through August. Call 810-487-1616 or visit seatrekbvi.com.
Outward Bound takes its summer sailing programs to Wheeler’s Bay in St. George, Maine. Outward Bound has challenging two- and three-week sailing expeditions designed for younger teens. One session in July for teens 16-18 combines sea kayaking and sailing. For those who want multiple adventures, kids 12-13 are invited to a 9-day backpacking, climbing and canoeing program at Delaware Gap. For details, check outwardbound.org or call 866-467-7651.
Eckerd College in St, Petersburg Florida, has one of the largest collegiate watersports programs in the southeastern U.S., so it stands to reason they will have classes for the public, too. During summer months, a Watersports Camp is held for children and teens. Classes include kayaking, boardsailing, wakeboarding, water skiing, saltwater fishing, exploring marine life, and multiple levels of sailing instruction. Check it out at eckerd.edu/waterfront.
The Chapman School of Seamanship, in Stuart, Florida, has summer youth programs to teach basic powerboat handling to kids 11 to 17. This five-day, program prepares them to take the Florida State Boating Basics Exam. A four-day advanced program for children 14 to 17 include vessel maintenance, navigation and advanced seamanship. Finally, a voyager program builds on those skills and teaches them the skills required to safely plan and navigate a coastal offshore voyage. Visit chapman.org or call 800-225-2841.
Families can learn to sail  together through several programs available through Steve and Doris Colgate’s Offshore Sailing School. There’s a vacation-based three or five day Family Learn to Sail Course available at either Captiva Island, Florida, or in the B.V.I., and a Family Fast Track to Cruising that combines the basic course with a Bareboat Preparation course or a Live Aboard course. For the competitive minded, there’s a performance sailing course. Call 888-454-7015 or visit offshoresailing.com for schedules.
Finally, for the really competitive, there’s J World: The Performance Sailing School. Courses are held either on San Francisco Bay or at Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. The Starting and Tactics Weekend would be a great drill for most weekend sailors. Advanced Racing is a five-day workout. Check out sailing-jworld.com

For
teaching us
to row

By Dudley Dawson

I have happily spent my entire life in and around boats of every description, from the wooden rowboat that provided my earliest taste of freedom to the magnificent motoryachts that now dot the landscape of my professional life. When I’m not writing about boats or working on boat designs for a living, my spare time is filled with boating with my family and friends, usually here in the waters of the southeastern United States.
Whom do I have to thank for my own personal version of “It’s a Wonderful Life?” In a word, “Dad.” He’s the one who taught me to row even before I entered kindergarten, and bought me my first outboard, a three-horsepower Johnson, when I was a third-grader. A couple years later, I was handing him tools as he put the new engine, a four-cylinder, 60-horsepower Graymarine, in the family’s boat, a Chesapeake deadrise affectionately known as Old Faithful.
The deadrise was great for fishing and cruising, but not so good for waterskiing, an early passion of my brothers and mine. Thus it was Dad who, after much whining and pleading on our part, footed the bill for that first Crestliner runabout. It was a little aluminum number that always floated stern-down due to an oversized Evinrude that, in spite of its weight, developed barely enough horsepower to pull us out of the water.
It was also Dad who protected us from Mom when she discovered we’d swiped her broom and cut off the handle to use with our ski towline, which was her clothesline until we swiped that, too. Mom soon became the least of our worries. The pilfered line was nylon and when the skier fell, the stretch would come out of the line, whistling the broomstick over the Crestliner.
Why was my dad so supportive of boating? I’d guess it was due to his dad. He grew up on the family farm, a 1000-acre Virginia tract surrounded by water on three sides—the Occoquan River to the north, Belmont Bay and the Potomac River to the east, and Occoquan Bay and Marumsco Creek to the south. The lower portion of the farm, then known as Deephole Point, is now the Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge.
In addition to farming, the family had a fishery that operated from the same site in the early 1900s, and Dad managed a duck hunting club and public bathing beach on the sandy southern shore of the farm. The club, which catered to the northern carriage trade with its own rail spur for their private railcars, went under during the Great Depression and the farm was eventually acquired by the U.S. Army for use as a long-range radio transmitting station. The farm buildings and the Army’s massive antennae are gone now, and the only indication that family was ever there is the name on the sign at the refuge’s entrance, Dawson Beach Road.
My dad and granddad both lived well into their 80s, and both continued to boat and fish Marumsco Creek until the end. I was able to enjoy many years on the water with them. In the spring, we set nets to catch the shad run. In the summer, we fished and played. In the fall, we got the waterfront ready to withstand the winter’s ice, and in the winter, we scraped, painted and repaired the fleet to begin the cycle again in the spring.
From an early age, I often piloted Old Faithful under Dad’s tutelage as we journeyed upriver past Mount Vernon to Washington, D.C., or downriver to the Chesapeake Bay. I learned the practical applications of geometry as he taught me, in those pre-depthfinder, pre-GPS days, to triangulate from shoreside landmarks so we could anchor on a submerged rockpile, greatly enhancing our chances of taking a load of striped bass, known locally as rockfish. To this day, 50 years later, I still treasure the day Dad and I hit the mother lode, hooking over 200 stripers. I also remember, with less joy, working into the wee hours gutting, cleaning and consigning the huge pile of fillets to our freezer.
My grandfather didn’t live to see my children, and my dad didn’t live to see my grandchildren, but their love of boats and the water lives in the new generations. My three kids grew up on the waterfront in Florida, where a battered 15-foot skiff was restored to Bristol condition as a family project under the watchful eye of their grandfather and repowered courtesy of their dad. That little boat filled them with pride and provided endless hours of fun, exploring all the islands of the Loxahatchee River and the waterways north and south of Jupiter Inlet. Those Tom Sawyer adventures still fill their memories. It also helped foster a sense of responsibility, independence and self-reliance that serves them well as adults.
My nine grandkids enjoy boating and fishing in the Carolinas, where we currently have seven boats of various sizes and descriptions behind our house. This old man can’t help but smile as he sees his two sons – and daughter – passing along lessons in boating and life that they themselves learned on the water.

About the author:

For
Fixing Our Boats

By Roger Marshall

When my sons were growing up, they played soccer during spring and fall and baseball in summer until they were about seven years old. As a typical dad I coached them for soccer and watched their baseball practice, but life changed when they enrolled in the local yacht club sailing program. Sailing hit all the right buttons for both boys. After just one year we bought a pair of Optimists, which they sailed at regattas all over the northeast. While in high school, they raced 420s during the week, and sailed on OPBs (other people’s boats) whenever they didn’t have a 420 regatta.
By the time my sons went to college, they had become boat owners in a big way. First, the Optimists got traded in for a Laser. When he was 11, my eldest found a beat-up skiff at the local yacht club. When he asked if he could buy it, he was told it was going to be put up for auction to benefit junior sailing. His was the first bid–$25. However, well- meaning members who wanted to help junior sailing upped the ante to more than $300.
My guy waited until five minutes before the auction closed to make the final bid. Ten minutes after he took possession, we dragged it home for a complete refit. Sporting a 9.9 hp outboard, it sped around the local yacht club and mooring field most of the summer.
Then came an opportunity too good to pass up. Both boys had been sailing with a yacht club member on his J/22 for Sunday afternoon racing series. When he sailed for Europe aboard a much larger boat, he offered the J/22 to the boys to race for the summer. They won the series championship.
After sailing back from Europe the following summer, the member decided to sell the J/22. We bought it– boat number three. As owners, the amount of care lavished on the boat increased exponentially. It became the platform from which they won the local J/22 series four more times and went to the World Championships with their friends. At the worlds, they had fun, met a lot of good sailors and apparently learned a lot. As one of their opponents said after they returned, “since the Worlds, the boys are so much faster than the rest of us, that they’ve raised the game for the entire fleet.”  To cut a long story short, as the boys acquired boats, I acquired projects. I don’t quite know how they did it, but we ended up with a dozen or so boats in the garage–  spilling onto the driveway and deck–ranging from lasers to inflatables to the J/22 and, oh, my Seacraft 18.
Then, one day in September some cushions appeared. “Storage for a friend,” I was told. A few days later more boat parts arrived, then more. Finally, around Christmas time, when the boys were home from college, I made inquiry.
“I bought a J/24 that needs a little work, but I didn’t want to tell you because you said we can’t get the cars in the garage [because there are too many boats in there already] and there are too many boats in the driveway,” my eldest son told me.
Sensing a fate accompli, I went to look at the boat. It needed more than a little TLC, more like oxygen, an IV, and intensive care. I dragged it home, moved cars aside and left it in the driveway, thinking that “we’d” work on it during the winter and sail it the following spring. In January, the boys went back to college; (“Dad, we’re on the sailing team and have a regatta this weekend, can you. . .”) became the mantra that winter. With that methodology, it was 18 months before it was launched again. With their “fix up” in my hands, I’ll admit it became an epic, and “we” did a ton of work; new floors, new cabin sole, new fore and main hatches, repaint inside and out, new bottom job and keel fairing, new sails, and a new sound system (most important!).
It can be fun working with your sons on boats, but it was hard work and a lot of effort. The final boat is now my eldest son’s pride and joy, as well as the subject of my latest book. By the time you read this, the J/24 will be measured and entered in the local racing series and there will be a bit more room in my driveway.  But what is more important is that both boys sail together and sailboat racing is something they can do for the rest of their lives. Hopefully, they continue to sail together for many years, but if they don’t, they can go their own ways secure in knowing that they rebuilt one boat and can do it to others.
Hopefully, when they have sons who become interested in sailing, they will work with them to rebuild whatever clunkers get brought home. It will bring the family together and increase both the boat’s and the family’s values. Their cars, however, will never see the inside of a garage  again.

About the author:

The third generation of Johnston artisans

keeps the family legacy alive in Little Harbour

I was just a kid the summer my family cruised the Bahamas aboard our sailboat. We found picturesque harbors, amazing snorkeling spots, a vibrant boatbuilding history, and brightly painted houses. But down at the southern end of the Abaco chain was a secluded harbor that held the biggest treasures of all.
Too shallow for our 6’ 5” draft to enter, we dinghied into beautiful and bohemian Little Harbour, home to a protected anchorage, a laidback island pub and a renowned art gallery. Pete’s Pub and Gallery was opened by artist Pete Johnston in 1992, but it was his father, Randolph Johnston, who brought the family to Little Harbour. Randolph arrived in Little Harbour in 1951 aboard his schooner, Langosta, with his wife and three sons. He built a home for his family and eventually a foundry to practice his art of bronzing.

In the foundry, Randolph and his son Pete (and now his grandsons) produced bronze sculptures using a 5,000-year-old technique called the Lost Wax Process, a complex 12-stage method that starts with clay and ends in a stunning bronze sculpture. Randolph was a skilled bronzer who gained only notoriety after settling in Little Harbour, a place he viewed as the perfect escape from what he called the “megamachine” of the western world.
The summer I traveled to Little Harbour, the third generation of Johnston offspring were teenagers themselves and were beginning to apprentice in their grandfather’s foundry and learn the family business. Both Greg Johnston, now 35, and Tyler Johnston, now 31, took to art, each discovering their own creative voice.
Tyler studied sculpture more formally at the Maine College of Art. He also paints and has a few abstract art paintings on display in the Gallery. Tyler believes in the practice of fine art, “as a means to spiritual growth,” and his style can be described as alternative-abstract. He now lives in Yarmouth, Maine, and returns to Little Harbour for visits.
Greg made Little Harbour his home after receiving a B.A. in anthropology from Rollins College. He has a passion for the ocean that shines through in his art, much of which depicts saltwater flats fish and marine life found in the Bahamas. His bronze sculptures can be found on display in the Gallery.
Pete Johnston is proud that the family tradition of bronzing is being carried on. While parts of the Bahamas have changed a great deal since Pete’s Pub and the Gallery’s inception in the early ‘90s, the artist haven of Little Harbour carries on in its original intentions. “All of Abaco has grown for the better. Our development here in Little Harbour has focused on our past and future independence and sustainability,” Pete says. “I hope it continues to grow in a healthy way to encourage all artists and to protect our unique corner of the world.”
Next time you’re in the Abacos, be sure to stop at Little Harbour for a meal and a drink at Pete’s Pub and a tour of the Gallery to pick up one-of-a-kind art by one of the three generations of Johnston artisans.

Mangroves

are ubiquitous  in the Bahamas, so much so that you could take them for granted. That would be a mistake, for along with coral reefs, they are the backbone and lifeblood of the nation, geographically and economically.
While most people see visions of casinos when they think of Nassau and New Providence island, on the island’s south shore is the country’s newest National Park, Bonefish Pond, which is both an homage to and a celebration of mangroves and coastal wetlands.
Bonefish Pond is not really a pond, but a shallow bay with 1,200 acres of wetland, forming an important marine nursery habitat while the mangroves themselves provide human communities protection from storm surges. Bonefish National Park opened April 22.

Dragonflies like this Blue Spotted Comet Darner (Anax concolor ) dance across the water’s surface. These are voracious predators celebrated for their ability to control mosquito populations. Like the mosquito, they have an aquatic larval stage, but the dragonfly devours mosquitoes at all stages of its development.

Of course this nursery attracts the attention of many predators. Including this master of disguise, the Peacock Flounder (Bothus lunatus).

The Cants are a brother and sister team making a powerful voice for the Bahamian environment. Shelley has a degree in biology and is the Education Officer for the Bahamas National Trust. After earning a degree in fine art, in 2007 Dominic published a coffee table photography book titled, In a World of Water–Bahamas. As he says, “We enjoy being miles away from civilization with nothing but time and the urge to see something new. Shelley and I make a good team.”