Gulf Coast Report

’Tis the holiday season, and avid cruisers will be celebrating on the docks as often as in their homes. Boat owner wish lists are commonly presented this time of year (see the Southern Boating Holiday Gift Guide, page 30, in case landlubber friends and relatives need ideas on how to bring a yuletide smile to a skipper’s face).

It is less often we ask the boats what THEY would like to brighten the remainder of the winter or help make a good start in the coming spring season. As a self-proclaimed “boat whisperer” who has spent many a quiet night on the dock listening to boats sigh their concerns in the soft lapping of a wave against the hull, I have compiled a wish list of common things your boat would ask you for, if you would only pay a bit more attention.

While big-ticket items like a new paint job, engines or extensive custom fiberglass work will please most any boat, something as simple as colorful new dock lines or a device overhead to ward off those pesky birds can really perk up your boat. New lines on the outriggers, better anchor rode and a clean filter for the heat/AC unit(s) are appreciated. Lifejackets and other safety equipment prepare you and your boat for Coast Guard inspection–or worse, an on the water emergency.

If we really want to splurge, what vessel doesn’t appreciate new electronics? With advancements in technology, better performance from updated chartplotters, fish finders, radars, and autopilots are virtually guaranteed, and the multifunction units allow more devices to be incorporated on smaller helms. ...

MidAtlantic Report

Oops and a Happy Ending

A boat owner plans to seek legal action against the North Carolina Department of Transportation after a recent collision between his craft and the Heide Trask drawbridge in Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina. Sterling Stevenson says he followed nautical procedure when motoring his CSY-44 sailboat, Marijke IV, under the bridge on September 10. Trailing behind another sailboat, Stevenson said he didn’t know the bridge had started its descent until he heard his 55-foot mast cracking. ...

Massive Croaker

Norman T. Jenkins, of Portsmouth, Virginia, didn’t just break the state record for croaker; he crushed it with an 8-pound, 11-ounce fish caught on August 17. ...

Eastport Boat Parade

There’s no better way to get into the holiday spirit than to participate in or watch a lighted boat parade. One annual favorite is the Eastport Yacht Club Lights Parade in Annapolis, Maryland. ...

Yachtie-friendly
Washington,
North Carolina

Washington, North Carolina’s, revised land-use plan calls for improving and expanding the city’s waterfront and dock facilities and the greenway along Jack’s Creek. ...

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