Soundings writer speaks on Cuban cruising travels
Peter Swanson, a contributing writer for Soundings and a recognized Cuba cruising expert, will present at CubaCon 2010 on June 11 in Provincetown, Massachusetts. His presentation, titled “Great Bahamas–Cuba Loop: A Post‑Embargo Cruising Strategy,” is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m., and may include input from additional marine specialists.
Swanson, originally from Massachusetts and now based in Florida, has written extensively about Cuba for Soundings and maintains a website devoted to recreational cruising opportunities along the Cuban coast should relations normalize. His recent speaking engagements include TrawlerFest in Fort Lauderdale and the Essex by the Sea lecture series in Essex, Connecticut. In Provincetown he will outline how cruising sailors might incorporate Cuba’s north coast and Havana into extended Bahamas cruising itineraries.
“I invite New England mariners to attend the conference,” Swanson says. “CubaCon spans four days and features sessions on Cuban art and culture, music, a dance party, an art auction and dedicated film programming.” For more event details, see www.cubacon.com.
West Marine to open flagship store in Rhode Island
West Marine has signed a long‑term lease for a new flagship location in Middletown, Rhode Island. The new retail space will total approximately 23,000 square feet—nearly three times the size of the existing 8,000‑square‑foot store in the area—and will include a full‑service rigging shop capable of supplying and installing running and standing rigging.
The expanded inventory is designed to meet the needs of sailors and recreational boaters in the Newport market. The site will also house two West Marine divisions—Port Supply and Professional Captain’s Services—bringing combined in‑season staffing from about 20 to roughly 60 associates. Grand‑opening events are planned for the weekend of June 12–13. Additional information is available at www.westmarine.com.
Westlawn Institute announces design‑contest winners
The Westlawn Institute of Marine Technology announced winners of the 2009 Westlawn/PassageMaker design competition, sponsored by Imtra Marine Lighting with matching funds from ABYC. The brief asked designers to create an economical, affordable cruiser suitable for a fictional couple, Jane and Bob, and their 65‑pound Labrador, Bart, to live aboard for two to three months while cruising both temperate and tropical routes, from the Inside Passage to Southeast Alaska to Caribbean and Mexican waters.
Twenty‑four submissions ranged from simple sketches to detailed sets of calculations and drawings from doctoral‑level naval architects, with hull lengths from 31 to 78 feet and construction materials including fiberglass, aluminum, wood/epoxy and steel. The top prize went to Yves‑Marie de Tanton for the LST.32, a hard‑chine lobster‑yacht design. Judges praised its compact, cost‑effective layout and outstanding access for inland waterways, noting practical features such as gentle deck stairs suitable for a large dog, a generous forward master stateroom with an enclosed head and separate shower, a pilothouse saloon with a compact galley and dinette, an aft cabin with washer/dryer and a convertible single aft berth. While judges observed that the vessel’s profile is somewhat lofty for its length—likely necessitating a bow thruster—they agreed that many compromises are inevitable in a well‑equipped design at 32 feet LOA.
Mahogany Memories show returns July 10
The 26th annual Mahogany Memories Show, hosted by the Southern New England Chapter of the Antique & Classic Boat Society, will be held July 10 at the Connecticut River Museum docks in Essex, Connecticut. The show runs from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and will display more than 40 antique and classic boats both ashore and afloat. The museum will be open, and the schooner Mary E will schedule cruises.
For event details, contact Dave or Lynn McFarlin at (860) 643‑7900 or [email protected], or Lee Heinzman at (203) 264‑5823 or [email protected].
BoatU.S. overlays nautical charts on Google Maps
BoatU.S. has enhanced its online service locator by overlaying NOAA nautical charts onto Google Maps. The service, available at www.boatus.com/servicelocator, helps boaters find marinas that offer fuel or transient‑slip discounts while also displaying navigation details such as depths, hazards and aids to navigation in a single view. The chart overlay is provided by Geowake. The locator also identifies TowBoatUS and Vessel Assist ports, West Marine retail locations and sites participating in the BoatU.S. Foundation Kid’s Life Jacket Loaner program.
Mystic WoodenBoat Show scheduled for June 25–27
The 19th annual WoodenBoat Show will take place June 25–27 at Mystic Seaport in Mystic, Connecticut. The event features wooden boats of all types—classic and contemporary, power and sail, rowed and paddled—along with demonstrations, workshops, maritime art, antiques, tools, books and nautical gear.
Family Boatbuilding returns with designers and builders offering kits and instruction so families can build and launch small boats during the three‑day show. A tribute dinner honoring dinghy racer‑turned‑boatbuilder Iain Oughtred will be held Saturday evening; tickets must be purchased in advance. Other highlights include the “I Built It Myself” exhibit of reader‑built boats, a Concours d’Elegance with a People’s Choice award, children’s activities, expert skills demonstrations and full access to Mystic Seaport exhibits. The show is produced by WoodenBoat Publications; see www.thewoodenboatshow.com for more information.
Homeland Security outlines boating safety funding
In the December 18 Federal Register, the Department of Homeland Security detailed fiscal expenditures for recreational boating safety projects under the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century. The law made $5.5 million available for these programs. Among the listed expenditures were $789,019 for the Recreational Boating Safety Outreach Program, $335,624 for the Boating Accident Report Database web system and $224,625 for a National Recreational Boating Survey. Of the $5.5 million available for fiscal 2009, more than $3.5 million has been committed, obligated or expended, in addition to over $1.5 million from prior fiscal years that has been committed, obligated or spent. Approximately $7.9 million from previous years remains reserved for a multiyear national boating survey.
New alliance promotes navigation safety
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is sponsoring the Alliance for Safe Navigation, a coalition of industry groups focused on raising awareness among recreational boaters about the importance of current navigational information. Members include BoatU.S., Jeppesen, the United States Power Squadrons, OceanGrafix and the Sea Tow Foundation for Boating Safety and Education. OceanGrafix president David DeGree highlighted widespread boater unawareness about chart accuracy—electronic or paper—and cautioned that outdated charts can transform an otherwise safe outing into a hazardous situation. Unlike commercial mariners, recreational boaters are not legally required to carry current charts. For more on the alliance, see www.allianceforsafenavigation.org.
ZF Marine reorganizes East Coast service network
ZF Marine LLC, the North American subsidiary of ZF Marine Group, has restructured its East Coast field service operations. All field service activities will be scheduled from the company’s South Florida service center in Miramar, Florida, and vessel owners can now contact 24/7 support at (877) 896‑4040. ZF Marine will consolidate service centers in Warwick, Rhode Island; Annapolis, Maryland; and Jarrett Bay, North Carolina into a new location in Chichester, Pennsylvania, while maintaining branch offices in Seattle and New Orleans.
This article originally appeared in the New England Home Waters section of the July 2010 issue.