Amazing European Designs

15 LINES AND MORE THAN 180 MODELS AVAILABLE FROM CENTER CONSOLES TO YACHTS and several other sailing adventures to some of the remotest and most beautiful places on earth, with a boat load of enthusiastic young trainees and our five daughters.

The Swift’s voyage to Easter and Pitcairn islands was chronicled in a twopart article for Pacific Yachting (when Duart Snow was editor). When Peter Robson took over the helm at the magazine he encouraged me to write a monthly seamanship article which has since expanded over the years with editors Dale Miller and Sam Burkhart and includes cruising, ‘how to’, boat maintenance, nautical fiction, book reviews and navigation.

Pacific Swift was followed by Pacific Grace, my last major project at SALTS before turning over the wheel to younger, capable leaders. Marg and I then embarked on an extensive restoration of the Passat, a lovely teak ketch we had caretaken during our days at Cove Yachts, followed by six years living aboard and cruising the coast, visiting old haunts and old friends. We also found time to teach navigational courses aboard the Canadian brigantine Fair Jeanne on a passage from the Bahamas to Jamaica; attend the build of the rivateer Lynx in Rockport, Maine, and captain her on the maiden voyage to New- port, California, via the Caribbean and Panama Canal; assume the position of executive director at the Maritime Museum of BC as well as the Los Angeles Maritime Institute; and get very involved with the Victoria Classic Boat Festival, firstly as a participant, then as honourary commodore and currently as one of the judges.

As I look back over the past five decades and more, my memories are enriched by those highlights: well over 60 articles (and several covers) for Pacific Yachting; thousands of young people introduced to the transforming power of ships and the sea; recipient of Pacific Yachting’s “Twenty Five Who Made A Difference” award on its 25th anniversary; logging over 100,000 miles under sail coastally and offshore; and recently the Maritime Museum of BC’s Beaver Medal Award (with Margaret) for “Maritime Excellence.”