The talent on Good Old Boat’s masthead
Issue 109 : Jul/Aug 2016
Back in 1997, Jerry Powlas and I had no idea what we would be creating with this magazine. In nearly 20 years, a community has formed around good old boats, a community of readers who share our love for affordable sailboats. What a pleasure it has been, over these years, to be a part of so many sailors’ lives! While Jerry and I began on our own, today we have a large supporting crew on board that brings far more horsepower to this magazine than we could supply by ourselves. Our masthead (publication talk for the list of who’s who on page 5) is brimming with talented writers and editors who bring a wealth of boating knowledge to the team.
The newest among us is Michael Robertson, Good Old Boat’s new managing editor. Over the years you’ve seen his articles in our pages (most recently in the March 2016 issue) and photos on our covers. Michael and his family are cruising the South Pacific right now on Del Viento, their 1978 Fuji 40, so you might say he’s working out of a mobile office. He and his wife and two daughters started cruising from Mexico in 2011, made their way up to Alaska, returned to Mexico, and then headed west across the Pacific last year. They’re currently deciding where to point the bow next. Michael is co-author of Voyaging With Kids (2015, L&L Pardey Publications) and author of Selling Your Writing to the Boating Magazines (2016, Force Four Publications).
Michael isn’t the only cruiser on board. Contributing Editors David Lynn and Ed Zacko have been at it even longer. Marcie and David Lynn have completed a circumnavigation since they left Texas in 2000 aboard Nine of Cups, their Liberty 458 cutter. They did this following the road less traveled: by way of the five Great Southern Capes. Ed and Ellen Zacko have been doing it backward and in high heels (as the saying goes) since they built Entr’acte, their Nor’Sea 27, and left New York City in 1980. They’re musicians, so they find a good gig and get involved with the local folks each time they make landfall.
The knowledge and experience doesn’t stop with the current cruisers. Research Editor Dan Spurr cruised for years and wrote more books about boats than most sailing authors can count. He bought a Pearson 365 recently and is fixing it and cruising on Florida’s west coast. Contributing Editor Rob Mazza designed boats for C&C and others over the years and races his 31-foot Corvette, Trillium IV, whenever he gets the chance. Senior Editor Jeremy McGeary is a jack of all trades when it comes to sailing and sailboats. Over the years, he has designed a few sailboats and written a great deal about boats and sailing.
Let me not overlook our DIY horsepower. My co-founder and Technical Editor Jerry Powlas ranks high among this Published by sailors for sailors group, as do Contributing Editors Cliff Moore, Gregg Nestor, Allen Penticoff, and Tom Wells. These folks make sure our electrical and technical diagrams, technical articles, and boat reviews are accurate.
Gregg, Allen, Tom, and Publisher Michael Facius add trailer-sailing expertise to our mix. Jerry and I are gaining experience in this realm of towing sailboats and discovering new locations, and we benefit from the experience that’s been shared in these pages.
Then there are the Great Lakes and coastal sailors among us. Michael Facius, Gregg Nestor, Allen Penticoff, Tom Wells, and Director of Circulation Mark Busta all sail on freshwater seas. Cliff Moore sails on the U.S. East Coast and Design Director Nancy Koucky sails on the west coast of Florida.
That’s a lot of horsepower. That quick synopsis includes only the sailors on our masthead. Associate Editor Pat Morris makes sure each issue looks good and is a pleasure to read, and Financial Manager Karla Sandness ensures that our contributing writers and the printer are paid. Webmaster Jerry Stearns posts your photos and keeps our site updated. I’ll be bragging about a brand-new website soon.
What a support crew of contributing writers we enjoy! This magazine wouldn’t be possible without all the authors who send us well-written stories of their sailing exploits, reflections on their lives messing about in boats, their clever tips and tricks for improving their boats, their in-depth DIY articles, and their photos to illustrate it all.
Finally, every subscriber (that’d be you!) adds to our shared knowledge and expertise. Your letters to the editor, stories for the newsletter, photos of your boats, and follow-up Facebook posts are welcomed with big open arms.
We will celebrate our 20th anniversary in the summer of 2018. That’s based on our first-issue publication date: June 1998. I believe we deliver some of the most worthwhile content anywhere. With each passing year, fiberglass good old boats grow in number and get better. With the team I have behind me, I look forward to this magazine and its family of subscribers doing the same.
Thank you to Sailrite Enterprises, Inc., for providing free access to back issues of Good Old Boat through intellectual property rights. Sailrite.com
