March 2015

Organized by Premiere Racing, the 28th edition of Key West Race Week, sailed January 18 – 23 in Key West, FL, was a great success.

Several sailing centers and sailors from the Northeast are among US Sailing’s 2015 Training and Community Sailing Award winners. The awards were presented at the National Sailing Programs Symposium (NSPS) in New Orleans, LA in January.

With a very large number of paintings, drawings, ship models, sculpture and scrimshaw on display, the J. Russell Jinishian Gallery, located at 1899 Bronson Road in Fairfield, CT, is the nation’s foremost gallery of fine marine and sporting art.

11th Hour Racing, a Newport, RI-based program established by The Schmidt Family Foundation that specializes in fostering strategic partnerships within the sailing and marine communities to promote collaborative systemic change for the health of our marine environment, has provided an educational grant to US Sailing.

The first ocean-going full-rigged ship to be built in America In over a century will begin sailing this spring, and teens from around the country and the world will board in July and August for thrilling one- and two-week Education at Sea camps.

Mystic Seaport has promoted Elysa Engelman to be the Museum’s new Director of Exhibits.

Christopher (CJ) Salustro has joined North Sails as the sail care manager at the company’s flagship loft in Milford, CT.

A number of years ago, as I was doing a (free) vessel exam for the owner of a very substantial yacht, I got to the part where I ask to see the life jackets. He pointed me to a locker, which I opened to find the life jackets, stowed under an anchor, chain and additional rode. This column is about that.

During spring, we all hear brokers urging our customers to just “make the seller an offer,” or “give me a number that I can give to my seller.” Or, my favorite, “Just make an offer, you have nothing to lose!” The fact is making an offer on a yacht through a Certified Professional Yacht Broker (CPYB) is no different than making an offer on a favorite vacation property or condo that you have been dreaming about and are now in a position to buy.

And so with your thoughts now heeled over and foaming at the bow, let me don my admiralty attorney regalia and capsize your craft. Indeed, the ocean commons are actually more regulated than you realize.