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This is the premier editorial column of Small Craft Advisor. Although it's nearly four years old, we think it still does a pretty good job of explaining what SCA is and what it will ultimately become. |
The voyage begins!
Surfing the web recently, I came across the test report of a 42-foot motor yacht. The accompanying pictures showed an interior more sumptuous than anything I've lived in. The writer allowed it was indeed luxurious, but opined that other parts of the yacht adhered to "the minimalist school." Reading down further I found the price: $454,000. Minimalist indeed! In my opinion, the words "forty-two foot yacht" and "minimalist" have no business in the same sentence. It strikes me as similar to associating Atilla the Hun with a philanthropic group. A 14-foot mini-cruiser is minimalist. A 19 is comfortable, and anything much larger than a 25 borders on ostentatious.
That sort of thinking contributed to the creation of this magazine. Josh and I are minimalists at heart. We've sailed, canoed, camped, biked, hiked and backpacked, so we know well the value and satisfaction of getting more utility out of something than is generally expected. We're thrilled when we can make something small, light or simple do the work of something larger, heavier or more complicated. Our first love is sailing and sailboats, so the idea of a tiny boat with big capabilities fascinates us.
Our plan for Small Craft Advisor is in that vein. By forgoing the more "sophisticated" techniques, we hope to keep production costs low enough to ensure the magazine's survival through the early stages. We plan for each issue to be bigger, better and more informative than the last, but we want to grow at a sustainable rate.
Small Craft Advisor is the publication we couldn't find on the magazine rack, and it's going to be the magazine for sailors and owners of boats about 30 feet and under that are legitimately trailerable.
Our premier interview is with David Omick who sailed the Inside Passage alone in a 14-foot boat. You've probably heard bits and pieces about his adventures, now read the whole story.
We take a closeup look at the Com-Pac 19 from Hutchins Company in this issue. Small Craft Advisor will review a different boat in every issue. We'll provide some history and we'll publish the manufacturer's specs, but we'll go to the experts for the bulk of our information-the owners and sailors of the boat under review. Finally, we'll throw in our own considered opinions for good measure.
What better place to begin our "Where to Sail" column than our home port of Morro Bay, California? Let us give you the tour.
We sincerely hope you enjoy our premier issue as much as we did bringing it to you.
The Editors
