My vote is for Bud Kerner’s series on sailing the California coastline in his Potter 19. I had the honor of meeting Bud last year when he included Catalina Island in his exploration of Southern California’s waters.

I vote for "Requiem for Resolution" by Charles Whipple, telling us of the decisions and actions leading up to the wreck of his self built boat shortly after departing for his trip to Hawaii. (Nov/Dec 2008)

I tend to flip to the trip reports first.

I always go for the boat review and for my favorite articles: Reader Boat.

Sean Mulligan's article "Sailing in a Fog" was one of the most educational, thought provoking, and well written articles I've read in any sailing magazine.

There are many stories I have read, reread some, but my short memory limits me to the Texas 200 story recently both because I was there and heck, you used a coupla my pics. (blush) I enjoy the boat reviews by your writers and by owners and have looked back on them several times online. Additionally, let me be frank and say that B. Frank Franklin is almost always enjoyable. Reminds me at times of Dashiell Hammett.

To choose a favorite article would be like saying I love one of my dogs more than another or to say this particular boat was the best boat I have ever owned. I have had even sailboats and often refer to them lovingly. The other day I was reminiscing about our old Flicka s/v Dangerous and remarked that of all the boats I have owned I would love to sail her again. Lizzie smiled and said you've got that look in your eyes again. What look I asked? The look you get when you talk about your old boats, every one you talk about you say If I would have just done this or that she would be perfect I don't know why I ever sold her.

The truth is they were all my favorite, all very different yet all my favorite. I love every Small Craft Advisor issue. The articles are like sailing my boat. While I prefer some points better than others, they all have their purpose.

Great Rag Alan Oberlander

s/v Roo

www.boatyardpirates.com

I'm without a sailboat right now. Could use a knife to cut a deal on my next one!

I love anything written by that witty and intelligent fellow Jim Stumpf OOPS should have posted this with a fake name. Just kidding I turn to the trip reports first. I love to see where and what other people are up to. Even though I live on Lake Erie I am limited to camp cruising destinations due to the lack of undeveloped shore line and places to camp. I live vicariously through your trip stories. Then I turn to the readers boats, again I live out my fantasies via your other readers.

Thanks for the great publication, forum and blog.

Jim

I always find the plans first and then look for Readers Boats if there is one.

Thanks for the great magazine.

Dave

I enjoy SCA cover to cover every time, but I tend to gravitate first to any 'epic' voyage articles, then to reviews, Plan Studies and Readers' Boats columns.

Thanks for producing such an interesting and well-focussed magazine. No other sailing mag holds my interest like SCA.

Curtis

have read and re-read Jan Nikolaisen's 'Port to Port Potter Passage' (SCA, #39; may/jun '06) many times over the years.


dave scobie
M15 #288 - SCRED

I have beena subscriber for a couple of years. Having to decide which has been my favorite issue/article is a difficult one, as SCA always has many! I always enjoy the boat reviews and learning of the many interesting small craft. I also enjoy the ideas and write-ups by Capt'n Pauley.

Sean Mulligan's recent article about "Sailing in Fog" has been one of the most informative and educational articles to date.

Great mag - keep up the great work!!

Carlos

I'm boring. I start at page one and read to the end. However, I do enjoy reading about "new" designs taken from classics and fine tuned for different sailing venues. Since the best boat you ever had is the next one, I also like to go through the classifieds.

Favorite Issue? The one featuring the Dovekie (my favorite cruising sailboat) in the used boat/owner comment section.

My favorite issue of SCA? The one that featured Dovekie (my favorite cruising sailboat) in the used boat section, of course.

Mine is in year 2000 issue 5 about sailing to the Marquesas Keys. This is sommeplace on my short list to get to. But generally I read everything within a day of so of it arriving.

Jan/Feb 2009 - The article on the Texas 200!!!!!!

Without a moments hesitation....my favorite series of articles are by B. Frank Franklin!! When I receive my SCA, I ALWAYS start at the back of the issue with BFF's column....On rainy, stormy days, as I sit by the wood stove reviewing past issues...again I always start with BFF and enjoy a good chuckle once again! Alarmingly as I have gotten older, I think...God help me...I can identify with most of the things he writes!!...Best, Dan Phy P15 #1051 Ol'Geezer

I always read the last page first to find out what Frank has to say. Next comes the Places section. Always looking to see the experiences of other sailors. For a Specific article I really enjoyed the Flight of the Pelican. It really seemed to Characterize the beginings of the small boat adventure sailors.
After that I read it cover to cover, which I have never done with any other sailing Mag.
Keep up the good work!
John

Well I have to go along with the others and say B. Franklin is the first thing I read. Now I do not have ANY idea why since I hardly understand what he is talking about, but I just hope he will sober up sooner or later.

My favorite section is always the Cartop Cruising article. I have kayaked at many of the places mentioned and I'm nearing the finish line for my PD Racer, "Just Ducky", which my wife and I will use on occasion in many of the same locations. We still enjoy our Sea Pearl Trimaran regularly, but a small boat with a sail is still a hoot! After Cartop Cruising I always look to see what Bill Mantis has dreamed up.

Ed

I particularly enjoyed the video of the start of this year's Everglades Challenge. Reminded of my years on the Gulf Coast as I sit here in New England freezing my butt off waiting for spring. Maybe next year....

My favorite article is by Steve Earley. The article is about a cruise he took aboard his Welsford designed Pathfinder on Pimlico Sound N. Carolina. Jan/Feb issue no. 55. Ofcourse I feel almost silly stating this alone as my favorite story becase there are so many. I guess that my real preferance here is as much for the Pathfinder as it was for Steve's report. R.A.

Honestly I read SCA cover to cover. It's all good! Favorite articles include the wrap-ups on the Everglades Challenge, Charlie Whipple's Resolution series (with John Welsford's commentaries), all the boat mod articles, and anything with a Sea Pearl in it! Keep up the great work!

I've read every issue you have published from cover to cover. The article(s) that have lingered most in my mind is the two part interview with Shane St. Clair.

The man speaks so modestly about his truly impressive sailing accomplishments and I also found his comments on boat design to stimulate a lot of thoughtful pondering on my part which, in the long run, I have enjoyed as well.

Thanks to everyone who participated in our little contest, and especially for the many nice comments. We used the random number generator at www.random.org to come up with a winner from the 26 entries we received.

The winner of the Spydero Salt knife is David Wilkins.

David's favorite article was a story we published abour sailing the Marquesas way back in issue #5.