Eyes on the prize

I was thrilled to discover today that CLC has posted some new photos of the Passagemaker Dinghy on their web site. I was especially pleased to see more pictures of the boat under sail, which is the mode I plan to use most often. The paint scheme they use- bright white on the lower outer hull and varnish on the rest- looks really good, and is the finish I intend for my boat. The pictures also provide more detail than I have yet seen of the gunter rig. I havent yet heard specifically what the difference between a gaff rig and a gunter rig is. There is a distinction based on the angle of the top spar. Nearly parallel to the mast means gunter; at some greater (yet undefined) angle means gaff, I gather. Ill put that on my list of things to ask my sailing friends in Maine next time!

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The eyes of the world

In the course of a few weeks, this humble first-time boat builder has attracted the attention of readers from around the world. There have been nearly 500 visitors to the site since construction started, from places as distant from Alabama as Korea and Australia. In truth, the vast majority of visits come from North America, as the map above shows. Some visitors have been kind enough to send notes of encouragement, which are greatly appreciated. I was especially honored to receive a note from a CLC designer: I will try to not let the pressure that he is watching get to me! Thanks to all of you for your attention. If you happen to be in central Alabama next spring, dont hesitate to contact me. Well go for a little sail!

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