Flotsam & Jetsam
Your letters and other stuff
Commenting on one of our Favorite Mods articles, reader Al Noble writes:
All boats should have a midship cleat. After all it’s the only place you need to tie a boat to a dock. Remember always t tie your boat to the dock not the dock to the boat.
Our friends at Gig Harbor Boat Works have some cool small-boat specific things happening at the upcoming Seattle Boat Show. From their latest press release:
Small Boats are an accessible way for people to experience our beautiful waterways and the joys of boat ownership. Gig Harbor Boat Works presents daily sailboat rigging & rowing demonstrations at the 2025 Seattle Boat Show…
Many people are interested in sailing, but don’t know where to start.
Gig Harbor Boat Works daily demos will help interested boaters see how boats are rigged, ask questions, and gain a better understanding of why small boats are so special and so easy to manage compared to many other types and sizes of boats.
BALANCED LUG RIGGING DEMO (on the 17′ Salish Voyager or 12′ Scamp)
Gig Harbor Boat Works’ balanced-lug sailboats are popular for a reason-they offer tremendous versatility, ease of use, and are extremely fun to sail. The quick deploying and simple to use balanced lug rig will impress beginners and experienced sailors alike!
The Salish Voyager’s balanced lug rig is easy for one person to rig and manage.
SLOOP RIGGING DEMO (on the 12′ Point Defiance or 10′ Navigator)
See how sloop-rigged boats can be sailed with a single mainsail (cat rig) and then how to add a jib to increase performance and fun.
Gig Harbor Boat Works daily demos will showcase how eco-friendly human power makes rowing fun and sustainable. Their rowboats are ideal for all kinds of rowing adventures and suitable for all levels of rowers. Competitive rowers that race crew also find the comfort and simplicity of Gig Harbor Boat Works rowboats ideal for both exercise and recreation.
SLIDING SEAT ROWING INTRO (on the 14′ Whitehall or 17′ Salish Voyager)
Learn the advantages of sliding seat rowing, discover techniques that maximize the enjoyment of outdoor rowing. See how to configure sliding seats to best fit different rowers’ proportions and styles of rowing.
Q&A: HOW TO ROW ANYWHERE with Jordan Hanssen (17′ Salish Voyager)
Dreaming of a rowing adventure? Get practical tips, pointers, and inspiration from world record-setting ocean rower Jordan Hanssen. He has rowed the entire length of the Mississippi River in a GHBW boat twice! He rowed across the Atlantic using GHBW sliding rowing seats, twice! He continues to crisscross the country with his beloved Gig Harbor Boat Works Jersey Skiff rowboat, Annabelle.
Click here to see more information on Gig Harbor’s plans for the boat show.
New Year’s Bucket List Cruises
Send us your small-boat cruising plans for the new year and tell us the when/how/why. Send to josh@smallcraftadvisor.com
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The custom sub in the photo looks more like a party hat than something that actually might lead to drowning deep in the ocean. And who's not in favor of a party?
When he was younger, my son always had big ideas and plans to turn an old propane tank or a couple of bathtubs into a submarine. May the dream live on!