Dale Nouse: 1921-2006

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    Last month, Practical Sailor lost a good friend, a crotchety editor and talented writer, who reminded us that beneath the ceaseless stream of devices, gear, and boats that grace these pages, there lies a story. If youve ever been amused and entertained, or educated on matters of music, art, history, or science while reading Practical Sailor, the article was probably written by Dale Nouse.

    Dale Nouse: 1921-2006

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    He put out more valuable copy in his 80s than many produce in their prime. Meanwhile, he sculpted, he tinkered, he counseled, he learned. He became a walking Google.

    Where others saw winches, he saw early Egyptians and their levers. Jazz guitarists became metaphors for rope clutches. His testing was often unorthodox, but his conclusions were rarely challenged. Most remarkable, though was the story he wove around his findings.

    So it is only fitting that we share a slice of his own story here. A personal reminiscence from Dan Spurr, former editor (now contributing editor) and Dales best friend, appears on the back cover, where Dales words so often resided. Dale was, in all senses of the word, our PS Advisor.

    Dale Nouse was born Feb. 12, 1921. After his father left the family, his mother ran a boarding house, and Dale grew up during the Great Depression, the middle of three brothers.

    At the University of Michigan, he began his studies in architecture but switched majors following a summer internship, complaining that the builders of buildings werent very receptive to creative ideas. So he switched to journalism, and after graduation found a job first with the Ann Arbor Daily News, and then as crime reporter for a newspaper in Michigan City, Ind. He made friends with the local cops, one of whom gave him a handgun with the serial numbers filed off, advising, “If you ever need to use it, just wipe it and throw it away.”

    Next stop was the Detroit Free Press, where Dale made a name for himself as a top gun reporter. His feature-length reports on education won him several national awards as well as appearances on television news shows. He interviewed every president from Eisenhower to Carter.

    He began racing one-designs at the Grosse Point Yacht Club in Michigan. As the years passed, Dale grew into larger boats, first a 26-foot sharpie designed by Howard Chapelle, and then a beautiful 32-foot Mariner ketch. When he became editor of Cruising World magazine in 1977, he moored Coup Fourr in Newport harbor. From that excellent location, he and his wife Sylvia and son Kyle cruised the nearby islands. Age and circumstance didnt allow for adventures farther afield, though he always thought they would.

    At age 72, after serving as editor for several years, he opted for retirement, only to find it boring. Sylvia heard about an opening at Practical Sailor and urged Dale to apply. So began an 18-year run as part-time writer and editor for the magazine, for which we will always be grateful.

    Darrell Nicholson
    Editor

    Darrell Nicholson
    Practical Sailor has been independently testing and reporting on sailboats and sailing gear for more than 50 years. Supported entirely by subscribers, Practical Sailor accepts no advertising. Its independent tests are carried out by experienced sailors and marine industry professionals dedicated to providing objective evaluation and reporting about boats, gear, and the skills required to cross oceans. Practical Sailor is edited by Darrell Nicholson, a long-time liveaboard sailor and trans-Pacific cruiser who has been director of Belvoir Media Group's marine division since 2005. He holds a U.S. Coast Guard 100-ton Master license, has logged tens of thousands of miles in three oceans, and has skippered everything from pilot boats to day charter cats. His weekly blog Inside Practical Sailor offers an inside look at current research and gear tests at Practical Sailor, while his award-winning column,"Rhumb Lines," tracks boating trends and reflects upon the sailing life. He sails a Sparkman & Stephens-designed Yankee 30 out of St. Petersburg, Florida. You can reach him by email at practicalsailor@belvoir.com.