Where Have All the Bearded Sailors Gone?

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Careful readers of

Practical Sailor may note an obvious shortage of grumpy old men scratching their heads over sailing gear in this months issue. We have contributing editor David Gill brewing a variety of cleaning acids on page 27 (“Boat Bath”), but most of the articles are illustrated primarily with photos of boats, sailing gear, and perhaps most notably, women.

In John Spiers power tools report on page 31, we have his wife, Kerri Spier, aloft and handling one of his recommended cordless tools, a Makita angle drill. And in our analysis of the new Torqeedo electric outboard on page 18, we have Associate Editor Ann Key enduring a South Florida bake-athon and waiting for the battery to peter out. And in our test of remote microphones on page 13, instead of the familiar mug of our electronics guru Al Herum, we have his more photogenic girlfriend, Patti Schrader demonstrating the function of the Standard Horizon unit.

This was not by design, but simply a matter of course. Like sailing itself, Practical Sailor, has been, and will always be, a family affair. Just as our voyages are arranged according to the tradewinds, our testers home lives often revolve around Practical Sailors projects. So, it is inevitable that spouses, chidren, cousins, and uncles (or if the need is dire, the nearest innocent passersby) get coaxed into holding a winch handle or boat hook so we can measure it, whack it with a hammer, or snap a picture.

To those who still cling to the idea that the ocean, boats and all things between-Practical Sailor included-belong only to men, I make no apologies. If the exploits of the 16th-century pirate Anne Bonney did not put seafaring male chauvinism to rest, the recent feats of solo-racing legends Ellen MacArthur and Isabelle Autissier surely have.

Today, women rank among the worlds best sailors. Yet, as any woman who attended this years Annapolis Boat Show will tell you, the sailing arena caters primarily to people such as myself-men under the delusion that we are either Jimmy Buffett, or a reincarnated Irish sea captain (depending upon our latitude at the time). Stroll the booths at Annapolis, one of the nations largest gatherings of sailboats and marine gear, and youll find no shortage of brass belt buckles, manly sea boots, and jaunty caps. Meanwhile, a search for a safety harnesses, sailing gloves, or a life jacket that fits a petite woman will send you zig-zagging vainly through the aisles.

Against these odds women still find their way on to boats, and it is a good thing they do. Otherwise the worlds reefs, atolls, and rockbound coasts would surely be populated by shipwrecked sailors drowning their sorrows in margaritas or Jameson (depending upon the latitude).

To those people who worry that Practical Sailor is being borne off to some palm-fringed, glossy-mag isle where fingernails are always clean, do not fear. I can assure you that there is no shortage of balding testers lurking around our workshop, and they will slink back into the photos soon enough.

In the meantime, this issue presents an opportunity to offer up this thought. In this month of Thanksgiving, let us give thanks to the friends and family who indulge in our maritime ambitions, making sure our good little ship steers clear of trouble . . . and ensuring that the world will never be short of Irish sea captains.

-Editor Darrell Nicholson

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.