Welcome...
Don’t you just love the British weather? It pisses with rain all winter but the minute the lockdown starts we are gifted weeks of uninterrupted sunshine. It’s almost as if it knows we can’t use our boats and only adds to the frustration of being confined to our homes. But I promised you last month we would do everything in our power to keep your nautical yearnings sated with a colourful cocktail of BOATS, ADVENTURES, ADVICE AND INSPIRATION, and I like to think this issue does just that. From Martin Hughes’ moving tale about restoring a classic Star Craft to help get over the loss of his wife, to the man who spent seven years building his own aluminium sportsboat while fighting prostate cancer, it’s brimming with real examples of how boating can be a force for good – even in the toughest of times. The media loves to stereotype boat owners as wealthy hedonists but the truth is that owning a boat is not about BEING RICH BUT BEING ENRICHED.
Maybe, just maybe, this wretched virus will give us all a chance to slow down, recalibrate and work out what really matters in life. Quality time spent with family and friends on my 22ft Karnic walkaround is well up that list.
MBY NEEDS YOU!
Now that our ability to test new boats has been somewhat curtailed, we are looking for more of your stories to share in the magazine. Have you completed an interesting project on a boat, enjoyed a memorable cruise or taken the plunge on an interesting new or used purchase? You don’t need to be a professional writer (we can help with that) but you will need a good set of photos to illustrate it. Send your ideas to me at mby@ti-media.com and I’ll let you know if it has potential. In the meantime why not brush up your skills at home with our new series of seamanship videos on www.mby.com/howto