READER RESPONSES

DONATIONS PLEASE

In response to our Twitter Poll in Feedback, (August 2017): “Would you donate money to your favorite sailing blogs?” Carol Elwood, of Dunedin, FL replied: “I began following Lin and Larry Pardey in the ‘80s, buying their books and reading their articles. So, essentially, I was supporting their ability to continue cruising without actually sending them money. With the popularity of YouTube blogs, it’s easy for people to ask for donations, and the subscribers that donate are clearly enjoying the videos enough to want them to continue. Some of these cruisers allow people to come aboard as crew in exchange for their patronage. I could see sending money for their support. I have, however, seen people with no experience and a disaster of a boat asking for donations to help them restore their vessel so they can follow their dream, almost like a Go Fund Me page, to which I would not contribute. So, my answer? Maybe.”

FROST BITE

I wanted to add to your selection of Favorite Sailing Documentaries,

Feedback ( July 2017). Only about 40 minutes long, Thurston Smith’s

Frostbiters is succinct, but very exciting and fun to watch. As a sailor on the northeast coast, our summer is so short that winter sailing provides a great opportunity to sail with superenthusiastic, and, generally, very good sailors in a friendly, if cold, setting. Disclosure: I’m in the movie, sailing with the Cape Cod “Frosties,” in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. — Peter Devlin, North Andover, MA