It’s My Duty (with Help from Tony)

Dec 19, 2024

This is the time when, as your editor, I am tasked with summing up the past year in boats and looking ahead to the next.

But it’s a difficult assignment. Assessing up the past year is complex. There was good – mostly personal stuff that made boating worthwhile. Not much really bad, happened (no pandemic, for example) but the weather, at least here, was kind of baffling.  Perhaps that’s what we get in these parts – I feel like we repeat that every year. 

We had an on-going stream of individual and group happenings from all you powerboaters and sailors, which we detailed in our 24 issues. The one highlight for the whole Canadian community was the brilliant Halifax SailGP event. But in the mixed up year, that was immediately followed by the bad news that the event would not be held in 2025 and that the Canadian team was facing the axe due to lack of ownership. That was followed by bounce back of good news that a new Canadian owner had emerged, the team was secure and there might be and Canadian GP in 2026. Whiplash!

Now the predictions.  Next year, the weather will be better, family and friends will join us onboard for even more fun and we will take the necessary steps to keep the boat looking handsome and running perfectly. Thank you, crystal ball.

I was delighted to receive this holiday wish from Tony Castro, a Portuguese, nearly Canadian boat designer (he designed a bunch of CS models and lived in Brampton, ON, years ago) who currently works from Southampton UK.

As you can see from his card, Castro, who continually creates very interesting power and sail designs, has clearly spotted what we all need and want. Thanks, Tony, for hitting our aspirations right on the bullseye.

And thanks to all our OnBoard subscribers for making 2024 rewarding. We wish you peace and joy over the holidays and look forward to sharing that wonderful year ahead.

John Morris, Online Editor