Barometer reading

While Scuttlebutt World Headquarters sounds like a grand address, it all happens a short stroll from my bedroom. On my commute to work, the only landmark is the kitchen, which has a coffee pot programmed to brew at 4:00am (which is supposed to keep me in bed until then). Because I get going early, without my morning jog with the dog, there is a good chance that changing out of my pajamas would be among my decisions of the day (yes, I get dressed each day).

Last week I got of the house, changed the message on the office phone, and headed to Florida for Acura Key West Race Week. There is plenty that I can comment on from the trip, but one of the things that I took away from the trip is that the Scuttlebutt newsletter remains a highly relevant, highly respected media for those people that I met. Reassurance is always good, and the winds of support were blowing strong. I met up with prominent industry leaders, who all have made a commitment to supporting the publication. Sailors respect our credibility and fairness, and events like Premiere Racing appreciate the promotion we provide.

On Monday of this week, the Scuttlebutt newsletter did something that we rarely do. For the final wrap-up article for Acura Key West Race Week, we listed the top three in every class of the event, which amounted to a whopping third of our publication length. Seventeen classes, fifty-one podium finishers, all listed with boat type and homeport.

Why give one event so much play? Well, the event is a big deal, and with the glamour classes in our sport getting so much attention, we felt that everyone who did well deserved recognition. Plus, we felt that our readers would benefit from seeing where folks are traveling from, and what types of boats they are sailing. In the bar after racing, we are from many places, but we all share a love to sail. In that way, we are all the same, and hopefully we can keep it that way. - Craig Leweck, Scuttlebutt