There are bound to be a number of our readers who not only used Claiborne Young’s Cruising Guides for cruising information and advice, but who also knew Claiborne personally. With that in mind, Team Member, Winston Fowler, thinks you will enjoy reading Claiborne’s 2005 announcement of his guides going online (“live” as Claiborne describes) as Salty Southeast Cruisers’ Net. Can you hear his excitement? So typical of this larger-than-life personality.

From: C. S. Young
To: Salty Southeast Subscriber
Sent: Fri, Nov 18, 2005 4:45 pm
Subject: Salty SE Cruiser’s Net Goes LIVE

SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISER’S NET GOES LIVE!!!!
Go to: http://www.CruisingGuide.com
Then, click on the “Cruiser’s Net” button along the left side of our home page

Watermark Publishing is proud to announce the genesis of what may turn out to be the most important new service to the Southeastern USA cruising community for many a year. And, best of all, it’s FREE, with nothing to subscribe to or join!
As those of you who have been on the Salty Southeast mailing list already know, we have been soliciting cruising news for a new “Salty Southeast Cruiser’s Net.” By this means, the cruising community can exchange information in real time about what’s changed, new, different, alarming or just plain exciting, on ALL the coastal waters from North Carolina to New Orleans.

NOTE: The enclosed links are no longer valid.

We have already received a wonderful selection of cruising news, ranging from changes in channels and aids to navigation, to marinas that might be charging a wee bit too much for their dockage. And, what’s really great, is that all this info is brought to you by those who know it best, namely, your fellow cruisers who have just traversed the waters you will soon be visiting.
Some of this data will be quite IMPORTANT to captains making their way south on the Atlantic ICW, and we urge you to check out the cruiser’s net at your earliest opportunity.
You will find the Salty SE Cruiser’s net divided into “North Carolina,” “South Carolina – Georgia,” “Eastern Florida” (Fernandina Beach to Miami), “Florida Keys,” “Western Florida” (Cape Sable to Carrabelle), “Northern Gulf” and “Bahamas” sub-sections.
Initially, you will find the “North Carolina,” “South Carolina – Georgia,” “Eastern Florida” and “Florida Keys” sections heavy with news. This is to be expected, as we have been hearing from the “snowbirds” as they wend their way south.
Of course, for this concept to work, WE NEED TO CONTINUE RECEIVING A STREAM OF NEWS FROM ALL CRUISERS, not just snowbirds, but also those who live and cruise weekly (or daily) on their home waters.
So, without further ado, we invite one and all to go to http://www.CruisingGuide.com, and click on the “Cruiser’s Net” button along the left side of hour home page.
PLEASE let us know what you think of the new Salty SE Cruiser’s Net, and PLEASE keep that great cruising news coming. We look forward to receiving your e-mails at opcom@cruisingguide.com.
Good luck and good cruising!

Claiborne Young
Watermark Publishing
opcom@cruisingguide.com
http://www.CruisingGuide.com

On their voyage south this year, Vicki and Barry Lathom have been good “Cruisers Helping Cruisers” with their waterway reports. Cruisers’ Net thinks you will enjoy their very nice blog with lots of photos. Thank you Vicki and Barry!

Travels with Vicki and Barry

NEWS From BoatUS

Boat Owners Association of The United States
880 S. Pickett St., Alexandria VA 22304

You Asked for Less Ethanol With Your Gas; EPA Adds More

ALEXANDRIA, Va., December 4, 2017 – This summer, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) asked the public how much ethanol it wanted to be added to the nation’s gasoline supply, and recreational boaters as well as many other owners of gasoline engines and vehicles spoke up against increasing ethanol volumes under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). On Friday, EPA set the 2018 RFS at 19.29 billion gallons, a 0.05 percent increase over the 2017 standard. Signed into law in 2005, the RFS requires an increasing amount of biofuels, such as corn ethanol, to be blended into the gasoline supply.

“In August, EPA originally proposed a slight lowering of the overall ethanol mandate. However, bowing to pressure from the ethanol backers, the agency actually notched the mandate higher,” said BoatUS Government Affairs Manager David Kennedy. “We think the EPA’s decision unfairly supports the ethanol industry over protecting consumers, recreational boaters, and the environment. If ethanol is as good for America’s fuel supply as Big Ethanol would like you to believe, then why do we have a law that forces more ethanol each year into the market? The RFS no longer works for Americans.”

When it was written, RFS assumed that America’s use of gasoline would continue to grow. Since 2005, however, gasoline usage has not increased as forecasted, which today forces more ethanol into each gallon of gas. To keep up with the RFS mandate, in 2010 EPA granted a waiver to allow E15 (15 percent ethanol) into the marketplace. However, only fuels containing up to 10 percent ethanol (E10) are permitted for use in recreational boats. As higher blends enter the gas supply, the chance of misfueling increases.

“Ethanol has been demonstrated to cause harm to many gasoline engines at the present 10 percent ethanol level, especially legacy outboard motors, decreases fuel efficiency, increases fuel costs for consumers, and has questionable environmental benefits,” added Kennedy. “BoatUS will continue to fight on behalf of America’s recreational boaters to fix the RFS.”

Go to BoatUS.com/gov/rfs for more information on the Renewable Fuel Standard. BoatUS is a member of the Smarter Fuel Future coalition.

Thousands of Boats Wrecked by Irma Could Pollute Florida’s Ecosystems
“Many of these vessels are located in shallow seagrass and mangrove habitats and on sensitive bird and sea turtle nesting beaches, which has the potential to cause ongoing physical impacts to those ecosystems,” says Gena Parsons, a spokesperson for the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL REPORT from Miami New Times