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Cruisers Net publishes Loose Cannon articles with Captain Swanson’s permission in hopes that mariners with saltwater in their veins will subscribe. $7 per month or $56 for the year; you may cancel at any time.
When all else fails, try journalism. Dear Readers, The past 30 days have seen Loose Cannon running on all cylinders. Gosh, I hardly know where to start. Two adult men ordered me to “cease and desist” in connection with my reporting on the downfall of Catalina Yachts (and the character who briefly owned the company). You’ve got to read the Q&A via text with “boatbuilder extraordinaire” Michael Reardon, if you haven’t already. What a hoot! It’s as if saying cease and desist was like some kind of magic spell to banish a demon. Abracadabra! Be Gone! Reardon wanted me to stop, but he couldn’t stop himself from talking. This is a trait common among fast-talkers who really do think they are the smartest person in the room. (Journalism may not pay, but it does teach you some things.) At one point, Reardon called me “negative-news man.” Then, there’s the latest on Wally Moran, another piece of work who now resides in an ICE detainment facility in Louisiana, where he is plotting to blackmail his way to freedom. This information came through a sketchy fellow Canadian, a YouTube sailor named Michael Potts, who recorded a phone call from Moran then posted it on his Patreon channel after telling Moran he wouldn’t—“you have my word.” Those two dudes deserve each other. After my story, Potts sent me an AI definition of copyright infringement because I posted a portion of his video of him talking to Moran over the phone. I replied to him with an AI definition of “Fair Use,” the exception to copyright laws that pretty much summed up my use of his back-stab video. While were on the topic of threats, I thought I’d share a nasty message Moran left for me a few years ago. In less “negative” .news, Loose Cannon covered two new nautically themed books with author Q&As. One was with Steve Thomas on the occasion of the re-release of “The Last Navigator.” Another was with James Evenson, author of the most excellent “Be the Captain: A Field Manual.” A Coast Guard Safety Bulletin on the Sea-Doo Switch fully corroborated Loose Cannon’s reporting on this flawed jetski-pontoon boat hybrid. Finding the answer to why these things were flipping over forward on deceleration began a year ago with my Google query: “How much does a gallon of water weigh?” These a just a few of the 22 stories published here since mid-October, by me or some of my outstanding writer-friends. Substack RulesSubstack is a wonderful platform for me. It handles the business end of this enterprise and keeps track of all kinds of stuff. I don’t force anyone to subscribe by putting any of my latest work behind a paywall, but I was curious how many of my free subscribers had been with me for three years—aka since the “early days.” Substack counted 1,905, more than 500 of whom were very active over the past month for email opens and web views of Loose Cannon stories. Consider this a pitch to those 500. Obviously, you like the product. No one else is publishing these kinds of stories. My business model assumes my free people are fair-minded, well intentioned and will eventually upgrade to paid. Consider this a passive-aggressive reminder. A satisfying number of you have already upgraded to paid. Thank you all. But it sure would be nice to have more people fully on board because, in the parlance of my youth, I am working my ass off. Feliz Navidad, PapiMeanwhile, I recently announced having recruited a single commercial sponsor—a boutique tequila brand. Another way you can support the Loose Cannon newsroom is to travel to the Bellagave sales website and buy a couple bottles just in time for Feliz Navidad. For free shipping, use the promo code LCFREESHIP (which saves you $19.95). LOOSE CANNON is a reader-supported publication. Support the work. Upgrade to become a paid subscriber. © 2025 |
BoatUS is the leading advocate for boating safety in the US and A CRUISERS NET SPONSOR.
The non-profit BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water has developed a database that will identify the locations of abandoned and derelict vessels (ADVs) across the U.S., freely associated states and U.S. territories and track their removal.

Created in partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Marine Debris Program, this national database will allow visitors to report abandoned and derelict vessels on their coastlines, allowing the issue to be better understood on a national scale with the support of the public. Eventually, this database will be able to track the impacts of removal and prevention efforts by showing how the number of ADVs across the country may one day decrease.
Abandoned and derelict vessels can crush or smother sensitive plants and corals, leach fuel and other pollutants into the water, threaten safe navigation, and contribute to economic losses. Removing ADVs is a costly effort, often averaging more than $24,000 to remove a single boat.
“When we finally understand the scope of the problem, communities all over the country will be better able to remove abandoned and derelict vessels on their local coastlines,” said BoatUS Foundation Director of Outreach Alanna Keating. “With the information the database provides, they will be able to know exactly where they need to dedicate resources, whether that be towards removing vessels or preventing them from becoming abandoned in the first place. This database is just one part of our critical work that could help make ADVs a thing of the past.”
Along with the database, the BoatUS Foundation awarded grants this year to support ADV removal efforts across Alaska, Guam, Louisiana, Maine, North Carolina, Oregon, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Washington.
The database, regional removal grants, and efforts to raise awareness on boating-related debris disposal—including the Second annual “Turning the Tide” conference in New Orleans in December 2026—are supported by the NOAA Marine Debris Program.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) reminds all cruisers about Manatee Awareness Month.
| Nov. 12, 2025
Go slow and look below for manatees on the move November is Manatee Awareness Month, highlighting a time when Florida’s manatees are starting their seasonal movements to warmer waters around the state. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is sharing the reminder that Floridians and visitors should be extra mindful this time of year to watch for manatees when on the water. “Manatees are highly dependent on safe and reliable warm-water sites to survive the winter,” said Michelle Pasawicz, FWC Manatee Management Program Coordinator. “As water temperatures drop below 68 degrees Fahrenheit, Florida’s manatees seek refuge at springs, power plant discharge areas and other warm water sites where they’ll spend the winter until temperatures rise again in spring.” Despite their large size as adults, manatees can be tough to spot in the water. Going out on a boat or personal watercraft? You can better see manatees by wearing polarized glasses, going slow and abiding by all manatee protection zones. During colder months, seasonal manatee zones require boaters and personal watercraft users to reduce speed in or avoid certain areas to prevent collisions that can injure or kill manatees. Manatee protection zones are marked by waterway signs; maps of these zones are available online at MyFWC.com/MPZ. Boat strikes are a major threat to Florida manatees and FWC law enforcement officers patrol state waters, informing boaters of seasonal manatee speed zones and taking appropriate enforcement actions when necessary. Boaters and personal watercraft users are reminded to comply with the regulatory signs on waterways. When viewing groups of manatees at warm-water sites, it is important to give them space. Disturbing manatees at these sites can cause them to swim out of protected areas and into potentially life-threatening cold water. Manatees are a protected species, and it is illegal to harass, feed, disturb or harm them. If you see an injured, distressed, sick or dead manatee, report it to the FWC’s Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922) so that trained responders can assist. Do not try to physically handle an injured or sick manatee yourself, which can cause more harm to the animal and potentially put you at risk of serious injury. Educational resources for waterway users and other interested members of the public are available at MyFWC.com/Manatee. The Viewing Guidelines page on this website provides helpful tips on how to respectfully observe manatees, additional guidelines for boat and personal watercraft operators, and information on what you can do to help with manatee conservation. For those looking to support the FWC’s manatee research, rescue and management efforts, you can purchase a Florida manatee license plate or donate $5 to receive a collectable FWC manatee decal. Both are available from your local Tax Collector’s office. |
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Tropics Tranquil; Warm And Dry For A While
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There is always plenty to do around Charlotte Harbor. While berthed at Fishermen’s Village Marina, A CRUISERS NET SPONSOR, you are certain to enjoy visiting Western Florida’s beautiful Charlotte Harbor/Peace River.
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The Cruisers Net team is deeply saddened to announce that our editor, Larry Dorminy, has passed away.
Larry was a long-time member of the Cruisers Net team and will be sorely missed. He was passionate about boaters and making sure they had the most up-to-date information. Larry was beloved by the cruising community that he had dedicated his retirement years to supporting.
Here is a link to his obituary: https://www.meyersfh.com/obituaries/wendell-dorminy
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