BWI hands out annual boating journalism awards

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – Top marine journalists in the United States and beyond were recognized Friday in an annual writing contest Boating Writers International membership conducted, BWI said in a statement Friday.

Presentations in 15 contest categories and first, second and third place winners were awarded a cash prize. Each recipient also took home a recognition plaque noting their “Excellence in creating compelling stories about the boating lifestyle through entertaining, educational and inspiring journalism.” In addition, all move into a “Phase II” competition, which culminates in a single selection honored with the West Marine Writer’s Award and $5,000 grand prize at the Fort Lauderdale Boat Show next fall.

In its 14th year, the BWI contest attracted 189 participants submitting 598 entries. In addition to cash awards, Certificates of Merit were presented to those who wrote another 39 articles that scored within 95 percent of third-place tallies in each category. All contest submissions were published in 2006. Four active journalists judged each category in the first few weeks of the new year.

Boating Columns – sponsored by KVH Industries, Inc.
First place, “On the Wind” by Chris Caswell, (Sailing); 2nd place, “Under Way” by Bill Sisson (Soundings); 3rd place, “We’ve Always Wanted to Ask” by Robert Stephens (Boating Life). In this category, entrants were required to send in three columns. Certificates of Merit awarded to “Off the Charts” by Wendy Mitman Clarke (Chesapeake Bay); “Seamanship” by Vincent Daniello (Yachting); “Family Time” by Alan Jones (Boating World); and “Following Seas” by David Seidman (Boating).

Boating Lifestyles – sponsored by Richard Lewis Communications, Inc.
First place, “Clam Nation” by Holly Parker (Offshore, Aug.); 2nd place, “In the Company of Pirates” by Jane Meneely (Chesapeake Bay, May); 3rd place, “Lucy in the Fog with Diapers” by Charles J. Doane (Offshore, June). A Merit award goes to “Luck be a Lady” by Jan Adkins (Chesapeake Bay, Dec.).

Boating Profiles – sponsored by Interlux Yacht Finishes
First place, “Requiem for a Mariner” by Herb McCormick (Cruising World, Nov.); 2nd, “Behemoth” by C.J. Chivers, (Salt Water Sportsman, Feb.); 3rd, “Boating’s Peerless Idea Man” by Doug Campbell (Soundings, Oct.). Merit Awards went to “Against the Wind,” Jim Flannery (Soundings, April); “The Bassmaster,” JoAnn Goddard (Soundings Trade Only, Oct.); “Born to Run,” Matt Trulio (Powerboat, Feb.); “Here’s one for Ya,” Jeremy McGeary (Cruising World, March); “The Icemen Cometh,” Gary Joyce (Offshore, Jan.); “Remembering Bob Derecktor,” Lisa Knapp (International Yachtsman, Sept./Oct.); “Shooting to Thrill,” Tom Richardson (Offshore, Oct.); “Welcome Brats,” Betsy Haggerty (Offshore, March); “Yachting Life,” Barry Pickthall (Yachting, July).

Boating Travel or Destinations – sponsored by Bear Enthusiast Marketing Group
First place, “Dancing Barefoot through Winter” by Tim Murphy (Cruising World, Feb.); 2nd, “Docking Olympics” by Kari Snyder (Boating, June); 3rd, “Canal Town” by Wendy Mitman Clarke (Chesapeake Bay, July). Certificates of Merit were awarded to “Luck of the Irish” by Paul Clancy (Chesapeake Bay, Aug.); “Choptank Circle” by Diana Prentice (Chesapeake Bay, Feb.); and “Treasures of the BVI” by Chris Caswell (Motor Boating, Oct.).

Boating Adventures – sponsored by Discover Boating
First place, “Pressure Drop” by Melanie Neale (Soundings, January); 2nd, “Hurricane Baby” by Martha LaGuardia Kotite (from the book “So Others May Live – Coast Guard Rescue Swimmers: Saving Lives, Defying Death”); 3rd, “Hooligan Heroes” by David W. Shaw (Offshore, Dec.). Certificates of Merit went to “Passage South” by Betsy Haggerty (Voyaging, Fall); “High Speed Delivery” by Eric Colby (Speed Boat, July); and “Making Our Way Around South Florida” by Bill Lindsey (Southern Boating, July/Aug).

Boat/Engine Care and Maintenance – sponsored by Starbrite
First place, “Managing Mistral” by Eric Sorensen (Seattle Times, Sept. 28); 2nd, “Marine Batteries 101” by Frank Lanier (Offshore, May); 3rd, “Easy Pickin’s” by Rebecca Stone (Trailer Boats, March). Maintenance Merit awards included “Keep Your Gas Dry” by J.J. Reistrup (Chesapeake Bay, June); and “Diesel Engine School” by Dave Baldwin (Boatworks, Sept.).

Electronics – sponsored by C-MAP/USA
First place, “Navigating the Electronics Market” by Tom Neale (Soundings, Feb.); 2nd, “Fish Eyes in the Sky” by Gary Caputi (Salt Water Sportsman, June); 3rd, “Future Power” by Nigel Calder (Sail, Feb.). A Merit Award went to “We Break” by Lenny Rudow (Boating, July).

Ethics and Environment – sponsored by BoatU.S. Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water
First place, “Louisiana Rising” by T. Edward Nickens (Salt Water Sportsman, Aug.); 2nd, “All Eyes on the Eelgrass” by Karl Blankenship (Chesapeake Bay, Oct.); 3rd, “The Other Side of Paradise” by Tom Neale (Soundings, Jan.). A Merit award went to “State of the Striper” by Tom Richardson (Offshore, April).

Fishing – sponsored by Suzuki Motor Corporation
First place, “Secrets of the Hook-Set” by Doug Olander (Sport Fishing, Oct.); 2nd, “D.O.A.” by Ron Ballanti (Sport Fishing, May); 3rd, “Baja or Bust” by Kirk Deeter (Salt Water Sportsman, Dec.). A Merit award went to “Getting Slammed” by Ted Leeson (Salt Water Sportsman, April).

Boating Issues, News and Analysis – sponsored by Mercury Marine
First place, “The Endless Storm” by Shaw McCutcheon (Yachting, Aug.); 2nd, “Escape from Cuba” by Jeff Hemmel (Boating, May); 3rd, “Watertight” by Marty LeGrand (Chesapeake Bay, April). Certificates of Merit went to “Hurricane Hangover” by Kimball Livingston (Sail, Aug.) and “View from the Bridge” by J.V. Reistrup (Chesapeake Bay, Nov.).

The Business of Boating – sponsored by Home Port Marine Marketing
First place, “Made in China” by Jim Flannery (Soundings, Nov.); 2nd, “What You Can Learn From…” by Jonathon Mohr (Boating Industry, Oct.); 3rd, “Broken Promises” by Liz Walz and Matt Gruhn (Boating Industry, Nov.). Certificates of Merit went to “Trinity Triumphs” by Lisa Knapp (International Yachtsman, July/Aug.) and “No Rest for the Weary” by Liz Walz (Boating Industry, Feb.).

Seamanship, Rescue & Safety – sponsored by Sea Tow Services International
First place, “Crash Course” by Dave Hurteau (Salt Water Sportsman, March); 2nd, “School for Heroes” by Jeff Hemmel (Boating, March); 3rd, “How Well Do You Know Your Boat?” by Lenny Rudow (Texas Fish & Game, April). Merit awards went to “Crisis Averted” by Bill Springer (Sail, March) and “The Sinking of a Superyacht” by Vince Daniello (Yachting, September).

Technical Writing – sponsored by Dometic Corp. – Environmental
First place, “Low-Budget Cruising” by Tom Neale (Soundings, May); 2nd, “Drive School” by Eric Colby (Speed Boat, Nov.); 3rd, “Lessons and Statistic Crunches from Successful Minicruisers” by Marlin Bree (Small Craft Advisor, Sept./Oct.). A Certificate of Merit went to “What Makes a Trawler a Trawler?” by John Love (Soundings, Dec.).

Boat Tests – sponsored by Volvo Penta
First place, “Grand Aleutian” by Chris Caswell (Yachting, May); 2nd, “Dialed In” by Ron Eldridge (Trailer Boats, Dec.); 3rd, “Swan Lands in Familiar Waters” by Mark Pillsbury (Cruising World, March). Certificates of Merit went to “The Specialists” by Jeff Hemmel (Boating, Dec.); “Perfect Pitch” by Patrick Sciacca (Power & Motoryacht, Feb.); “Energy Crunch” by Matt Trulio (Powerboat, March); and “Livin’ Large on the Open Seas” by Jeremy McGeary (Cruising World, Sept.).

Gear, Electronics and Product Tests – sponsored by Airmar Technology
First place, “Heads You Win” by Eric Colby (Speed Boat, Jan.); 2nd, “Holding Power” by Bill Springer (Sail, Oct.); 3rd, “Full Speed Ahead” by John Page Williams (Chesapeake Bay, Jan.). Merit awards were given to “Ride ‘Em Cowboys” by Robert Stephens (Boating Life, July/Aug.); and “Masochistic Marine Machines” by Lenny Rudow (Texas Fish & Game, Dec.).

• For more of the latest news, click here.