byline barry

Byline - Barry

Writing has been a factor in my entire working life: policies, letters, manuals, advertising copy and a number of websites. The past few years I've taken additional writing courses, joined a support group of writers (The Writers' Cottage) and have started writing for magazines.

My writing is maritime biased, based on over 50 years of power and sail boating coupled with career experience as a boat builder and marine surveyor. I started building boats in high school: canoes, kayaks and an airboat. I also had a small shop repairing wood and fiberglass boats. During this period I build a 23' swing keel sailboat for my own use. Later I ran a company that built small fiberglass fishing boats by the truckloads. I left boat building to join mainstream corporate life working in marketing and general management roles. this past year I took a commission from Ames Point Boatworks to help build a vacuum bagged epoxy 24' Bremer racer/cruiser and a Camden Knockabout constructed of wood and epoxy (cold molded/vacuum bagged). In a way my life has gone full circle and I'm back to my first love - boats.

Some of my recent work includes:

"Out of Sight..."	*Good Old Boat - March/April 2003, a safety article on the hazards of storing portable propane.*

"Fill that hole"	*Good Old Boat - November/December 2005, a "how-to" piece on a basic fiberglass repair.*

"Scorpio 35 Refit"	*Good Old Boat - May/June 2006, the story of how a couple restored a sailboat destined to the bone yard.*

"Sampatecho"	*Good Old Boat - November/December 2006, the tale of a couple's boat choices and business.*

"Half Looped"	*Latitudes and Attitudes - September 2006, America's Great Loop by sailboat, part 1 - Wisconsin to Key West*

"Almost Looped"	*Latitudes and Attitudes - December 2006, America's Great Loop by sailboat, part 2 - Key West & the East Coast.*

"Totally Looped"	*Latitudes and Attitudes - April 2007, America's Great Loop by sailboat, part 3 - The Erie Canal and North Channel.*

"Dodger Repair"	*Good Old Boat - published March 2007, 3 ways to replace dodger windows.*

"Cutlass or Less"	*Good Old boat - scheduled for Dec 08, replacing your cutlass bearing.*

"Lights out"	*not yet submitted, a short "How to" on solving the problem of unreliable navigation lights.*

"Shredded Coast"	*in progress*

"Coasting South"	in progress

Other works in progress include two articles on boats being built - watch for them in 2008.

Is a a vocation or an avocation? Well, a writing friend once noted "if you want to make money writing - write ransom notes". I suspect he's right.