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> From: Dan Hogan
> Due to personal reasons I find I do not have the time to spend monitoring
> the Nav-L list.
> So I am asking for someone to take over ownership and operation of the
> list. This includes the Web page.
> If there are no volunteers, THE LIST WILL STOP on 5/31/2006.

I hope this Nav-L goes on much as it has, regardless of what that NavList
crowd (of which I am one) get up to. Already it seems to me that the two
lists are developing slightly different personalities. Having both lists on
the go has potential to be positive.

So I hope somebody takes up this up. GregR, and/or anyone else. Perhaps one
of our regular posters who have been recently saying how important it is
that this list should continue in its present form - and that is quite a few
of you.

An opportunity to put; if not your money, then certainly some of your time
where your mouth is. Apparently many of us would have the skills necessary,
and some of us seem to have a lot of time on our hands. Even if the skills
part is a bit of an ask, it seems that GregR is at least ready to help with
this side of it.

So this crisis also represents an opportunity to ensure that what you say
you want actually happens. Perhaps, if GregR feels overwhelmed at the
single-handed task, a collaborative role volunteered soon will make the
difference as to whether the list survives or not.

Its true that Dan Hogan has a light touch on the tiller, and it could be
that the great success of this list is due in some part to this. Discussions
went where they went, and it was always one of the posters who reminded, in
most cases, themselves to get back to nav. Never Dan: his silence has been
golden and very effective. Its been a prolific forum and a great learning
experience. I wouldn't make too much of the few glitches, their effect has
been trivial.

Thanks to Dan and everyone else involved for the 'Silicon Sea' series, which
deserves a wider audience. Specifically it would make a wonderful learning
resource for nav schools, but should, perhaps, be made available in book
form.

The unique charm of 'Silicon Sea' is that the navigator gets to cruise the
world along the way; influenced by the currents, buffeted by the weather,
struggling through the Red Sea (I remember struggling with nav in the Red
Sea). Other legs are less eventful; halcyon days. I was impressed as we
rounded Tasmania and sailed up the east coast towards Port Jackson how
accurately and how typically weather and conditions were depicted. The
'Silicon Sea' is quite a work of art.

These days it is both feasible and relatively in-expensive to publish books
in short runs - you can do a lot of the publishing work yourself. Boat-book
shops here, and in the UK and the USA, are full of books that have a lot
less to offer. The fact that all those books are there, and regularly
refreshed, proves that there is a market albeit small for them. At the risk
of straying off-topic myself, there is quite a healthy market in the UK in
particular for magazines and books about sailing. The racks devoted to nav
sell as well as the others, it seems.

So good on yer Dan, and good luck.

   

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