DECK LOG Support Your Local Maritime Organization f there is an historic ship being res tored in your neck of the woods, or a maritime museum in your area, if there is a sail-training ship plying your local waters or a replica vessel being built near your town-support it. The range of maritim e heritage proj ects being carried out today is diverse and rich and needs the support of each of us to survive, from our vo lunteer time to our financial resources. This is our legacy, and with our involvement we can help keep these invaluable programs afloat. Yo u can support yo ur favorite marine artists as well-go see their work, patronize the galleries that display them . Better still, buy a painting or a print. Sea History's role is spreading the word, letting others know what great work is being done, who's making new strides, and who needs more help from you, our readers. In this issue, we' ll introduce you to the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, a jewel on M aryland 's Eastern Shore and host to this year's NMHS Annual Meeting. A former crewman from USCGC Tamaroa will bring us up to date on the battle to bring the "Tam" into the new century with a new mission of education, and a veteran crew member of the sail training world asks us to re-think the balance between traditional sail-training culture and safety practices. In an age where most people you know carry a cell phone, the story of Marconi's first successful demonstrations in the US with wireless communications as he reported the 1899 America's C up races reminds us how far we've come and how the history of technology is also maritime history. Finally, Bill Thiesen's acco unt of the little-known story of the cutter Pickering and its heroic captain, Benjamin Hiller, is brought to the fore. The skills to restore historic vessels, the fiWith heavy hearts we report on the nancial means to buy supplies and employ deaths of too many friends of the Society: our shipwrights, and the opportunity for the rest beloved trustee Rodney Houghton; stalwarts of us to see and learn about the role these in the American heritage movement Frank vessels played in history are all made posand Doris Braynard; the "Sherlock Holmes of sible through the support ofpeople who feel strongly about preserving our maritime herancient ship reconstructors," J. Richard Stefitage. (above) The skipjack Fannie Daughfy, known to everyone who has ever studied erty is being restored on the Chesapeake Bay nautical archaeology; and longtime editor of Maritime Museum's marine railway. Steamboat Bill, William Rau. It is also with great sadness that we report on the loss by fire of Skipjack Nautical Gallery and the home of its committed owners. The cover artist of the autumn issue of Sea H istory, Patrick O 'Brien, lost many of his paintings portrayed in the "Civil War at Sea'' exhibition. Looking ahead, we at NMHS have ambitious plans for 20 08, and we look forward to the Connecticut Maritime Association's conference in March, the North American Society for Oceanic History and the Council of American Maritime Museums joint conference in Florida in May, our own 2008 Annual Meeting at St. Michaels, MD in May (see page 13 for details), and WoodenBoat's fabulous show at Mystic Seaport in June. Check out our web site www.seahistory.org for updated listings on these events and the monthly seminars at headquarters in Peekskill, NY. The opportunities to contribute and be active in the field are many. We look forward to a continued partnership in keeping our nation's maritime heritage alive and growing and to m eeting yo u at many maritime events this year. - Burchenal Green , NMHS President

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NATIONAL MARITIME HISTORICAL SOCIETY PUBLISHER'S C IRCLE: W illiam H. W hire

Perer

Aron,

OFFICERS & TRUSTEES: Chairman, Ronald L. Oswald; Vice Chairman , Richardo R. Lopes; President, Burchenal Green; Vice Presidents, D eirdre O'Regan, Na ncy Schnaars; Treasurer, H. C. Bowen Smirh; Secretary, Th o mas F. Daly; Trustees, Walrer R. Brown, Dav id S. Fowler, Virginia Sreele Grubb, Sreve n W. Jo nes, Robert Kamm , Richard M. Larrabee, Guy E. C. Mairland, John R. McDonald Jr. , James ]. McNamara, Philip J. Shapiro, Howa rd Slornick, BradfordD .Smirh , Cesare So ri a, Philip J. Websrer, W illiam H. Wh ire; Chairmen Emeriti, Walrer R. Brown, Al an G. C hoate, G uy E. C. Mai tland, Cra ig A. C. Reyno lds, H oward Slomi ck; President Emeritus, Perer Stan fo rd FOUN D ER: Karl Ko rtum (19 17-1996) OVERSEERS: Chairman, RADM D avid C. Brown; Wa lrer Cronkite, C live C ussler, Richard du Mou lin, Alan D. Hu tchison, Jakob Isbrandrsen, John Lehman, Warren M arr, II, Brian A. McAllister, John Srobart, W illiam G. Winterer NMH S ADVISORS: Chairman, Melbo urne Sm ith; D. K. Abbass, Geo rge Bass, Francis E. Bowker, Oswald L. Bren, RADM Joseph F. Callo, Francis J. Duffy, John W Ewald , T im o th y Foote, W illiam Gi lkerso n, 1110mas G ill mer, Walter J . Hand elman , Steven A. H yman, Hajo Knuttel, G unnar Lundeberg, Joseph A. Maggio, Co nrad Milster, William G . Mu ller, Nancy Hughes Ri cha rdso n

SEA HISTORY EDITO RIAL ADVISORY BOARD: Chairman, Timothy J . Runyan; Nor man J. Brou wer, Rob ert Brown in g, W illiam S. Dudley, Daniel Finamore, Kevin Foster, John Odin Jensen, Joseph F. Meany, Lisa No rli ng, Carla Rahn Phillips, Walter Rybka, Quemin Snediker, W illiam H . Whire NMHS STAFF: Executive Director, Burchenal Green; Membership Director, Na ncy Schnaars; Marketing Director, Sreve Lovass-Nagy; Marketing & Executive Assistant, Julia C hurch; Accounting, Jill Romeo; Store Sales & Volunteer Coordinator, Jane Maurice

SEA HISTORY: Editor, D eirdre O'Rega n; Advertising Director, We nd y Paggiotra; Editor-at-Large, Peter Sranford; "Sea Histo ry for Kid s" is produced by D eirdre O ' Regan

SEA HISTORY 122, SPRING 2008