Second Coming   When the town of Mathews, Va., first looked to attract boats to its downtown, the local menfolk got together and dug a channel from the North River by hand. Of course, that was 70 years ago, and the channel has long since silted in. Now the people of Mathews are hoping to raise enough money to re-create their old waterfront and once again bring boaters to their doorstep. By Paul Clancy

Southern Reconstruction   And speaking of Mathews . . . a group of history buffs there has launched the Mathews Maritime Foundation to celebrate the area’s shipbuilding past. Records show that nearly one out of three ships built in Virginia at the turn of the 19th century came from Mathews County. Writer Marty LeGrand gives us the inside story on the fledgling foundation and its precious store of artifacts.

Lessons from Isabel Part I  
As the anniversary of Hurricane Isabel
approaches, we begin a series of articles
cataloging the lessons learned.
In “Weathering the Storm,” the first
in the series, we learn from the disparate
experiences of three different boatowners
(Doug Kuett, Don Wogaman and
E. Marcus Thomas) as they grappled
with the storm.

Good Boatkeeping 
Thoroughly Through-Hulls—David G. Brown reminds us to check those so-necessary holes in the bottom of our boats, and gives us tips on how to rebed leaky or suspicious fittings.

Time Tested 
Good Will Hunter—The Hunter 376 is a great platform for cruising and racing—and even living aboard— says Tom Dove.

Marina Hopping 
TLC at OBY—David Allester pulled into Oxford Boatyard for emergency repairs and found a company that takes pride in their work and their own salty fleet of boats.

A-Dock Confidential 
Livin’ Large (Not)—Jerry Renninger says the simple life can have you living like a king.

Cruise of the Month 
Have Fun, Hon—Gary A. Oster cruises into the annual Fells Point Fun Festival, where Fells Point residents and visitors take to the streets for the annual celebration of Baltimore’s old waterfront.

Angler’s Almanac
Fish Now, Sleep Later—Night fishing has its own rewards if you can stay awake long enough to take advantage of the darkness. By John Page Williams

Stern Lines 
Where Cruisers Fear to Tred—When Diana Prentice takes to the streets, she’s generally looking for groceries or spare parts. And, she laments, neither of them are within easy reach of the waterfront anymore.

On the cover: A cruising powerboat makes quite a splash on Bay waters.
Photograph by Michael C. Wootton