Writing Contests. BREE WINS WEST MARINE WRITER'S AWARD FOR TOP BOATING ARTICLE Freelancer and author earns $5,000; 5 others cited Marlin Bree (c.) accepts the West Marine Writer's Award from BWI President Kim Kavin (l.) and Laurie Fried, Director of Community Relations for West Marine. Marlin Bree, a freelance writer, lecturer and author of several boating books, has won the top award Boating Writer’s International gives to a boating writer -- The West Marine Writer's Award. Bree, of St. Paul, MN, received the award, consisting of a $5,000 check and a crystal trophy announced at a formal presentation during the BWI membership meeting at the Ft. Lauderdale International Boat Show October 31, 2008. It is the second time he has earned the top honor, having taken the award in 2004, and elicited his comment, “Lightning really does strike twice!” Bree’s story, “The Old Man and the Inland Sea,” was published in the January/February 2007 issue of The Ensign. It’s a true tale of an attempted rescue of a fishing partner by a 62-year old Norwegian-blooded mariner during a late November storm on Lake Superior. The writer describes the courage and resourcefulness of the “old man” as he battles engine failure, growing waves and declining temperatures – ultimately becoming frozen in place to the floorboards of his tiny 17-foot rescue skiff – yet prevailing to be rescued after 29 hours through day and night in the harsh elements. The article was first recognized in the Seamanship, Rescue & Safety category earlier this year, one of 48 award winners in the 2007 BWI annual Writing Contest. The top three entries in each of 16 writing categories were automatically entered for this grand prize. Judges said Bree’s entry, “Does a superb job of what magazines such as American Heritage and Smithsonian do regularly: Take an event from the past and explicate the circumstances in vivid, gripping detail. Bree does so in such a way as to make the 50-year-old event as real as if we were experiencing it ourselves -- today! He is an excellent writer but this is a particularly captivating story and that's why it wins.” (The complete story is posted on www.marlinbree.com). Judges for the West Marine Writer's Award are associated with Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism and have had careers in newspapers, magazines, broadcasting and on-line enterprises. They include: David Nelson, Professor of Media Management and Ethics; Michele Bitoun, Senior Director of Undergraduate Education and Teaching Excellence; and Professor Marcel Pacatte, Managing Editor of the Medill Reports website. Several additional entries were cited by the judging team for excellence in writing: -- The series of columns entitled, “We’ve always Wanted to Ask,” by Robert Stephens of Boating Life. “The hardest columns to write are the ones like Stephens tackled -- which include good reporting, good writing, and also engage the audience.” -- "The Kit Boat Project," by Ken Textor in Offshore. “Delivered an in-depth explanation of almost every seafarer's dream: building a boat. The writing was masterful and interesting throughout.” -- "The Most Trusted Old Salt in America" by Douglas Campbell in Soundings. “A completely crafted piece that is a pleasure to read from start to finish.” -- "AIS Delivers News You'll Use" by Tony Bessinger for Cruising World. “Provides a mix of specific, necessary detail that will keep the most hard-core sailor happy with enough ‘"color’ to keep the non-techies reading.” -- "Intro to the Edge" by Patric Sciacca in Power and Motoryacht. “Explores a little-known topic with great appeal to most sport fishermen -- includes good detail, background explanation, and illustrations.” West Marine, Inc. marked its fifth year of sponsorship of the top writing award. A retailer of boating supplies and accessories, it has nearly 400 stores located in 38 states, Puerto Rico and Canada. The company's catalog and Internet channels offer customers approximately 50,000 products and the convenience of exchanging catalog and Internet purchases at our retail stores. It’s Port Supply division is one of the country's largest wholesale distributors of marine equipment serving boat manufacturers, marine services, commercial vessel operators and government agencies. For more information on West Marine's products and store locations, or to start shopping, visit westmarine.com or call 1-800-BOATING. BOAT WRITING CONTEST OPENS FOR ENTRIES Features 16 Categories and first round prize purse of $16,000 Boating Writers International is accepting entries to its 16th Annual Writing Contest that recognizes excellence in boating, fishing and travel journalism. There are 16 categories that each will award $500 for first place, $300 for second and $200 for third place winners. The Contest is applicable to the broadest spectrum of boating, outdoor and travel writers, and offers $16,000 in cash awards during the first round of judging that will be paid to 48 winners in 2009. The complete 2008 list of categories and sponsors include: 1. Boating Columns – sponsored by KVH Industries, Inc. 2. Boating Lifestyles – sponsored by Boats.com/Yachtworld.com 3. Boating Profiles - sponsored by ZF Marine 4. Boating Travel or Destinations – sponsored by Island Global Yachting 5. Boating Adventures – sponsored by Discover Boating 6. Boat/Engine Care and Maintenance – sponsored by Interlux Yacht Finishes 7. Electronics – sponsored by Jeppesen Marine 8. Ethics and Environment – sponsored by BoatU.S. Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water 9. Fishing – sponsored by Suzuki Motor Corporation 10. Boating Issues, News and Analysis – sponsored by Mercury Marine 11. The Business of Boating – sponsored by Home Port Marine Marketing 12. Seamanship, Rescue & Safety – sponsored by Sea Tow Services International 13. Technical Writing – sponsored by Dometic Corp. - Environmental 14. Boat Tests – sponsored by Volvo Penta 15. Gear, Electronics and Product Tests – sponsored by Xantrex Technology Inc. 16. Megayachts - sponsored by Awlgrip North America BWI members are allowed two submissions to the contest without charge; non-members can enter the contest at $35 for each submission ($35 is the same cost as an annual Active membership in BWI). Each category will be judged by four active journalists in the first few weeks of the new year. Cash awards and presentation plaques are presented to the winners at the Miami International Boat Show in February, 2009. To download the contest brochure with additional details and the entry form, click here (PDF). NMMA Writing Awards The National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) presents the Directors’ Discover Boating Awards at the Miami Boat Show media breakfast each February. The awards include five categories with recipients selected by the executive committee of the NMMA Board of Directors. Awards are designed to encourage journalists to communicate the joys of the boating lifestyle to the uninitiated, and winners receive $1,000 and a crystal trophy. Judges select winners based on the following criteria: 1) a welcoming, positive or intriguing portrayal of boating reaching a non-boating audience; 2) the ability to encourage the audience to try boating; 3) originality; and 4) creativity. Stories published or broadcast during the calendar year will be eligible for Directors’ Discover Boating Awards. Applications for the awards are posted at www.nmma.org/press. Sail America Writing Awards The Southam Awards are named in honor of John Southam, former publisher of Cruising World and Sailing World magazines, who played a significant role in the growth of Sail America, the U.S. industry trade association. In addition to the $5000 grand prize, judges select four additional $1000 category winners, and recognize and reward outstanding coverage of sailing by newspaper or magazine columnists. For more information visit www.southamaward.com. Travel Writers Contest The annual Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Competition sponsored by the Society of American Travel Writers Foundation awards nearly $20,000 annually in prize money for outstanding work in print and on the Internet. There is category for Marine Travel, open to articles on water-oriented travel. Yacht travel, sailing and other boat travel could be eligible. Winning stories have been chosen about a houseboat trip, a story on a race in a 1790s coastal trading vessel by a mother with her son (the sailor), and a story about Burma's sea gypsies. Subject matter should be of interest/applicable to the vacationing consumer. The competition is open to all North American journalists, all work must be published in English, and most entry fees are $15 per article. Deadline for entries is April 20 in 2004. A Grand Award, for the best portfolio of work by an individual journalist, is $1,500 Gold, $750 Silver, $500 Bronze. A plaque is given for each of these awards. The 17 categories for individual articles and photography carry awards of $500 Gold, $250 Silver, $150 Bronze. The Gold award winner in each of these 17 categories also receives a plaque, and the Silver and Bronze categories are given framed certificates. The categories for Best Newspaper Travel Sections, Best Magazines and Best Internet Publication/Website do not carry monetary prizes. More information is on the www.satw.org website, or contact the SATW Foundation president, Mary Lu Abbott at maryluabbott@aol.com, 713/532-6461.