EDITORIAL

This, my fifteenth editorial, kicks off with a thank you and an apology. The former is to those of you who took time to answer the question: `what you do want from Flying Fish, and in what form?' The latter is because, due to `pressure of work' (not least a last-minute photographic excursion to Spain, and the resulting 850 odd pictures to identify and label) I have so far been unable to master the software which will introduce Flying Fish to the new millennium. It WILL happen in time for Flying Fish 1998/1!

With one single exception, you all appear to like Flying Fish just the size it is. Apparently amongst its advantages are that: `you can slip it into a pocket when waiting for someone, the pages don't blow about if you're reading it in the cockpit and it's handy to hold in bed'; `the current format stands nicely in a bookshelf -- if larger it would probably flop over, and also might be tossed out as a magazine'; and (my favourite) that `it fits in my foulweather jacket pocket, can be carried in some ladies' handbags and, in accordance with schoolboy stratagem, inside many formidable tomes'. I'd love to know what and why! It's also been stated that `hand in hand with larger format goes a fashion for layouts which begin to mimic broadsheet newspaper advertisements. Your current layout is very grown-up'.

Regarding colour, the jury is out. Comments ranged from: `is there any way you can do it without the pages sticking together when wet? If so go for it!' to `the photos are fine as they are and colour is not necessary. Colour printing is inordinately expensive, and unless it is very good, and on good paper stock (more expense), it is usually awful'. I'm still working on this one -- with advancing technology and decreasing prices I hope to include some colour in Flying Fish within the next few years.

Changing the subject, it's good to see even more new members writing about their qualifying voyages -- added to those in Flying Fish 1997/1, competition for the Qualifier's Mug is going to be hot this year. As for the rest of you, I never know which is best: receiving a new `installment' from a regular contributor, or hearing from someone who was previously just a name in the members' list. And if you haven't yet joined that illustrious band, the ABSOLUTE DEADLINE for 4Flying Fish5 1998/1 is 31 MARCH 1998.

I knew there was one last thing. Happy Christmas, and good sailing in 1998.

(433 words)