THE QUESTION: What are the best cruising grounds off the North American continent?

CARLETON MITCHELL
Annapolis, Md.
Winner, 1956 and 1958 Bermuda Race
In summer it's the Bras d'Or Lake region of Nova Scotia. Once you are inside the ocean fog area, you can cruise day after day around an area of breathtaking beauty. In winter, to escape the cold, it's either the Bahamas or, even more attractive, the Virgin Islands, if you can go against the trade winds.

BRADLEY P. NOYES
Marblehead, Mass.
Winner, 1959 Lipton Cup, S.O.R.C.
The New England coast is my favorite. However, I enjoy everything I do, and I've found the Exuma chain in the Bahamas lovely and beautiful cruising grounds. At one time I sailed across the Atlantic and then around England, which has wonderful cruising grounds, similar to our Maine coast.

ROBERT I. INGALLS
Pascagoula, Miss.
Chairman of the board Ingalls Shipbuilding
I like to cruise along the Gulf Coast from Texas to Florida. This area has excellent marinas, good, marked channels and plenty of deep water for large cruising yachts. Most important, the fishing is wonderful. The Florida coast has good yachting, and fishing too, and is best for boats of less than five feet draft.

ALLEN B. DU MONT
Clifton, N.J.
Winner, 1959 National Predicted Log Championship Trophy
In my opinion, the best cruising grounds lie between Execution Rocks in New York and Block Island. There is a great variety of harbors—Watch Hill, Montauk, Greenport, New London, Saybrook, Port Jefferson and Newport. In summer Long Island Sound is relatively calm and good for powerboat cruising.

RICHARD NYE
Greenwich, Conn.
Winner, 1955 and 1957 Transatlantic race
The Maine coast. I particularly like cruising there because it's so different from Long Island Sound and vicinity. The harbors are picturesque, the scenery magnificent, and there are few motorboats. There are so many places that are nice where you can cruise for years without seeing or knowing all the harbors.

CLAYTON EWING
Winner, 1958 Chicago-Mackinac and Port Huron-Mackinac races
The Bahamas, because of the tremendous number of wonderful and inviting harbors. You can cruise there any time of the year. In inland waterways, I think that Georgian Bay and the North Channel, both at the northern end of Lake Huron, are comparable to the Bahamas. They're just filled with beautiful islands and bays.

SEVEN PHOTOS