Newsletter #16 - May 19, 2009

Hats off to you!


In This Issue:

- ActiveCaptain's New Logo
- Earn An ActiveCaptain Hat
- ActiveCaptain is Hilighted on Trawlers and Trawlering
- Another Author On ActiveCaptain
- Follow Us As We Prepare For Our Cruise


ActiveCaptain's New Logo
==========================================
We've been working hard behind the scenes to give the ActiveCaptain web site a face-lift. The new look will appear in the next couple of weeks. As a part of the new design, we decided we needed a new logo. We used LogoTournament (http://logotournament.com) to give hundreds of designers a chance to come up with ideas. They produced 287 logos for us! We picked the one we like best and the designer, Chris Emery in the UK, won the contest and received the money. We hope you like our final choice.

Check out the upcoming new logo and some of the other designs:
http://www.activecaptain.com/GM/Logos.php



Earn An ActiveCaptain Hat
==========================================
Do you know how a restaurant reviewer often gets a better meal than you and I? It's because the restaurant knows that the person writes reviews. With ActiveCaptain, many of you are writing reviews. Shouldn't the marinas know this?

We think they should.

So here's what we're doing. When you earn 250 points, we're going to send you a free hat with our new logo on it. Earning this number of points isn't easy - it means that you've written about 20 reviews or have made a lot of updates to marinas and anchorages. You can also earn points by creating new anchorages and adding marinas that aren't in the database.

When you've earned a hat, wear it when you check into the marina or buy fuel. We're starting a program to show marinas that these hats mean they've landed someone who writes - and writes a lot. We know that most marinas provide excellent service. But somehow we think that wearing the hat will give you something a little extra!

When you've reached the 250 point level, you'll get an email from us within a couple of days requesting your physical mailing address. Follow the directions and we'll ship the hat to you. They look really nice!

And yes, if you already have 250 points, you're already eligible for a hat - you'll be getting the email this week.

These hats are just the beginning. We're working on other programs to reward you as you earn points. So add your reviews and be ready for the interesting things coming next.



ActiveCaptain is Hilighted on Trawlers and Trawlering
======================================================
Curious about how ActiveCaptain got started? Or just want to know more about our goals and future plans? Check out the multi-page interview on the Trawlers and Trawlering site:
http://www.trawlersandtrawlering.com/news/activecaptain.html

If you're a trawler owner and not familiar with the site, we strongly recommend it and the Trawlers & Trawlering list group.



Another Author On ActiveCaptain
==========================================
There's another team of authors among our Captains. Mark and Diana Doyle have written an excellent book about electronic navigation software. There is no other book that tackles the details and comparisons of the current navigation software packages - it is a superb compilation. If you're looking for software to run on your PC or Mac, buy this book.

They have been cruising for decades and have combined their on-the-water experience with Mark's high-tech background to produce "Get Onboard With E-Charting." Check it out at:
http://www.managingthewaterway.com/books-guides/e-charting

They even put a large screen shot of ActiveCaptain in the book!



Follow Us As We Prepare For Our Cruise
==========================================
Several of you have written to find out more about our cruising plans. Since we can run the web site as easily on our boat as in Maine, we're heading south in late August for a planned 9 month cruise. We'll either be heading to the Bahamas or to Cuba. If US relations with Cuba allow travel, we're going. We're keeping our fingers crossed.

Follow us on our personal blog as we prepare for our cruise. We call our blog TakingPaws in honor of the canine members of our crew:
http://www.takingpaws.blogspot.com/



We thank all of our Captains for your continued support and encouragement! Keep adding those reviews and anchorages. Watch future newsletters for more things you can do with those ActiveCaptain points! Proudly wear your new ActiveCaptain hat and let marinas know you use ActiveCaptain to find the best fuel prices and marinas.


==================================
Karen and Jeffrey Siegel
aCappella
Castine, Maine

www.activecaptain.com
The Interactive Cruising Guidebook

2010-07-21	#35 - My Card, messaging, and more...
2010-06-29	#34 - New ActiveCaptain award...
2010-06-02	#33 - MaxSea Time Zero v1.9 Released
2010-05-18	#32 - ActiveCaptain loves the iPhone/iPad
2010-04-27	#31 - Coastal Explorer Now Available
2010-04-14	#30 - ActiveCaptain Loves Coastal Explorer
2010-03-16	#29 - ActiveCaptain Co-Ops - This is big...
2010-02-23	#28 - ActiveCaptain "X" is now live
2010-02-15	#27 - ActiveCaptain Loves MaxSea/Furuno
2010-01-19	#26 - ActiveCaptain 2010
2009-12-10	#25 - ActiveCaptain X goes beta
2009-11-17	#24 - Quick Lists
2009-10-20	#23 - A fresh look at the iPhone
2009-09-22	#22 - Are we the wave of the future?
2009-08-19	#21 - ActiveCaptain Sets Sail
2009-07-21	#20 - Rescue Tape for 150 Points
2009-07-14	#19 - ActiveCaptain Rocks!
2009-07-01	#18 - ActiveCaptain Gets a Facelift
2009-06-02	#17 - Another ActiveCaptain award!
2009-05-19	#16 - Hats off to you!
2009-05-06	#15 - Twitter, New PodCast, and more
2009-03-17	#14 - Using phones in the Bahamas
2009-03-03	#13 - The best fuel prices
2009-01-28	#12 - SAIL innovation award
2009-01-05	#11 - Power accessories article
2008-12-02	#10 - Bluetooth headsets article
2008-10-28	#9 - The next wave
2008-09-13	#8 - ActiveCaptain Mobile news
2008-06-15	#7 - Mad Mariner
2008-03-12	#6 - ActiveCaptain Mobile
2008-01-21	#5 - Inlets
2007-09-19	#4 - Boat ramps
2007-07-09	#3 - Local knowledge released
2007-04-14	#2 - Global support
2007-02-11	#1 - Anchorages released

Read the award winning nineteen part series on mobile phones on boats.

Learn how to train your canine crew to use the "poop deck" and a unique way to get them into the dinghy.

Find out what's in our ditch bag and see what unusual products we have found invaluable on our cruises.