The Young Lions, I’m finding out, see only in two colors; black and white, and I’m beginning to understand that that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

Just because you can see clearly does not mean your eyes are healthy. There are many eye diseases that can be blinding or deadly, and they do not affect your vision until the end stages.

It can be argued with considerable merit that the only reason there are any American builders still in business now is because Jones Act protections prevent the destruction of their yards.

I was talking with a captain recently about whether yacht crew fully understood the tremendous amount of responsibility they bear whilst working on a yacht. We both agreed that most crew probably do not.

If a burglar wants to get onto and into your boat badly enough he will. So, what do you do? Simple: you comply.

Job markets are tight. But, like the recent article in The Triton about freelancers and honestly representing their availability, there’s something to be said, too, about honestly representing your resume.

The initial reaction from placement agents and senior crew is always the same dull association of “Very patchy CV; this will effect your employment chances.” It makes much more financial sense for a yacht to use its second tew to assist with crew cooking in down times than to have the owner’s private chef doing this.

Experienced first mate offers tips for handling Shengen visa in the Med.

I think the recent crime reports from Antigua are blown a little out of proportion compared with other ports of call that are very dangerous. Antigua is not even close to being on the top 10 list. The most dangerous countries down south are Colombia,  Jamaica, Belize, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Puerto Rico, Haiti, Trinidad, Tobago and Mexico.

Here on the West Coast, a “cruising permit” does not exist. The document is titled “United States Customs and Border Protection - Cruising License,” clearly labeled at the top of the document. I believe that the Cruising License issued by CBP on the East Coast and South Florida has the same terminology.

I read the long article about appendicitis, but you give no recommendation. [“Appendicitis ache tricks you, shifts before pain settles in,” page B2, September 2009.]