All About Cruising Outpost

About The Folks Who Bring You Cruising Outpost Magazine

The staff and family of Cruising Outpost have been living the sailing lifestyle for more years than most want to admit. This magazine was created by the same family that created one of the best selling boating lifestyle magazines ever created, but it was “taken down” in 2012 by some unscrupulous people, leaving the family to their own devices. As you can see from the bio’s below, the vast majority of the staff not only are boaters, but have been live-aboards and cruisers for decades. Well over 100 years and a half-million miles of sea time are represented in the pages of Cruising Outpost.

Meet the folks who make Cruising Outpost what it is. A look into the real lifestyle of the boater!

Large Editor
Bob Bitchin

The first day I went on a sailboat I thought I was going to die. I was amazed that the guy who was steering said boat didn’t even look concerned. As the wind caught the sail and we heeled over, I grabbed this big old chromed thingy (I later learned it was called a winch) and hung on for dear life. Now, 100,000 miles and 35 years later, I still get a excited when I head out to sea. Only now the excitement is the knowledge that, sometime between when I cast off and re-tie to the dock, something will happen that I will remember for the rest of my life. That is why I live to sail, and that is why I enjoy being a part of the family that brings this lifestyle to hundreds of thousands who have never tried it. Oh, yeah, and this is an old picture!

Contact Bob at bob@cruisingoutpost.com

Editor at Large
Sue Morgan

Sue has lived aboard her Cheoy Lee Robb 35 yawl, Because, for 31 years along with husband Mike and two consecutive four-legged crew, Bosun and now Pogey, both Australian Shepherds. During that time they have cruised the Southern California waters while continually upgrading the boat. They have also crewed for friends sailing from So Cal to French Polynesia, doing the Baja Bash from Cabo to San Diego and sailing Alaska’s Inside Passage, along with skippering boats on a few Share the Sail adventures. They are currently finishing their final (?) refit of Because and will head south to Mexico for a few years before deciding their next destination.

Contact Sue at sue@cruisingoutpost.com

Boat Show Queen
Jody “Bitchin” Lipkin

Many Moons ago, before Bob Bitchin ruined my life, I worked at the Portofino Hotel and Yacht Club in Redondo Beach CA. I kept seeing this big tattooed biker dude sail in and sail out of port, and of course he was always boasting of his many adventures. There were many maidens in and out of his life including two of my friends, but that’s another story for another time. It was the summer of 1992, 20 years ago that he tickled my fancy by saying “Hey, why don’t you come to Tahiti with me and see what happens”. Well I gotta tell you, no one has every said that to me before. It’s not like I had this great career or any family keeping me from saying no. Besides, Bob grows on you, and his boat was a real beauty, and there was that winning personality. So off we went. I’ll never forget leaving San Diego Harbor in a perfect gale at night. Bob says, “no reason to wait for the storm to subside, I feel like getting my juices flowing. Besides it’s not that bad out there.” I have to say it was a great way to start, because I got a lot of tears and fears over with in the very beginning. I found out I wasn’t going to die. He was right, If you leave in a storm there’s nothing but down hill the rest of the trip, and looking back it wasn’t that bad.

Contact Jody at jody@cruisingoutpost.com

Head Wench
Heidi Benson

Heidi has been sailing since the age of seven. She has cruised San Francisco Bay and the California Coast to Cabo San Lucas and enjoys bareboat chartering in the BVI’s. She owns a 1969 “Plastic Classic” Ericson 23, “Sweet Pea,” and an 8 ft miniature tug boat, “Mr. Toad,” and lives aboard “Sonho,” a 1979 Tayana 42 on which she plans to circumnavigate when Bob Bitchin lets her cut the dock lines.

She is the former Ad Director for Latitudes & Attitudes and previously served as the Executive Director of the Chabot College Foundation and the San Leandro Chamber of Commerce. She served in the US Coast Guard as a Radioman and is the proud mother of Meghan, a Coast Guard Reservist, and Harley, a teenage paintball enthusiast. She is the Social Diva for Alameda Yacht Club and an avid cook.

Contact Heidi at heidi@cruisingoutpost.com

Webmaster
Steve Hall
“SailingGuitarist”

A computer programmer since the late 1970′s, Steve has worked at various Internet related jobs throughout the United States including Cape Canaveral, Auburn University and Flexwave International, an Internet Service Provider that he started along with other student friends while attending Auburn University .

Besides being an avid sailor, living aboard his boat, “Endless Summer”, an Allied Mistress 39, he is also the lead guitarist for The Eric Stone Band. Steve manages our web presence while traveling with the band, as well from his boat, when off the road.

Steve is also the program director for Cruising Outpost Radio, our online radio station that plays tropical and sailing music.  He programmed and created the software that runs the radio station.

During the 80′s, Steve was a Submarine Sonar Technician aboard US Navy Submarines, USS Gato (SSN-615) and USS Phoenix (SSN-702), and his daughter, Staci, is now serving on active duty in the US Navy.

Contact Steve at steve@cruisingoutpost.com

Advertising Goddess
Lisa O’Brien

Lisa grew up sailing summers on Pueblo Reservoir, CO and later owned an 18-foot open sailboat that she and her kids sailed on Lake Superior out of Bayfield, WI. Her first experience sailing that was not on a lake was the St. Vincent Share the Sail (see Lats & Atts TV season 4). She learned two important things on that trip: sailing is fun no matter where you are in the world, and never overindulge on rum punch the night before your first open ocean passage…

Lisa now lives aboard with her husband Darren (our TV producer/Markiting Director) and their 2 year old daughter Arianna in the Puget Sound area of Washington.

Contact Lisa at lisa@cruisingoutpost.com

Video Production
Darren O’Brien

Growing up, my family was not into boating (I don’t count water skiing as “boating”). So I wasn’t either, until I was 38 years old and I saw photos of a friend’s newly acquired Downeast 38. Actually, it was the classic teak interior shots that got my attention. I had no idea the inside of a sailboat could be so sexy! I was immediately hooked on the “romance” of sailing.

OK, so what I really wanted was to have some romance on a sailboat, which we all know is the best. And yes, I learned to enjoy the sailing part, too (and am still constantly enamored with nice wine glass transoms)…

Contact Darren at darren@cruisingoutpost.com

BS (Boat Show) Manager
Dave Dudgeon

My passion for sailing began at the age of 18 when I accepted a job at Torresen Marine in Muskegon Michigan. Sailing changed my life. And change it did, especially 15 years ago after meeting Bob Bitcin and his wife Jody.

Together we have criss-crossed the country attending boat shows and throwing fantastic parties for fellow sailors. We have also sailed together on several occasions. They have been instrumental in helping me keep the passion alive. It’s amazing how sailing develops many life long friends. Sometimes life can take the wind out of our sails, but not the friends we make along the way.

I still get to do the parties, and look forward to each one. See you there?

Contact Dave at dave@cruisingoutpost.com

Art Director
Rich Marker

Rich grew up in his family’s Ohio based printing company and when not sleeping on paper pallets, was inspired by his father to work in the bindery. Hoping to escape the fast paced, high pressure life of a collator, Rich decided to pursue a degree in Graphic Design at Bowling Green State University.

As cozy as the Ohio snow can be, Rich opted for a life in the Tampa Bay area of Florida and has lived and sailed there for over 18 years. He has had 6 sailboats, one of which he built, a Penobscot 14. The Captain Morgan fueled decision to build the Penobscot was the beginning of a love of wooden boats and a fear of sharp, finger slicing chisels. Rich draws the cartoon Close Hauled and still dreams of far off islands that are void of people and wood working tools.

Contact Rich at rich@cruisingoutpost.com

Staff Party Slaves
Jeff & Marie Inshaw
(AKA Ken and Barbie)

Marie & I have been boating just about all of our lives. We have owned a lot of different styles, lengths of ‘yachts’. It started at 8’ and grew all the way up 75’. Having grown up on the West Coast of California, in Newport Beach, sailing is the only thing that matters. We raced our Ericson 27 for years, then moved to a Perry 47, loved her. We cruised that lovely Lady all over the West Coast.

That story of the 75’ was all Jimmy’s fault. We moved to the Caribbean after reading an ad in the LA Times.. Add stated: Catamaran and business for sale. So we sold everything and bought a catamaran. The rest well……………..The day started with us going to the St Pete Boat Show, in 1999. That was our first boat show in years. We had read L & A and really wanted to meet Bob & Jody. The next 13 years have been an adventure that everyone would want to do. We have traveled and sailed in so many places in the World, always with ‘our’ family.

We’ve been asked “where to now“………. well the horizon is calling again. The next adventure is just around the corner and we can not wait. As part of the Cruising Outpost Family, we are ready for our next adventure!

Contact Jeff and Marie at jeff@cruisingoutpost.com

Digital/Mobile Apps Guru
Raymond Fosdick

Cruising, we find ourselves in our current positions because of dreams. Whether we are living them or we are working towards them our dreams are very important to us. I am fortunate, I have gotten to experience several dreams throughout my life. I have been the CEO of a computer corporation, rose to the highest levels in the photography industry and now I am getting to see this wonderful watery globe from the deck of my sailboat.

With an extensive international base to work with, (I went to high school in Maracaibo Venezuela) I bring not only a strong computer background but a diversified background to the magazine, which means to each one of you. I am actively cruising and am enjoying meeting all of you in the various ports I slide through.

Contact Ray at ray@cruisingoutpost.com

President
The Bitchin Group
DBA Cruising Outpost
Al Saunders

Al Saunders rode Harley Davidsons as a way of life for 40 years, the last 20 in Hawaii. Then it was time for new adventures. He and wife Swan bought a tired six pac charter boat and began the ten year restoration and refit for blue water cruising. No effort or expense was spared to assure that SwanSong would safely carry them across oceans. After two attempts, beaten back by wind and waves they made it out of the islands grip and pointed north in June of 2006. After three days of miserable conditions, they had a magnificent seventeen and one half day sail to San Francisco. Once they settled in Emery Cove topped off the cruising Kitty working wit Bob & Jody. Then they were ready to set sail again, this time south. They headed to the Sea of Cortez for 6 months of beautiful anchorages and mostly great sailing. The end of the season saw them in Mazatlan to leave the boat for hurricane season and head back to Berry Creek, Ca. Where they have a home next to Bob & Jody Bitchin who are long time friends from “the old days.” During the cruising season they cruised the Sea as far north as Escondido and all the islands and little villages in between. For the 2011 season, they headed down the “Gold Coast” of mainland Mexico. The coast can hold some surprises, weather-wise but is well worth the effort as there are so many great spots. They’re back in Berry Creek for the Hurricane season again and waiting for next season.

Contact Al at al@cruisingoutpost.com

Life Aboard Head Wench
Robin Stout

Robin Stout grew up in a sailing and boating family and lives on “Mermaid,” a 51’ sailboat, currently in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Robin is cruising with her husband and little dog PeeWee. They left Redondo Beach last November, sailed to Mexico where they spent the winter in the Sea of Cortez before working their way to PV to wait out hurricane season.She has also cruised Mexico and the South Pacific with her husband, kids and dog where she filmed a segment for Latitudes and Attitudes TV called “Austin’s Adventures”. After returning to the US Robin became an “Outfitter” for West Marine then the Production Manager for Latitudes & Attitudes Magazine. She also was the editor of Living Aboard Magazine. Robin refitted Mermaid for another cruise with her sights set on rounding Cape Horn. Robin is also a licensed captain, an avid racer and has competed in local, national and international competitions.

Contact Robin at robin@cruisingoutpost.com