he news this month that the Commité International de la Méditerranée (known by tout le monde as CIM of course), is softening towards glassfibre-hulled boats seemed serendipitous, coming as it did just a few weeks after an editorial meeting where we agreed, with some enthusiasm, that a glass boat could feature on the cover of Classic Boat – and soon probably will. Before alarm bells ring, don’t worry: nothing will ever replace the magic of a wooden boat, and this will remain the principal focus of this magazine. But some of those old
