Crash Boat

George D. Jepson, editorial director for McBooks Press, previously worked as a journalist and corporate communicator. As a freelance writer and editor, he was a regular contributor to WoodenBoat magazine and various other publications. Jepson worked in the maritime book trade for more than two decades and founded Quarterdeck, a journal dedicated to celebrating maritime literature and art. He holds degrees in English and history, as well as an MBA. Jepson and his wife, Amy, live in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

Earl A. McCandlish grew up in Dutchess County, New York. During World War II, he commanded the 63-foot air-sea rescue boat P-399—nicknamed Sea Horse—in the South Pacific with the 13th Army Air Force, earning the Bronze Star for “meritorious achievement.” McCandlish also received the Conspicuous Service Medal from the State of New York. He held an IAO degree from the State University of New York at Cornell and was a former town official in Poughkeepsie, where he resided until his death in 2000.