Statistically 2017 was the best year yet for this blog. We had 215,180 views and 54,412 visits. Both represent a least modest increases over previous years. I have wondered occasionally, if I was running out of things to say, but there is always seems to be something new. Fortunately, I get a lot of help from readers who share their expertise and experience in the comments.

There were 259 posts this year, growing the total archive for this blog to 1,935 posts.

We continue to have an international readership. The US Is of course the largest with 158,165 views but, aside from the US, 15 countries had more than 1,000 views and 40 had more than 200. Aside from the US, the top 10 were the UK (8,807), Philippines, Canada, Japan, Australia, Spain, Netherlands, Ireland, Chile, and Germany (1,976). We even had a few readers from Russia (#16 with 968 views) and China (#30.Hong Kong SAR China with 294 views and #33 China with 282).

The next statistic (top posts of 2017) is a bit deceptive in that, because of the way the blog is structured, most of the time, posts are read on the homepage. The figures below are for the times a post has been accessed directly.

1. What Does It Take to Sink a Ship (March 2011)(4,086 views)
2. If They Ditch the LCS, Perhaps the OPC as Frigate (April 2017)
3. Three Nations Share German OPV Design (April 2014)
4. Administration Considers Cancelling NSC#9 (March 2017)
5. Case for the Five Inch Gun (November 2012)
6. ALaMO–Making the 57mm Round Smart (April 2016)
7. Battle of the Paracel Islands, 16 January 1974 (September 2017)
8. New 40 mm Gun (October 2016)
9. What Might Coast Guard Cutters Do in Wartime, Part 2, Coast Guard Roles (February 2012)
10. National Security Cutter as Navy Patrol Frigate (August 2010)(759 views)

I would also like to particularly thank Center for International Maritime Security (CIMSEC) “Next War Blog”, Eaglespeak, and Thinkdefence, for linking to this website and bringing more readers here.

Thanks for the interest.

I wish you all a happy New Year with just the right blend of adventure, excitement,  romance, and a sense of belonging.

Chuck