How to Watch Log Canoe Races

BY CRAIG LIGIBEL

From June to September, the Chesapeake Bay’s fleet of log canoes stages a weekly water ballet as the delicate flotilla of centuryold sailboats battle for bragging rights. The series of regattas takes place up and down the Eastern Shore on the Miles, Tred Avon, Chester and Choptank rivers.

These races are characterized by long runs up and down the river with hair-raising mark roundings that often result in several boats unceremoniously dumping their crews in the water, where they await rescue by one of several tenders that ply the racecourse, tow ropes at the ready.

“Once she goes over,” Island Blossom’s long-time skipper Corbin Penwell cautions, “it’s all over for the racing. Pretty tough to get these boats back up and sailing. We save the beer for the ride home and live to race another day.”

Today, there are fewer than 24 log canoes racing on the Bay. Originally, the boats were simple workboats, constructed of three or five logs fitted together to form the hull. The canoes range from 23- to 34-feet in length and carry 500- to over-1,200 square feet of sail.

Moveable ballast in the form of hefty crewmen who scramble up and down 12- to 15-foot-long hiking boards keep the boats upright…most of the time. When the skippers lose the wind or a puff comes up unexpectedly, the boats do a slow-motion roll that is almost impossible to stop when the boats reach a certain tipping point.

Viewing options are limited but worthwhile.

The Chesapeake Bay Museum’s restored buy boat, the Winnie Estelle, was a favorite viewing platform for racing on the Miles River for many years. This year, however, she is laid up waiting for a refit which will last through the summer. In its place, the museum is giving spectators the option to charter one of the museum’s classic boats for $375 for a two-hour cruise holding six passengers. CBMM members will receive a 20 percent discount. Cruises are slated for June 24 and 25, July 29 and 30, and Sept. 9, 10, 16 and 17. Slots are filling up quickly, says Membership Services Coordinator Debbie Ruzicka. To reserve a boat, go to: bit.ly/LogCanoeCruises2023.

Patriot Cruises general manager Robin Marrah says guests on their 145-passenger tour boat may get a glimpse of the log canoes on race day, but their narrated cruises don’t specifically follow the racing on the river.

For better viewing, check out the Selina II. Captain Iris Robertson’s 41foot catboat offers a number of viewing options for log canoe racing on the Miles River. Guests can either book a regularly scheduled cruise for around $125 or charter the entire boat for $550 for a personalized experience you won’t soon forget. Captain Iris recommends guests check racing schedules carefully and contact her directly to secure a spot on this classic boat before it sells out. “You’ll get a real feel for the racing from our decks,” she says. “We follow the fleet just outside the boundary lines. It’s quite a thrill to be this close to the action.”

Additional opportunities for viewing may be available by contacting the sponsoring yacht clubs to see if members will be taking guests aboard for the races.

Some venues may offer on-shore viewing opportunities depending on the location of the racecourse. Another good resource is the Log Canoe Sailors Facebook page.

Craig Ligibel is an award-winning Annapolisbased photojournalist. He has written about and photographed sailing on the Bay for the past 10 years. He and his wife were the only American journalists who covered the 36th America’s Cup in Auckland, NZ. He sails a vintage 20-foot-long catboat, Mystic Wind.

2023 Log Canoe Schedule

• June 24–25: MRYC Centennial Series

• July 8–9: CRYCC/ CRYC Series

• July 15–16: RHYC Series

• July 29–30: MRYC Gov. Cup Series

• July 29: Boardman’s Challenge, MRYC

• Aug. 12–13: TAYC/CBYC Oxford Regatta

• Aug. 19–20: CYC Hicks Trophy Series

• Aug. 26–27: TAYC Heritage Regatta

• Sept. 9–10: MRYC Labor Day Series

• Sept. 16: MRYC Higgins/ Commodore Cups

• Sept. 17: CBMM Bartlett Cup

For More Information

Miles River Yacht Club (MRYC), St. Michaels, 410-745-9511

Tred Avon Yacht Club (TAYC), Oxford, 410-226-5269

Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, 410-745-2916, cbmm.org

Sail Selina II, sailselina.com, 410-726-9400

Log Canoe Facebook Page: facebook.com/groups/ logcanoesailors/