SpinSheet Magazine January 2023

Luxury Reimagined

Walking a beach where the only footprints in the sand, are your own. Enjoying a refreshing drink from an island bar only accessible by boat. Waking up each morning with the flexibility to sail anywhere you wish. These experiences redefine luxury -- and are the hallmark of any yacht charter vacation.

This year, we invite you to discover unbridled freedom and authentic travel experiences with The Moorings. Unforgettable moments await.

Photo by Al Schreitmueller

GET ON BOARD

The freedom of a sailing vacation remains unparalleled, and Sunsail is here to help you make the most of every moment on the water. Comprised of passionate sailors from all over the world, our team of charter experts can help craft the perfect sailing getaway for you, your friends, and your family.

Select your charter destination from our extensive list of worldfamous cruising grounds, choose the ideal yacht for your crew, and let us help take care of all the details that make a yacht charter among the most unique, and memorable vacation experiences available today. sunsail.com

Features

29 Stories of the Century— Reaching 100!

Journeys of SpinSheet Century Club 2022 members on their way to logging 100 days on the water in the calendar year. 34

The Enduring Magic of Witchcraft

A sailing vessel that has been bewitching sailors for 120 years.

By Capt. Rick Franke 39

Protecting Our Waterways: Natural Resource and Conservation Officers

In the first of our three-part safety series, we hear from on-water first responders.

By Beth Crabtree 42

See the Bay: Winter Wonderland in the Watershed Ideas for bundling up, getting outside, and making the most of the season. 44

Charter Notes: The Abacos, Bahamas, in the Wake of Dorian Manage your expectations and plan well, and you will find that the Abacos currently have a lot to offer charter sailors.

By Eva Hill

Why Frostbite Racing Is Cool

Tips from frostbiters, congratulations to the SpinSheet Racing Team, becoming a better racer, and more racing news. presented by Mount Gay ruM

Annapolis photographer Ted Morgan captured this month’s wintry cover shot on a sunny day in the Sailing Capital.

# Photo courtesy of Steven Birchfield # Photo courtesy of D. Butler

Photo by Eva Hill

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Mary Iliff Ewenson, mary@spinsheet.com

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EDITOR

Molly Winans, molly@spinsheet.com

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CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

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CONTRIBUTING

PHOTOGRAPHERS

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DISTRIBUTION

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Janus, the Roman god of beginnings, transitions, and doorways, is at the root of the word January. The god is often depicted as having two faces, one facing backward into the past and one facing forward to the future. I suppose the sailing god Janus would look forward, backward, to port and starboard, and peek under the jib!

Well, here we are, sailors facing 2023. What will our on-water futures look like? Where will our bows point us? This could be the year you learn to sail, take your first weekend cruise, embark on a longer journey, or improve your racing skills (page 65). This could be the year you seek out new sailing friends at our crew parties in April (stay tuned for details.). It may be the year you improve your seamanship

By Molly Winans

skills, plan a charter vacation (page 44), or buy a new or new-to-you boat (page 68).

Maybe this year you will try a new sport, such as wake-surfing, fishing, standup paddleboarding, or windsurfing. Maybe you will go back to your roots and sail a Sunfish. Perhaps 2023 will find you sailing aboard a Chesapeake Bay log canoe, skipjack, schooner, or a beautiful 120-year-old yawl (page 34).

This year will mark the 10-year anniversary of the SpinSheet Century Club, our challenge to readers to log 100 days on the water in any type of vessel within the calendar year. Will 2023 be the year you attempt to log 100? If you aimed for even half of that, you would need to leave the dock every weekend day between May and October. That’s a lot!

No matter how your sailing year evolves, we hope you’ll continue to be a part of the SpinSheet family and stay in touch with us about your adventures. We invite you to share your story ideas, letters to the editor, constructive comments, and corrections.

We love when you send sailing photos. Whether they’re scenery pictures or those of sailors at anchor or at the dock, we like to see images of our readers’ faces in particular—so when you take a pretty sunset or anchorage shot, make sure to turn the camera around and snap a selfie or crew shot. Send all to editor@spinsheet.com or molly@spinsheet.com

Happy New Year, sailors!

# Selfie by Ethel Apolinario

# Team Mayhem!

# By Margaret Podlich

# By Isaac Breen-Franklin

Hard To Let Her Go

brightwork and making her interiors glow. We bought sails from a sailmaker I used to babysit when I was a kid (and he gave Trevor an appreciation for the perfection of geometry).

There were countless overnights in quiet rivers, quick sunset cruises with takeout, and foredeck dance parties. Sunrises and thunderstorms. St. Michaels, Rock Hall, Smith, the Rhode. The cat came aboard; we learned the names of constellations; we used the term “boat nap” as both a noun and a verb.

Longtime SpinSheet readers may remember Duffy Perkins, who was our senior editor for several years. We spied this lovely post on her Facebook page and asked if we could share it with you: We bought this (Tartan 34) sailboat at the height of the pandemic. We took possession of her at a yard in Connecticut and spent the summer cruising her in New England, skirting outbreaks up and down the coastline: Cuttyhunk, Mystic, Block Island, Martha’s Vineyard. Freckles appeared on noses. The kids learned to swim and explore, how to set up charcuterie boards and tell which way the wind is blowing by looking at the contours of a wave. We hung masks and bathing suits together on the lifelines to dry. The kids developed healthy appetites for corned beef hash and clam chowder, and we had animated readings of Roald Dahl classics every evening.

Back home, Trevor dropped a mooring in our creek so she’d be close by. He spent the following winter refinishing her

Now, it’s time to move on. Arms and legs are longer. The kids argue over who sleeps where, and we mutter about being cramped when we take friends out. Trevor found a bigger boat that he can fix up and we can love just as much as we’ve loved this one, and there’s a couple on the East-

ern Shore who understand the love and care this boat deserves.

It’s still hard to let her go. She was a safe haven during such an intense storm. Thank you, Trevor Perkins, for finding her and giving us these memories that will last our lifetimes.

Duffy Perkins Annapolis

Sailors Contend With Old Man Winter

As the coldest months of the year are upon us, it’s wise to refresh our minds with a few cold water safety tips for sailors. The water temperature in the Southern Bay near the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel dips on average to about 40 degrees Fahrenheit in February, and near Annapolis, it hovers historically around the mid-40s. Should anyone fall in, time is of the essence.

Slippery docks and decks

Caution here begins prior to arrving at the slip. Before leaving home, consider your footwear. You’ll want boots with good traction. Don your lifejacket before stepping onto the pier. Docks don’t have to be covered with ice or snow to be slippery. A nearly invisible layer of frost is all it takes. With your PDF already on, you won’t need to think about it as you step from pier to boat.

Dock ladder

Whether it’s a marina or private residence pier, for year-round safety, a dock ladder should already be installed somewhere on the pier. But in winter its proximity to your boat becomes of utmost importance. If you fall in during the winter, the effects of cold water will make

swimming nearly impossible. Make sure a ladder is close to your boat.

Cold water

This is where the rubber meets the road. Cold water is never to be taken lightly because its effects will be immediate, starting with the shock factor that causes gasping, even underwater. Submersed in really cold water, you have a small window of opportunity to get your wits about you and maintain a reasonable level of coordination. After that your ability to tread water or swim will be restricted. See above, “keep dock ladder close.”

Float plan

Even experienced sailors and boaters sometimes wonder, “what exactly is a float plan?” At minimum you want

to send a text or leave a message or note stating your destination, planned route, and expected timing. A description of your vessel and the number of people onboard is also important. You can find a very thorough fill-in-theblank float plan form at: floatplancentral.cgaux.org

Provision differently

In the winter, you’ll want items onboard that keep you warm and dry, as well as emergency supplies in case the worst happens. Wearing a good hat, water-resistant outer layer, and gloves are all key. Keep a VHF radio close at hand and stow below a dry change of clothes, socks, blankets, extra coat and hat, and something warm to drink.

Find more cold-water safety tips at boatus.org

Much To Celebrate at CRAB

Chesapeake Region Accessible Boating (CRAB) has announced its 2022 Crew Member of the Year, Nancy Wright, and Skipper of the Year, Martin Lutsky.

Nancy has been a dedicated CRAB volunteer for more than three years and provided 35 hours of service at a wide variety of events in 2022. Her warm

and engaging personality endeared her to hundreds of CRAB guests who looked forward to sailing with her. Nancy also was an incredible advocate for CRAB at the U.S. Sailboat Show in Annapolis.

Martin has been a volunteer for CRAB since the beginning of the 2017 sailing season and has logged more than 568 hours of volunteer service for CRAB, plus an amazing 167 hours in 2022. Martin takes every opportunity to give CRAB guests the most positive and memorable sailing experience possible. He sailed more than any CRAB volunteer this year and says it was his best year ever with CRAB guests.

CRAB has also recognized an additional 49 volunteers who donated 25 or more service hours in 2022. In 2022 CRAB partnered with 23 community support organizations and hosted 1,233 guests (65 percent of whom have a disability) for 71 sailing events. This was all made possible because of the dedicated support of 151 volunteers who provided more than 3840 hours of service.

Grant for Adaptive Classroom

More good news from CRAB as it has announced a recent award of a $94,000 grant from Phillips Charitable Foundation for the Don Backe Learning Center at its new Adaptive Boating Center, which is currently under construction. The learning center, named for CRAB’s founder, is an ambitious, first-of-its-kind project and will be the prototype stateof-the-art learning center for people with disabilities. The funding will be used to purchase the accessible classroom furniture and the adaptive technology necessary to create a fully ADA-compliant learning space, allowing guests to participate yearround in CRAB educational and training programs. Learn more about CRAB at crabsailing.org

New “Glowline” Opens on the Elizabeth River Trail

The Elizabeth River Trail (ERT) is a 10.5-mile walking, running, and biking trail that runs through downtown Norfolk, VA, and is accessible from the Waterside District. The full trail takes you through historic neighborhoods and past local attractions including the Battleship Wisconsin, Nauticus, the Pagoda, the Chrysler Museum of Art, the Hermitage Museum and Gardens, and others. As of this past fall, it also includes the Glowline, an approximately 800-foot-long section of

the trail that runs through Jeff Robertson Park in the West Ghent neighborhood.

The Glowline is made of light-sensitive aggregate stones embedded into the freshly-poured concrete path. During the day, the stones absorb sunlight. After dark, they glow a vivid green and blue, revealing a pattern inspired by the fiddlehead ferns at the nearby bird sanctuary. The Elizabeth River Trail Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting and enhancing the ERT for the betterment of the community,

reported that this section of the trail needed to be better lit to improve safety. However, they wanted a project that was more creative than regular streetlights, and that wouldn’t spill over into the neighboring sanctuary and affect the ecosystem with excess light pollution.

After much consideration, they settled on the glowing stones, which are nearly invisible during the day, can charge fully with only 10 minutes of sunlight, glow for up to 15 hours on a full charge, and are expected to last for at least 20 years. The foundation and its corporate sponsors hope that this new addition will further their mission to create “an inclusive and resilient urban riverfront,” and so far, reviews from trail users have been highly complimentary.

The next time you’re sailing through Norfolk, check out the Glowline on the Elizabeth River Trail—it’s a great way to get out into nature, explore the city, and see a brand new one-of-a-kind local attraction.

# The Glowline on the Elizabeth River Trail. Photo by Keith Lanpher

# Skipper of the year, Martin Lutsky

# Crew member of the year, Nancy Wright

USCG Releases Report on Ever Forward Grounding

U.S. Coast Guard Sector MarylandNational Capitol Region completed its marine casualty investigation into the March 13, 2022, grounding of the container ship Ever Forward in the Craighill Channel.

The Report of the Investigation determined the incident’s causal factors to be the pilot’s failure to maintain situational awareness and attention while navigating, and inadequate bridge resource management.

Immediately following the grounding, Coast Guard marine investigators began the investigation to determine the factors that led to the Ever Forward grounding and develop recommendations to prevent similar marine incidents from happening in the future.

Based on the finding of facts, the Coast Guard is recommending that marine operators develop and implement effective policies outlining when the use of

regarding the duties and obligations of officers on watch for the safety of the ship, even when a pilot is embarked.

A redacted copy of the Report of the Investigation is available to the public and posted on Marine Casualty Reports for easy accessibility, while complying with the provisions of the Privacy Act, the Freedom of Information Act, and associated federal regulations. Access to the full investigation and evidence will be available through the FOIA process.

cell phones and other portable electronic devices is appropriate or prohibited, and that vessel owners and operators ensure and promote crew awareness of policies

The Coast Guard has published two Findings of Concern (Distracted Operations and Bridge Resource Management) and has made them publicly available at the Coast Guard’s Inspections and Compliance Findings of Concern webpage. The purpose of Findings of Concern is to share information related to unsafe conditions to the public, state, or local agencies.

# Photo by Mark Hergan/DeadriseMarinePhoto.com

Loggerhead Sea Turtle Rescued from Lynnhaven River

By Kelsey Bonham

In November, Chris Moore, a senior ecosystem scientist for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, spotted a struggling loggerhead sea turtle while boating in the Lynnhaven River in Virginia Beach. “It was floating near the surface, generally head-up... and was slightly pink,” Moore reported. He called the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center’s Stranding Response Team, who instructed Moore how to safely rescue the turtle. “We pulled alongside, and I reached for its front fins to lift it into the boat. I noticed its head moving very slowly... and I was excited to see it was alive,” Moore recalled.

The Stranding Response Team met Moore at the dock and transferred the turtle to the Darden Marine Animal Conservation Center. Erin Bates, the Stranding Response rehabilitation manager, shared that the turtle was

hypothermic and minimally responsive at the time. “Turtles are ectotherms, so they rely on their ambient temperature to help regulate their boday temperature,” she explained. “When air and water temperatures drop for the season, any turtles reaining in the area are affected. We believe this turtle was already fighting an infection and was floating, making it more susceptible to the very cold air temperatures.”

The tutle has been named Iliocostalis, after a type of mussel. Treatment has included slowly raising the turtle’s internal body temperature and providing antibiotics for pneumonia. Iliocostalis is now doing better and is active and swimming in his tank.

According to Bates, “It is incredibly common for tutlres to visit the Chesapeake Bay. Juveniles travel here during the spring and summer to feed on blue and horseshoe crabs among other things.” Adults have also been occasionally sighted here. Bates says boaters are some of the most valuable actors in marine conservation, serving as eyes on the water. If you see a sea turtle or marine mammal in distress, call the Virginia Aquarium Stranding Response Team at (757) 385-7575 or the Maryland Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Stranding Response Program at 1-(800) 628-9944. Both lines are serviced 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Annapolis Sailboat Show, booth D-5

Annapolis Sailboat Show, booth D-5

# Photo courtesy of the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center

Chesapeake Biological Laboratory Researchers Reach the North Pole

Scientists Lee Cooper and Jackie Grebmeier have been visiting the Arctic on research expeditions for more than 30 years, but they have never visited the North Pole. Until now.

Last fall, five University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES) researchers from the Chesapeake Biological Laboratory in Solomons, MD, reached the North Pole on an Arctic oceanographic cruise aboard the US Coast Guard Cutter Healy. The twomonth long cruise was part of the internationally coordinated Synoptic Arctic Survey. Through this research program, scientists are assessing the present state of the Arctic Ocean as climate change continues to reduce the extent of sea ice and warm the waters of the most northern ocean on earth.

Grebmeier and Cooper, both faculty members, as well as postdoctoral associate Christina Goethel, graduate student Brian Marx, and research scientist Cedric Magen sampled Arctic Ocean waters and sediments at a series of pre-selected “stations” that will promote collaboration and data consistency among international stakeholders. On this research cruise, funded by the National Science Foundation, 89 Coast Guard crew worked alongside 35 scientists, from universities and oceanographic research institutes across the nation, to support scientific sampling.

“One of the unexpected things for me was that while the sun had gone down for the year by the time we reached the North Pole, there was still twilight 24 hours a day,” said Cooper.

“It was even more striking that this twilight just kept circling around us, without losing intensity, and beyond it was either North America, Europe, or Russia. It’s a completely different perspective on the planet,” added Magen

Temperatures were not extremely cold—a few degrees below zero degrees Fahrenheit was the coldest temperature recorded during the trip—and the Healy, an icebreaker designed for scientific work, did not have much difficulty breaking through the thin ice, which has declined significantly over the last several decades. This was only the third time the Healy had reached the North Pole, its most recent visit being in 2015. Only one other U.S. flagged surface vessel, the Coast Guard icebreaker the Polar Sea, has sailed to the North Pole.

“There were extensive leads, or channels of open water in the ice, that allowed the ship to make steady progress northward,” said Grebmeier, who served as co-chief scientist for the cruise with Carin Ashjian, a zooplankton specialist from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Grebmeier and Ashjian helped plan and direct water and sediment sampling on the way north to the Pole and then south

across both deep water and shallow continental shelves.

Grebmeier, a specialist on Arctic seafloor animals for more than 35 years, performed shipboard experiments to assess how these organisms may respond to warming temperatures. Goethel, a newly minted Ph.D. who already has a decade of Arctic research experience, collected microbes as part of a newly developing collaboration with Icelandic scientists, whom she met during her recently completed Fulbright Fellowship in Iceland. She will be teaching marine science classes at St. Mary’s College of Maryland this coming spring. Magen was responsible for methane measurements onboard.

“Methane is a greenhouse gas that causes climate warming,” said Magen. “It is much more effective at trapping heat than carbon dioxide, so understanding where methane is coming from will be important for determining how to slow climate warming.”

Scientists also collected water samples that will be analyzed for chlorophyll, nutrients, and carbon content at the lab in Solomons in the coming months. These measurements will help confirm the current conditions in the remote Arctic, so when follow up measurements are made in the future, valid comparisons can be made to see how much the ecosystem has changed, and if as expected, sea ice continues to retreat.

# Scientists Lee Cooper and Jackie Grebmeier have been visiting the Arctic on research expeditions for more than 30 years, but they had never visited the North Pole until this fall. Photo courtesy of UMCES

SpinSheet Announces the Volunteer of the Year 2022

After accepting nominations through the fall, the staff at SpinSheet has voted for our 2022 Volunteer of the Year: Vicki Saporta, Sail Beyond Cancer Annapolis’s (SBCA) president and lead captain.

Suzanne Johnson, SBCA’s executive director, says, “Vicki has been instrumental in getting the Annapolis chapter started—from putting together the board of directors and conducting monthly board meetings, to conducting outreach and fundraising activities and recruiting and training captains and crew. She has also personally conducted seven of our 24 sails this year for cancer patients and their loved ones aboard her Sabre 402 and raced her boat in the three charity races “Sail Beyond Cancer” banners to raise awareness for SBCA.

“Vicki is also a key volunteer with other maritime organizations in the Chesapeake Region. In 2022, she qualified as a coastal skipper with the U.S. Naval Academy and

instructed midshipmen in part of their July and August blocks. She was also recognized by Chesapeake Region Accessible Boating (CRAB) as a skipper who volunteered more than 25 hours this year to take their clients on sails, including coaching a woman veteran to victory on her all-women team in the Recovering Warrior Sailing Regatta. Additionally, in 2022 Vicki served her first year as president of Chesapeake Area Professional Captains Association (CAPCA) and commodore of Chesapeake Bay Sabre Association. She is also a Clean Water Captain and raises oyster spat off her dock for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF).

“Vicki has turned volunteering into a full-time job and has made a difference in the lives of so many in the Chesapeake region.”

Vicki says, “After I retired, I wanted to continue to make a difference, so I chose to share my passion for sailing with others who could benefit from this special experi-

ence. Sail Beyond Cancer Annapolis allows me to give the memorable gift of sailing to patients struggling with cancer and their loved ones. I’ve experienced firsthand what an incredible difference these respite sails make in the lives of the wonderful people we take sailing.”

As a token of our appreciation to Vicki for making our waterfront community better, SpinSheet will make a donation to Sail Beyond Cancer (sailbeyondcancer.org).

Farewell To Friends

Lance Hinrichs 1961 – 2022

At the age of 61, Lance Hinrichs passed away on November 14, 2022, after a brief illness.

Although he had a career in the electrical energy field, on the Annapolis waterfront, Lance was best known as a former president, board member, and volunteer of Chesapeake Region Accessible Boating (CRAB), who worked for 20 years to get other people with disabilities involved as

participants and volunteers in the program.

CRAB executive director Paul “Bo” Bollinger says, “Lance had a dry wit and keen mind. He was a competitive sailor and a visionary leader. He worked with Don Backe, CRAB’s founder, to keep the operation afloat during the lean years and was responsible for putting CRAB on a path to achieving goals, such as the (new) Adaptive Boating Center, which few could have imagined becoming a reality.

“Lance will be greatly missed by all who knew him and thousands more who will benefit from his foresight and commitment to people with disabilities who desire to learn how to sail on the Chesapeake Bay.”

His wife Downey says, “His smile (mischievous at times) and sparkle in his eye will always be remembered. Lance was one of the kindest, most loving, and smartest people you will ever meet. Whether it was family, friends, work, sailing, or food, he

showed us how to live life with great passion, eternal optimism, and grace.”

Lance’s children—Michael, Lindsay, and Julia—were “the world to him,” says Downey. “I see so many of his wonderful characteristics in each of them. They would not be who they are today without his love, guidance, patience, and teaching.

“Lance always took pride in his work and sailing accomplishments (and there were many), but his family and friends were the most important. Taking trains and buses to New York City to be with his mother at her doctor’s appointments, driving hours to be at a kid’s sporting event, sending a note or making a call to let you know he was thinking of you, teaching the kids about investing, cooking, and being a good friend—these are the things I will remember. Always telling me ‘It will be okay. What’s the worst that will happen?’ or ‘Life should be more like a roller coaster because Ferris wheels are boring.”

Friends may make memorial contributions to CRAB at crabsailing.org.

# Lance, collecting one of many first-place awards at the CRAB Cup, shown here with Dick Franyo, Mary Ewenson, and Jeff Cupps. Photo by SpinSheet

# Vicki Saporta of Sail Beyond Cancer. Photo by Kristin Rutkowski Photography/ Her Helm

HAPPY HOUR

400 Fourth St Annapolis, MD boatyardbarandgrill.com 410-216-6206

For more details and links

to

January through Jan 1

Lights on the Bay

An annual holiday light show featuring a two-mile scenic drive along the shores of the Chesapeake Bay through Sandy Point State Park in Annapolis, MD, with more than 70 animated and stationary displays depicting regional and holiday themes. $20 per car, $5 for 3D glasses, $30 for large passenger vans, $50 for buses. Presented by the SPCA of Anne Arundel County.

through Jan 1

annmarie Garden in Lights - outdoor holiday Light Show

A family-friendly event to tour the outdoor gardens which have been transformed into an outdoor twinkling wonderland with glowing light sculptures, sparkling trees, holiday scenes, and so much more! In Solomons, MD. Non-members $15, ages 2 and under and members are free.

through Jan 1

retro christmas at piney point Lighthouse museum

St. clement’s island museum christmas Doll & train exhibit

Enjoy a holiday exhibit of antique and collectible dolls, classic trains, and other retro toys in this festive holiday display inside the St. Clement’s Island Museum in Colton’s Point, MD.

1 First Day hikes

First Day Hikes are part of a nationwide initiative led by America’s State Parks to encourage people to get outdoors. On New Year’s Day, hundreds of free, guided hikes will be organized in all 50 states. Find a hike near you at stateparks.org.

12 Deadly Gamble: the Wreck of Schooner Levin J. Marvel

5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Van Lennep Auditorium at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St. Michaels, MD. Part sea story, part courtroom drama, in this talk author Kathy Bergen Smith will recount the story of the most-deadly shipwreck on the Chesapeake, as well as the courtroom and legislative fall-out from the event. Cost: $8 per participant. Register: cbmm.org

12 Growth of city Dock and Surrounding marketplace

6

the curious case of uSS Idaho 12 to 1 p.m. in-person (free to museum members, $1 for guests) and virtual (free) lecture at The Mariner’s Museum and Park in Newport News, VA. Civil war lecture series. USS Idaho was a fast design developed to chase down Confederate commerce raiders. Advance registration required at marinersmuseum.org

6 SpinSheet happy hour: that Didn’t Go Well!

Enjoy tours in a family friendly retro holiday exhibit inside the museum and keeper’s quarters. At the Piney Point Lighthouse Museum in Piney Point, MD. Do you have an upcoming event? Send the details to: editor@spinsheet.com

Join us on Facebook Live or YouTube at 5 p.m. as we talk about difficult sailing days, what we learn from them, and how some of them make great stories later. Presented by Mount Gay Rum.

Author Dr. Stephen Ritterbush will cover the evolution of the Annapolis Harbor, City Dock, and the surrounding marketplace over a 150-year period as it went through one major change after another, shifting from a working waterfront to a community of pleasure boats, and how these changes were intimately connected to the broader history of the Chesapeake Bay. Annapolis Maritime Museum, 7 p.m. $10.

19 Stronger than Steel: civil War Voices of eastern Shore Women

20 20 year evolution of royal navy ironclads

12 to 1 p.m. in-person (free to museum members, $1 for guests) and virtual (free) lecture at The Mariner’s Museum and Park in Newport News, VA. Civil war lecture series - new technologies enabled the development of armored warships. Advance registration required at marinersmuseum.org

20-22 the chesapeake Bay Boat Show

At the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium. Presented by the Marine Trades Association of Baltimore County. Featuring over 30 Maryland boat dealers showcasing new boats and marine equipment, as well as entertainment, food and beverages, free educational seminars, and plenty of free parking. Tickets: thechesapeakebayboatshow.com

21-22 online maryland Boating Safety course

Saturday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Sunday 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Presented by the Havre de Grace Maritime Museum. This course satisfies the requirements for operating a vessel on Maryland waters and a Certificate of Boating Safety Education is issued upon satisfactory completion. Instructors teach two sessions. Attendance at both online sessions is required, followed by an online test taken at your convenience. Cost: $20 per student donation to support USCG Auxiliary and HDG Maritime Museum Education Programs. Always Free to: first responders, active military, sea scouts and all medical/hospital staff. Questions: (443) 504-3880. Register: hdgmaritimemuseum.org

26 tradition and innovation: chesapeake Bay Sailing Log canoes Chesapeake Bay sailing log canoes have their origins as oystermen’s boats but have also been raced competitively since the eve of the American Civil War. This illustrated lecture by Pete Lesher will show how these boats remain rooted in tradition despite decades of innovation to increase their speed and performance. Annapolis Maritime Museum. 7 p.m. $10.

Chesapeake Calendar

January Racing

1ayc hangover Bowl Hosted by Annapolis YC.

February

9

pirates of the chesapeake Bay:

the oyster Wars

1

Dana Dillon new year’s madness race Starts at Hampton Yacht Club and ends at Old Point Comfort Yacht Club, Hampton, VA.

1From the Ground up: an archaeologist’s perspective on native chesapeake Foods Join local archaeologist, TimeChef, and food historian Henry Ward for a culinary exploration of recipes that celebrate indigenous foods and native cuisine of the Chesapeake Bay region. At Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, St. Michaels, MD. 3 to 4:30 p.m. $8.

It has been over 150 years since the establishment of Maryland’s “Oyster Navy,” a forerunner of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Police. It was a necessary establishment for dealing with a lucrative, competitive, and sometimes deadly industry. Lecture by Dr. Jamie L.H. Goodall, historian and author. Annapolis Maritime Museum. 7 p.m. $10.

8-22

2

iLca Frostbite racing Sundays out of Severn Sailing Association, Annapolis.

29 - Mar 19

iLca Frostbite racing Series 2 Sundays out of Severn Sailing Association, Annapolis.

annapolis: 1942

The first full year of World War II brings a rush of productivity to the previously sleepy Annapolis waterfront, from seaplane production to the Army Navy Game to warships being built. Annapolis historian and author David Gendell will share his extensive research into this period, including interviews with those on the scene, unique images, and original maps. Annapolis Maritime Museum. 7 p.m. $10.

11-25 america’s Boating course

Two Saturday sessions, February 11 and February 25, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Bosun’s Marine in Grasonville, MD. Must attend both days. Presented by America’s Boating Club Kent Narrows. Cost: $25 non-member adults. Free to members and ages 17 and under. Register: tinyurl.com/4exwpvjm (reservations required). For more info, contact Patti Eney at (773) 351-2403 or abckn.edu@gmail.com

into Freedom: the World and Writings of Frederick Douglass

Honor the 205th birthday of Frederick Douglass with this unique program, which will pair excerpts from Frederick Douglass’ writing and speeches with images from Jeff McGuiness’s new book, Bear Me Into Freedom. At Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, St. Michaels. 5:30 to 7 p.m. $8.

16 cartoonist at Sea: two years Sailing the World through photographs and cartoons

For over 20 years, Jim Toomey has been bringing the sea into the homes of millions of newspaper readers through his comic strip Sherman’s Lagoon. Jim will do a live-drawing demonstration as well as discuss his experiences living on a sailboat for two years with his family and how he managed to continue publishing a daily comic strip about the ocean while living on the ocean. Annapolis Maritime Museum. 7 p.m. $10.

23 Deadly Gamble: the Wreck of the Levin J. Marvel

The 128-foot schooner Levin J. Marvel foundered in Herring Bay in southern Anne Arundel County on August 12, 1955. The threemasted ship was a carrier converted to a passenger cruiser. The captain was returning to Annapolis from an Eastern Shore cruise with 23 passengers and four crew aboard when he encountered the wind field of Hurricane Connie. With no auxiliary power and no canvas aloft, the captain made the decision to run before the wind to anchor off of Fairhaven... Author and photojournalist Kathy Bergren Smith tells this tragic tale and its aftermath. Annapolis Maritime Museum. 7 p.m. $10.

February Racing

5 - Mar 19

ayc Frostbite Series Second half Sunday afternoons out of Annapolis Yacht Club.

14-24

rorc caribbean 600 Series

Inshore racing, the 360 Round Antigua Race, and the Caribbean 600, plus a lay day.

Meet Christine Morioka

Debunking Preconceived Notions of Sailing

Growing up in Southern California, Christine’s parents owned a Catalina sailboat, but she never actually learned how to sail. Now in her mid-30s and living in the Norfolk, VA, area, this past summer she finally found a way to fit learning how to sail into her busy life. Here she shares in her own words her experience.

This day was different

I had dreamed of learning to sail for years, but with kids, a job, a dog— finding the time to learn how to sail had been hard to prioritize. However, one day when I was out walking along the Elizabeth River waterfront, the colorful

sails of Sail Nauticus boats caught my eye. I decided to find out about a Sail Nauticus membership and enrolled that very same day! I have been going out sailing one to two times per week ever since. I even started to compete in some of the Sail Nauticus races.

Not your parents’ sailing experience

When I was growing up, my parents’ hobby was sailing, and our Sundays were mostly cleaning or fixing parts of the boat. My impression of sailing was that it involved extremely high maintenance costs (both time and dollars spent) and was all-consuming—and that too little time was actually spent sailing.

Sail Nauticus completely debunked those preconceived notions for me and broke down all of my perceived barriers with the perfect blend of laid-back, family-friendly, budget-friendly, social sailing experiences. With the Sail Nauticus community sailing center experience, sailing has been affordable, low maintenance, and therapeutic!

Tell us your recent sailing experiences and future plans

I have never taken a formal class, but last summer I went out sailing with experienced Sail Nauticus skippers one to two times per week during June and July. I also read the ASA Basic Keelboat book. With this experience, by late summer I was able to pass the skipper’s test at Sail Nauticus, allowing me to take people out as my guests aboard the Sail Nauticus fleet of Harbor 20s.

Going forward I would love to continue to be a part of community sailing programs and race in local races. I also have dreams of sailing the entire Intracoastal Waterway and chartering boats abroad.

If someone wanted to learn to sail, what would you tell them?

Join Sail Nauticus! I can’t say enough good things about the program and membership they have in Norfolk. If not Sail Nauticus, find a community boat club in your area or take a class.

For a short video clip of chrisitne, hold your phone’s camera over this code.

As told to Beth Crabtree

# Christine and one of her two young daughters.

Five Types of Sailboats

1. Dinghy—a small, lightweight sailboat with a retractable centerboard. Such boats tend to be easy to strap on the roof of the car, trailer, or haul up on the beach. Some popular models are: Opti, Topaz, Laser, 420, Sunfish.

2. Daysailer—this term usually refers to a boat of 14 to 20 feet in length. When sailors use the word “daysail,” they mean they are not competing or sailing overnight. Someone who sails like this is considered a “daysailor.” Their boats are called daysailers. Not all daysailers are dinghies (some have fixed keels), but most dinghies are great for daysailing.

3. Keelboat—such boats have a fixed keel (a lead-weighted fin attached to the bottom). The boats start at about 20 feet in length and weigh enough that you need a crane or lift to get them into the water. They are sturdy and well-suited to sailing through choppy water or heavy weather. They do not capsize except in extreme weather conditions. A sampling of models: Harbor 20, J/22, J/70, J/80, Beneteau First 22, Sonar, and Colgate 26.

4. Racer/Cruiser—this type of boat can be used for racing, cruising, or daysailing. They can range from 22 feet or longer. These boats have overnight accommodations (and a bathroom, which on boats we call the “head”) and kitchens (called “galleys”). Examples include: Catalina 275, Hunter 31, J/105, Tartan, J/109, Beneteau First series, and Jeanneau SunFast.

5. Bluewater cruiser—These sturdy boats are built for the rigors of sailing in the ocean for long periods. They tend to have heavy, deep keels and small companionways (doors to the cabin below) to keep water out. They are shaped to cut through big waves and weather big storms. Examples include: Nor’Sea 27, Tayana 37, Island Packet, and Pacific Seacraft.

Find a Sailing School

New sailors or those returning to sailing may want to seek instruction or coaching at a sailing school or club. Many such organizations exist on the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. They offer certifications for beginners, returning sailors hoping to brush up on seamanship skills, cruisers seeking bareboat chartering or navigation experience, and racers wanting to hone their skills. The following is a sampling of schools and clubs that offer sailing instruction on the Chesapeake. For a more complete list of schools offering certifications outside this region, visit US Sailing or American Sailing.

#

Chesapeake Bay Sailing Schools

• Annapolis Sailing School annapolissailing.com

• Annapolis Naval Sailing Association ansa.org

• Blue Water Sailing School bwss.com

• Captain In You Sailing Schools, Inc. captaininyou.com • DC Sail dcsail.org

• J/World Annapolis jworldannapolis.com

• Rock Hall Yacht Club Sailing School rhycsailingschool.org • SailTime sailtime.com/annapolis • Sail Solomons sailsi.com • West River Sailing Club learn2sailwrsc.com

Photo courtesy of West River Sailing Club

Stories of the Century

Congratulations to the 2022 SpinSheet Century Club

At print time we counted 98 confirmed SpinSheet Century Club 2022 members. We expect a dozen more to update their logs and/or complete their 100-day goals by New Year’s Day. All who qualify for the club must post their numbers at spinsheet.com/century-club by January 5 to earn a 2022 burgee and invitation to our February 4 celebration.

2023 marks the 10-year anniversary of the SpinSheet Century Club! Will this be your year to log 100 days on the water? We hope so. Below a few of our members share their journeys and tips for aspiring club members:

Tim Dull: 105 Days

One of the best days underway racing was singlehanding in the Old Point Comfort Yacht Club’s ’Round the Lights Race in October, with spinnaker!

My cruise of the Bay in September and October had a number of great days, but the best times were with members of the Tartan 34 Classic Association in Solomons, MD, for our annual rendezvous there (Capt. Tim is the commodore). I met up with Richard Lariviere on Indian Summer as he was transiting south to the Caribbean. The last I checked he is snuggled into St. Martin for Christmas.

I have over 30 days of racing toward my Century Club total, which I hope to continue next season; however, I am not sure I will be able to get away for as many days for my cruise next fall… Cheers from the Southern Chesapeake Bay!

Stephanie Sams: 110 Days

I started my 2022 days with series two of the Annapolis Yacht Club Frostbite Series, skippering a J/22. In the summer, we competed in the Eastport Yacht Club (EYC) Beer Can Series. For the third year, my friends and I gathered at EYC in the mornings to paddle the creeks of Annapolis. We started in May, and our last paddle was on October 31. I always enjoy the bonds we share on the water and love seeing how strong we become over the summer. What took an hour in May took us 30 minutes in August. I also added powerboating to the mix this year by joining the Chesapeake Boating Club. Taking out a boat for an evening spin or exploring the local dock bars on the weekend was so much fun.

# Tim Dull’s Skylark. Photo by George Hernandez

Stories of the Century

Jordan Stock: 102 Days

Three amazing days on the water

First, we had a day when I was skippering for our Thursday night race team September 18 at the Downtown Sailing Center. It was puffy and shifty, so normal for the Baltimore Harbor. In the first race, I read the shifts perfectly on both upwind legs and have a picture with all of our competition as tiny spinnakers behind us as we crossed the finish line. Smoking the competition like that felt sooooo good.

Second, sailing in the SCC J/105 Women’s Regatta. It was the day after school ended; I may have indulged a bit too much the night before and my skipper had woken me up when she came to get me—but I trimmed main and had so much fun sailing with all women at such a high level of competition.

Third, the day we got out into the ocean on the Annapolis to Bermuda Race. It was so smooth in the Bay, and I got on watch right as the sun was coming up. It was a beautiful morning.

When I got on the helm, we were in tight competition with two boats, so it was very fun driving. We got out in the ocean and it was still fast. We knew we were going to be crossing the Gulf Stream overnight, so there was some anxiety about what was to come. It was nice to enjoy the sea state before that happened.

Any scary or otherwise jarring days?

The last three days to Bermuda absolutely sucked. It was like living in a Gravitron inside a carwash. Every few minutes the whole thing would slam into something that sounded like a gas station exploding. Makes it easy and comfortable to fall asleep (not).

We did a sail change at 2 a.m. the day we arrived in Bermuda (during which) I thought our bow guy, my watch buddy, was going to be swept overboard. I’ll say that’s scary and jarring

Best wildlife sightings

Bermudan long tails and stormy petrels in the ocean.

What did you get out of the Century Club?

Motivation! There are plenty of days when I don’t want to go sailing; then I think that it’s worth it to get a day on the water.

Words of wisdom for anyone aspiring to reach 100?

Say “yes” to as many boaty things as you can. I added a race team this year, so now I’m on four. That gets me on up to four boats per week and sometimes more in the summer months. If you’re nervous, see if you can bring a friend! The vast majority of the time, more hands are better.

Eric Packard: 144 Days

Three amazing days on the water from 2022

I just got back from Brazil. I spent a total of 11 days on the road and water! I traveled more than 24 hours to get there and spent the next 10 days traveling on the Rio Negro and Rio Arica. I saw the Meeting of the Waters and caught fish in the state of Amazonia, Brazil!

Best wildlife sighting

The Boto (pink dolphins).

Words of wisdom for an aspiring Century Clubber?

Get out on the water. Go fishing or travel by water. Whether you are simply fishing off a kayak, powerboating across the Bay, or taking a cruise on a large ship, simply enjoy your time out on the water. Learn more at spinsheet.com/join-spinsheet-century-club

White Perch: The Unappreciated Friend at the Chesapeake’s Fish Party

By Pamela Tenner Kellett

You know the type… understated, always there for you, doesn’t abandon you every winter for tropical locales, and always overshadowed by its flashy closest relative. While the sleek and striped Morone saxatilis (aka THE Rockfish) gets all the attention from everyone (conservationists, anglers, watermen, gastronomes), the low key Morone americana are the most abundant fish in the Chesapeake Bay. Content to spend its entire life cycle in the Bay and its tributaries, the white perch, which are actually silvery in color, have found incredible success in the brackish waters they call home.

White perch are considered semianadromous, as they migrate from brackish waters to tidal fresh water to spawn. Females are reproductively mature at three years of age and release their eggs during a two- to three-week period in the spring. Several males surround the female, waiting to fertilize the eggs when they are released. This has proven to be a highly successful breeding strategy which produces a higher percentage of juveniles than other fish species.

After hatching, the juveniles will remain in the protected nursery grounds for the summer and fall. Adults are widely distributed but tend to congregate downstream in the tributaries or in deeper channels of the main stem

of the Bay in the winter. Growing to an average of seven to 10 inches and weighing from eight ounces to a pound, white perch typically live eight to 10 years. Their diet is varied, consisting of larval fish, insects, and detritus.

If you have ever caught a white perch, you know they have extremely spiky dorsal and anal fins which offer them protection from predators. Countershading (darker on top, lighter on bottom) also provides cam-

ouflaging. During breeding season, the underside of the jaw is a bright purple: a little flash for the fish party!

With no size or creel limit if caught on hook and line, white perch are a popular pan fish that can be caught yearround anywhere in the Bay. Whether you are an angler or a sailor appreciative of biodiversity you can’t help but celebrate the white perch’s ubiquitous presence at the Chesapeake’s fish party!

# White perch are a popular pan fish that can be caught year-round anywhere in the Bay. Photo by FishTalk

M EET J OHN S HIELDS , C ULINARY A MBASSADOR

Interview by Gwen Mayes

Blending his talents as a chef, restaurateur, and cookbook author, John Shields wants to make sure we “think local” not only in how we eat, but also how we preserve the important connection between area farms and the Bay.

How did the idea of the Common Table take place?

I have been cooking professionally for over half a century and just like any community or culture, people come together enthusiastically around food. I love the image of a “common table” bringing people from around the Chesapeake region together to learn about local, healthy food, and to work together to rebuild our local food economy. The region’s seafood, agriculture, recreation, culture, and cuisine are unique, and a decline in one area affects all the others. Working together, we can preserve the Bay’s traditions and respect the environment.

How would you describe your culinary style to someone outside the region?

Simple cooking using the freshest and finest ingredients from the Chesapeake watershed. It’s a holistic approach.

What about the Bay inspires you to devote your time to the area? I’m from this area and am probably biased, but I think the Chesapeake region is one of the most beautiful in the world. We have everything from the mountains to the Bay to the sea. We’re lucky to be living in such a rich environment. All the food sources we need are local.

What is the easiest way for someone to adopt your way of cooking?

People can begin by buying “local” and in season whenever possible. If there’s a healthy resolution for 2023, it would be to go to a farmstand or farmers market at least once or twice a month. Try planning some plant-forward meals with more emphasis on grains and vegetables, complemented by local meat, dairy, poultry, and seafood.

We’ve heard a lot about plantforward dining? What’s that all about?

Plant-forward eating is about eating more plants and fewer animal products (meats, eggs, and dairy products). It’s also about eating less processed foods. The key is learning to ‘stretch’ the protein source.

What’s on the menu besides oysters and crab?

Try the invasive species, such as the blue catfish or snakehead. Also consider the less “sexy” fish such as perch, croakers, and the like.

How can we spice things up?

Chesapeake Fish Peppers. They’re part of our African American culinary history and have been rediscovered. Farms are growing them all around the region.

What has been the focus of your cookbooks?

Most of my cookbooks have been focused on the food of the Chesapeake. My earlier books featured the traditional foodways of the Bay. My newest book, “The New Chesapeake Kitchen,” envisions a Chesapeake kitchen and kitchen philosophy for the 21st century.

Food presentation can make a meal. Any tips?

Use lots of colors in the dishes you make and don’t overcrowd the plate.

How will you continue to promote the Bay’s bounty?

Through Our Common Table we will continue to educate folks about our local Chesapeake food economy. We do this through cooking series, scholarships for young people who want to cook professionally, community grants, and educational lectures.

How can people learn more about your work?

Go to our websites ourcommontable.org, johnshields.com and gertrudesbaltimore.com We’re on Facebook @ourcommontable and Instagram @mrcrabcakejohn. You can sign up for recipes, videos, and restaurant information.

# Photo by Katie Sprague/ Our Common Table

Ask any sailor and they will tell you boats have personalities, no two are alike, and some seem to exert more influence than others over their “owners.” This is the story of a sailing yacht named Witchcraft and how she has survived for 120 years by bewitching a whole series of “owners.”

Witchcraft was built in 1903, a product of a design by B.B. Crowninshield, well known for his racing yachts, including the 1903 America’s Cup contender Independence and the efforts of the famous George Lawley and Sons Boatyard in Boston. She measures 66 feet over all, 59 feet on deck, has a 36-and-a-half-foot waterline length, and a beam of 13 feet. Her spoon bow, low freeboard, gentle sheer, and graceful counter stern evoke the design esthetic of a long-gone era. Witchcraft was built for William B. Rogers, a member of the Kellogg family, who sailed and raced her on Lake Cham-

By Capt. Rick Franke

plain until 1920. She was designed and built as a gaff-rigged sloop, a fast but demanding rig, requiring a large crew as was common in those days.

In 1921 ownership of Witchcraft passed to Frank C. Sullivan for 22 years. Sullivan made many changes in the 18-year-old boat. She was re-rigged as a gaff yawl with a Bermudan mizzen. This made her balance better and required a smaller crew. Sullivan also added an auxiliary engine, mounted off center on her port side, with a threebladed propeller and vee-shaped strut. In 1935 Sullivan replaced the smaller gaff mainsail with a Bermudan rig, while retaining the mizzen to continue her configuration as a yawl.

In 1943 Ken and Dorothy Shaffer fell under the spell of the Witch. They bought her and sailed her from New York to Baltimore under wartime conditions. She has remained in Chesapeake waters ever since.

In 1958 Navy Commander David S. Butler Sr., a naval aviator, was assigned to the Patuxent River Naval Air Station. He and his family lived on the base. Commander Butler soon purchased the boat and kept her in the base marina. He and his two teenage sons spent many enjoyable hours sailing her on the Patuxent River and lower Chesapeake Bay. When Commander Butler was reassigned to Florida in 1960, he reluctantly had to sell the Witch.

Witchcraft, at this point more than 50 years old, a long life for any wooden vessel, spent 10 years, more or less, deteriorating at her moorings in Rock Creek in Pasadena. She was discovered by Captain Paul Itzel, who purchased her for $1200, moved aboard, and began a restoration that would ultimately last more than 30 years. She went back in the water in 1992, was hauled out again, and finally in 1996 was back in the water, looking as good as new.

A sailing vessel that has been bewitching sailors for 120 years.

# Witchcraft as she looked when new in 1903, a gaff rigged sloop. Photo courtesy of D. Butler

# Witchcraft under full sail as she looks today. Photo courtesy of D. Butler

Captain Itzel did not like the extra rigging, including a boomkin, required for the mizzen mast. He left the mast on the rack and launched her as a Bermudan-rigged sloop. Such a history, up to this point, is extraordinary, and if it ended here, would be a great story indeed. However, the Witch, as she’s always been known to her owners, had some more magic to do.

In 2007 David Butler, Jr., son of the Commander Butler who owned the boat in the late 1950s, wanted to have some models built of the boat that he and his brother Bill enjoyed sailing with their father. He commissioned a friend, John Dodd, to locate her plans. Dodd went one better and introduced Dave to Captain Itzel who had just put the Witch up for sale. Dave purchased her and set up an arrangement with Captain Itzel to remain as captain and continue with the boat’s renovation and modernization. It took Dave three years to convince Capt. Itzel to sell and remain with the Witch as captain. This partnership lasted until Captain Itzel passed away in 2015.

The restoration included dusting off and re-stepping the original mizzen mast, thus returning her to a yawl rig. This time it was with the Bermudian main and mizzen, a change that took place in 2018. This sail plan allows her to be handily operated by a crew of three. But, even at the ripe old age of 120, our Witch still has some magic left.

The latest person to fall under Witchcraft’s spell is Mark Wilkins, curator of maritime history at the Calvert Marine Museum in Solomons, MD. Mark negotiated the donation of the yacht Witchcraft to the museum.

As Mark explains, “For the museum she represents a new chapter in recreational watercraft, heretofore not represented all too well here. We have working watercraft, skipjacks, buyboats, crab scrapes; that sort of thing. So, she’s an exciting addition to our collection. We hope to use her for sail training, high end charters, maybe involve youth groups, organizations such as the Sea Scouts or Outward Bound, and anybody who may be interested in working with this vessel to learn seamanship. That’s an exciting departure for us.

“We’ll have a web page for Witchcraft so that people can learn about her programs and participate. We just got the boat (at the end of October), so we are scrambling to get a maintenance agenda and cost estimates. The programs are growing

as we speak. There is a lot to do. We have plans and an excellent survey which we have submitted to the Coast Guard to learn what changes they may require to certify her for carrying passengers.”

David Butler, Jr., who is in his early 80s, explains his decision to donate the Witch to the museum: “It was time to ether sell her or find her a good home. I like the Calvert Marine Museum because they have lots of interactive displays, rather than static exhibits. They take people out in boats and take good care of the boats that they have. I’m hoping they use her for charters, cruises, and day sails so many more people can see and enjoy her.”

At the tender age of 120 the Witch starts a new career. One wonders what comes next.

# Witchcraft arrives at the Calvert Marine Museum at the end of October. Photo by CMM

# The main salon, finished in varnished oak and butternut. The locker to port of the companionway is actually the motor box. Photo by Rick Franke

# Mark Wilkins, curator of maritime history at Calvert Marine Museum displaying the electrical panel. Photo by Rick Franke

Inked by the Ocean

By Chelsea Co

From equipment advancements to drastically different styles of art, tattooing has evolved into a widely practiced form of self-expression and creativity, all of which would not exist without sailors.

There are records of European sailors practicing tattoos since the 16th century, but the word ‘tattoo’ was introduced into European culture in the 18th century. Captain James Cook returned from Tahiti where he had learned the Polynesian word, “tatau,” meaning “to mark,” which was traditionally performed with tools made from boar tusks.

The technique typically used by European and American sailors in the early 18th century was to poke a wound on the body and rub gunpowder or soot into it. Sailors used tattooing as a way to stay occupied during their time at sea, sharing their tattooing skills with other seamen, as well as with those they met in port.

Their characteristic bluish hue developed into recognizable symbols ranging from nautical to religious, as well as romantic and patriotic. Tattoos were considered a savvy souvenir for sailors, as they were easily transportable and

extremely durable. They were also used as personal identifiers when a body was retrieved from the sea.

Increased demand for tattoos led to the invention of an electric machine around the 1890s. Tattoo artists started drawing “flash” tattoo designs that were usually simple black outlines with limited colors. The name flash comes from the fact that tattoos were still considered a prohibited act at the time and by having pre-drawn posters of designs, artists could quickly flash their clients with a selection of art. Sailors appreciated the convenience of flash posters, because it allowed them to use their time efficiently when they were allowed to go ashore for limited time.

Naval branches noted the increasing popularity among sailors, but drew the line when sailors showed up with tattoos of nude women, refusing these men into the service. This led to a new niche of tattoo artists who specialized in “cover-ups,” where they were covering up the girls with more acceptable attire.

Tattoo shops began opening in ports in America and England, with artists donning the name “Sailor” before their own, such as Sailor Jerry, who became a renowned tattoo artist with his iconic “old school” style that is still wildly popular today and can be seen depicted on his popular rum labels. Artists began buying and selling designs between their shops as a way to share art and continue expanding and connecting the tattoo community.

Sailors had a variety of reasons why they might select a certain design, but whatever the choice, the art became a part of the sailor’s identity. One sailor might get a talisman for protection. Another might memorialize a significant life encounter, and another might get one just to be rebellious. By the 1950s, the style of sailor tattoos grew to be quite popular with the general public.

Nautical Star or Compass Rose: This was meant to help sailors navigate back home safely, as the nautical star represented the north star. It is typically depicted with five points and coordinated colors to represent a compass rose as seen on navigation charts.

Pig and Rooster/Hen: With the right foot bearing a chicken and the left a pig, these symbols were meant to protect a sailor from drowning, because these animals reputedly survived shipwrecks thanks to their floating wooden crates.

# Photo courtesy of Andy Schell

# Photo courtesy of Allison Rogers

Hold Fast: Tattooed across the knuckles, this was meant to support crew members’ grasp of rigging onboard, especially during rough storms. It also was encouragement for perseverance during rough conditions at sea.

Crosses and Crucifixes: Crosses that were tattooed on feet were meant to protect sailors from shark attacks in case of falling overboard or in a shipwreck.

Swallow: When a sailor completed their first 5000 nautical miles, they would get a swallow on their chest. When they reached 10,000 nm, they would get one on the other side of their chest. The reasoning behind this symbol is that these birds travel far away from home and safely return again.

Fully rigged ship: This tattoo was usually worn by those who successfully navigated around Cape Horn.

Anchor/Crossed Anchors: This was a marker for a sailor who had crossed the Atlantic, someone who has served at sea or was promoted in the military. Crossed anchors, placed between the forefinger and thumb, indicated a boatswain’s mate. Sometimes the anchor was meant to commemorate a first-time sailor’s initiation into the service.

Crossed cannons or guns: Meant the sailor had been involved in naval service, sometimes seen in conjunction with specific symbols from the U.S. Navy.

Rope around the wrist: A sailor was a deckhand.

Harpoon: A sailor was a member of a whaling or fishing fleet.

Shellback or King Neptune: This tattoo was earned when sailors crossed the equator.

Golden Dragon: Sailors got this when they crossed the International Date Line.

Golden Shellback: Reserved for the achievement of crossing the equator and international date line at the same time.

Dragon: Sailors with dragons usually had spent some time in China, while it was later on indicative of service in the Western Pacific Ocean. The dragon also represented good luck and strength.

Hula Girl or Palm Tree: Sailors had either sailed to or been stationed in Hawai’i.

Dagger piercing heart: This represented a relationship ending with an affair, and was sometimes seen with the words, “Death Before Dishonor” beneath it.

Propellers: A propeller was tattooed on each buttock in order to symbolize the sailor being propelled home safely.

Sombrero: Usually depicted on a pinup girl, this indicated a sailor who had been on a ship who had taken port in the San Pedro or San Diego area, or involvement in Latin American service.

Polar Bear: Though rare, this would be a tattoo recognizing someone as a Blue Nose sailor, meaning that the sailor has crossed the Arctic Circle. A golden polar bear represents a submarine that has surfaced above the fifth parallel.

Dolphin: A symbol that was used among sailors in naval submarine service and as a warfare motif.

Little Red Devils: These tattoos were given to “snipes,” crew who in the mid-19th century worked with heavy machinery and feeding coal to steam engines, resulting in a hot environment reminiscent of hell. Some of the professions included in the snipes category included engineers, electricians, and technicians.

Send us a photo of your sailor tattoo to editor@spinsheet.com

Learn more: Resources for tattoo history include: historynet.com/sailor-tattoosthrough-the-ages, sailorjerry. com/en/tattoos, and history.navy. mil/browse-by-topic/heritage/ customs-and-traditions0/sailor-stattoos.html.

# Photo by Lisa Little

# Photo by Andy Schell

# Photo courtesy of Andy Schell

Steering System Replacement

By Dave Kirkpatrick of Edson Marine

For one reason or another, whether from a need to replace an inoperative system or a desire for a different appearance or functionality, you may decide to replace significant components of your boat’s system. We want our boats to look and work as well as possible and a boat’s cockpit is often defined by the steering system, so it’s an important element.

The scope of a replacement project is governed mostly by the health of the current parts and the availability of compatible replacements. Jefa, Lewmar, and Edson are the main suppliers of current sailboat steering gear, so replacing an existing system from one of them will generally be easier. Systems from Merriman and Yacht Specialties, popular in the 70s and 80s but out of production for decades since, will offer a few more challenges.

Pedestal replacement is the obvious starting point for most of these projects, and pedestals are straightforward to replace. In chain and wire systems a new pedestal from any brand can generally work with any downstream components. For example, if your boat has a chain and wire system from a company that’s no longer in business, you could mate existing parts “downstream” of the idler plate

underneath the pedestal to work with a new pedestal and idler plate. Existing sheaves don’t know or care what’s moving the wires that move across them, nor does the quadrant or radial know or care what pedestal you have.

The idler plate is the backing plate for the pedestal, and the hole spacing of pedestals and idlers is brand specific; so the pedestal and idler have to match. Reusing old parts in a new “hybridized” system is only recommended when the reused parts are in excellent condition—there can be a thin and blurry line between “smartly reusing good existing gear” and “throwing good money after bad.” We’ve previously discussed checking these parts, so following the guidelines from previous articles is a good start (find both articles at spinsheet.com by searching “steering”).

Hole spacing presents a daunting task for many boat owners, but it needn’t be. First off, the pedestal mounting holes are one of the major places to find wet core or laminate in a boat. The cockpit gets a lot of water in it, originally installed bedding under the pedestal may have dried and cracked over time, and the area often needs some shoring up anyhow. On the

scale of difficult fiberglass projects, this is an easy one. Essentially you remove rotted core if there is any and replace that core with new core or solid glass, working from underneath the cockpit. Access is often the only real challenge.

Leaving the deck-side skin intact removes aesthetic challenges, and your cockpit will be ready for a new hole pattern when it’s done. If everything is intact, the job of filling holes is nice and easy with some resin and chopped glass. The idler plate does the hard structural work. The pedestal and guard are the main handholds in the cockpit, so you want to be sure the cockpit floor is in good shape for them to play this role.

Which style of pedestal you choose is wide open. Many boat owners now prefer to have a chartplotter right at the helm without having to mount it up high on a guard-mounted electronics mount where it can obstruct vision, so the console style pedestals work for them. Others prefer to keep a more classic look and all major steering suppliers have an option for that as well.

Reusing a wheel is often desired for economy and/or sentimental attachment to the current wheel.

Safety Serie S : Part 1

Protecting Our Waterways and the Sailors and Boaters Who Enjoy Them—

Natural Resource and Conservation Officers

By Beth Crabtree

In this three-part series, we’ll introduce some on-water first responders, including natural resource police, Coast Guard and Auxiliary responders, and firefighters. Along the way we’ll highlight relevant safety equipment, from essential to sophisticated.

Looking out for sailors, boaters, paddlers, and our natural resources

Imagine cruising out of your narrow creek on a holiday weekend with three generations aboard, when suddenly some bozo, way too close for comfort, speeds by, ignoring the no-wake buoy bouncing prominently in the center of the channel and clueless to your limited maneuverability. Your first mate steadies Grandma and the little kids as they brace themselves from the resulting waves that jolt your vessel. Or imagine at the end of an excellent, albeit long and hot, day on the water a pop-up summer thunderstorm is on the horizon. You’re nearly home when you see one or two people struggling in the water with no lifejackets. You quickly drop your sails and motor over to give assistance by tossing your throwables and hailing for help on your VHF.

In either situation, who can help? What agencies’ personnel might respond?

In addition to the Coast Guard, it could be the Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP), which is part of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR), or the Virginia Conservation Police, which is part of the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR).

Though they have different titles, the mission of each of these agencies is essentially the same: to protect people and natural resources through education and law enforcement so that we may all safely enjoy the outdoor recreational opportunities the Chesapeake region has to offer. In addition to assisting and promoting safety and environmental education, personnel for these two important agencies enforce a wide range of laws pertaining to boating,

# Virginia’s Conservation Police. Photo by Virginia DWR, Meghan Marchetti

hunting, fishing, habitat preservation and environmental protection. Importantly, they also respond to emergency calls, including those on the waterways in each jurisdiction.

We recently connected with First Sergeant Frank Spuchesi, who has served 24 years with the Virginia DWR, and Lauren Moses, a public information officer with Maryland’s DNR. Here are their responses to a few of SpinSheet’s questions about their respective agencies.

Safety Series presented by

Virginia Conservation Police

What would you like sailors and boaters to know about your agency?

FS: As the boating safety agency for the Virginia Commonwealth, our main goal is to provide a safe environment for everyone to enjoy the waterways. We’re not just out there to write tickets. We place an emphasis on the enforcement of laws that prevent reckless boating and operating under the influence of alcohol or drugs. This is done with the ultimate goal of safety in mind for boaters, sailors, paddlers, and operators of PWC. During their time at our academy, officer candidates receive boat training from the conservation police officers that are certified instructors by NASBLA (National Association of State Boating Law Administrators).

It’s not a “one and done.”

FS: Just because you’ve been sailing or boating for many years or because you’ve passed a boater safety test, does not mean there’s nothing more to be done. Seasonal inspection of safety equipment is important to determine if the equipment is still serviceable. For example, flares and fire extinguishers expire. Lifejackets succumb to dry rot, and vessel registrations expire. In addition to annual inspections, predeparture safety checks are important too. When it comes to lifejackets, you not only need to have the required number onboard but also ones that properly fit the sizes and shapes of the passengers aboard your boat on that particular day.

What is the best part of your job?

FS: One of the best parts of this job is the diversity of the work we do. It changes as the boating, fishing, and hunting seasons change.

How do calls for maritime assistance come to your agency?

FS: Generally, calls come through the US Coast Guard as it monitors VHF channels, or the local sheriff’s department. The Coast Guard would then contact DWR dispatch, who will call local officers to respond. Sometimes, but less frequently, our dispatch is notified through a sheriff’s department.

Our boats are strategically placed to facilitate a quick response to emergencies.

They may be in the water or on land at a spot where they can be quickly launched, which might be a Coast Guard station or waterfront fire or sheriff’s property. DWR Region 1, which covers the Virginia section of the Bay, is divided into six districts and each has multiple boats, from large 27-foot safe boats to 16-foot Jon boats, placed according to what is appropriate for the local waterway.

What is DWR’s role in safety education?

FS: Our officers are all NASBLA certified boating education instructors. Officers teach boater safety courses and also assist the Coast Guard Auxiliary members in administering portions of their boater safety courses, especially with respect to laws and regulations.

Maryland’s Natural Resources Police

LM: The Maryland NRP Safety Education and Outreach Unit offers boating safety courses to help educate recreational boaters about the legal requirements, navigational rules, safety equipment, risks of boating accidents, and other issues pertaining to safe boating.

The NRP Reserve Officer Unit also provides free vessel safety checks throughout the state to help ensure that boaters have the necessary equipment on their vessels in the event of an emergency. A vessel safety check is a courtesy examination of your boat to verify the presence and condition of certain safety equipment required by state and federal regulations.

wide police authority. Therefore, conservation officers have full police powers, such as any state, city, or county police officer. Officers are not only knowledgeable about Maryland’s criminal and traffic laws, but they are also educated in conservation law as well. They are well versed officers that take pride in educating their communities. The Maryland NRP has many divisions to assist the public better, such as a K-9 team, aviation, dive team, and special operations.

Do your personnel routinely patrol the waterways, or is it more responding to calls?

LM: NRP officers are constantly on patrol to educate the public about safe boating practices and enforce the law on unsafe, negligent, and impaired boating. During their patrol, they conduct compliance checks to ensure that boaters operate soberly, have their required equipment such as lifejackets, and fully comply with Maryland law. Typically, you will see more officers on patrol during the summer months due to the increase in visitors flocking to Maryland’s beautiful waterways.

How are you notified of a boater in distress, and what happens when a call for help comes in?

LM: This can vary depending on the location of the incident. Officers are usually notified about an incident from our communications center. However, our officers are also very proactive and will respond to critical incidents if they see one. We’ve also had officers off duty who have seen someone in distress and taken immediate action to initiate a rescue.

What’s the best part of working in this agency?

LM: While NRP is a conservation law enforcement agency, officers still have state-

LM: Being a Maryland NRP officer is like no other career because there is so much variety. Officers enforce Maryland’s hunting and boating regulations, respond

Helping you prepare for the unexpected.

What safety education efforts do the NRP offer?

What would you like sailors and boaters know about the DNR police?

# Virginia conservation police have all manner of vessels at their disposal. Photo credit: Virginia DWR, Meghan Marchetti

to nuisance wildlife calls, perform water rescues, keep a lookout for negligent boaters, and may even go undercover to stop poachers from illegally harvesting Maryland’s precious resources. Many people do not realize how important a conservation officer’s job is. Officers primarily work outdoors regardless of weather conditions. They can find themselves on boat patrol on the Bay or foot patrol in the snowy mountains in Garrett County. The community looks to NRP officers to enforce all laws, rules, and regulations about fish and wildlife. If you have a passion for the outdoors and want to serve your community, a NRP career may be right for you. Those interested should visit: dnr.maryland.gov/nrp/ pages/careers.aspx

Essential Safety Gear for Nearshore Sailing

• Including but not limited to: • Lifejackets • Fire extinguisher • Sound maker • Visual distress signal • Anchor with chain and line • First aid kit • Bilge pump and bucket • Compass • VHF radio • Throwable • Heaving line • Waterproof flashlights • For some longer passages, you may also need: • Safety harness and tethers • DSC, GPS, MMSI number • ASI • EPIRBS

• PLB

• Life raft

For more information, check out the US Sailing Safety at Sea page: ussailing.org/education/adult/safety-at-seacourses-2022

And the US Coast Guard minimum requirements and other BoatUS safety information: boatus.org/equipment

Thunderstorms on The Chesapeake Bay

Back by popular demand! An in-depth, threepart webinar with meteorologist and sailor Mark Thornton of LakeErieWX Marine Weather about how to recognize and avoid Chesapeake thunderstorms. The series will examine: • Various types of thunderstorms • Ingredients that lead to their formation • Timing and lifespans of storms • Resources for forecasting and monitoring storms

all registrants will have access to the recordings for future reference

ST i M onial S f ro M The S T uden TS

Thanks for the great Chesapeake seminar, I’m sure this will be very useful for our sailing. - Michael

presented By:

This past week I sailed for a week on the Chesapeake

knew how to spot cold fronts, monitor their timing from various data sources

# Maryland NRP ice rescue training. Photo courtesy of Maryland DNR

Winter Wonderland in the Watershed

Most sailors we know have multiple outdoor passions and love to travel. The Chesapeake Bay Watershed provides a true wonderland for outdoor activities and interesting weekend trips all year long. Besides frostbite sailing, of course, here are some other ideas for bundling up, getting outside, and making the most of the season:

Stretch Your Legs

“I try to hike at least once per winter at Shenandoah National Park (Virginia),” says SpinSheet editor Molly Winans. “It’s less crowded than in peak season and every bit as scenic. It’s nice that you can choose a shorter hike or a longer one; there’s a great variety in such a big park. I went last winter with two girlfriends, and one day it was in the 60s! Not your typical December day. The next day was in the 30s and brisk. We had the right layers for it and had a blast.”

Other favorites include Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary (Lothian, MD), Sugarloaf Mountain (south of Frederick, MD), and Catoctin Mountain Park (Thurmont, MD).

First Day Hikes

At America’s State Parks, find ranger-led and self-guided First Day Hikes on January 1. Search for the list of parks hosting such hikes at dnr.maryland.gov and dcr.virginia.gov

Strap on Your Skates

Besides our wonderful rink in Annapolis at Quiet Waters Park, the region is packed with terrific skate rink options, including: the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden Ice Rink, Washington Harbour Ice Rink, and Wharf Ice Rink (Washington, DC); the Inner Harbor Ice Rink (Baltimore); Talbot County Community Center Ice Rink (Easton, MD); Southside and Peninsula (Hampton Roads, VA); and MacArthur Center on Ice (Norfolk, VA).

Skate With Sailors!

Join us on Wednesday, January 18 for SpinSheet Skating Night at Quiet Waters Park in Annapolis, MD, from 6 to 8 p.m. Enter the park and park your car for free. Skating costs $6 (discounted rate for SpinSheet readers) for adults; $5 for kids and seniors. Skate rentals cost $3. Sailors and skaters of all ages are welcome!

See the Tundra

Although the best bird watching on the Chesapeake may be in spring and fall, lovers of Tundra Swans should

# Allison, Molly, and Anita on a winter hike in Shenandoah National Park in December.

# A winterized cabin at Herrington Manor State Park after a fresh snow. The park boasts more than 10 miles of cross country ski trails.

check out Mason Neck State Park in Lorton, VA. They host occasional guided Tundra Swan Hikes, or you can go on your own to observe these spectacular birds. Learn more at dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks

Get Hooked

Did you know that anglers are every bit as crazy as sailors when it comes to going outside in all kinds of weather? If you’re intrigued by the concept of winter fishing but have no idea where to get started, click to fishtalkmag.com and search for “Winter Fishing” to find links to beginner tips and more from the experts at FishTalk Magazine.

Hit the Slopes and Trails

We know several sailors who hop on planes and fly to Colorado or Utah to get their ski fixes in winter. Lucky them! For those of us who may have slimmer budgets or shorter vacation windows, there are a handful of good options in Maryland and Pennsylvania. Wisp (McHenry, MD) and Whitetail (Mercersberg, PA) are our editor’s top picks.

If you enjoy cross-country skiing, Herrington Manor State Park (Oakton, MD) offers nice, winterized cabins with equipped kitchens for cooks and 10-plus miles of crosscountry trails as well as reasonably priced rentals at their ski center. New Germany State Park (Grantsville, MD) and Savage River Lodge (Frostburg, MD) are other options to consider.

Snowshoes To Go

A cheaper alternative to skiing that doesn’t require as much skill to get started, snowshoeing is a great way to extend the running or hiking season. Make sure to wear warm and waterproof boots and find the right snowshoes and poles for the terrain. REI offers good tips online for beginners when it comes to equipment, technique, and trail choice.

Did we miss your favorite nonsailing outdoor winter activity? Tell us about it by emailing editor@spinsheet.com

# Herrington Manor State Park (shown here), New Germany State Park, and Savage River Lodge are options for cross country skiing in Maryland.

The Abacos, Bahamas, In the Wake of Dorian

By Eva Hill

The go-to-destination for island sailors has long been the British Virgin Islands, but many looking for a change of scenery had been visiting the Abacos in the Bahamas. With easy access from the United States, warm and protected waters, reliable breezes, and charming harbors and anchorages with many amenities for boaters, Great Abaco and its neighboring cays had been a favorite for charterers and cruisers alike. But 2019’s catastrophic Hurricane Dorian—a Category 5 beast which was one of the most powerful storms ever to strike in the Atlantic basin—landed a particularly devastating blow to the Abacos. The Covid-19 pandemic that soon followed did not help recovery.

Three years on, the Abacos are still in recovery mode, and evidence of the storm’s destruction is everywhere. However, those wishing to sail the Sea of Abaco will find that, with planning and management of expectations, there is much to recommend a charter in 2023 and beyond.

The major charter companies, as well as local and boutique operations, are in business, albeit some may be in different locations. Marsh Harbour, the principal town in the Abacos and also one of the most hard-hit locations, is the base of most charter companies. Scheduled flights are running from the US to the Marsh Harbour airport. Most necessary amenities, such as grocery stores like Maxwell’s and liquor stores, are also available in Marsh Harbour and throughout the cays. Some, such as Sid’s supermarket on Green Turtle Cay, have used the rebuilding process as an opportunity to upgrade; though others, such as small fish markets, are no longer open. Some

things can always be relied on: Vernon’s Grocery on Elbow Cay still offers freshbaked bread.

Beyond the basics, there is enough bar and restaurant activity to keep sailors busy for a weeklong charter. It’s a good idea to treat each potential destination as if it’s off-season and not assume everything is

just as it is during high season. Some places are closed for the foreseeable future (e.g. Hopetown Harbour Lodge and Harbour’s Edge on Elbow Cay; Leeward Yacht Club on Green Turtle Cay). Some are operating on reduced schedules or with reduced offerings (Pete’s Pub in Little Harbour, Miss Emily’s Blue Bee Bar on Green Turtle

Manage your expectations and plan well, and you will find that the Abacos still have a lot to offer charter sailors.

Cay). The infamous Nipper’s on Great Guana Cay is open (and smelling of fresh lumber in November 2022 when I was there) but has not resumed its Sunday pig roast.

Others fared remarkably well after Dorian. Pineapple’s on Green Turtle Cay was bustling, and there was plenty of swimming pig action at Big O’s on No Name Cay. Not only is the Green Turtle Club fully operational, but I was able to find burgees, dollar bills, and other artifacts I or my friends had left behind in pre-storm years. Call or radio ahead if you’re looking for something in particular.

Major storms like Dorian have a tendency to re-arrange harbors, channels, and beaches. The damage to docks and marinas was particularly notable, though the free town docks were in good form. The preferred cruising guide for the region, “The Cruising Guide to the Abacos” by Steve, Jon, and Jeff Dodge (aka the “Dodge Bible”) is updated regularly and has just published its 2023 edition; it’s a font of detailed information not just about navigation and all things

nautical, but also shoreside facilities. Obtain even more recent information from your charter company, such as the most secure moorings and the best docks. Unfortunately, the incredibly informative cruiser’s net is not presently operating, but may in the future.

Some of my favorite spots, such as Manjack Cay, were rendered unfamiliar by Dorian, but the friendly stingrays

were still there, nuzzling my legs. Many buildings and businesses were destroyed. Many residents left, never to return, but those that are still there remain resolutely “Abaco Strong.” The best way to help the islands is to travel there and spend your money on local products and services. They may not be the same, but the Abacos still have plenty to offer.

Planning a Sailing Charter Vacation in 2023?

Four things to consider:

1. $$ and Sense—If you travel when everyone else wants to—say mid-February in the Caribbean— expect prices to be higher than in the off-season.

2. Weather This may seem obvious, but do you know how cold the water is in the Bahamas on March 1? Find out before you go. (P.S. Our editor had a delightful early March trip to

the Abacos—with thanks to author Eva Hill for warning her that the water would be cold enough to wear a wet suit for snorkeling.) Do you know what the average temperature is in the Mediterranean in the spring? It can be chilly. Ask your charter company what to expect. Don’t let what you hope the weather will be like get in the way of what historical weather patterns actually are

3. Getting in and out—Another Eva tip: build in some extra time to your schedule as airline schedules change, and snowstorms in other parts of the country may affect your flights. Trip interruption insurance may give you peace of mind.

4. Finding resources—We have a treasure trove of charter planning and packing tips, destination ideas, and a charter directory at spinsheet.com/charter.

Charter Directory

Offshore Rigging Specialists

The Cruiser’s Rhythm

After a break from cruising, how do you get your groove back?

By John Herlig

Years go, on a chilly fall day in Annapolis, I sat in the salon of Ave del Mar with my phone pressed against my ear, listening to my friend and Ave’s previous owner, Jamie Bryson, reel off another tale from his sailing days.

“We shoved off because everything was right,” he told me. “We had been relaxing at anchor in this little coastal town for six weeks. The weather window was good and the ship’s stores were full, so we went. But as soon as we were underway, everyone got crabby. Tempers were short. No one was enjoying the journey at all. We each wanted to go drop the hook back in that little harbor and see our friends again, maybe share another meal.”

I nodded to myself in affirmation and squeezed in a few grunts of agreement to let him know I was still there.

“The problem,” Jamie said, “wasn’t the weather or sea state. They were all fine. It really was the right time to go. The problem was: we had lost our rhythm.”

Last fall

The anchorage in Annapolis’s Mill Creek was perfect. It was away from the hustle and noise of downtown, and Ave was anchored a short row from the dock of a

friend’s house. The creek had excellent holding, loads of swing room, and great protection. I had fetched my car and was engrossed in last-minute boat projects and provisioning. The brand new Fiorentino offshore para-anchor needed line, and that line would need splicing around a thimble. Empty food lockers needed filling. Every bit of running rigging needed to be reinstalled, adjusted, or updated. It had

been two long years since Ave and I had been legitimately underway, and it showed.

I happily immersed myself in projects, fixing and organizing the boat. Runs to the chandlery or a grocery store were frequent. I watched football with my hosts and met friends out for dinner or a beer. During all this, the overarching goal of sailing offshore from the Chesapeake down

# Ave del Mar at anchor in Mill Creek.

to the Leeward Islands remained my sole focus.

As the to-do list waned, anxiety waxed in its place. While my hands worked at a task, my mind tossed and tumbled over boat systems, weather, and my general aptitude. Was I crazy? Was I planning right? Was I being stupid? I wasn’t flying blind—I had the right experience. I had crisscrossed the Caribbean from end to end and had sailed outside from Florida to Rhode Island. I had been a’sea in gales and squalls, with crew and without, and yet for some reason doubt was the flavor of the day as time drew near to pull the anchor and go. I knew what the real problem was: just like Jamie so many years before, I had lost my rhythm.

“We never checked the weather when we had a delivery,” my friend Chris told me as we sat in the cockpit of his boat Luna, swapping stories un-

der a starry Palm Beach night sky. “We just went. And when things got spicy, we did whatever we had to do.”

Doing whatever you have to do is, within reason, a rhythm thing. Staring at weather files while at anchor is simply a paralyzing imagination overload, a little kid trying to sleep in a strange, old, creaky house. In the absence of having the opportunity to do whatever we have to do, like that little kid, we create monsters in our minds.

Back in Mill Creek, my friend Jim came out of his house as I filled jerry cans from the hose spigot by his basement door. I told him the time had finally come, that I was going to weigh anchor and shove off the next day. I knew that if I didn’t get moving soon the monsters would grow so big that I might never leave.

He asked me how far I was headed that first day, and I told him Solo-

mons Island—but the real truth was that I didn’t know. I was considering Solomons, of course. It’s the cruising community’s favorite next stop south from Annapolis. I also was considering sailing just a few short miles out of the creek and around the bend—barely out of sight, but underway. How far really didn’t matter to me. Starting mattered.

Casting off

As morning came, I began to claw my way back into a cruising groove. The first cup of hot coffee came and went while I dressed and organized the cockpit; the second was set aside to be a reward for getting going. Toe warmers were sandwiched between layers of socks, causing my Helly Hansen offshore boots to feel a bit snug.

The anchor came up slowly, its chain covered in a tarry black mud. My breath left clouds around me as I ratcheted the

Photo by David Sites

old Sea Tiger windlass. Ave’s decks were drenched with dew, but my boots and toe warmers had me warm and dry. Water spit from the boat’s exhaust with a regular whoosh, whoosh as I scrubbed sections of anchor chain to dislodge the muck. These acts were the portal to the rhythm. This was the gauntlet I had to run to get back in.

The weather was good for a gentle first day back at the helm. I nudged the throttle forward and pointed the bowsprit towards the mouth of the creek, waving at the duck hunters as I weaved my way out. In the Bay, I let the genoa out as Ave and I enjoyed an easy downwind run south. The VHF crackled with Coast Guard announcements and “sécurité” calls.

I was regaining my foothold on my sailing world. The monsters shrank back to the recesses of my mind. I no longer felt the need to hide around the corner and regroup. I was underway. Solomons it would be.

Like the hours of the day, the miles ticked steadily by until I doused sail under a late afternoon sun and motored up the Patuxent, where I would wait out the next day’s front and its brisk south winds. The anchor spilled over the roller into 10 feet of water, caught the bottom, and Ave swung around to rest.

We were anchored again, but we were no longer stuck. The rhythm was back. #

about the author: John Herlig lives aboard his Rawson cutter Ave del Mar, teaches at Cruisers University, and is the host of the podcast Remarkable Stories. Find him on Instagram at @sailingave. # The author before his departure from Annapolis.

Attention Chesapeake Bay sailing clubs! Winter is a great time to brag about stand-out members. Share a spotlight on your special club member by emailing beth@spinsheet.com. Share your club news and events in SpinSheet’s Club Notes section by sending a 350-word write-up and one or more clear photos of smiling faces or pretty boats. Perhaps you’d like to share a photo of your new flag officers at a change of watch ceremony. Send all to beth@spinsheet.com. Thanks to Club Notes section sponsor, YaZu Yachting! Find them at yazuyachting.com and on Facebook.

Holiday Happenings and Winter Lectures

Finally together! After enjoying a return to in-person holiday celebrations, we look forward to interesting lectures during the offseason.

A most fun Holiday Social was thoroughly enjoyed by 25 members of America’s Boating Club Wilmington (ABCW) formerly known as Wilmington Sail and Power Squadron. Held at a lovely, decorated home in Hockessin, DE, members gathered to enjoy an afternoon of socializing, libation, and the always entertaining holiday swap gift exchange. Due to thoughtful purchasing and the variety of items, some gifts were swapped two or three times after opening! The social was a warm and wonderful start to the holidays with like-minded friends!

The ABCW Zoom social program on January 6 will commemorate the 50th anniversary of Hurricane Agnes. Gary Letcher,

author of Bold Forecast: Hurricane Agnes, will lead a discussion on the impact of the hurricane on the Susquehanna and other Bay areas. Letcher studied geology at the University of Maryland at the time of the Agnes floods. On February 10, we look forward to a presentation by John Broadwater,

maritime archaeologist. Dr Broadwater was the National Mariners Museum Curator and the chief archaeologist on the 2001 USS Monitor project. Those interested in attending the Zoom socials should contact wspsboaters@gmail.com or visit our website at wspsboaters.com. We welcome you!

Sea Scout Ship 1959: Youth Sailing and Boating Education and Community Service

By Derrick Cogburn

The 2022 boating season was fantastic for the Sea Scouts of Ship 1959, called Seafarers Commitment, which is based out of the Seafarers Yacht Club (SYC) in the Eastport section of Annapolis and chartered by the Seafarers Foundation, the charitable arm of SYC. Seafarers Commitment continues to grow and expand its activities, including its Maritime Explorer Club 1959, which is for the ‘junior’ members of the ship.

A major highlight of the summer season was our participation in the inaugural Seafarers Regatta. Since Annapolis serves as America’s Sailing Capital, the SYC decided to host a sailing regatta, working in partnership with the Eastport Yacht Club. The regatta on September 24 was structured with four classes and one Sea Scout

sub-class, which fielded three vessels. Our flagship Sea Scout training vessel, Commitment, a Tartan 37, took first in the Sea Scout sub-class and third overall in its class of nine vessels.

During the July 4 holiday, Sea Scout Ship 1959 served as honor guard for the return of the tall ships to Annapolis Harbor. We have continued a partnership with the Chesapeake Bay Yacht Clubs Association (CBYCA), which has developed a program to allow Sea Scout Ships to follow a process to access the CBYCA clubs all around the Bay.

A major development last season was the return of the Seafarers summer youth program, after a Covid hiatus. Held at the SYC clubhouse, Sea Scouts both participated in the summer program and helped to lead many of its maritime components, including marlinspike seamanship, navigation, and sailing training in conjunction with Annapolis Sailing School. Another highlight was a partnership with the National Park

Service (NPS)–Chesapeake Chapter to promote fishing as a vehicle for community appreciation for and engagement with the Chesapeake Bay. We began our collaboration at Junior Ranger Day held at Sandy Point State Park. Our Sea Scouts were trained in the NPS “Interpretive” approach and helped to lead several community fishing outings on the Chesapeake Bay and throughout its watershed.

A partnership with the National Geographic Photo Camp–Chesapeake enabled some of our Sea Scouts to begin the program on the Eastern Shore in Chestertown, MD, and end the weeklong program at the SYC clubhouse. The closing presentations of the documentary work of the young participants were awe-inspiring as they explored the theme ‘Water is Life.’

Our ship also continued our collaboration with the Annapolis Maritime Museum as we helped clean, repair, and replace their oyster cages in preparation for a season of growing oyster spat from their docks on Back Creek.

Our late-season events focused on our partnership with the US Coast Guard and Coast Guard Auxiliary. On October 22 our ship participated in the return of face-to-face Safety at Sea at the US Coast Guard Station Curtis Bay, and late in October we were invited to organize a booth at the open house held at US Coast Guard Station Annapolis.

For the holidays Sea Scouts participated in Thanksgiving for Seniors organized by the Seafarers Foundation and the Wreaths Across America, laying wreaths at the national cemetery in Annapolis.

Sea Scouting promotes seamanship, citizenship, personal fitness, leadership, and community service. Sea Scouts is for boys and girls aged 14-21 (and with our Maritime Explorer Club we include boys and girls aged 10-13). Learn more at ship 1959.org

Cruising Club Notes presented by

Quality Cruising Yachts

| Deltaville, VA

# Photo by Greg Shields, Chesapeake Bay Tartan Sailing Club

# Greg Shields, Chesapeake Bay Tartan Sailing Club member, captured this beautiful shot before the trees dropped their leaves.

# Sea Scouts sailing the Tartan 37, Commitment, in the Severn River. Photo courtesy of Derrick Cogburn

# Members of Hunter Sailing Association-1 gathered in a waterfront hotel room to view the EYC Lights Parade

# A lighted sailboat at Anchorage Marine, where a viewing party was held for the Baltimore Parade of Lighted Boats. Photo courtesy of Chris “Seabuddy” Brown

Sail, Power, Paddle: This Club Leader Does It All

Growing up landlocked in North Dakota, boating only once or twice a year on a lake in his uncle’s ski boat, who could have guessed that Tim Etherington would one day captain large recreational sail and powerboats on the Chesapeake Bay? Tim’s a member of Hampton Yacht Club (HYC) and Old Point Comfort Yacht Club (OPCYC). As his term as commodore of OPCYC ends this month, he shares a bit about the role boats have played in his journey from the Upper Midwest to the Chesapeake Bay.

A career in the Navy took Tim to California and Hawaii where he sailed on boats large and small. “The military offered lots of opportunities to sail,” he says. “In Oakland, CA, there was sail training and the opportunity to get checked out on Ludder 44s on San Francisco Bay. At a nearby Air Force base, we could sail a 27foot boat up the Bay for an overnight. In Hawaii I had the unforgettable opportunity to race on an officer’s Morgan 27 in the storied Hawaii Race-Cruise Week.”

After the Navy Tim lived in Michigan and got into competition waterskiing with pyramids of skiers four people high! Tim recalls, “While I was in Michigan, we skied every weekend. During that time, I owned three ski boats while working on a college degree, both there and back in North Dakota. Then I was off for a long stint in Iowa.”

During their almost two decades in Iowa, Tim and his wife, Karen, embarked on adventures of a different kind. They visited all of Iowa’s state parks, camping and kayaking wherever possible. When a job opportunity opened up for Tim in the Hampton, VA, area, he jumped at it.

In Iowa, Tim’s work was with airplane flight deck research at Rockwell Collins (now Collins Aerospace), occasionally doing flight tests with NASA LaRC (Lang-

ley Research Center). This work that eventually landed him in Virginia. “It’s been a fun and rewarding career,” says Tim, who is now semi-retired but still working for a small private company that contracts with NASA. He’s involved with working on the future of airplanes—hybrids that will have one diesel and 16 gas turbines.

Tim says, “After moving to the Hampton Roads area, Karen and I purchased a 31foot Beneteau sailboat. We joined OPCYC about a year later. We love the location at the convergence of the lower Chesapeake, Hampton Roads, and the James River, but OPCYC is a good fit for reasons that go far beyond its location: the clubhouse is located on historic Fort Monroe, and it still has a military “feel” about it; Karen and I have long-term friendships with other

members; and the club has active racing and cruising fleets. After serving about five years as the club’s rear commodore for racing, I became commodore. My term ends this month.”

Tim is also a member of Hampton Yacht Club (HYC) and leads the organizing efforts for the Sunfish Challenge and Dinghy Distance Race. “This terrific little regatta wasn’t held for a couple of years, and I wanted to make sure it didn’t miss a third year,” he says. “We moved the course from its original location to more protected waters near HYC, which also has a more convenient launch site.”

In 2022 Tim and Karen sold their Beneteau and bought a custom 40-foot trawler. “It has a walk-around stateroom and is quite comfortable,” says Tim, who has learned the boat from top to bottom as he does upgrades and repairs. “This summer we cruised around the Bay for two and a half weeks, and we just loved it!”

Tim also captains a 50-foot vessel for The James River Association (JRA). He explains, “I had just obtained my Coast Guard 50-Ton Masters license when I fell into a part time contract job with the JRA driving its Carman designed deadrise-style boat for student field trips. Many of the students have never been on a boat. It’s a wonderful program, and I am happy to be a part of it and see the students’ excitement.”

Quality Cruising Yachts

Grateful To End the Year With Lighted Boats

The last Hunter Sailing Association Station #1 (HSA-1) event of the year was the Eastport Yacht Club Lights Parade, which we were able to view from the warmth of the Annapolis Waterfront Hotel while enjoying holiday treats and sipping eggnog and mulled cider. We were thrilled to return to our club’s annual holiday tradition after missing the event for the past few years due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The hotel provided a great view of the amazing light displays. We loved seeing so many boats decorated in elaborate lights with diverse holiday themes. We are grateful to the Eastport Yacht Club (EYC) and the amazing captains and crew who took so much time to decorate and cruise around the harbor in the cold. EYC has been putting on this spectacular show for 40 years.

Looking ahead, HSA-1 is planning some in-person and virtual winter events. We are also planning our 2023 sailing schedule, which includes a huge Hunter Rendezvous in Baltimore on June 15-18.

We welcome Hunter owners from around the Bay to join us and consider club membership. If you have a Hunter in the mid-Chesapeake Bay and are not a member, please check out our club at hsa1.org or email commodore@hsa1.org to learn more about the benefits of membership, which includes access to all club cruises and events and a direct connection to a network of Bay Hunter owners.

| Deltaville, VA

The Corinthians Chesapeake Bay Fleet Bids Farewell to 2022 and Greets 2023

By Susan Theuns

The Corinthians Chesapeake Bay Fleet held its final land event of 2022 with our annual Holiday Party at the Naval Academy Officer’s Club on Sunday, December 11.

This event was also our general meeting and included awards and the election of the 2023 fleet captain. Past fleet captain, Hank Theuns, welcomed everyone and led the vote to have Deb Kuba continue on for another year. Congrats, Deb! Many thanks to Henry Meneely for chairing the event and helping with all of the shuttle bus logistics.

This month The Corinthians’ annual Awards Luncheon will be held at the Annapolis Yacht Club January 14. The luncheon has usually been held in New England, but the association is starting to rotate among the fleets. The guest speaker Joan Conover will relate

navigation through the Thorny Path from Florida to the Virgin Islands. Sign up is via the website calendar of events for members. There were many nominations this year, so come see in person who the recipients will be for these prestigious awards!

Next month, there will be another land event—the Bah Humbug! Traditionally held in the dead of winter, this potluck gathering will take place on Saturday, February 18 at Mary West’s home. This year, Mary is literally mixing it up a bit by sacrificing a well-aged decanter of Pusser’s rum. Bring your favorite mixer or other beverage of choice to

share, although, something this smooth may be best enjoyed straight in a snifter. This is a no fee event; however, registration is required for planning purposes. Want to learn about our organization? For information, please check thecorinthians.org for a membership brochure and additional information.

# Four generations of Chesapeake Bay fleet members (L-R) Jane Fortin, Richard and Cheryl Young, Timothy Young, and little Mary Catherine Young.

SOS: 45 Years and Counting!

On the eve of 2023 and the 45th year of the Singles on Sailboats (SOS) club, and after a few years hiatus, SOS members have once again put together a boat design for the annual Eastport Yacht Club Lights Parade.

Using the theme “Keep It Simple, Sailor” we ran blinking lights up the mast, down the forestay and backstay of our skipper Chuck’s Hunter 42, and sat Santa and his reindeer atop the boom. It was great fun to gather a team of veteran, recent, and brand-new SOS club members to brainstorm design ideas and plan a strategy for arranging the lights. With success on our first draft-experimental evening of building, we were ready for the December fun. Some team members made the trek to bring the boat from its home slip to

Annapolis where additional “elves” met the boat to hoist the lights and put final touches on our design. Several of our team rode the boat through Spa Creek on the lights parade evening while many SOS club members enjoyed an arranged “Viewing Party” in the Annapolis Waterfront Hotel, after which each year some lucky attendee gets to have the room overnight after everyone leaves. Selection is done by lottery for those who sign up and register. You never know who will get the room, and that is kind of our club in a nutshell: enjoying

traditions while doing things in a new way, gathering long-time and brand-new members together to have fun, learning new skills, and making new friendships.

We look forward to celebrating 45 years of SOS at our annual Anniversary Cruise weekend during the summer sailing season. Learn more about our club’s activities and find membership details at singlesonsailboats.org

Always So Sweet—The Last Sail of the Season

For most Chesapeake Bay Tartan Sailing Club (CBTSC) members, November and December are the end of the sailing season and club events taper down.

Winter got off to a pretty mild start, although a cold spell arrived to remind us to winterize and haul out our boats. Before that, we enjoyed the last sail of the season, which is always so sweet.

January, however, is when we start looking ahead at the 2023 season. Here’s a quick look at the upcoming schedule: January 20Zoom social; February 5-event planning meeting; and April 4-annual symposium. See cbtsc. clubexpress.com for more details.

Our commodore, Julien Hofberg, is confident that next year will be worth the wait. The club has a good mix of experienced sailors who know the Bay’s nooks and crannies as well as newbie sailors who are anxious to experience firsthand some of those spectacular sunsets. One of the biggest improvements over the last year will be the ability to host events in person. Let’s hope that trend continues. Relax and enjoy the down time. Spring will be here soon enough!

Congratulations, SpinSheet Racing Team 2022!

The following sailors qualified for the 2022 SpinSheet Racing Team, powered by Team One Newport. To make the team, racing sailors must earn 25 points by sailing in various regattas—series, multiday, overnight, charity, point-to-point— as well as volunteering on race committee, donating to sailing charities, or taking a new sailor racing. Team members will receive an invitation to our winter awards party February 4, along with SpinSheet Century Club members, for beer and cake, and a high-tech shirt from Team One Newport. Congratulations and welcome to the SpinSheet Racing Team! Stay tuned for details on how to qualify for the 2023 team.

Rayned Wiles

# Photo by Will Keyworth

# Jayne Durden’s Happy Place team, including Jennifer Ellefson, at the Herrington Harbour Women’s Regatta.

# Alan Bomar on Roundabout. Photo by David Stalfort

SpinSheet Racing Team 2022

# Hannah Dickmyer and the Peregrine crew at the J/105 Chesapeake Bay Championships in October.

# Julianne Fettus’s team on an autumn-like summer Oxford Race. Photo by SpinSheet

# Mark Lister’s Winsome Ride at the BCYA Harbor Cup in which they topped their class. Photo by Will Keyworth

# Tommy Birchfield in action.

# Rayned Wiles took this shot during a Baltimore City Yacht Association Tuesday Night Race for which he crewed.

Why Frostbite Racing Is Cool

It’s 34 degrees outside. The water temperature measures in the upper 30s. It might get gusty out. It might snow. What would you rather do: lounge on the couch or go sailing? Hundreds of sailors on the Chesapeake Bay choose the latter. Every winter we like to reach out to a few of them to learn their reasoning, their expert winter gear tips, and suggestions for curious would-be winter sailors.

What’s the appeal?

Warren Richter races his J/22 Committed with his partner in racing and life, Tracey Golde. Richter says, “I enjoy frostbite racing to keep our skills sharp during the so called ‘off-season.’ It’s great to get out, get some sunshine, and have fun racing. Makes dusting off the rust in the springtime much easier and also allows for racing that is less boathandling-intensive. It is a great time to train new crew and practice.”

Golde adds, “We’re not sure what we’d do with our time if we didn’t have

a reason to be on the water. Racing with just a main and jib as required by frostbite races gives us an opportunity to work on our fleet management without having to worry so much about boat handling. Also, there is usually significantly more wind than during the rest of the year, so we get to practice in different conditions.”

The Committed frostbite team includes Mary Howser, Koralina and James McKenna, Amanda Gates, and Bryan Stout.

Richter notes, “They are all fantastic sailors. We appreciate everything they do to come racing with us.”

Gavin O’Hare, who races ILCA class dinghies (formerly Laser) out of Severn Sailing Association on Sundays, says, “Because the winter is cold, it puts a damper on doing most things outside. Dinghy frostbiting is different. What better way to break up the week of cold than with two hours of bliss (challenging yourself with cold and conditions, alone on your boat, no crew to rally or lunch to be made for), plus the opportunity to reward yourself with a cold beverage around an open fire immediately afterward!”

Go-to winter gear

What to wear while winter sailing? These racing sailors are experts.

Richter wears, “Carhartt wool socks for warmth, Rocky GoreTex socks to keep the feet dry, Musto gloves to keep hands dry, Patagonia and Gill fleece thermal and mid layers, and Under Armour base layers. Our rechargeable waterproof handwarmers make a great present and are much more eco-friendly than the disposable ones.” (Golde calls these handwarmers a “game changer on the super cold days.”)

As a singlehander on a dinghy, wearing a dry suit and a lifejacket, O’Hare notes how crucial it is to keep the hands and feet dry and warm.

“I find wool or wetsuit socks inside dinghy boots help a lot. I have yet to find a winter glove that stays dry and warm. I

# ILCA racing out of SSA. Photo by Will Keyworth

# The crew aboard Eric Richardson’s Blinding Fury. Photo by Beth Crabtree

tried surfing wetsuit gloves one year and found that it took too much energy to close my fingers on the tiller or mainsheet. I have concluded that the cold-weather/ winter gardening gloves sold at your local hardware store are pretty good and certainly cost effective. When it is really cold and the wind chill is severe, I use my gardening gloves during racing and change to dry mittens or lobster gloves in between races!”

One cold day…

When asked to recite a cold-day memory, most frostbiters note that they ski outside in snow, so why not sail? Or they tell you about the warmer days that don’t feel like frostbite racing at all; yet if you prod them to admit that sometimes it gets uncomfortable out there, they will tell you about the really cold days.

Richter notes that there were “too many to count—plenty of time spent sweeping and shoveling snow off the decks to go sailing!”

O’Hare says, “When the wind is blowing and the chill is severe, you need to use more vang to keep the boat flat. The problem is the boat likes to stay head-towind in these conditions if you don’t tack properly or know how to handle it on the starting line. And when ice forms on your control lines, they cannot be adjusted. Add to this that your hands are on the fringe of being frozen and you are tired… but it is only two hours!”

Amazing sailing and cool on-water vibe

“The amazing winter sailing day is when the wind is not too light and not too windy, and we get lucky with an unusually warm day,” says O’Hare.

Richter adds, “Several weeks ago (November 13) was one of the windiest frostbite races we have sailed in a long time. Great conditions and racing!”

When asked if he thinks the on-water vibe in winter is any different than in summer, he says, “I think it’s a bit cooler vibe! (Ha) But seriously, it is a bit more relaxed than summer racing.”

# The more the merrier aboard Wild Thing.

Golde says, “Warren is always in race mode starting first thing in the morning on a race day. The vibe is the same whether it’s summer, winter, or just going out for a ‘cruise.’ If we are on a sailboat, the expectation is we are 100-percent focused on making the boat go fast.”

“Many with day jobs who cannot make the summer evening short-course racing do come out for frostbite Sundays,” says O’Hare. “So, the competition is strong, yet there is also a camaraderie among us all because we respect each other more for coming out when it can be extreme.”

Advice for would-be frostbite racers

“Just get out there, even if the weather is tough,” says Richter. “It will make you better. Be sure to be prepared for the conditions both clothing- and boat-wise.’

Golde says, “Just show up. Even if the weather is awful.”

Why not give it a try? O’Hare says, “My advice to a would-be-frostbite racer is to come down one Sunday afternoon and check it out from the seawall or on a safety boat (wearing cold weather gear). Also know your abilities—going out in bigger breeze is only more challenging in the winter. Safety comes first!”

# Tracey Golde, Mary Howser, and Warren Richter frostbiting on the J/22 Committed. Photo by Will Keyworth

HYC Gaboon Race

45th—Since Phil Started

By Lin McCarthy

It

Hampton Yacht Club’s (HYC) 2022 Gaboon Race December 3 was just what it was supposed to be. The wind was a race-day surprise and crews were dressed for low air temps. The weather folks had said all week the wind would be 12-14 knots from the northwest, but racers found highs of 10 knots and occasional drifting was required through unavoidable holes. It was cold, but not a bone-cracking cold as sometimes slips up on early December races.

The turnout included 20 boats (only one of which did not make the start), which was a solid number, demonstrating growth since Covid struggles began. It’s traditional for the Gaboon entry deadline to run right up to the last half hour before the start time of the first boat. Forty percent of the fleet waited until race day to declare entry.

Everyone made the time limit and hung around to enjoy post-race chili and chatter. The winner was a Viper 640 sailing on his PHRF A rating of 93. It was the first Gaboon win for skipper Justin Morris, racing Knot Hunter over the eight-nautical-mile course in Hampton Roads Harbor.

The Gaboon is an annual staggered start/pursuit race with starting times based on PHRF ratings. John McCarthy acted as principal race officer, with starter Buk Lawrence. The course started and finished at the HYC docks. The 46th Gaboon is set for December 3. Learn more at hamptonyc.com

# Light air, but sufficient, at the start for a gaggle of similarly rated boats. Photos by Joe Lupton

# Justin Morris on the Viper 640

Knot Hunter crosses the finish line.

The Santa Maria Cup Is Back!

Popular Women’s Match Racing Regatta Returns to Annapolis

The Santa Maria Cup, hosted by Eastport Yacht Club (EYC) from the early 1990s through 2011, is set for a comeback. The annual women’s match race regatta that was eagerly anticipated on the match race circuit was arguably the premiere women’s event in the United States.

The Santa Maria Cup has drawn some of the top match and fleet racing skippers and teams over the years. Names such as Dawn Riley (USA), Betsy Alison (USA), Marie Bjorling (SWE), Paula Lewin (BER), Claire Leroy (FRA), and Katie Spithill (AUS) adorn the Santa Maria Cup trophy.

With the invigoration of women’s match racing brought on by the Women’s World Match Racing Tour, EYC has made the decision to bring back the Santa Maria Cup as a World Sailing Grade 2 event. The 2023 regatta will be hosted May 1-4, in J/22s, on the Severn River in Annapolis.

Ten teams will be invited. Housing and most meals will be provided for the competitors.

EYC is coordinating with St. Francis Yacht Club (SFYC, San Francisco, CA) to schedule two events in the USA so that teams from Europe and Asia can get more racing in for one set of international airline flights. The SFYC event will be contested April 25-28, in J/22s as well.

Find the Santa Maria Cup Notice of Race at santamariacup.org. Interested skippers/teams may electronically request an invitation there.

ORC of the Chesapeake in 2023

ORC of the Chesapeake held its winter meeting at the Annapolis Yacht Club Sailing Center on Saturday December 3. Close to 50 sailors attended. Considerable background on the substantial database of vessel information and its use in multiple wind strengths and course configurations was explained by John White, Ben Capuco, and Dick Neville, who acknowledged that technology has never offered better results towards equalization of handicapping.

In addition to the business portion of the meeting, Dobbs Davis presented the 2022 awards for the Chesapeake fleet, graciously donated by the Offshore Racing Congress. The ORC of the Chesapeake Championship is a season-long series that promotes both performance and participation in races sanctioned by and included in the ORC of the Chesapeake schedule each year. Congratulations to winners Kevin and John White for earning first place in ORC and Erik Halverson for placing first in ORC Cruising In the Chesapeake Bay, ORC class offerings for 2023 were presented:

ORC: this fleet has been growing steadily since being introduced in Annapolis in 2017. These are the most well prepared and equipped boats providing the highest level handicap racing in the area. Wellknown boats such as Ramrod, Ma’m’selle, Zuul, Jubilee, and others can regularly be found in these classes.

ORC Racer/Cruiser: New in 2023 will be this class for a wide array of dual-purpose boats with sail limitations resulting in the need for less crew, equipment, and complexity. All races will be point to point and/or use government marks for their courses.

ORC Cruiser: Same ORC handicapping technology and sail limitations but with eligibility criteria easily found on every ORC rating certificate. Boats eligible to race in ORC Cruiser can be handicapped fairly and race against the boats in the classes listed above should they choose. The purpose of ORC Cruiser, however, is to provide a class for boats not designed primarily for competitive sailing to race against each other. All races will be pointto-point and/or use government marks for their courses.

Find all information and rules for ORC of the Chesapeake at orcches.org. Obtain ORC rating certificates from U.S. Sailing (ussailing.org). The 2023 race schedule will be available on the ORC of the Chesapeake website in January.

# Anna Tunnicliffe racing in the Santa Maria Cup 2011 in Annapolis. Photo by Al Schreitmueller

# John White’s Abbott 33 Country Squire placed second in ORC Racer at the A2C Lighthouse Challenge and first overall in ORC for the season. Photo by Will Keyworth

Crews That Click The Incommunicado Team

Tim Polk and Ed Tracey’s Omega 36 Incommunicado (aka Inc) team shares a few secrets to success after sailing together for many years— some of them for more than 27 years. These responses were a group effort, gathered by Angela Ward.

Can you list the names of your regular teammates?

Tim Polk, Ed Tracey, Yvonne Dedrickson, Janet Hoffman, Heather Lentz, Chuck Shoenfelt, Angela Ward, Tim Ford, Joe Lavia, Madeline, Lynn Sheeler, Eddie, and Bob Harmon.

Are there victories you’re particularly proud of?

First Governor’s Cup win (2001), winning overall in CRAB Cup, Chesapeake Bay High Point, Block Island 2015.

Name a few things you do to keep your crew working together. We encourage each other, have fun, and work together. We all genuinely enjoy our time together. We talk through roles/responsibilities before a rounding/ maneuver and how to improve it the next time after the maneuver. Communicate, don’t panic, keep a calm head.

# Chuck, Lynn, Yvonne, Angela, Ed, Janet, Tim Polk, Joe, Heather

What does your crew do exceptionally well?

Flexibility—most crew members are able to do multiple positions, giving us flexibility depending on who is available to race. Post-race—the skipper initiates an email thread about what went well and what didn’t. Thinking and planning ahead.

Can you name a mistake you’ve made and learned from?

Hanging the spinnaker sideways. I had no idea how to fix it, but another crew member (Joe) jumped in. (Heather)

Crossing over the companionway when the hatch wasn’t closed. I won’t ever do that again! (Lynn)

Running lines incorrectly, dropping the spinnaker too fast, and shrimping. (Angela)

Don’t order kamikazes by the pitcher. (Chuck)

What do you recommend to a skipper new to racing seeking advice on retaining crew?

Don’t yell at your crew with anger. Yelling to help hearing is okay... Give crew gifts every year, such as the MVP Gosling Rum trophy award based on some convoluted participation and performance

formula nobody understands, food and beverage assignment coordination, race planning, boat delivery and ride coordination for longer races, and great overall communication.

Get out as much as possible; don’t take it too seriously. Be willing to share your knowledge, answer questions, and develop a friendship. The Inc crew was so welcoming when I was new. The time spent on the rail getting to know all of them and picking their brains was and continues to be invaluable.

How do you connect?

Team Snap for availability and assignments and email for other communication.

Any other secrets?

Our skippers are so dedicated. They pour so many hours into making our races fun and successful. They keep up with organizing the crew, boat maintenance, upgrading sails, racing education, registration, and prep. We have great crew dynamics and friendships that we’ve built over the many years we’ve sailed together.

I’ve raced on 40 different OPBs (other people’s boats)… none have been as fun, rewarding, and entertaining as Incommunicado… It’s a family! When you’re on the water with the Inc crew, everything else in life fades away and you can’t help but laugh. We all want to win, but we want to have fun doing it. Either way we’re having a post-race Dark and Stormy.

Why Should an Experienced Sailor Strive To Be Better?

By Molly Wilmer

In 2022 I had a specific goal to be a better sailor. I’ve been sailing since I was a child, and I race regularly. So, when I shared my goal, some people laughed and asked, “Why do you need to be a better sailor?”

Why, indeed? This was my 22nd year racing on the same boat with the same crew. I trim the jib, navigate on longer races, keep track of the wind shifts, and help with tactics. I love it. Part of our success to date has been our consistency as a crew. We are good friends. We respect each other, and we work well as a team.

Becoming a better sailor means I can be a stronger asset on our boat and help us stay at the top of the fleet. I also revel in doing things well, perfecting the art or craft of whatever I’m doing. To accomplish this, I needed to try some new things on my own. All year long I took advantage of different opportunities to spread my wings in new ways.

Growth Zone

This is known as my “growth zone.” In the growth zone you are taking risks, trying new things, stretching in new directions. The growth zone can occur in all aspects of life-professionally and personally, emotionally, physically, mentally, and spiritually. The growth zone is where we thrive, grow, feel most alive and vibrant, and have the most success.

To get into my growth zone, I first joined our club’s team racing group. We traveled to Texas, Long Island, NY, and Newport, RI, for regattas. In Texas, we came in last and had no boat speed the first day. The skippers

from the host club, currently the topranked team, offered to coach our team the second morning on how to sail their boats faster.

When we went to Long Island, we weren’t in last place. And on the last race of the last day, we raced against the Texas team. They beat us overall, but in our pair, we beat the Texas boat. When I asked their skipper, Gerard, what we could have done differently, the professor in him said, with somewhat of a proud smile, “You had better boat speed than we did!”

I also took a race management course to learn how to be a race officer so that I can be on the race committee for regattas our fleet doesn’t compete in. Knowing the rules and how the races are run from the race committee standpoint also makes me a better racer from a competitor standpoint.

We started a new women’s regatta this year on our J/105s. Our boat was not as competitive as any of us would have liked. I learned a lot about how I could better communicate as a team member. We decided that for the women’s regatta next year we want to be more competitive, and I will be driving.

This means I needed to create some opportunities to practice driving. I hadn’t driven a boat competitively in a series since the ‘90s, so I chartered a J/22 for the 2022-23 frostbite series. On our first race, I asked two talented sailors to come and help me make the boat go fast. I had no idea how competitive the charter boats or my driving would be. Not only did we have fun, but I was also thrilled with the outcome!

Impact

2022 was a diverse year of racing. I sailed with and against an ever-changing group of sailors. I traveled to different places and sailed on a variety of boats. I served in different roles. All the stretching paid off in multiple ways.

While I was more intentional about it, I also had more fun. I loved meeting so many new people. All the boats I raced on are getting better. I have a renewed enthusiasm, even when racing in my core position

About the Author: Molly Hughes Wilmer is an executive coach, J/105 racer, powerboat cruiser, J/105 Women’s Regatta chair, and Hospice Cup board president. Find her at oysterinsight.com.

on my regular boat with my amazing team.

# Molly Wilmer frostbite racing December 4 off Annapolis. Photo by Will Keyworth

Small Boat Scene

New Year’s

Resolution:

Leave No Trace—Maritime Edition

By Kim Couranz

Last month, I was lucky enough to go on a bucket-list-tier adventure: backpacking in the Grand Canyon. We spent four days below the rim in amazing hiking weather—except for the last day, which featured an epic climb out in a snowstorm.

Even on that wet, cold hike, with frozen fingers, we made sure to follow one of the key tenets of time in the backcountry—Leave No Trace. That meant not only making sure our snack wrappers ended up in our backpacks or pockets so that we could properly dispose of them once we were out of the canyon, but also taking a quick moment to pick up someone else’s trash if we came across it on the trail. (Accidents happen; despite all best efforts; sometimes a quick move to put a granola bar wrapper into one’s pocket does not hit its target.)

Because of the collective effort to Leave No Trace (lnt.org), the Grand Canyon is virtually trash-free on trails that make up the main corridor from the North Rim to the South Rim. That makes for an enjoyable hiking experience for us humans and supports a healthy habitat for all the critters who live there. By leaving no trace, hikers, runners, and tourists show that they truly treasure the Grand Canyon.

So, how about sailors? Do we treasure our playgrounds? Often, it doesn’t look like it. Let’s lean in together and commit to three New Year’s Resolutions:

1. Pick up your trash. And while you’re at it, pick up someone else’s trash.

This is the basic level of Leave No Trace. Walk into any boat yard, and there’s a close to 100-percent chance you’ll run across at least a few randomly discarded bits of electrical tape and dropped ring dings. Plastic water bottles (seriously, who still uses those?!) are frequent sights, too. Litter also includes organic things such as orange peels and pistachio shells. If you see it, just pick it up and deliver it to the nearest trash (or recycling, if appropriate) bin. Many junior programs employ a fun take on this effort, where young sailors are directed to “pick up five pieces of trash” at some point during their day. These small efforts not only help keep our boat yards looking nice, but they also help keep litter from being blown into our waterways.

2. Do you have extra stuff at the boat yard? Manage it properly.

Keep it in the proper place, and if there’s stuff you’re no longer using, it doesn’t belong there. Random extra spars. Ladders. The dinghy trailer you don’t use very often. To be blunt, all of this stuff is a pain in the butt for the folks who manage your yacht club or sailing association’s

facilities. If you have these items, check in with your facilities team to see if they are acceptable to leave at the boat park, and if so, where they should stay. While you’re at it, label your stuff! A streamlined boat park is a happier experience for everyone.

3. Extra gear? Pass it along to someone who needs it. This is a full-on win-win scenario. Have you acquired a few spray tops, but there’s one that you just don’t love, so you never use it? Is there an old-ish set of sails lingering in your shed? There are sailors who would treasure those items. Your fleet may have some sailors who are just getting into the fleet; they might really appreciate a set of sails to get them started as they digest the initial costs of buying a boat. Some fleets have a “loaner” boat to help people test drive a boat—and having replacement sails for that loaner boat can really help. For your personal sailing gear, know that especially junior sailors are always hungry for new lifejackets, cold-weather sailing gear, and boots. Check in with your club/ association/fleet to see if they are planning on a gear swap to kick off their early 2023 sailing season.

Lighten your closets and get that gear to someone who can use it!

# What can we learn from the Leave No Trace philosophy hikers adhere to in the Grand Canyon? Photo by Kim Couranz

Growth Milestone

Argo Navigation, the free navigation and social boating app, recently surpassed another growth milestone: reaching 100,000 users earlier this fall. Since its initial launch in September 2019, Argo has experienced tremendous growth in popularity, consistently adding new users across the US and Canada. Argo’s founder attributes its rapid growth to ease of use, positive user ratings and reviews, and word of mouth from loyal app users who rely on the easy-to-use app to navigate safely and to connect with other boaters to improve their experience on the water. “We are extremely grateful for all our users,” said Jeff Foulk, founder of Argo Navigation. “We continue to see new and seasoned boaters choosing our app for navigation and improved social

connection. Once people discover us, they are excited about all our features and encourage their friends to join as well. After all, boating is better

with friends.” Boaters can use the free Argo app to plan and take trips with routing based on a boat’s draft and depth data, making navigation safer and easier. They can also connect with friends on the water and tap into crowdsourced local boating knowledge for navigation advice, destination reviews, and more. The free app includes unlimited NOAA/ USACE charts across North America and a Captain’s Log for tracking.

conference

he was presented a

The three-day event, held in Nashville, TN, and sponsored by

magazine, brought together industry leaders from across the country to discuss topics ranging from marine fire safety to advertising and more. The Young Leader Award recognizes professionals under age 40 who have made significant contributions to the marina and boatyard environments. This year’s award class consisted of 23 honorees from across the country—representing a broad range of employment opportunities throughout the industry. Maryland-based Allie Modica, of Oasis Marinas in Annapolis, was also honored

This fall, Argo introduced a Premium version, giving boaters the option to upgrade for advanced features. These include downloadable charts to use while offline if connectivity is lost while on the water and an extended seven-day marine weather forecast with daily and hourly conditions for weather, wind, and tides. Argo Premium is available at an introductory rate of only $19.99/year, making it one of the most affordable boating apps on the market. Additional advanced features such as GPX import/ export, AIS traffic, and more will be added to the Premium version in the months ahead. Another factor pointing to the app’s popularity is its frequency of updates. “We are always listening to our users and incorporating their feedback,” Foulk said. “For example, we recently added marina and yacht club affiliations as well as ETA sharing while en route.” argonav.io

National Honor

Haven Harbour marketing manager Sawyer Cornelius attended the 2022 Docks Expo

where

Young Leader Award.

Marina Dock Age

with a Young Leader Award, in addition to the Baltimore Boating Center (located in Essex) winning Small Marina of the Year. For information on this year’s Young Leader Award recipients, visit docksexpo.com/young-leader-award havenharbour.com

BRO k ERAGE & CLASSIFIED SECTIONS

B RO k ER S ERVICES

To advertise in the Brokerage and Classified sections, contact beatrice@spinsheet.com

B RO k ER S ERVICES

SAIL

S&J Yachts,

Deanna Sansbury developed her love of the water when she and her husband lived aboard their 40’ catamaran, eventually taking a sabbatical to cruise the Islands. Upon returning, she began selling sailboats for a large brokerage in Annapolis, winning the Beneteau Top Gun award for most new sailboats sold in North America. By focusing on providing exceptional customer service and listening closely to her clients’ needs, she is a top pick for buyers and sellers looking for outstanding results. Cell: 410.629.9186 Deanna@YachtBrokersofAnnapolis.com www.YachtBrokersofAnnapolis.com

Jon and Anne Hutchings established YaZu Yachting in Deltaville in 2020. They’ve been Deltaville based ’Dream Merchants’ since 2005. They lived the dream cruising across the Atlantic from South Africa to the Caribbean on their 35’ sailboat. They worked as captain and mate on charter catamarans, before settling on the Southern Chesapeake. They are committed to helping people realize their dreams and establishing relationships that last long after the purchase or sale of a boat. 804.567.0092 anne@yazuyachting.com www.yazuyachting.com

BOAT SHARING

(Freya) 1984 Baba 30 Extensive renovation to this Bluewater cruising sailboat. Located in Cambridge, MD on the hard. Great condition inside and out. Over 12k in canvas work alone, including a FULL Winter cover. New stove, radar, plotter, water heater, and more. New barrier coat on bottom and ready to sail. More details and photos available by calling 410.829.0467 or emailing choptankriver@gmail.com

for

With 10 locations from Maine to Florida, S&J Yachts is one of the largest full-service yacht brokerages on the East Coast. Our extensive reach & marketing helps find top buyers quickly. S&J Yachts has established an outstanding reputation for integrity and service! Our experienced team of brokers is committed to serving both buyers and sellers, ensuring fair practices and complete satisfaction with every deal. Whether sail or power, we’ll help you find the perfect fit! 410.639.2777 info@sjyachts.com www.sjyachts.com

Yacht View Brokerage, LLC announces our new 8% commission, which may include complimentary Annapolis dockage (for yachts above 100K and up to 80’ in length) and 10% co-brokerage listing commission! We will successfully market your yacht from her current East Coast location or arrange delivery to our secure dockage for yachts from 30’-80’ (Power/Sail). Located 20 minutes from BWI airport, our listings are easily inspected and demonstrated to prospective buyers. Targeted print advertising & Yachtworld.com MLS internet exposure with wide angle/high resolution photos and video. 30 yrs proven customer service! Call/text Capt. John Kaiser, Jr. @ 443.223.7864. Email your yacht’s details for a full market appraisal to: john@yachtview.com www.yachtview.com

Boat Partnership - 1983 Hunter 34 One share in an incorporated 20+ year sailing partnership. Sailed on Chesapeake, Atlantic coast and New England. One-time share purchase $3,500. Yearly dues $750. Based in Pasadena, MD. Experienced sailors only. For pictures or more info, contact Charles Williams 610.888.6332 or chasmains@comcast.net

SAIL

(Jangada) 35’ Hunter Legend ‘90 Solar. Wood stove. Cozy interior. Well-maintained. Freshly painted hull. Ready to sail! $38,700 Located in Pasadena, MD. Call Dave at 240.285.4016 www.jangada.info

Sabre 38' Mark 1 Divorce sale. $10,000 Boat needs work. Sails included. Make this boat your winter project! Call 410.703.5699 or email 21401naptown@gmail.com

(Bon Chance) 29’ Paceship Chance ‘74 Lively, actively sailed and well-loved cruiser/racer. Dependable Atomic 4 engine, new exhaust, newly replaced windows, Harken roller furling. In the water and ready to sail! $8,900 Call 443.822.4096 or artholtjr@gmail.com

Catalina 30 '90 1990 Catalina 30 Tall Rig, Wing Keel. Free slip until spring at current owner’s private dock. Virginia, lower Potomac. New main. Cream color hull. MX25 engine. $19,000 703.963.8611

To find more used boats, visit spinsheet.com

Brokers

Fine Yachts

Brokerage & Classified

37’ Excess 11 ‘23 Model Year Boat of the YEAR winner! This new catamaran has won awards around the worldCome see what it’s all about! 37-foot Performance cruiser! Hull #75 arrived in September! 410.269.0939 or www.CrusaderYachts.com

41’ Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 410 ‘23 New December Arrival in Annapolis! Very well-equipped! Call your Favorite CYS broker today for more info! 410.269.0939 or www.CrusaderYachts.com

49’ Excess Catamaran 15 ‘23 Pulse Line Rigged. Loaded with cruising gear and elegance not yet seen in family cruising cats! Hull #14 IN STOCK!! Deposit NOW - Close/Deliver Spring 2023! Call your favorite CYS Broker for more info! 410.269.0939 or www.CrusaderYachts.com

38’ Sabre 386 ‘04 Quality build midsize cruiser. Cruise Equipped, Air, Solar, Updated Electronics and moreNew Main. Asking $215,000 Call Dan Bacot 757.813.0460 or www.CrusaderYachts.com

43’ Tartan 4300 ‘15 Quality American built cruiser! Equipped for local or distance cruising. ICW Friendly rig, VERY gently used - Ready to go! Genset, Thruster, Air Con, Furling Boom, and MORE! Asking $590,000 Call Rod Rowan 703.593.7531 today! www.CrusaderYachts.com

49’ Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 490 ‘23 Performance Cruiser, Furling mast, Air, Gen, Thruster, and more, ready to go cruising! Hull #168 IN STOCK!! Deposit NOW - Close/Deliver Spring 2023! Call today to schedule a showing with your favorite CYS Broker 410.269.0939 or www.CrusaderYachts.com

39’ Excess 12 ‘22 Another Excess Boat of Year Winner! Cruise Ready Excess 12 #29 is ready for delivery NOW! Call CYS offices and speak with your favorite Broker! $650,000 410.269.0939 or www.CrusaderYachts.com

44’ Jeanneau 44DS ‘14 3 Cabin, 2 Head layout on this late model Beauty! Thruster, Watermaker, Solar, Low hours, lightly cruised. Dink and Davits are SOME highlights! Asking $315,000 JUST Listed, won’t last long! Call Rod Rowan 703.593.7531 or www.CrusaderYachts.com

51’ Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 519 ‘17 Great equipment list on this late model Jeanneau. All set for coastal or offshore cruising. Blue Hull, Davits, Genset, Thruster, Air Con, Water Maker, Solar and more! 3 Cabin, 2 head layout. Asking $415,000 Call Gordon Bennett 410.739.4432 or www.CrusaderYachts.com

40’ Pacific Seacraft 40 ‘97 & ‘06

Beautifully equipped & maintained, ready for next offshore adventure! Great maintenance & upgrades. Asking $275,000 Call Rod Rowan 703.593.7531 today! www.CrusaderYachts.com

46’ Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 469 ‘13 Lightly used on Chesapeake only, 3 Cabin, 2 Head layout, Genset, Electric Halyard and Primary Winches, Raymarine Electronics and more. REDUCED! $319,000 Call Dave van den Arend 443.850.4197 or www.CrusaderYachts.com

Read boat reviews online at spinsheet.com

409 Chester Avenue,

(Chanticleer) 42’ Endeavour ‘89

Bavaria Yachts NEW C42, C25 In Stock Now for Winter Delivery. Quality Performance Style. Enjoy the expertise of German engineering. 2022 delivery is still available for some models. Thinking of a new boat or want to sell your Bavaria? Contact S&J Yachts 410.639.2777 www.sjyachts.com

Leave 10% Brokerage Fees in Your Wake Jay Porterfield • Knot 10 Sail (410) 977-9460 • jay@knot10.com

2001 Lagoon 380 3-stateroom owner version. Generator, ac/heat. Call Jay 410.977.9460 www.knot10.com

43' Jouet 1280 Most well-designed motor sailor I have ever seen! Perfect condition. This is a must see! Visit Knot10.com and look at her! Call Jay 410.977.9460 www.knot10.com

2005 Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 54 DS Capt. layout. Full B and G electronics. Call Jay 410.977.9460 www.knot10.com

Southerly Yachts 37’-57’ NEW & Brokerage. Best shoal draft, bluewater boats for over 40 yrs. Sail the Bay or cross Oceans. Push button variable draft swing keel completely retracts inside hull. Several brokerage boats available: S115 - 37’, 42’, 45’, and 57’. S&J Yachts 410.639.2777 www.sjyachts.com

39’ Catalina 385 ‘15

Great condition and ready to sail. Shoal Draft: 4’ 8”. Bow thruster New ’21, A/C. Located in Rock Hall, MD. $239,000 S&J Yachts 410.639.2777 www.sjyachts.com

Athena 38 1995 New Listing. Designed and built by Fountaine Pajot. Spacious, bright and airy salon. 4 double cabins, 2 heads. Attractive and performs well. Large cockpit with plenty of space on deck. $145,000 S&J Yachts 410.639.2777 www.sjyachts.com

2017 Beneteau 41.1 Original owner boat. 3 cabin/1 head. New Upgrades: Lithium Batteries, Quantum FUSION MC 6000 main sail and genoa, Gennaker and Code 0, Solar Panels, Watermaker, Bow Thruster, Folding Prop, Dinghy & Liferaft. Full B&G Instrumentation including AIS. $349,999 S&J Yachts 410.639.2777 www.sjyachts.com

2002 Moody 38 Well-equipped and ready to cruise. Bow Thruster, Roller Fulling Boom, Arch, Dingy, New Electronics, New Sails & Full Enclosure Canvas, Much More. $220,000 S&J Yachts 410.639.2777 www.sjyachts.com

43’ Hans Christian 43T ‘91 Custom design. Modified sail plan, Mark ll interior; forward stateroom, queen pullman berth, Telstar keel w/ cutaway forefoot & skeg hung rudder for improved speed, safety and maneuverability. $135,000 S&J

$198,500 S&J Yachts 410.639.2777 www.sjyachts.com

Brand new listing!

Yachts 410.639.2777 www.sjyachts.com

1994 Hylas 45.5 Nice list of upgrades & prepped for long-distance cruising. Available w/ a six-month-old survey - all survey findings have been addressed. 2 cabin/2 head. Classic, functional teak Sugar Scoop transom.

Brokers

1998 Sabre 452 Rare OpportunityHull #1! Handsome Sailing Sloop. 2 cabin/2 head. Incredible woodwork, fast sailing, & great sea-kindliness. Schedule your private visit or a brokerled video walkthrough. $239,900 S&J Yachts 410.639.2777 www.sjyachts.com

& Jon Hutchings

17218 General Puller Hwy, Deltaville, VA Anne: 804-567-0092 | Jon: 804-567-0093 www.yazuyachting.com

Beneteau 473 ‘06 Above average condition & ready to leave the dock. 3cabin/2head. Many recent upgrades include Sunbrella (Storm) dodger/ bimini w/ custom covers, new standing & running rigging. $265,000 S&J Yachts 410.639.2777 www.sjyachts.com

38’ Alajuela 38 1974/2016 Build completed 2016 by top New England boatyard - superb cruising vessel with top quality finish. Cutter rig, bowsprit, wind vane, wind generator, tiller, classic mainsail. $174,000 Deltaville, VA. Call Jon Hutchings 804.567.0093 or jon@yazuyachting.com www.yazuyachting.com

Custom Islander 56 ‘92 Lloyd’s construction, sailplan options deliver safe, efficient passage-making. Belowdecks, warm, rich cabinetry & luxurious fabrics create elegant social areas. Generous storage. Secure accommodations. Equipped for your adventures! $339,000 S&J Yachts 410.639.2777 www.sjyachts.com

41’ Fountaine Pajot Lipari ‘13 4-Cabin, 2-Head. 220V/12V. Never Chartered. Solar, Volvo 30Hp (upgrade), Flexofold prop, ROCNA 33KG, Anchor Camera, Asymm Spinnaker, Davits, Liferaft, Garmin instruments, Dinghy & Outboard. Mathews, VA. Call Anne Hutchings 804.567.0092 or anne@yazuyachting.com www.yazuyachting.com

42’ Leopard 42 ‘04 Cruising catamaran, low profile. Bottom & bootstripe stripped 2022, Electric winches, Spinnaker & Code 0, Aircon, Generator, 3 cabin 2 head, 1 cabin/ head as workshop/storage, Victron Inverter Charger, Solar, SSB, Maxprops, hatches replaced. $298,900 Deltaville, VA. Call Anne Hutchings 804.567.0092 or anne@yazuyachting.com www.yazuyachting.com

Anne

41’ Tartan 41 ‘74 Sparkman & Stephens design - sporty, sailing machine w/ flush deck! Spacious below, very well maintained. Standing Rigging 2016, 37Hp Beta Marine engine & Autostream Prop, new mainsail 2018. $49,000 Deltaville, VA. Call Jon Hutchings 804.567.0093 or jon@yazuyachting.com www.yazuyachting.com

49’ Beneteau 49 ‘09 2 Cabin, 2 Head, Electric heads, Shoal draft, Inmast furling, New batteries, Bowthruster, Marelon through hulls, Teak side decks, Generator, No Canvas, Raymarine instrument package. $225,000 Deltaville, VA. Call Jon Hutchings 804.567.0093 or jon@yazuyachting.com www.yazuyachting.com

47’ Catalina 470 ‘00 Fresh water until 2019, cruised 2019/20. 2 Cabin, 2 head. Updated Raymarine electronics, washer/dryer, aircon, 5’10” draft. $184,900 Deltaville, VA. Call Anne Hutchings 804.567.0092 or anne@yazuyachting.com www.yazuyachting.com

EQUIPMENT

H ELP WANTED

Are you on a search for a full-time sales position that requires you to get out and enjoy the water, where all your co-workers are super cool, and where flip-flops and shorts are considered business casual? SpinSheet, PropTalk, FishTalk, Start Sailing Now, and PortBook magazines are in growth mode, and we are looking for that special advertising sales rep who understands the marine industry and knows how to work and play hard. If you think you will excel in creating sales and marketing solutions for advertisers, then we would love to chat with you. Send your resume, a description of your boating experience and interests, and a cover letter telling us why you’d be a great fit for our team today! info@spinsheet.com

TWO P/T Delivery Drivers - Annapolis & Baltimore for three-day-a-month magazine distribution route in Baltimore and Annapolis (one per area). Compensation based upon quantity of stops. Must have a valid driver’s license in good standing, reliable vehicle, and be able to lift up to 25 lbs. Contact Beatrice at 410.216.9309 or beatrice@spf-360.com

Yacht Sales - Curtis Stokes and Associates, Inc. is hiring new salespeople for our Chesapeake area operation. Candidates must be honest, ethical and have boating experience. This is a commission only position. Contact Curtis Stokes at 410.919.4900 or curtis@curtisstokes.net www.curtisstokes.net

M ARINE S ERVICES

SLIPS

30’-50’ Deepwater Slips for Sale & Rent Flag Harbor Condo Marina on western shore of Chesapeake in St. Leonard, MD. Slip sales & rentals 410.586.0070/ fhca@flagharbor.com. Storage & Repairs 410.586.1915/ flagboatyard@gmail.com www.flagharbor.com

Sailor’s Wharf Marina on Mill Creek off White Hall Bay, 20-to-45-foot slips with water & 30-amp electric. 1651 Orchard Beach Road, Annapolis, MD 21409. For more information, please call 443.336.3615 or email sailorswharfmarina@gmail.com

SURVEYORS

Tippity Witchity Island for Sale

By Kelsey Bonham

This past fall, a private island in the St. Mary’s River was put on the market for the first time in 50 years—and it could be yours for $2.1 million. According to the listing from Sotheby’s International, Tippity Witchity Island is a five-acre piece of land with a three-bedroom house, dock, boat lift, soft launch, garden, and heated pool. It also has a mysterious and colorful past.

The earliest records of the island were lost when the St. Mary’s County Courthouse burned down in 1827, but surviving documents show that it was formerly named St. Marie’s Island and then Lynch Island. Historians also know that it was purchased by Captain H. W. Howgate in 1879. According to some sources, Howgate was a former Union Army officer known for embezzling funds from his several failed Arctic expeditions. According to others, Howgate was a former Confederate soldier and prolific smuggler.

Whichever version may be the truth, it is confirmed that he owned one of the many floating brothels anchored off the city of Alexandria at the time until a flood washed away many of his competitors, emboldening the city to kick out the remaining disreputable establishments, including Howgate’s. It was then that he discovered that Lynch Island was for sale, and he purchased it for $300 to become the new site of his business.

Howgate’s house of drinking, gambling, and general debauchery was named “Happy Land,” and Happyland Road, located a few miles south of Great Mills, bears the name to this day. According to some legends, the establishment was also colloquially known as the “Tippling and Witching House,” possibly leading to the island’s current name. After only two years, Howgate sold the island in 1881 after discovering that the location was too remote to turn a sizable profit.

Other theories abound regarding how the island acquired its unusual name. Some legends claim that it evolved from the term “tipitiwitchet,” a Victorian-era slang term for a plant resembling a certain female body part. Yet another legend argues that it derived from an incident in which a

drunk man, canoeing past the island at night, spotted a figure on shore that he believed to be a witch pointing straight at him, causing him to tip his canoe in fear. The intoxicated paddler told the story to anyone who would listen. Although no one believed him, the island became known as “Tip o’ the Witch” before evolving into its current iteration.

While the true origin of the island’s unusual name may never be known, it is indisputable that its legends are deeply ingrained into the folklore of the region. Tippity Witchity’s future owner will not only be purchasing a private island and a lovely home, but also a fascinating and mysterious piece of Chesapeake Bay history.

Find more about the property at tippitywichityisland.com

# Photos by Townsend Visuals