SpinSheet Magazine May 2023

1982 60’ Gulfstar

1982 50’ Hinckley

1980 47’ Gulfstar

2002 46’ Hylas

1982 53’ Mason

2008 49’ Hunter

1986 47’ Vagabond

1982 46’ Irwin

1980 51’ Morgan

1989 48’ Privilege

1981 47’ Nautor Swan

2002 46’ Hunter

SAIL FAST. LIVE BOLDLY.

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More boats. More destinations. More programs.

More choices for owning a yacht

Close your eyes. Feel the sea breeze and the sun on your skin. Take in the unmatched views of a pristine paradise from your private yacht – accompanied by friends and family. It’s not a dream. It’s Dream Yacht.

Sailing around the world and visiting new places each time is a great privilege, and a Dream Yacht charter program adds ease and security. From the feeling of arriving to a well-prepared yacht to the freedom of choosing from 50 of the world’s most stunning destinations, you can experience the world in a way that few ever will.

With a wide range of yachts from the world’s leading manufacturers and 8 flexible ownership programs, no one can match our range of ownership solutions. Sail away, your way. Are you ready?

62

Features

45

See the Bay: USNA Tour

You’ve probably sailed past the US Naval Academy campus, but have you visited inside the gates? Ideas for Commissioning Week guests and others who explore the “Yard.” By Craig Ligibel

48

Electronics & Starlink

What’s new in electronics and why everyone praises the mighty Starlink

By Capt. Mike Martel and Cindy Wallach

56

Spring Sailboat Show

Boats, gear, influencers, and more. What to see and do at the Annapolis Spring Sailboat Show, April 28-30.

62

Offshore Sailing Part 2: Sweat, Tears, and the Sea: A Love Story for the Offshore Sailor

A dead autopilot wouldn’t be the last surprise Poseidon had in store for them.

By Jessica Morrison

presented by Us spars

82

Visit Annapolis & Anne Arundel County Santa Maria Cup

Supported by MD Sports Commission

Your opportunity to see an international women’s match racing regatta in Annapolis. We’ve got the program, suggestions for viewing, and competitor bios.

90

Get Amped for the Return of Weeknight Racing

Veteran local sailors explain what keeps them coming back year after year and why you should try WNR too.

By Kelsey Bonham

presented by MoUnt Gay rUM

Will Keyworth took this month’s cover photo at the 2022 Helly Hansen Sailing World Series Annapolis. This year’s edition runs May 5-7.

# Photo courtesy of Annapolis Boat Shows

# Photo courtesy of Jessica Morrison

# Photo by Will Keyworth

Cruising Scene

65 Bluewater Dreaming: Crossing an Ocean Together By Jim Toomey presented by M yacht services

68 Cruising Life: Hove-To off Hatteras

By John Herlig

70 Charter Notes: British Virgin Islands –A Prodigal Returns By Eva Hill

73 Cruising Club Notes

presented by yaZU yacthinG

Racing Beat

90 Racing News presented by MoUnt Gay rUM

100 Small Boat Scene: Thanks, Coach By Kim Couranz

101 Racer’s Edge: Staying in Control in Breeze By David Flynn

For breaking news, photos, and videos, visit spinsheet.com

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A SSOCIATE PUBLISHER

Chris Charbonneau, chris@spinsheet.com

EDITOR

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EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

Kelsey Bonham

FOUNDING EDITOR

Dave Gendell

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CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

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CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

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DISTRIBUTION

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SpinSheet is a monthly magazine for and about Chesapeake Bay sailors. Reproduction of any part of this publication is strictly prohibited without prior consent of the officers of SpinSheet Publishing Company. SpinSheet Publishing Company accepts no responsibility for discrepancies in advertisements.

SpinSheet is available by first class subscription for $45 per year, and back issues are available for $4 each. Mail payment to SpinSheet Subscriptions, 612 Third Street, Suite 3C Annapolis, MD, 21403.

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© 2023 SpinSheet Publishing Company

Photo by David Sites

WHAT IT TAKES

100 days at sea, 4 continents, 3 oceans, 1 boat. GUYOT environnement – Team Europe will have to give everything they have in the world’s toughest Ocean Race.

Shop the Ocean Race collection at Helly Hansen Annapolis.

BENJAMIN DUTREUX, GUYOT ENVIRONNEMENT - TEAM EUROPE

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Soak Up the Sun

By Molly Winans

Iwas mad. My mother not only smeared Noskote sunscreen on my nose but also made me wear my hat and tee shirt in the pool, which even at the age of five struck me as embarrassing. Looking back on it, if she’d been more enlightened on sun protection products, as we all became in subsequent decades, Mom would have made me cover my whole face in zinc oxide.

According to the National Library of Health of the National Institute of Health’s report, “Sunscreen: A Brief Walk Through History,” as early as 3100 BC, ancient Egyptians used some form of sun protection, using “ingredients such as rice bran, jasmine, and lupine.”

From 800-500 BC ancient Greeks used olive oil to protect themselves from the sun, which doubled up as after-sun care. Don’t laugh—apparently olive oil has a natural SPF of eight.

Fast forward to the 1920s when Coco Chanel popularized tanning as a “healthy, leisurely way of life.” Twenty years later, Swiss chemist Franz Greiter commercialized the first modern sunscreen, known as “Gletscher Crème,” or Glacier Cream.

SPF ratings and waterproof sunscreens showed up in the 1960s. The US Food and Drug Administration started to regulate the sunscreen market around the time I moped under my bucket hat in a Florida swimming pool. More sun protection products and disagreements over SPF numbers ensued.

With more sunscreen options than ever available to us at this point in history, we also have more to worry about: cancer-causing chemicals and

environmental concerns among them. Many sailors I know have embraced SPF clothing options, which lessens the need for topical solutions.

I still like a good sunscreen, so with a Caribbean vacation coming up next week, I reached out to the experts—my Facebook friends!—to see what their favorite reef-friendly

“Make sure you get the mineral sunscreen,” Koss adds. “You should also look at kids’ sunscreens—those largely use zinc oxide or titanium dioxide, which is what you want. They seem to have gotten the formula right for being able to rub it in pretty well without looking like a ghost and feeling sticky. Some of the chemicals used in nonphysical block sunscreens have been shown to be mutagenic and/or endocrine disruptors for humans and a whole host of bad things for the marine environment, so there are different regulations for kids and babies.”

SpinSheet Century Club alum and professional captain in Baltimore, Alicia Tyrell likes her “daily cosmetic,” the waterproof Blue Lizard Sunscreen from Australia.

Co-owner of East of Maui Boardshop and board sport enthusiast, Mark Saunders, prefers Raw Elements sunscreens, which they sell at the shop.

Shorthanded ocean racer Ryan Breymaier says, “Waxhead is by far the best.”

sunblock was. Many of my Facebook friends really are experts.

For example, my friend Jennifer Koss is director of NOAA’s Coral Reef Conservation Program. She recommends Harken Derm, which I’ve tried and loved; several sailors in the thread concurred yet noted that it’s pricey.

Jane Millman, offshore sailor and coach, prefers “HeadHunters, created by surfers to be reef-safe. I personally love the face stick and use it every day teaching on the water in the summer.”

While in the islands next week, I’ll try a few of them. I will wear my hat in the pool, too, with zero embarrassment.

See you on the water!

# Photo aboard Happy Place by Heather Irene Howard

Department of Corrections

On page 32 of our March issue, we incorrectly identified this photo as having come from Annapolis Sailing School. That was a typo. The boat, named Slap and Tickle, is a J/80 from J/World Sailing School. Both schools are neighbors on Back Creek, and both send us great photos, so apologies for the mishap.

Congratulations!

Congratulations to Brian Gleeson who was the first to complete the crossword in our April issue on the very day it came out. We hope he will proudly sport his new SpinSheet cap.

Ale or Beer? It Matters

(As per the crossword puzzle): 60 Across. Ginger beer is the only other component of a genuine Dark ‘n Stormy. Ginger ale is a crime committed by the ignorant or desperate.

Eric Peltosalo

More Tips for Winches and More

Thanks for the article of “Winch Servicing” (by Kelsey Bonham on page 58, March SpinSheet). When servicing a winch, take a large shoebox, and in the bottom of the shoe box, cut out a circle with the approximate dimensions of the base of your winch. Place the box over the winch before you begin, and use the confines of the shoe box to contain parts that want to go for a swim!

It’s like always using a medium sized plastic bucket to put your can of varnish or teak oil in when doing brightwork; serves as a secondary containment barrier to park your brush, whilst you sip a cold one, and to help trap the catastrophic spills we must all avoid! Always have a wet rag at hand too.

Anthony Tomassetti

Nathan Younge

We welcome Nathan Younge to Team SpinSheet, PropTalk, FishTalk! As our new ad sales representative, Nathan brings to our crew years of boating experience, a natural sense of curiosity, and a desire to learn all things sailing, powerboating, and fishing.

Growing up in a military family, Nathan moved nearly a dozen times, including over six years living in England and Spain. These experiences instilled a love of travel, languages, and the bridging of cultures. Eventually his parents settled down on the lower Chesapeake Bay waterfront (Poquoson, VA), where he enjoyed fishing, crabbing, and boating from his backyard.

Since 2021 Nathan and his wife have lived aboard a barge on the Potomac River at The Wharf Marina, where they also keep their Hunter 285 sailboat and Pennant daysailer.

Nathan began sailing when his wife purchased Flying Scot lessons for him at

Belle Haven Marina in 2003, the same year their son was born. Sailing stuck, and Nathan is now a member of four sailing and boating clubs and is a two-time Century Club member. Off the Chesapeake, he has participated in several Caribbean flotilla excursions, and his longest offshore experience was in 2018, when he crewed the passage of the 105-foot, threemasted schooner Alliance from Honduras to the Florida Keys, on its way home to Yorktown, VA.

Nathan loves to learn and teach, so it is no surprise that he holds numerous sailing credentials from US Sailing and the American Sailing Association (including ASA 201 and 203 sailing instructor

certifications), and he currently volunteers as an instructor at DC Sail. One of his goals is to get his Portuguese and Spanish nautical vocabularies to the point where he can teach sailing in three languages.

Off the water, Nathan’s hobbies include marine canvas and upholstery work—he loves his Sailrite sewing machine—and running. His longest race was in 2014, when he ran 114 miles in a 48-hour ultramarathon!

Recently retired from a career in international trade and development, Nathan says, “Now I’m ready to learn all facets of sailing, powerboating, and fishing. I love all three and could talk about them all day.”

# Nathan, in front of his residence and sailboat.

Start the Season With Safety in Mind

By Kelsey Bonham

It’s National Safe Boating Week May 20 through 26, and BoatUS has recently released some safe boating insights. To get into the spirit of things, we decided to share them with you.

As we swing into summer, don’t forget to schedule your no-cost, no-penalty vessel safety check. These inspections, performed by the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and U.S. Power Squadrons, usually take only 30 minutes, and they can give you peace of mind or help you identify areas for improvement.

According to BoatUS, the number one reason that vessels fail these safety checks is navigation lights, accounting for 19 percent of failing grades, followed by fire extinguishers and distress signals, accounting for 18 percent and 16 percent, respectively. Again, a failing grade does not result in any penalty, but can make you aware that you need to update your safety equipment!

BoatUS also recently revealed the top three mistakes that recreational boaters make when using VHF radios, another essential piece of safety equipment. They tell us that the number one mistake is not getting a MMSI or not

programming it into your VHF radio. A MMSI, or Maritime Mobile Service Identity, is a unique nine-digit number issued to your vessel that “brings your VHF into the modern age of Digital Selective Calling,” as well as allowing “a simple, one-button mayday distress, giving everyone aboard the ability to summon emergency help to your precise location on the water.” MMSI numbers can be obtained at BoatUS. com/MMSI for $25. Without it, you lose the biggest lifesaving advantages of a Digital Selective Calling-capable VHF radio.

The second top mistake when using VHF radios, according to BoatUS, is forgetting to speak slowly and clearly, which helps rescuers better understand you and saves time. The third most frequent mistake is talking on channel 16. They suggest that we think of channel 16 as a street corner, “where you go to meet up with friends before heading to an activity… and then move on.” All communication that is not emergency-related should move off of channel 16, away from the street corner, as quickly as possible because

only one person can transmit on channel 16 at a time. To do this, simply ask the vessel, bridge, or other person you’re trying to communicate with to move to another working channel, wait for them to affirm, and then switch to that channel. Working channels 68, 69, 71, 72, and 78A are all good channels for extended conversations.

Consider these insights as we approach National Safe Boating Week, which is the kickoff for the annual Safe Boating Campaign put on by the National Safe Boating Council. The campaign is “a global awareness effort that encourages boaters to make the most of their boating adventure by being responsible,” encouraging boaters to take safety courses, check equipment, make float plans, wear a life jacket, use engine cut-off devices, watch the weather, never boat under the influence, and more. All of these tips are crucial to every boater, both green and veteran, so take some time at the start of this summer to make sure that you’re ready for a safe season on the water. For more information, go to boatus.com or safeboatingcampaign.com

# Photo courtesy of BoatUS

# Photo courtesy of the National Safe Boating Council

Ben Ford Named Miles-Wye Riverkeeper

ShoreRivers recently named Ben Ford as the organization’s new Miles-Wye Riverkeeper.

“The Chesapeake and the Miles River both hold a special place in my heart— they’ve helped shape who I am and the way I see the world. I even met my wife while waist deep in the Miles,” said Ford. “I feel as though I am most at home in the outdoors, whether I’m leading an experiential learning program, running our 13-foot Whaler up Southeast Creek, or heading out with my wife and son for our weekly Sunday hike. Personally, and professionally, I see the power the Chesapeake environment has to connect us, to awaken us, to energize us, and to help us look toward the future.”

Ford joins ShoreRivers after more than a decade at Washington College’s Center for Environment & Society, where he led the Chesapeake Semester, an experiential program studying

Bay issues including ecosystem health, pollution, habitat, policy and advocacy, community engagement, and fisheries. A native of Easton, MD, Ford learned to sail on the Miles River and taught sailing camps through the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum. He now lives with his family in Chestertown, MD.

“The mission of ShoreRivers inspires me, as does the chance to use my creative skills and network to help ShoreRivers fulfill its mission on a river that feels like home. The rivers of the Eastern Shore are so special to me. I want to help others see them the same way,” said Ford.

As Miles-Wye Riverkeeper, Ford will serve as the primary voice for the Miles and Wye rivers, and Eastern Bay on the Eastern Shore, working through the core strategies of advocacy, enforcement, outreach, and scientific water quality monitoring to achieve ShoreRivers’ vision of clean waterways.

The public is invited to meet Ford and learn about his plans for the watershed during its free State of the Rivers presentations. Ford will be a featured presenter at Cult Classic Brewing in Stevensville on May 3 (alongside the Chester Riverkeeper). For a full list of program dates and additional details, visit shorerivers.org/events.

# The public is invited to meet Ford and hear about his vision for the Miles-Wye watershed during the ShoreRivers State of the Rivers event May 3.

Mother’s Day Falls on May 14

We can’t think of a better way to celebrate than to go sailing with those you love.

Dear Mom,

I’m sending a heartfelt “thank you,” for teaching me all the valuable life lessons that are best learned on the water. I may not often say it, but the hours spent sailing with you are some of my most cherished memories.

With love from your sailing offspring

Dear Daughter/Son,

Thank you for going sailing with your dear old Mom. I love sharing with you all the fun times and challenging moments that come with sailing a boat. I may not often say it, but the hours spent sailing with you are some of my most cherished memories.

With love from Mom

TRIM IN HIGH DEF.

Velocity. Trimmers feel an increase first…before the numbers confirm. Using sheet as speed barometer, they’re also the first to know when pressure softens. And they respond. The 7 ceramic ball bearings in a new Zircon block overcome inertia from friction so easily, information flows acutely through the sheet. Simply put, trimmers feel and better match sail shape to the new condition–often the difference between winning and not. At top wind ranges, you need more purchase to trim harder. Go for it. When the breeze backs off, Zircon blocks let you ease…even through all those sheaves.

# Marianna Lesher and son Nick, spring 2022, aboard their Hinckley Bermuda 40 Esperanza, which Marianna inherited in 2014 from her own mother, Virginia Albert, whose image was included in a previous ‘moms who sail’ photo spread, at the helm of the same boat!

# Christine, who sailis with Sail Nauticus in Norfolk, and one of her two young daughters.

# Celeste Streger and son Ryan, August 2022. They were sailing as a family with Celeste’s other son, Matt, and husband Mark to celebrate Celeste’s birthday.

# Chesapeake sailor and SpinSheet Centurion Stefanie Brady with her daugther Saoirse Taylor sailing a 43-foot Swan in Burlington, VT.

# Laurie Underwood is a busy working mother and commodore of Hunter Association,SailingStation 1.

Welcome to Boating and Fishing, May 6-7

On May 6-7 at Sandy Point State Park, BoatUS Foundation, the Marine Trades Association of Maryland (MTAM), Maryland DNR, and the Annapolis School of Seamanship will host Welcome to Boating and Fishing from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Sandy Point State Park boat ramps.

New and returning boaters and anglers are invited to see how much fun boating and fishing are. Learn from the pros at free seminars about boating and fishing and demonstrations on boat launching and safety equipment. Boaters and anglers can learn skills to stay involved, be safe, and enjoy Maryland’s waterways.

Among the many seminars is “Co-Ed Boating: Introduction on the Water.” Led by captains, students will gain an introduction to safe boat operation, lines, and docking skills. “Women at the Wheel” Boating Instruction, “Ladies, Let’s Fish,” and Casting Practice will also be available.

Preregistration is required, and there is a fee (ranging from $7 to $17) for some classes.

This event is rain or shine and will only be cancelled if severe weather threatens safety. All guests must pay the $5 per person park entry fee to enter the park. Once inside the park gates, turn right towards the marina and boat ramps and look for the tent. Seminars and demonstrations are most appropriate for adults and children 14 and older.

Although not anticipated, a full-to-capacity park closure is possible on Saturday. If the park closes due to full capacity, clinic attendees will not be permitted to enter the park until park reopening. Refunds will be issued to anyone who pre-

registered for a class but is shut out due to a park closure.

Follow @MDStateParks on Twitter for updates in real time. Find park information at: dnr.maryland.gov and search “Sandy Point.”

No pets or alcohol are allowed at this event. Shoreside activities are wheelchair accessible.

If you have questions, contact Donna Morrow at donna.morrow@maryland.gov

# Learning about inflatable PFDs at Welcome to Boating and Fishing at Sandy Point State Park. Photo courtesy of Maryland DNR

A Life-Saving Inflatable Rash Guard

Jin-Hwa Frazier was haunted by a news story of two Florida boys who had gone out on a boat and not come back. “This story hit me so hard as a mom,” says the Maryland resident. “I thought their parents must be devastated. I wondered, ‘Why weren’t they wearing proper safety equipment?’”

The next week, Frazier sat on a plane, watching the flight attendant talk about lifejacket inflation. She thought, “Wouldn’t it be neat to build that into something you wear?”

Frazier started ordering rash guards and sewing inflatable vests inside of them. She came across an Australian company, HERO, who was in the process of doing the same thing. They decided to collaborate and come up with a CoastGuard-approved model. The result? The HERO Inflatable Rash Guard.

There are three ways to inflate this inflatable swim shirt: by pulling a cord

manually, by blowing into a tube, or automatically with the water-sensing cartridge. You may also just partially inflate it for situations such as kids wanting light flota-

European sizing, so when in doubt, go up a size). Although the company does not offer a model for women specifically, as some vest-style lifejackets do, Frazier says that the stretch in the fabric makes for a comfortable fit over the chest.

The rash guard’s CO2 cartridges are not reusable. Once used they should be replaced with a HERO-certified CO2 cartridge and safety clip before the shirt is worn again. The CO2 cartridge should be replaced after activation or at least every 12 months.

tion in a pool or a swimmer of any age seeking extra buoyancy when snorkeling.

HERO Rash Guards are available in sizes ranging from a kids’ size four to an adult XXL. The shirts are unisex (expect

The HERO Laguna model, which is the one that is Coast Guard-certified, only comes in adult sizes. The Bondi model comes in all sizes and is certified by ISO as a buoyancy device. (Keep in mind when children need USCG-certified flotation such as on boats in Maryland and Virginia.)

For more information and instructional videos, visit sosswimshirt.com

# What if your cool rash guard doubled up as an inflatable lifejacket?

Farewell to Friends

John Roberts Sherwood, III

John R. Sherwood, III, of Annapolis, MD, passed away on April 12, just short of his 87th birthday. John was the son of Virginia (Barrett) and John R. Sherwood. He grew up in Baltimore and spent summers on Gibson Island, MD.

John graduated from Gilman School in 1954 and Dartmouth College in 1958. He then joined the Navy, serving four years of active duty and 16 years as an intelligence officer in the Naval Reserves. John pursued a career in land use planning and real estate consulting, culminating with an Annapolis real estate consulting firm, Zuchelli, Hunter & Associates.

John’s true calling was sailboat racing. Starting on Gibson Island racing in LJ’s and moving on to Comets and Star boats, John had lots of success. He also sailed on his parents’ boat Gibson Girl and his uncle J. Miller Sherwood’s 40-foot Owens cutter, Rubicon. John particularly enjoyed racing in the Star

class, winning the Chesapeake Bay Yacht Racing Association’s High Point award several years and competing in the 1968 Star class Olympic trials. In the 1970s John raced the Ranger 26 Witch of Pungo and later the Metalmast 30 Witch’s Flower in the MORC class, often with family forming the core of the crew. With family he also cruised the Chesapeake in these boats.

John raced the J/22 Double Nickel out of Annapolis Yacht Club during the 1990s and especially enjoyed the Frostbite and Wednesday Night Race series. He returned to the Star class, winning the 1996 Master’s regatta in Miami, and remained active in the class until 2007-08. More recently, John raced Etchells and Harbor 20s in Annapolis, Indians and International One Designs in Nantucket, and served as a volunteer coach for the Naval Academy’s Offshore Sailing team. He was inducted into the Annapolis Maritime Hall of Fame in 2000.

John was a member of the Gibson Island Club and its Yacht Squadron, the Sailing Club of the Chesapeake, Annapolis Yacht Club, Severn Sailing Association, the Naval Academy Sailing Squadron, and the Nantucket Yacht Club. He is survived by his wife, Lisa (Dobbin), daughter Anne (Otto Pohl), son Robert J. Kyle, Jr. (Melissa) and four grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Chesapeake Region Accessible Boating, the Star Class Legacy Foundation, or the Annapolis Maritime Museum.

Tents Out Front Are Back!

Summer dining vibes

Our Crab Cakes Make Great Gifts!

www.goldbelly.com/boatyard-bar-and-grill

SATURDAY MAY 6

Register online by May 3 Party, Band, Awards Benefits The Bay

Fresh Seafood Specials & Oyster Selections

For more details and links to event websites, visit spinsheet.com/calendar

1-4 america’s Great Loop cruisers’ association Spring Rendezvous

AGLCA Spring Rendezvous will focus on the route from the Chesapeake Bay to the Tennessee River, including Canada. Seminars and speakers on boat information, marinas, navigation, and more. Held at the Sheraton Norfolk Waterside Hotel and Waterside Marina in Norfolk, VA. AGLCA membership and registration for the event are required.

6 20th annual BB&G catch & Release Spring Fishing tournament

Presented by the Boatyard Bar & Grill. Registration deadline: May 3 (limited to 100 boats). $250 per boat of 4 anglers. Awards ceremony at 5 p.m.; party and band from 4 to 8 p.m. Proceeds support the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, the Coastal Conservation Association Maryland, and the Annapolis Police Foundation’s Youth Fishing Camp. Register: boatyardbarandgrill.com

6 crusader yachts Demo Day

Call to make an appointment to see in-stock Jeanneau Sun Odysseys and Excess Catamarans (410) 269-0939. Event registration: crusaderyachts.com

May

6 yorktown Blues, Brews, & BBQ Festival

Sample more than 30 local craft beers, dig into some amazing BBQ (available for purchase), and listen as some of the best blues musicians in Hampton Roads and beyond take the stage at Riverwalk Landing in Yorktown, VA. Tickets: villageevents.org

6-7 Welcome to Boating and Fishing

10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Sandy Point State Park boat ramps in Annapolis, MD. Presented by Maryland Department of Natural Resources, the Annapolis School of Seamanship, Boat U.S. Foundation, and the Marine Trades Association of Maryland. Learn from the pros at free seminars about boating and fishing, and demonstrations on boat launching and safety equipment. Several classes are also available for purchase. $5 park entry fee.

13 arundel Rivers on the half Shell

Join hundreds of supporters for a fun-filled evening of camp fare, drinks, oysters, and a silent auction, all benefiting Arundel Rivers! 6 to 9 pm at Camp Letts on the Mayo peninsula. $120 admission for one; $210 for two.

13 cLc Big Little Boat Festival

At Conquest Beach in Centreville, MD, on the Chester River. Presented by Chesapeake Light Craft. This one-day rendezvous will be held rain or shine and will be packed with fun family activities to include a kids’ cardboard boat building competition and race, SUP and rowing coaching, and, of course, small boat seminars and demos. Registration for free at clcboats.com

14 take your Mom Sailing Day Known to landlubbers as Mother’s Day.

20 Boater’s Flea Market

Hosted by America’s Boating Club-Wilmington from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at North Point Marina, 5639 Walnut St, Rock Hall, MD. For more info email wspsboaters@gmail.com

20

Dc Blessing of the Fleet

Port of Washington Yacht Club from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., 7th St. Recreation Pier, DC Wharf Waterfront, 1001 7th Street NW, Washington, DC. Registration required for vessels before Friday May 19 at noon; free registration; spectator viewing from shore on the 7th Street Pier at 11:30 a.m. More information: gary.blumenthal@gmail.com

Do you have an upcoming event? Send the details to: editor@spinsheet.com

Chesapeake Calendar presented by

20 Vessel Safety checks

America’s Boating ClubWilmington will offer free Vessel Safety Checks Saturday, May 20 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at three locations in Rock Hall, MD: North Point Marina, 5639 Walnut St; Bayside Landing Park, Bayside Avenue; and Osprey Point Marina: 20786 Rock Hall Ave. For more info email wspsboaters@gmail.com

21 Solomons Blessing of the Fleet

This event is open to all boats, sail and power. At 2 p.m., boats gather at red mark 6A at Sandy Point and follow the leader Sea Tow boat past the blessing boat and then past the Calvert Marine Museum’s Tennison for a salute by the uniformed past and present officers of the Solomons Island Yacht Club (SIYC).

20-21 cambridge classic powerboat Regatta

The races happen on Hambrooks Bay off the Choptank River in Cambridge, MD. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days (weather permitting). Watch on land on bleachers at Gerry Boyle Park at Great Marsh. Spectators can also watch the Cambridge Classic from their own boats on the water. The fleet will raft at Rooster Point. A no-wake zone will be established from Howell Point to the Choptank River Bridge. Admission is free; $5 a day charge for parking. Food and drink available for purchase.

20-26 national Safe Boating Week

The Safe Boating Campaign is a worldwide effort focused on responsible boating, encouraging boaters to always wear a life jacket while on the water.

23 Blue angels Flight Rehearsal Blue Angels practice for 2023 USNA Commissioning Week Show starting at 2 p.m. above Annapolis.

24 Blue angels Flight Demonstration

Blue Angels fly starting at 2 p.m. over Annapolis. Congratulations to USNA Class of 2023!

27 yankee point Marina 10/10/10 Benefit concert Series

10 consecutive weekends, a different musical act each weekend with each event to benefit a different local charity. First up: Black Cat Murphy. Benefits Disabled American Veterans (DAV). Band kicks off at 6 p.m. on The Beach at Yankee Point Marina in Lancaster, VA. No cover, 100 percent of bar proceeds go to DAV. Bring your beach chairs or join us by boat from serene Myer Creek.

Keep Our Bay Serene and Clean

Photo by Steve All

May Racing through May 5

antigua Sailing Week

1- 4 Santa Maria cup

Women’s Match Racing Championship hosted by Eastport Yacht Club, Annapolis, MD.

5-7 helly hansen Sailing World Regatta Series annapolis

Formerly known as the NOOD. Hosted by Annapolis Yacht Club.

9 DiSc KiSS Summer 1 Series

Hosted by Daingerfield Island Sailing Club, Washington, DC.

13 ayc Spring harbor Regatta

Hosted by Annapolis Yacht Club.

13 ayc Spring Race to oxford

Hosted by Annapolis Yacht Club.

13 West River to cambridge Regatta

Hosted by the West River Sailing Club in Galesville, MD, and Cambridge Yacht Club in Cambridge, MD.

14 choptank challenge

Hosted by the Tred Avon Yacht Club, Oxford, MD.

19-21 RyS/ayc team Race challenge

Hosted by Annapolis Yacht Club.

20 BBSa cape henry cup

Hosted by Broad Bay Sailing Association, Norfolk.

20 eWe Spirit cup

Hosted by Sailing Club of the Chesapeake.

20 Five Forts Race

Hosted by the Rock Creek Racing Association and Maryland Yacht Club.

20-21 hyc hospice one Design Regatta

Hosted by Hampton Yacht Club.

21 opcyc yankee Station Series 1

Hosted by Old Point Comfort Yacht Club, Hampton, VA.

26-27 the Down the Bay Race

A 120-mile race down the Chesapeake. Hosted by Hampton Yacht Club.

27 Miles River Race

From Annapolis to the Miles River. Hosted by Miles River Yacht Club, St. Michaels, MD.

27-28 pRSa Spring Regatta

Hosted by the Potomac River Sailing Association, Washington, DC.

For more details and links to event websites, visit spinsheet.com/calendar

Celebrating 50 Years Of Hunter Sailing

June 15 – 18, 2023 | Harbor East Marina, Baltimore, MD

Performance by:

A world-class gathering of Hunter and Marlow-Hunter owners in a stunning locale

Hosted in Baltimore's Inner Harbor, the 2023 Hunter Rendezvous will include two evenings of live entertainment, gourmet food and drinks, kids’ activities, educational seminars, lunch with Hunter sailboat designers, optional tours of the National Aquarium, Fort McHenry and much more. Don’t miss the opportunity to be a part of this epic celebration!

Register today at HunterRendezvous.com

3

1st annual Janes island State park paddlefest

Guided paddle tours, poker run paddle, campfire on the beach, vendors, music, children’s activities, and sunset paddle. Family-friendly event. Event is free, however registration is requested at dnr. maryland.gov. Participants are responsible for supplying vessels. Boat rental reservations can be made in advance with local vendors.

3

MMhF classic Boat and car Festival

9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Wilmer Park in Chestertown, MD. Presented by the Maryland Maritime Heritage Foundation. Free admission for spectators.

3 national Women’s Sailing conference

The National Women’s Sailing Association will host its conference from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Sail Newport Marine Education and Recreation Center (and virtually). The event welcomes women sailors of all levels and ages.

9-11 47th annual norfolk harborfest

At Town Point Park, Downtown Norfolk waterfront, VA. Free and open to the public. Friday: noon to 11 p.m. (parade of sail at noon). Saturday: noon to 11 p.m. (fireworks at 9:30 p.m.). Sunday: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. On both land and sea, thrilling activities and live music take center stage at Harborfest, including the annual Parade of Sail featuring international tall ships, one of the largest fireworks shows on the East Coast, a mesmerizing drone show, interactive family games and activities, Navy exhibits and demonstrations, artisan foods and beverages, national and regional live entertainment, and much more.

10 Bands in the Sand

Each summer 1600 guests gather on the beach, dance the night away, and raise a drink to a saved Bay. 5:30 to 10 p.m. at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s Philip Merrill Environmental Center in Annapolis. Benefits CBF. General admission tickets go on sale May 1 and cost $200: cbf.org

10-11 SMBc Rumble on the River

Exhbition-only event with vintage race boats. At Piney Point Landing in Piney Point, MD. Southern Maryland Boat Club.

11 colonial yacht club annual Boat parade

1 to 5 p.m. on the Colonial Beach waterfront, VA.

11 Free Kids Fishing tournament

Hosted by North Bay Fishing Club from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Registration at 8:30 a.m. at North East Community Park, 250 West Walnut St., North East, MD. For age groups 5-8, 9-12, and 13-16. Loaner fishing rods and bait available, or bring your own. Free picnic lunch for all with hot dogs, water, and snacks. RSVP to John P. at poepoe090900@gmail.com or Daniel R. at dano5191@aol.com

15-18 hunter Sailing Rendezvous

Celebrating 50 years of Hunter sailing. At Harbor East Marina in Baltimore, MD. Includes two evenings of live entertainment, kids’ activities, educational seminars, and more. Register: hunterrendezvous.com

16-18 antique and classic Boat Festival and the arts at navy point

Wooden classics, vintage race boats, and other antique and Chesapeake Bayrelated boats come to the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St. Michaels, MD, along with artisans and craftspeople for this annual Father’s Day weekend event.

June Racing

1 annapolis newport Race

Two starts for the 475-mile race: Friday, June 1 and Saturday, June 2. Hosted by Annapolis Yacht Club.

1-4 Southern Bay Race Week Registration Thursday followed by three days of racing of Hampton. Hosted by Hampton Yacht Club.

10 Don Backe Memorial cRaB Regatta

A one-design regatta for Beneteau First

22As skippered by CRAB sailors. Hosted by Annapolis Yacht Club.

10 opcyc yankee Station Series 2

Hosted by Old Point Comfort Yacht Club, Hampton, VA.

17 hhSa Women’s Regatta

Hosted by Herrington Harbour Sailing Association, Tracys Landing, MD.

17 pBc cock island Race

Hosted by Portsmouth Boat Club, Portsmouth, VA.

19-23 Stc Block island Race Week

Presented by Margaritaville, hosted by Storm Trysail Club, Block Island, RI.

24 Maryland cures cancer Regatta

Formerly known as the Maryland Leukemia Cup, the event now will benefit a broader range of cancer research. Racers can expect top on-water competition and race management as before. Hosted by Eastport Yacht Club.

24 opcyc Veteran’s cup

Hosted by Old Point Comfort Yacht Club, Hampton, VA.

24-25 Broad Bay Regatta

Hosted by Broad Bay Sailing Association and Norfolk Yacht and Country Club. Norfolk, VA.

25 hyc Doublehanded Race Hosted by Hampton Yacht Club.

The Tribe Eagerly Awaits You: Meet Allie Eberhardt

Allie Eberhardt’s entry to the sailing world was a matter of serendipitous timing. During the Covid summer of 2020, she had recently turned 31 and like most everyone else, the pandemic completely changed her reality. She made an unexpected move back to Annapolis after about 10 years away—most recently in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia—and took a temporary, seasonal position with a sailboat charter company in Eastport. The job was fun and challenging, and it reacquainted her with the iconic waterfront lifestyle of the Chesapeake Bay region. From there, she never looked back.

What kind of sailing do you do?

The bulk of my sailing time has been aboard 40-plus-foot monohulls and catamarans as a professional delivery crew member. In the past three years I have logged about 10,000 NM on various trips and excursions. I love ocean trips. These adventures have taken me up and down the East Coast, Puerto Rico, The Bahamas, and The Virgin Islands. Last summer I crossed the North Atlantic Ocean on a Hylas 70 from Bermuda to the Azores.

Locally, I volunteer as crew with Chesapeake Region Accessible Boating (CRAB); we predominantly sail their fleet of Beneteau First 22As. Sometimes I participate in area weeknight racing. Certifications and such

I am currently working on a USCG Master Captain’s license with the sailing endorsement. I consider myself a lifelong learner, so I have gained tons of knowledge by asking questions along the way and taking notes from seasoned sailors.

I think I had some inherent knowledge of sailing passed on to me. My grandmother helped start and run a yacht brokerage back in the 1970s, and we have a couple of immediate family members who sailed on a collegiate and a professional level.

Growing up, I spent a lot of time enjoying the outdoors camping, backpacking, canoeing, and other outside activities. I learned to sail as a kid during summer camp and by way of occasional family outings on the Chesapeake. For me, being on the water is comforting. What are your future sailing plans?

I plan to use my captain’s license to help others enjoy the spoils of the region, and I definitely want to participate in a longdistance ocean race or rally cruise at least once.

Eventually, and perhaps not all at once, I’d like to see the world by boat. Setting sail into the sunset with no schedule is my dream. My bucket list includes the Mediterranean, Australia, and the South Pacific. I’ve always had a spark for adventure and the wanderlust to follow. The magic is in the journey.

If someone is interested in learning to sail, what would you tell them?

Don’t hesitate! Spring is upon us, and the time is now! Start small, dream big; get off the internet and onto the water! Sailboats are vessels for shared human experience and to connect with nature. The act of sailing will give you a better understanding of your own capabilities and a unique perspective on the world that surrounds us.

I promise that you will find ‘your people’ and that tribe eagerly awaits your company! There is something for everybody, and I should hope that you find sailors a welcoming bunch, with all types of backgrounds and life stories.

In the past few years, it seems there has been a huge surge of people discovering sailing opportunities. Hopefully this trend continues. I’d like to see the sailing community and the sailing industry lead with inclusion, equity, and open mindedness. Anyone who wants to connect with me is welcome to find me on Instagram at allie_annapolis and on Facebook at Alliecat Sails.

Professionally, I am a full-time yacht broker who specializes in sailboats. Helping first time buyers navigate the entire sales and ownership process is one of my favorite parts of the job. The brokerage house I am with, Yacht Brokers of Annapolis, is filled with trusted regional rockstars. You can also find me behind the scenes or out on the water with Chronic Sailing. We have a boutique charter fleet made up mostly of catamarans. We host half and full day sails, exciting special events with other local businesses, and even personal instruction. It is an American Sailing (ASA) affiliated sailing school with a homebase located on the South River.

As told to Beth Crabtree

The ‘How and Why’ of Folding Sails

Folding sails properly is a big deal to sailors. The reason is that sails are an investment and taking care of them properly will enhance their longevity.

When packing away a sail, one wants to make as few folds as possible, since creases can stress the fabric fibers, make the sail weaker, and decrease performance over time. Generally speaking, the only sail that would ever be “stuffed” into a sail bag is a spinnaker, which is made of very lightweight material. Other sails, such as the mainsail or jib, are folded.

You may hear sailors speak of “flaking” the sail. This is a specific method of folding which results in something of accordion-type folds. It takes two people; one at the tack and one at the clew. If the sail is off the boat, start by stretching the it out on a flat, clean surface. Stretch and pull sections of about two feet each to stack on top of one another. The person at the tack will stay in place. Since the sail is triangular, the person at the clew will need to move forward following the

leech toward the person at the tack. If the mainsail is to remain on the boat, this can be done as you slowly lower the sail, controlling it with the main halyard, such that the folds go over the boom.

Sails can also be rolled. This method avoids the creasing issue; however, the finished product will take up more space and is therefore not always feasible with larger sails. A combination of folding,

flaking, and rolling can also be used, and there are strategies for handling battens, which sometimes, but not always, are removed for storage. Those details for another day; this is a general overview.

For a short SpinSheet video tutorial on how to properly fold and store a sail on a sailboat, go to youtube.com/ spinsheetmagazine. You can find more excellent instructions on folding sails at sailrite.com and quantumsails.com

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.

• 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

• SailTime sailtime.com/annapolis

Find a Sailing School art

• Sail Solomons sailsi.com

• West River Sailing Club learn2sailwrsc.com

Stories of the Century

We checked in with boaters attempting to log 100 on-water days within the calendar year to see about their early progress in becoming SpinSheet Century Club 2023 members. Find our leaderboard and join the fun at spinsheet.com/century-club All boaters are welcome!

Suzanne

Carter 20 Days

Welcome to a very warm beginning to 2023! And warm beginnings have made for a lot of sailing opportunities, early in the Mid-Atlantic season. My partner and I went out of the Downtown Sailing Center in Baltimore on a J/22 for a New Year’s sail! Sixty-plus-degree temperatures made it a lovely afternoon followed by a lovely brunch at a local downtown eatery. Best New Year’s Day in a long time!

Jayne Durden 11 Days

I’ve sailed pretty much once a week since New Year’s Day on Happy Place, but I’m getting a whole week of sailing in right now doing a delivery from Annapolis to Hilton Head; lots of dolphins, ship dodging, and standing watch at night with an amazing full moon. And of course, I’m wearing my SpinSheet Racing Team shirt!

Michael-Anne Ashford

29 Days

How do I begin to answer this in a few short sentences when, for the first time, I’ve logged a quarter of my Century Club days in the first quarter of a year? After packing up and pulling the boats on a bitterly cold day last December, they reemerged on a gorgeous New Year’s Day. We haven’t stopped enjoying the mild winter and spring days since.

In regards to my favorite memories of boating in 2023, I’d have to say there are two that come to mind. The first is bringing the boat out from Spa Creek on New Year’s Day. I was clearing the Eastport Bridge as all of the J/105s and a few others racing the Hangover Bowl were in a blustery downwind finish, pushing their boats to the last second and spinning out before hitting the bridge, each other, and me. It must have been the most popular few square feet of water on the Bay that day. The second was a few weeks ago when we headed out to see the osprey and our marina friends as they returned from their winter adventures, a true sign that spring is here and the party is just beginning.

Eric Packard 45 Days

Can you believe the first quarter of 2023 is behind us? With 45 days already on the books fishing out of a boat, I’m feeling confident in that I’ll reach the 100-day mark by July. While any day on the water is a great day, I spent a few memorable days kayaking and fishing on the Eastern Shore. In late March my wife Sandy was away on a girls’ trip with a few friends, so I rented a cabin at Pocomoke River State Park: Shad Landing. Fishing the river out of Snow Hill and spending a day in Virginia fishing around the concrete ships at Kiptopeke State Park, too. The Eastern Shore is a great place for boaters to explore its lakes, rivers, Chesapeake Bay, and the Atlantic Ocean for the nature, fishing, and its sheer beauty.

Becky and Doug Firth 96 Days

We traveled down the AICW, over Lake Okeechobee, up to Tarpon Springs, FL, on the West Coast, down to New Pass back across the lake, south to view the Palm Beach Boat Show, and are currently on our way north onboard Lark, our 34-foot Wilbur. It was sobering witnessing the vast destruction from Hurricane Ian, which spanned from New Pass on the south (as far as we went) to just below Sarasota to the north. Our time spent north of Sarasota was excellent. We visited Tarpon Springs and slowly worked our way back (hopping from key to key) to the Tampa Bay Region (St. Peters, Clearwater, Egmont Key., etc.) We had two very exciting opportunities to be a spectator boat for the J/70 Winter Series at Davis Yacht Club, where we met up with several Annapolis teams racing. I can never get used to the (western coast of Florida’s) playful dolphins who try to splash water into the cockpit, usually when I am trying to read a book and enjoy the sun.

Hannah Dickmyer 3 Days

On April 3 a few of us did some team racing practice and drills, and the breeze was so fun! It was the first day on the water that actually felt like spring!

Terry Slattery

18 Days

I finished my wooden kayak: the Petrel Play from Chesapeake Light Craft. I’ve taken it out twice and am looking forward to more paddling this summer.

Spotlight on the Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology

By Kelsey Bonham

If you’ve ever explored Baltimore’s Inner Harbor and found yourself wondering what is going on inside the distinct building with a white tented roof near Pier 6, Samantha Heyn has answers. Heyn works with the Communications and Outreach team for the Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology, or IMET, a partnership between the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC), the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES), and the University of Maryland Baltimore (UMB).

IMET is a research institute composed of 22 faculty-run laboratories, each focusing on a different topic including harmful algal blooms, water quality, sustainable aquaculture, and the blue crab genome. In addition to research, IMET strives to “bring lab work off the bench and into the real world,” says Heyn, by working with faculty, students, staff, and start-ups in a

business incubator to turn their research into tangible products.

IMET’s mission is “to develop approaches to protect and restore coastal marine systems and their watersheds, sustainably use resources in ways to benefit human well-being, and to integrate research excellence with education, training, and economic development,” Heyn explains. “I started working at IMET in 2021 and was instantly struck by how much hope I felt speaking with the scientists, students, and staff here,” she says. “I think we hear a lot of negative news these days and it’s easy to feel helpless and hopeless. Coming to work here, my eyes were opened to all the work IMET scientists are doing to not only protect our planet in the future but mitigate environmental damage that has been done in the past.” Heyn hopes that her work can help people connect the landmark building to the research and work happening within.

For Bay sailors and boaters, that work is especially relevant. Dr. Eric Schott’s research into shellfish health and the ecosystem services provided by suspension feeding organisms “could help Baltimore achieve its goal of a swimmable and fishable harbor.” In 2021, Dr. Sook Chung successfully completed a five-year project to sequence the entire blue crab genome, which could better inform fisheries policies. And IMET’s research into recirculating aquaculture “could help replenish Chesapeake Bay fisheries and the ecosystem itself,” all of which contribute to building a more resilient Bay for everyone, sailors included.

If you’re intrigued by the work that IMET is doing, they have an open house on Saturday, May 6 from 1 to 4 p.m., where you can enjoy hands-on science activities for kids, meet the scientists, and learn more about their research. You can also check out imet.usmd.edu or sign up for monthly newsletters.

# Photo courtesy of the Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology (IMET).

10 “Don’t Miss” Attractions at the United States Naval Academy

By Craig Ligibel

You’ve probably sailed past the imposing 338-acre US Naval Academy (USNA) campus 100 times. Maybe you’ve even joined the almost two million annual visitors to tromp around the “Yard” and gawk at the plebes “duck walking” on the quad. Perhaps you are some of the lucky few with a son, daughter, or grandchild enrolled at the USNA.

Sailing education is intrinsic to a midshipman’s training. Offshore Sailing Team director Jahn Tihansky puts it this way: “Sailing provides an ideal environment for professional training here at the Naval Academy. The dynamics of teamwork involving weather, strategy, navigation, sailing skills, and onboard systems provide midshipmen with numerous challenges where risk must constantly be evaluated and balanced against mission requirements. Alumni from across Navy and Marine Corps professional communities share how the lessons and skills they developed while sailing here continue to be some of the most valuable they’ve had in their careers.”

The following is a curated list of “Top 10” attractions. This “tour” takes approximately three hours and covers around four miles walking counterclockwise starting at the Visitor’s Center.

1. USNA Visitor’s Center. Located just inside the Main Gate, the Visitor’s Center should be the first stop on your USNA visit. Here, you can arrange to join a guided tour of the facilities. Tours leave frequently and cost around $14. If you’re into exploring on your own, the Visitors Center gives you a quick orientation to Academy history and student life.

2. Bill the Goat Bronze Statue. Standing guard over the campus entrance adjacent to Gate 1, this 1957 statue memorializes the academy’s mascot. Legend has it that the first “Bill the Goat” made his debut as an unofficial mascot in 1893 after helping the midshipmen defeat a determined Army football team.

3. Triton Light. Located on the seawall where the Severn River meets Spa Creek, the Triton Light was first lighted in 1959. It is a flashing green light that stands 25 feet tall. Named for the Greek god Triton, the light shares its name with the USS Triton nuclear submarine which completed her historic submerged circumnavigation not long after the Triton Light was first turned on. The crew of the Triton collected samples of water from the 22 seas through which the boat had passed. The waters were then used to fill a globe built into the light. The light continues its service to mariners to this day.

4. Maine Foremast: Adjacent to the Triton Light sits the foremast of the USS Maine. The Maine was sunk in a mysterious explosion in Havana Harbor in 1898. Seventy percent of the ship’s crew perished. The mast was recovered in 1910 and placed in the yard in 1913. The slogan “Remember the Maine” became the rallying cry as the United States protected its interests in the Spanish American War which lasted a scant three months.

5. Santee Yacht Basin. Tucked into the northeast corner of the academy with easy access to the Bay’s Severn River is the USNA’s yacht harbor, home to the academy’s fleet of Navy 44 Mark II sail training craft as well as more than two dozen smaller sailboats midshipmen use for their introductory sailing instruction. At the corner of the basin stands the newly renovated Sailing Center. Currently off limits to visitors, the Center serves as a focal point for USNA sailing education.

# Bill the Goat Statue. Photos by Craig Ligibel

See the Bay

6. Jeannette Expedition Monument. Located in the cemetery on Hospital Point, the Jeannette Monument was erected in memory of the men who perished in the Jeannette Arctic Expedition in October 1881. The Jeannette was caught in an arctic flow and crushed. Three groups of sailors attempted to reach Siberia. The lead group captained by expedition leader George DeLong sailed more than 700 miles in frigid conditions. Upon landfall tragedy struck, and most of the crew perished. A second boat sank with all hands. A third boat reached Siberia and returned to search for Delong. They found two survivors and a stone cairn and wooden cross. Twenty of the original crew of 33 perished.

7. USNA Museum. Welcoming more than 100,000 visitors annually, the USNA Museum housed in Preble Hall, is home to an impressive collection of naval memorabilia including the Surrender Table from the USS Missouri; the Rogers Collection of shipyard models, said to be the largest and most extensive in the world; and the iconic “Don’t Give Up the Ship” flag flown by Oliver Hazard Perry in his victorious Battle of Lake Erie Campaign.

8. John Paul Jones Crypt. Located beneath the USNA Chapel, the John Paul Jones Crypt is a testament both to Jones’s naval accomplishments as well as the dedication of an American ambassador to France who initiated an exhaustive search for the body of Jones. Ambassador Porter finally found Jones’s remains. He had them disinterred, organized a postmortem confirming that the remains were indeed those of the naval hero, and organized the transfer of the remains to Annapolis. Jones’s remains were placed in a 21-ton marble sarcophagus, now the centerpiece of the Crypt. Jones is best remembered for his rejoinder when asked if he would surrender his ship, the Bonhomme Richard, after it was heavily damaged by enemy fire, “Sir, I have not yet begun to fight.”

9. Herndon Monument: Located directly across from the Chapel, the Herndon Monument stands silent sentinel over the quad 364 days of the year. On the 365th day, however, the area is turned into a slithering gob of vegetable grease, sweaty midshipmen bodies, and boisterous spectators. It’s all about teamwork as the academy’s plebes struggle to climb the 21-foot obelisk which has been slathered with approximately 200

pounds of vegetable shortening and doused with water sprayed by upperclassmen. The object of the exercise is to remove the plebe “dixie cup” hat from the top of the monument and replace it with an upperclassman’s cover. It’s not an easy task as plebes attempt to form a human pyramid to boost one of their classmates to the top. It generally takes from two to three hours to accomplish the task.

# Santee Yacht Basin.

# Model ship exhibit.

10. Tamanend Figurehead: no shortage of ship’s figureheads scattered around the yard. Most notable is the bronze sculpture of the native American Indian chief Tamanend of the Delaware tribe. A wooden version of this figurehead adorned the USS Delaware until she was scuttled to prevent her from falling into the hands of the Confederates during the early stages of the war between the states. The figurehead was salvaged and brought to the Yard in 1868 where it was placed on the walkway in front of Bancroft Hall. The wooden original was replaced by a bronze replica in 1920. The figurehead has gone by variety of names including Powhatan, King Philip, and Tecumseh.

For more on what to see and do at the USna, hours of admission, and the 2023 commissioning Week schedule, go to usna.edu/visit. note that visitors must pass through a metal detector and carry a photo iD in order to enter the USna gates.

# Tamanend (Tecumseh) figurehead.

What’s New in Electronics for Sailors?

By Capt. Michael L. Martel

Airmar DST810 Smart Multisensor with Gen2 Paddlewheel Provides Depth, Speed-Through-Water, Water Temperature, Boat Attitude

The weakest link in accurate sensing of a sailing vessel’s speed through the water has always been the sensor’s paddlewheel. It can easily become fouled with growth either from sitting too long on the mooring or dockside, or simply doesn’t effectively communicate information to the sensor across a range of speeds or cannot be calibrated from the cockpit when maximum accuracy is required.

The new DST810 Smart Multisensor, featuring the new Gen2 paddlewheel and AIRMAR’s CAST app, provides a simple, reliable way to calibrate accurate speed using your wireless device. The Gen2 paddlewheel delivers great start-up speed-through-water data below 0.3 knots and is linear at 0.6 knots, maintaining accurate performance up to 45 knots.

The CAST app delivers calibration options that, until now, were only available through expensive PC-based software. In addition to water temperature, depth, and newly upgraded 5.7 Hz (5X per second) speedthrough-water output with improved speed resolution, the DST810 features an integrated attitude sensor for heel and trim data. This information makes heel-compensated speed calibration across multiple heel angles and speed ranges both fast and intuitive, and is independent of the onboard instruments.

The DST810 Gen2 is a ‘Smart’ Multisensor through-hull transducer that offers the depth, speed, and temperature functions in one compact thru-hull fitting. The low-profile, retractable sensor computes accurate depth, speed, and temperature data and communicates on a single NMEA200 data cable. The DST810 Gen2 also features an integrated vessel attitude sensor and Bluetooth technology that allows boaters a simple way to calibrate speed-through-water. $325, airmar.com

Navico Fathom e-Power System

Today’s sailing craft, particularly cruising craft, are increasingly power-hungry. Even though we have made great strides in technology to reduce power demand—such as power-miserly LED lamps to replace the old incandescent bulbs at the masthead, more efficient refrigeration systems, and more—the demand continues to increase as more electrical and electronic devices are added, even though storage batteries are better than ever before. On a cruising sailboat, you can’t be running the engine and/or generator all the time, so you want the best possible power management. Navico Group’s Fathom lithium-ion power management system aims to provide ample juice to run everything from air conditioning to galley appliances via a combination of power conversion and distribution, digital switching, and control/monitoring. It’s available in 12-, 24-, and 48-volt systems for boats ranging from 27- to 35-plus feet and can be controlled with an app on your smart device. Preconfigured kits are scheduled to launch through 2023. OEM product (look for it as a new-boat option), or available as custom kits. $1000 to $17,000+, navico.com

# Image courtesy of Airmar

B&G Zeus S: Chartplotter for Shorthanded Cruising

When I launched my first real boat, I thought that I would have no shortage of friends to go cruising along with me, and I reasoned it to be quite possible that from time to time I would have to turn people away simply to avoid overcrowding. Well, quite the opposite became the case. All too often I found myself shorthanded or hesitant to leave the dock if I were going to be alone in questionable weather. When you’re shorthanded, every key task, from handling the sails to simple navigation, becomes more complicated, and this is especially true for navigation.

Now, B&G has unfurled Zeus S, an intuitive plotter with simple graphic displays and one-touch features, designed for shorthanded crews. The B&G Zeus S chartplotter is designed to make sailing easier, displaying information tailored to the sailor’s needs in that moment, and hiding unnecessary clutter.

It’s all about making it easy to see the data that you want, when you want it, essentially. Zeus S comes with new sailing modes, preset dashboards, and data views for a variety of sailing situations, along with many enhanced features for a simpler sailing experience, all powered by C-MAP charting options. Users select the relevant mode for their situation, and the system provides just the right information needed for cruising or racing in a simplified, easy-to-quickly-understand display. Zeus S continues to support enhanced sailing features including updates for SailSteer, LayLines, Routes, and more. Zeus S also integrates with the B&G app, allowing users to plan trips, review routes, and manage waypoints from home and sync once onboard. Zeus S features multiple connectivity options and easy integration using NMEA2000 to connect to autopilot, instruments, radar, sailing processors, audio, engines, and other compatible products. Available in seven-, nine- and 12-inch screens. Pricing starts at $999, bandg.com

# Image courtesy of B&G

What’s New in Electronics for Sailors?

KVH TracPhone LTE-1

I had the good fortune to use one of these last summer and it worked wonderfully, but thankfully, I didn’t have to pay the bill.

I had signed on to an offshore oceanographic trip out of New London, CT, for a week at sea while a group of defense-related engineers deployed listening equipment offshore. What I didn’t know at the time was that we would be operating 100 nm offshore. Equipped with only my mobile phone, it meant that I would be out of touch with my family for almost a week. That was true not only for me but for the other crewmembers aboard. Thankfully, the guest engineers who chartered our vessel had brought along one of these KVH domes and mounted it on the upper deck, and once they had it working, they graciously shared their bandwidth with the rest of us for the remainder of the trip. It was so clear, crisp, and strong that we could surf the web, send emails, make phone calls, and do everything that we could do with home WiFi without restriction. You would never know that we were out at the edge of the Continental Shelf. From that moment on, I was a believer, but also glad that I didn’t have to pay the subscription, which could be several hundred to a few thousand per month depending on usage.

We’ve come a long way. Having full connectivity once meant that you needed multiple antennas, had to manually switch between carriers to maintain connectivity, and had no idea how much data you were using. The KVH TracPhone LTE 1 is a bit smaller than the model that we used on the offshore trip, but it’s compact and powerful. It packs a high-gain dual LTE-A antenna array, modem, GPS, and Wi-Fi router into a 6.25-pound, 13.5- by 13.3-inch dome. KVH promises that you can pull in cell coverage when over 20 miles from the nearest cell tower (with antenna mounted 20 feet above the waterline) and enjoy faster-than-4G data speeds with automatic switching between carriers and multi-device connectivity. TracPhone LTE-1 packs satellite, cellular, WiFi, modem, and GPS into one dome. Powered by LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) network technology, TracPhone LTE-1 is an ultra-compact, marine-grade system. $1595, kvh.com

Ever Have Trouble Finding Your Copy Of SpinSheet?

# Image courtesy of KVH

Garmin Surround View Camera System

Situational awareness, as pilots call it, is immensely important, and technology has enabled a greater degree of it now than ever before. I’ve been driving cars since I was 16, but only in recent years have we had rear-view cameras that engage when backing up. They are, in my opinion, one of the most remarkable little gizmos ever developed for automobiles. Similarly, when maneuvering a large vessel in a crowded marina, you need to have more than just a couple of crew capable of fending off. But you can’t always see every corner of the boat when backing into a slip, at least you couldn’t in the past. The ability now to turn a boat into a WiFi hotspot with multiple sensors has made it a lot easier to precisely tuck your boat into tight quarters with an overall situational awareness that just wasn’t possible in years past.

The Garmin Surround View Camera System changes all of that. Stitching together the view from six different cameras, Surround View provides 360-degree views at the helm, and creates a live “bird’s-eye” view looking down on your boat. You can also set a “visual” fender indicator on the screen so you know when a dock, pier, or another boat is about to violate a preset barrier limit. Distance markers also help ascertain exactly how close your boat is getting to any object, and if desired, you can pull up each camera’s view individually. The overhead view is derived from six 1080p camera arrays: forward-looking at the bow, an aft-looking on the stern, and side-looking cameras on the port and starboard sides. $17,100, garmin.com

# Images courtesy of Garmin

A LL H A i L the

Mi GHT y S TA r L i NK

By Cindy Wallach

Once upon a time... I walked inside a weather-worn phone booth under a palm tree on a sandy road, with a fist full of foreign coins in my sweaty hand. In my other hand I fumbled with a modem device called Pocketmail. I dialed a number and plinked my coins into the rusty slot, one after another. Holding the device to the handset, I could hear the technological symphony of beeps and buzzes that was magically turning into a six-sentence email to my parents. That was 2001.

Twenty years later in the Bahamas, we hadn’t come much farther. In early 2022 we spent some hard-earned dollars buying the right SIM cards, WiFi boosters, and cell antenna extenders. We picked our anchorages based on reviews that included how the signal was in that spot. Yes, we had WiFi, but it was a slow drip on the IV of critical connectivity. Often, we were limited to those text only communications we were so excited about 20 years ago.

Then, I flew back to Annapolis in the summer of 2022 and picked up a little

box that changed everything. Cue the spotlight and the choir music.

**Starlink**

It’s not just a new way to communicate at sea; it’s truly a game changer in so many ways. Starlink is the world’s first and largest cluster of satellites using low earth orbit to deliver broadband internet, and it’s fast. You can video call, stream movies, play games, and download or upload large files. It works in the most remote corners of the planet and at sea.

The “wow” factor comes from the latency. This is the round-trip time it takes for a signal to get from you to the satellite and back again. Usually, you have just a single satellite sending a signal, and it’s from a greater distance away from Earth. Buffering. Buffering. Signal Lost.

Starlink uses thousands of satellites orbiting close to earth, so that signal round trip is shorter, faster, and uninterrupted. So, now you can watch Ted Lasso at sea. Um, I mean, now you can get life-saving weather information at sea.

When you buy the dish, you have several plans to choose from. The “Maritime” plan is not for your average cruising sailor. The hardware and monthly costs are in the thousands. It’s meant for commercial vessels, megayachts, and cruise ships. Sailors tend to use the “Roam” plan, which is more affordable.

There are dozens of interesting examples of creative installations on the Starlink on Boats group on Facebook. We found it’s best to mount high for an unobstructed view of the sky. We keep ours on top of our aft arch where we hoist our dinghy. It’s self-orienting and can survive all kinds of weather and high winds. Set it and forget it.

The Starlink does not work natively off of a 12-volt system. We use a dedicated sine wave inverter hooked up to the breaker panel. A breaker switch triggers that inverter so that the Starlink device can be turned on and off.

Is it worth it? Well, you don’t have to schlep in the tropical sun each time you arrive in a new port, seeking out the local cell carrier to buy a SIM card. Oh, wait, they’re not open today because it’s St. Potato Day? Oh well.

I signed a contract in a different language that I now can’t cancel without taking a bus to the capital city? Oh well. I got the SIM card and put it in my phone and it doesn’t actually work unless I’m standing on the corner of Rue Pomme de Terre and Calle Suerte. Yeah, Starlink is worth it.

What’s that sound? Is it the soft, disgruntled mutterings from deep within a teak laden salon of a 34-foot monohull lit by a bronze oil lamp? I hear you brother; let’s talk. I know there is a certain magic lost. It’s night, and you’re at anchor with nothing but the stars and the bioluminescence, and instead of using your time to wax poetic to Orion or read Horatio Hornblower, your face is aglow with a huge smile while Ted Lasso delivers another folksy, feel-good one liner. You can do that from land. Where’s the romance? I often find myself swinging on the pendulum of utter joy and salty selfreproach when I’m at sea downloading a fresh podcast in real time.

The flip side of this is the real-world usefulness of reliable communication that’s already saved lives at sea. There have been a number of rescues coordinated by Starlink users mid-ocean, most notably

when a family lost their boat a mere 15 minutes after a whale collision, thousands of miles from anywhere on a Pacific crossing. Instant medical consultations, weather routing, and other critical information sharing are available because of Starlink is keeping sailors safer at sea, allowing them to sail another day.

Got a New Boat?

For us, it means remote work, which means keeping the cruising kitty topped off, which means we have the privilege to keep chasing that horizon. Just like the horseless buggy, you can grumble all day, but it’s here. It’s changing the impossible to the possible. As Ted Lasso would say, “Smells like potential.” #

# The author at left, 20 years ago, trying to get her Pocketmail to work in a phone booth!

Spring DIY:

By Kelsey Bonham

Last month, I explained how to change your engine’s oil. Like oil changes, fuel filter changes are also essential for keeping our iron gennies running smoothly. Fuel quality is fundamental to preventing unexpected breakdowns and extending the life of your engine, but it turns out that boats are not the most hospitable environment for fuel. Condensation forms and microbes and other debris can accumulate in fuel tanks, but luckily our fuel filters prevent all that gunk from reaching our engines—as long as we take care of them.

Your fuel filter needs will depend on your engine. Most inboards have two: the first is a primary fuel filter that is larger, separate from the engine, and that also serves as a fuel-water separator. There might be a secondary fuel filter on the engine itself or between the primary filter and the engine. Outboard motors could have one or more fuel filters, all somewhere on the engine itself. Fuel filters should be changed every time you do an oil change, although secondary and tertiary filters can often go longer, perhaps every other oil change.

What You’ll Need

New fuel filter, including O-rings, gaskets, etc.

Possibly a strap wrench, depending on the filter

Small flathead screwdriver

Rags and oil absorbing pads

Disposable gloves

Possibly a socket wrench

Step One: Find Your Old Filters

As previously mentioned, the number and location of your fuel filters will depend on your engine. Primary fuel filters for inboards will likely be mounted somewhere between the engine and the fuel tank, while secondary fuel filters and outboard engine fuel filters will most likely be on the engine itself. If you’re changing a primary fuel filter, you won’t need a strap wrench. For a secondary filter or an outboard engine filter, you likely will need one because it may be screwed onto the side of the engine the same way an oil filter would be.

Step Two: Find Your New Filters

New fuel filters can be found at most marine supply stores and chandleries. Look for the appropriate physical size and micron rating, which refers to the smallest particle size the filter can capture. Lower micron ratings mean it can capture smaller particles. Many experts favor 10-micron filters or lower to trap even the smallest particles; although these will need to be changed more often.

Step Three: Replace the Filters

The exact process for filter removal will, again, depend on the specific filter. For the most common type of primary fuel filter for an inboard engine, start by laying some oil-absorbing pads underneath it, since it should be filled to the brim with fuel and will likely spill some. Unscrew the T-bolt handle on top and lift off the lid. Now you should be able to see the top of the filter. On either side, it should have some flexible pieces of plastic. Use your flathead screwdriver to grab them and gently lift the filter up and out, being mindful of fuel spillage. The next thing to remove will

be the main O-ring. This will likely be located inside the lid that you’ve already removed, and you can use your flathead screwdriver or a fingernail to take it out.

To put the new filter in, just drop it into where the old one was. It may come with a thick rubber ring that fits into the bottom. If so, put that into the bottom of the filter before dropping it in. The new filter should also come with a new O-ring; press this into where the old one was in the lid, ensuring there are no twists. Set the lid back on top. There should be one last small O-ring that came with the fuel filter, and this one is for the T-bolt that you removed first. Roll the old one down and off, and roll the new one on, again ensuring there are no twists. Lastly, screw the T-bolt back on; hand tight is plenty. If this process doesn’t align with your fuel filter, YouTube is a great source for the particularities of every fuel filter out there.

Step Four:

Bleed Your Fuel Line

Fuel systems are closed systems free of air, and since you just introduced air into the system by opening the fuel filter, the last step will be getting all of that air out. The general idea is to open the fuel line somewhere downstream of the filter and force fuel through the line until all the air is out. This is where you’ll want to consult your engine manual. Most engines will have a bolt somewhere on the engine that you should loosen (but not completely remove), using your socket wrench and a small pump nearby. You should be able to operate the pump by pressing it repeatedly with a few fingers, and it will force fuel through the line until it comes out through the hole where the bolt you just loosened is. Be sure to lay some oil absorbing rags underneath the engine to catch the fuel.

Keep pumping until you see a steady stream of fuel coming out, with no

bubbles. Continue pumping while you retighten the bolt to ensure no air comes back in. Wipe up any remaining fuel on and around the engine. If you also changed the secondary fuel filter, you may need to crack open some other points after the secondary fuel filter, such as the injectors, and pump again to fully bleed that portion of the line. Start the engine. If it sputters or dies, there is still air in the system, and it needs to be bled again.

Congratulations, you just changed your own fuel filter! Not only did you save time and money doing the work yourself, you also have a better understanding of your engine and its fuel system if you ever need to troubleshoot a problem. #

About the author: Kelsey Bonham is based in Norfolk, VA, where she keeps her 50-yearold, 30-foot steel boat Little Wing, which she restored with her dad during the pandemic. When not writing for SpinSheet, she is an educator at the Virginia Aquarium.

# A recently removed two micron fuel filter that’s relatively clean, but that’s what you’re hoping for!

Welcome Spring!

The Annapolis Spring Sailboat Show Ap RI l 28-30

For sailors, there are few better ways to spend a spring day than a visit to the Annapolis Spring Sailboat Show, which marks the beginning of the sailing season and features all kinds of boats, new and brokerage, including monohulls, family cruisers, daysailers, inflatables, and luxury multihulls. Guests can connect with yacht brokers, rub elbows with boat manufacturers, speak to charter company experts, and meet sailing vloggers. Need new gear or equipment for the new season? Look no farther. And be sure to plan some time to expand your knowledge with your choice of educational courses and free seminars. Now that spring has finally arrived, we can’t wait to see you all at the show!

Show Details

Dates: April 28-30

Times: Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Location: City Dock, Annapolis

Tickets: Price is $18 for general admission, advanced online purchase at annapolisboatshows.com; children ages 12 and under are free. Tickets onsite cost $20.

VIP Tickets: $85, includes show admission and exclusive access with unlimited entry into the VIP Lounge. Valid for one day only. A VIP parking pass, which allows you to park just seconds from the show entrance, runs $30.

Pets and strollers are not allowed.

Parking:

Boat show visitors are encouraged to park at the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium and take the free bus to and from the show. Buses run continuously from 9 a.m. until one hour after the show closes. Enter the stadium parking lot through Gate 5 at 511 Taylor Ave., Annapolis.

Educational Opportunities

Cruisers University: More than 50 classes are available for sailors and powerboaters alike who have an interest in learning the fundamentals of bluewater cruising. The curriculum addresses a complete range of cruising topics for all levels and experience to help you begin your adventures with confidence. The program will be held April 27-30 at The Historic Inns of Annapolis. Tuition includes educational materials, instruction by renowned cruising experts, evening social activities, and admission to all days of the show. One- to four-day packages are available. Learn more at annapolisboatshows.com/ cruisers-university.

Flip to page 60 for the official show map! Scan the QR codes for boat and exhibitor lists, more details on the show, and to purchase tickets.

# Photo courtesy of Annapolis Boat Shows

Annapolis Spring Sailboat Show

Educational Opportunities

Offshore Emergency Medicine Class: This three-day class, April 28-30, will emphasize understanding the body systems and principles of care to best prepare the medical officer to improvise and adapt to the infinite variety of challenges that the open sea can present. It is designed for voyaging sailors as well as professional mariners. Cost: $1395 per student. Admission to all days of the show is included with registration, as is breakfast and lunch on class days, and entrance to evening Cruisers University gatherings.

First Sail Workshop: Learn the basics and experience the joy of sailing in a 45-minute classroom session followed by 90 minutes on the water with SailTime and American Sailing Association instructors. This workshop is offered April 28-30 and includes admission to the show, plus a one-year membership to BoatUS.

Free Daily Seminars: No pre-registration necessary but seating is limited. Seminars are free for all attendees. Topics include getting your captains license, diesel basics, docking de-stressed, and spending weekends afloat on the Chesapeake.

Creator’s Panel and Reception: Hosted by Captain Boomies, this Friday night gathering promises to be loads of fun. It will feature Matt and Jessica with MJ Sailing and Ryan and Sophie with Ryan and Sophie Sailing. They’ll share stories about their cruising adventures and talk about all things sailing, Friday from 4:30 to 6 p.m. You can also see them throughout the weekend at the HUCK Performance Buckets booth (Tent C 17).

A New Chesapeake Bay National Recreation Area, a National Park for the Chesapeake Bay: Chris Hopkinson will present on efforts to designate a collection of new and existing parks and public lands throughout the Chesapeake Bay area as the new Chesapeake National Recreation Area (CRNA). Saturday at 2:30 p.m.

Captain Donald Lawson (of Baltimore) on his 2023 Solo Non-stop Around the World Record Attempt: Hear Capt. Lawson speak about his remarkable trip planned for this fall. The presentation will feature the latest news, updates on outreach efforts, and formally announce new partners. Sunday at 2:30 p.m. You may also see him at booth Tent C 15. Find a seminar schedule and registration for classes at annapolisboatshows.com.

# Photo courtesy of Annapolis Boat Shows

Show Highlights:

Explore the Boats: From multihulls to day sailors to racing boats, you’ll find amazing boats to explore, both new and brokerage. Red Beard Sailing will bring its Astus 20.5 Sport trimaran, a brand-new, versatile, lightweight, highperformance boat. David Walters Yachts will have on display the new Italia 14.98, a 50-foot racer-cruiser beauty premiering at this show. And there will be many more. Come see for yourself!

Meet Team SpinSheet! Our team will be located at Tent C 16—come by and say hello and grab the latest issues of SpinSheet, PropTalk, FishTalk, and Portbook. We love meeting our readers!

Edrington Tasting Tent: Edrington is a privately owned international spirits company from Scotland that specializes in crafting high-quality spirit brands. Guests (21 years of age and older) are invited to visit the tent, which will be decked out with a great bar set up and comfortable seating for the many beverage offerings.

The VIP Experience: For visitors ages 21 and older who love VIP treatment, LaVictoire presents a VIP Lounge at Latitude 38 restaurant with food and wine and cocktail tastings throughout the day. VIP parking is located at 120 Compromise Street. Tickets are available at annapolisboatshows.com.

Explore Annapolis: While in town for the show, take time to explore the beautiful brick-lined streets of this charming town. Here you will find a variety of dining options, art galleries, apparel stores, antique shops, and specialty boutiques. Experience live music, take a historic walking tour, stroll through the U.S. Naval Academy (details on page 45), and enjoy a glorious sunset (the Spa Creek Bridge is a great spot to view the sunset). For more ideas to plan your visit, check out visitannapolis.org

One of your options is Leo, a locally owned, casual restaurant and bar with a mission to support other local, small businesses. Anyone showing a boat show ticket and boat show exhibitors with their badges can get a 10 percent discount. leoannapolis.com

Explore and Book Charters: Meet representatives from charter companies, speak with tourism boards, and learn about fractional ownership of a sailboat. Whether you’re dreaming or booking, this is the place to plan travel and adventure in exotic locations.

After the Show:

Don’t miss the SpinSheet Annapolis Crew Party Sunday, April 30 from 4 to 6 p.m. at Eastport Yacht Club. Whether you are looking for crew for your boat or are looking for a boat to sail on, join us to connect with other Chesapeake Bay sailors. Register by signing up for the SpinSheet Crew Finder or updating your existing profile at spinsheet.com/crewfinder. When you do, you’ll be eligible for a discount code to “buy one, get one free” for the spring sailboat show. Find more details at spinsheet.com/crew-parties. All are welcome. The party is free to enter, but plan for a cash bar. After the party, stick around for the Visit Annapolis & Anne Arundel County Santa Maria Cup Opening Ceremony (more details on page 82)!

Mast, Booms, Hardware, and All Your Rigging Needs

U.S. SparS

Offshore Sailing Part 2

Sweat, Tears, and the Sea: A Love Story for the o ff S hore S A i L or

It was a beautiful morning; the breeze was warm and the sunrise washed the ocean with shades of peach and lavender. Nick relaxed at the helm, groggily sipping his coffee, while I put a pot of water on the stove to make Eggs Benedict. Mornings like this deserve a fancy breakfast, plus we really needed to use anything perishable before it spoiled. As I tried to find the butter in a refrigerator that had rearranged itself overnight, Nick headed to the bow with some heavy-duty tape to mend a severely chafed furling line.

By Jessica Morrison

We were 11 days into a transit from the West Coast of Puerto Rico to Baltimore aboard Pazuzu, our Sabre 402. This was our first offshore trip together and Poseidon had made sure it was going to be memorable.

To reach a port, you must set sail. We cast off our lines the Monday after Easter. A high-pressure system had caused us to delay our departure, but the forecast looked favorable, and it was time to begin the 1400-nautical-mile voyage home. Our friends gathered on the dock and waved

goodbye as we motored away from the marina that had been Pazuzu’s home for almost five months. The late afternoon sun sparkled on the turquoise Caribbean water as we raised sail, both of us excited for the adventure ahead.

The decision to delay our departure appeared to pay off as the wind steadily built into the evening, and despite a little initial queasiness, our first day had been textbook champagne sailing. We settled into our first overnight watch rotation. The breeze was hot on my cheek as I watched the lights on the island twinkle and grow

smaller on the horizon as Pazuzu sailed into the night.

A soft beeping broke into my blissful thoughts and the boat began to sail off course. Nick quickly poked his head up through the companionway, awoken by the sound of luffing sails and the autopilot alarm. Some quick troubleshooting confirmed our fears: the autopilot had failed. With no way to repair it, we would have to hand steer the rest of the voyage.

If you can’t control the wind, adjust the sails.

A dead autopilot wouldn’t be the last surprise Poseidon had in store for us. A spirited second day of sailing led to several windless days of drifting with the seaweed, making homemade pizza and reading while we waited for the breeze to fill. On our seventh day at sea, the new alternator failed; now we couldn’t charge our batteries, run the fridge, or use the electric head. This also meant we had to make some conscious decisions about how

often we used the chartplotter and AIS and even how often we could start the motor. Day eight delivered big wind and even bigger seas that forced us to uncomfortably heave-to until the next morning when the wind would hopefully be more manageable. As the morning of day nine dawned, the wind had calmed to a sailable 20 to 25 knots. After tucking a deep reef in the main and the genoa, I took the first watch. Nick went below to get some much-needed sleep.

We had lost a lot of ground overnight heaving-to, and I was anxious to get moving and make up some distance. The sea was still angry. Several waves reached the second spreader. To help calm my nerves, I made a game of climbing these monsters. If I got the angle right, Pazuzu slid effortlessly down the other side. If I didn’t, it felt like we sailed off the side of a cliff and crashed on the bottom on the next trough. By late afternoon, the wind was calm, and the sea had settled into glass. We decided we had enough battery charge to start the

engine and motored through the moonless night, watching the bioluminescent algae kick up in our wake. I turned the helm over to Nick and went to sleep, hoping to wake up to the gently building southerly that was forecast. We were finally getting a bit of good luck!

A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor. The wind shifted to the south just before sunrise and gentle rollers followed Pazuzu’s stern. We were running with only the genoa since the wind was forecast to build into the 20s with higher gusts possible. Late morning the breeze built, and so did the following seas. We were seeing a steady 25-plus knots, already more than forecast. We furled in most of the genoa, put on our foulies, and clipped in. Nick noticed the furling line had chafed through to the core. This was not the time to make a proper fix. Some heavy-duty tape would have to do. Hopefully it wouldn’t break!

By early afternoon the waves had grown into a mountainous landscape behind

Z-Spar Masts, Booms, Beams, Rigging

us, and there was a heavy, monsoon rain. The rain drops hit with such force, they hurt. Water got in every seam of our foulies. We had been taking one-hour shifts at the helm since noon, and neither of us had eaten. It was late afternoon, and I was almost through my watch when the wind and rain suddenly lightened. The waves behind us smoothed. There was an eerie calm. Five minutes later, the squall hit.

The rain was so heavy that we couldn’t see past the dodger. We saw wind speed of 58 knots before the instruments were swallowed by the rain. Minutes felt like hours. An alarm sounded. My watch was up, but there was no leaving the helm now. I turned the bow down and ran. Everything was so loud. A pillow in the cockpit levitated, spun, and flew out of the boat. Nick looked at me and shouted, “I love you!”

The world went silent. It was as if Poseidon flicked a switch, and the wind and rain turned off. Everything was still. For a moment, we relaxed. Minutes passed and flick! The wind and rain machine was back on. We continued through the night with 25- to 30-knot wind and heavy rain. The rain eventually stopped. The wind clocked north, and the lightning storm started. The hour shifts became 30 minutes as exhaustion and fear took over. It was hard to imagine that this would ever end.

As the blur of the night went on, the red glow of the instrument panel was slowly replaced by the soft, hesitant rays of the sun. The morning had finally come and had brought with it calmer seas, softer breeze, and a renewed appreciation of the awesome power of nature. We had made it!

With each golden tendril of light that spread over our bow, my exhaustion and fear gave way to a bigger feeling: love. After all the sweat and the tears, my love was still for the sea and sailing and above all, for Nick. I turned over the helm and went down to the galley to start some coffee. Mornings like this deserve a fancy breakfast! #

Lessons Learned:

P Carry spare parts for essential systems (and make sure they work before you leave dock!).

P It’s always safer to reduce sail before you need to. You can always shake out a reef if you don’t need it, but it’s much harder to put in a reef in a gale.

P Communication is key. Talk through maneuvers before and while you do them and wait for confirmation from the crew before continuing to the next step.

P Of all the gear, spare parts, and whatever other equipment you could bring on an ocean crossing, the most important is sailing with a person you trust; someone who has sailing experience, who can handle the boat and help in the decision making when things get rough, especially for double-handed crossings.

This is the second in our three-part offshore series. Find the first part at spinsheet.com and the next one in our June issue.

Offshore Rigging Specialists

Crossing an Ocean Together

As a family we had always loved the ocean, but we never dreamed we would be crossing one together. In the summer of 2015, my wife, Valerie, and I finally made good on a promise to ourselves, and we took our two children, Madeleine, 12, and William, 10, on an extended family cruise on our Lagoon 450 Sacre Bleu. After a year exploring the Mediterranean, we were in Gibraltar looking west, pondering the seemingly infinite Atlantic Ocean.

The cruising we had been doing up to this point along the European coast was relatively easy. For that year, we were never far from a safe harbor, a cell phone signal, or a grocery store. We always had a current

By Jim Toomey

weather forecast, and we never ventured offshore long enough to be too surprised by a change in conditions. The transatlantic was going to be very different. A reliable forecast is good for three, maybe four days, and it takes three weeks to cross the Atlantic Ocean. Once we were beyond that forecast window, we were at the mercy of whatever appeared on the horizon. There was no safe harbor.

First-time ocean crossers frequently join a rally organized by a team of veteran sailors. As a flotilla staging in one location, crews spend time together educating themselves, comparing notes, and helping each other get boat and crew prepared for what

is considered the final exam of cruising. The rally organizers play an important role giving seminars, advice on provisioning, inspecting boats for safety, and generally instilling confidence in the skippers and crews. They provide this service on both sides of the ocean but leave the participants to do the crossing on their own. Veteran sailor and author Jimmy Cornell had an organized rally, the Atlantic Odyssey, leaving from Tenerife, Canary Islands, in two weeks’ time. It seemed the ideal opportunity for us to take on our first ocean crossing with a little help from the experts, so we signed up.

Our marine insurance company required a third adult watch onboard for the transatlantic. With the help of a web-based service that matched crew with boats, we arranged to meet our new crew member in Gibraltar. We had to get ourselves from Gibraltar to Tenerife, where the rally started, and that required sailing a stretch of over 700 miles of open ocean. Since we were going to do this first leg by ourselves, I used a weather routing service to help us plan the trip. After providing my itinerary and time window to the service, I was put in touch directly with one of their routers, who provided excellent guidance on when to leave, what route to follow, and what weather to expect. The run lasted three and a half days, and the highlight of the trip came at day two, when the sunrise revealed that we were being followed by a 40-ton fin whale. As big as the boat, the creature swam just a few feet off our starboard for

410.280.2752 | Located in Bert Jabins Yacht Yard | www.Myachtservices.net

20 minutes and then puffed a warm cloud of mist and vanished into the deep.

Once in Tenerife, we began a week of preparation that included daily seminars covering medical emergencies, storm preparedness, improvising repairs, satellite phone use, provisioning, and more. Twenty-three sailboats from 12 countries had convened in Tenerife for the crossing.

Many of the boats were crewed by families, some with kids close to our two children’s age and some even younger. The Odyssey sent staff to inspect each boat and review a checklist of safety gear and electronics that were a requirement to participate in the rally, including a satellite phone, which we rented.

With provisioning and meal planning done, maintenance on the engines performed, fuel and water tanks filled, emergency water jugs loaded, first aid kit inventoried, spare parts packed, and software updated, the boat was ready. More difficult was getting our lives ready for dropping out of civilization for three weeks or more. Bills had to be paid, emails sent, social media posted, and a last call made to family members.

The rally organizers set up a starting line just outside the mouth of the harbor, with all 23 boats departing within 15 minutes of each other. The first day, most of the boats

stayed in visual contact; the next morning we were completely alone. The fleet had literally scattered to the wind.

Each day at noon, GMT, we connected to the satellite and downloaded the weather forecast from NOAA consisting of a synoptic chart and a text-based weather synopsis. The synoptic chart is a simple representation of wind speed and direction and atmospheric pressure— enough information to provide a reasonable picture of the weather we could expect in our part of the North Atlantic.

We settled into a routine that would not change for the three weeks of the crossing. We were three adults, and each of us took four-hour watches after dark. During daylight hours we did not keep a formal watch and even let our two kids sail the boat. Breakfast and lunch were do-it-yourself affairs, while dinners remained coordinated, sit-down events. Valerie did most of the cooking, not so much out of old-fashioned tradition, but because she had created the meal plan and provisioned accordingly. After

dinner, the boat shifted to a night routine, with the adults at the helm and the kids inside until the sun rose the next day, when we would start it all over again.

Sailing the boat was usually an easy, one-person job. The temperatures for the entire voyage were mild, even at night, and we rarely needed any covering beyond a T-shirt and shorts. Standing watch involved keeping an eye out for other boats and making sure the sails were correctly trimmed. Boat traffic was nonexistent. As for sail trim, since we were always sailing dead downwind, when the wind shifted, rather than trimming sails we would alter course slightly. We encountered rough weather in the first couple of days of the

crossing, with winds peaking at 30 knots, and a few squalls as we approached the Caribbean. Otherwise, the wind measured a steady 15 and 20 knots and always behind us. The synoptic charts we downloaded daily never brought us a weather report that concerned us. We could credit this good fortune partly to luck and partly to timing: The rally began in mid-November, just after the end of hurricane season.

On day 19, just as I was taking the 4 a.m. watch from Valerie, the lights of Bridgetown, Barbados, rose up from the horizon. We were all exhausted, proud, and a little melancholy about it all being over. Part of me had expected more of

an adventure, and the other part of me was relieved by the monotony of the trip. Madeleine and William—now 14 and 12 years old—had an achievement in their young lives that few would ever attain, and we hoped the perspective they gained from crossing an ocean will make other ambitions seem more achievable. After a year of cruising, through storms and anchor draggings, deck swabbing and night watches, we were a crew and a family, and we would always be bound by the memories of crossing an ocean together. #

About the Author: Jim Toomey is an internationally published humor writer and syndicated cartoonist best known as the creator of the popular comic strip Sherman’s Lagoon, published daily in over 150 newspapers. In 2015, his wife, Valerie, talked him into buying a sailboat and going to sea with their two kids and the family dog, and he subsequently wrote a travel memoir about the voyage called “Family Afloat.”

410.280.2752 | Located in Bert Jabins Yacht Yard | www.Myachtservices.net

Hove-To off Hatteras

By John Herlig

No sooner had I pointed the bowsprit north than I began to regret every decision I had recently made and none more than the farewell celebration that had taken place in my boat’s salon the night before. It was four miles from Little Creek Marina in Norfolk, VA, to the turn that would take me east and over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel. The winds were northeast and brisk. I motored hard into them in abject misery, hoping upon hope that my luck would change with the turn.

The two-blade bronze prop that propelled my 1967 Rawson 30 cutter Ave del Mar repeatedly lost its bite as she rose and fell, rose and fell, bashing into the Chesapeake Bay swell that pushed opposite our course. With every major bash her speed would drop—often to nearly zero—and slowly build back up as the prop regained its grip in the turbulent waters. It was about halfway up to the tunnel that I puked.

Ahh! Must tell Ben I vomited, I thought to myself. I had achieved near-seasickness only once before on a delivery aboard a catamaran with my friend Ben coming out of Rio Dulce, Guatemala, beating into a stiff easterly Caribbean wind that had us

going bash! bash! bash! just like this. That time it didn’t quite happen. This time it quite did.

I eventually reached my mark and made the turn towards the east, letting out a scrap of jib that I hoped would flatten out the ride. It did not. My friend Matt—the guilty other half of the previous night’s departure celebration—texted me, saying, “After Cape Henry you’ll be good.” If this were to be true, Cape Henry couldn’t come fast enough. For now, I had simply traded beating into the winds on Ave’s starboard bow for beating into the winds on Ave’s port bow. It brought no relief to the ride. At least the urge to purge had come and gone.

The sky above me was the lifeless grey of a banker’s suit as mist—perhaps more than mist, but not quite rain—lay heavy and wet all around. Things believed to have been well-stowed belowdecks proved me wrong during the morning’s bashing. How could I have been so stupid? I know how to stow. I know how to head to sea. Or so I had thought.

Eventually, the turn around Cape Henry came, and Ave let me point her south. That brisk wind fell off to her port quarter. Sails went up. The engine went off. The ride

smoothed out. With one push of the tiller my entire universe had changed. It continued through the night as I made for Beaufort, NC, my next stop and hopefully final staging ground for the trip to St. Martin. Through the darkness I flew, consistently over six and sometimes seven knots. The winds held steady in the high teens. I could feel speed records falling.

In the early hours of the morning the winds picked up and shifted more northerly. I adjusted course in the dark, but there were no sail changes and no drama—just me dozing and Ave screaming along as if we were on the Nevada salt flats.

With sunrise came stiffer winds that dug in firmly on the high side of 20 knots. Soon enough 20 became 25. In went the third reef on the main. Away went more jib. The rigging groaned and shuddered as 25 became 30, 32, and 35. Waves crashed over the decks, one barreling across the foredeck with enough force that I had to check to make sure I still had a dinghy. It felt as if I had been hit by a truck. It became obvious to me that it was time to heave to.

There was no chance of pointing upwind, so I manhandled the jib inch-byclumsy-inch until it was furled, finishing

# The author making adjustments underway from Norfolk. Photo by GoPro

it off with three tight wraps. I grabbed the mainsheet with both hands and pulled until the triple-reefed main was taut to center. I shoved the tiller to leeward, lashed it to the secondary winch with shock cord, and quick as that, everything stopped. I was hove-to, in a gale, off the Outer Banks. I sat in the cockpit for a while, almost unable to believe that the angry winds had been defanged so simply and so abruptly. Then, I went below, ate a sandwich, and slept.

Throughout the day I would think that the worst of the blow was behind me and that it was time to let out some cloth and sail again, but out in the cockpit it never took long to realize how wrong that assessment was. You simply couldn’t feel the force of the storm from the salon when the boat was hove-to. It was sensory illusion.

“You sure you can’t run under it?” asked Ben by satellite text. “You’re getting awful close to the stream.” The Outer Banks lay to my west, Hatteras and Diamond Shoals to my southwest, and the Gulf Stream to my east. All three were worthy of avoiding. With my tether well secured to the cockpit padeye, I leaned out and touched a hand to the water. Still cool. The winds were just too much. Running meant bearing towards the shoals. Back belowdecks. Eat. Nap. Wonder. Wait.

It was late afternoon when the winds abated a bit, easing to 28 knots or so. Over the rail and into the Atlantic went my hand again, sinking into what felt like bath water. This was the edge of the stream. The time to sail again had come.

I centered the tiller, let out a very controlled 20 percent of the jib, and eased the mainsheet. Ave swung south-southwest. Away we went, off towards Hatteras and Diamond Shoals and the Graveyard of the Atlantic. Of course—nod to Ben—running does take the bite out of winds, and the mid-20s on my stern felt about as lethal as a kitten’s breath. The aftermath of the gale was evident in the seas that rolled in from behind and hoisted my boat and me skyward like Apollo—12- to 14-foot seas, large and slow and lumbering and not at

any point feeling like a threat, even when the world disappeared from the depths of their troughs.

The red buoy of Hatteras came and went as Ave and I put a bit more west into our southwest, making for Cape Lookout and the eventual turn towards Beaufort. At 5 p.m. I hailed Marine Weather Center on the SSB radio, looking for more insight into the coming weather. Their advice was clear: if I could get in by midnight, I should get in by midnight. After that, apparently, those winds were going to clock again, and they weren’t forecast to be light.

The sails were wide open all the way to Cape Lookout Shoals, and when the shoals were behind me those same sails came down without hesitation. I started the engine and kicked the throttle forward. Beaufort’s seemingly random array of red and green lights lay scattered before me as I approached in light winds and kindly seas under a nearly full-moon that hung in the night sky like a hat on a peg.

In through the channel I crept, spotlight in hand and breadcrumbs on the plotter. The anchorage was empty. It wasn’t long before my Rocna and its chain were spilling over the roller. When the anchor bit, Ave swung around and settled down in the refuge of Beaufort’s inky midnight waters.

In the end the hardest parts had been pretty easy and the easiest parts had been pretty hard. I couldn’t help but wonder what surprises might be in store when it came time to head out again, when Beaufort became the next port to fade away behind me. For now, it was time to sleep—in the v-berth and without heaving to. #

# John Herlig lives aboard his Rawson cutter, teaches at Cruisers University, hosts the podcast Remarkable Stories, and is on Instagram @sailingave.

# Underway after the storm.

British Virgin Islands: A Prodigal Returns

“Gentlemen, start your engines!” Every morning, this silent command drove an exodus from anchorages throughout the British Virgin Islands (BVI) as charter captains hurried to grab a coveted mooring ball at their next destination before they were all taken. At least that’s what it seemed like nearly two decades ago, when I last chartered a boat in the BVI.

These days, a good number of those captains have their index fingers poised over their phones and tablets just before 7 a.m. in order to snag a reserved mooring at their next stop. The reservations are not quite as hard to obtain as Taylor Swift concert tickets, but if you snooze until 7:04 a.m., you will be out of luck and will have to take your chances with the remaining first come/ first served moorings or—gasp!—anchoring. Meanwhile, the fortunate reservation holders luxuriate in a lazy morning, a midday lunch and snorkeling stop elsewhere, and a slow and easy trip to their numbered ball.

By Eva Hill

Time has marched on in the years between my last sail in the BVI in 2004 and the one I enjoyed in March, and the changes are many. Not least of which is the advancement of communications technology. Where once we found ourselves in West End or Soper’s Hole pointing our flip phones toward St. John in the hope of picking up a signal from a U.S. cell tower, we now happily turn on international coverage on our smart phones or use onboard WiFi to reserve those moorings, return work emails, read our daily newspapers, and check restaurant reviews. So much for getting away from it all. But at the same time, we don’t have to rely on relayed VHF communications in an emergency, as Rick and I once did when trying to reach VISAR to assist with a boat that hit a reef.

Twenty years ago, we were making those carefully rationed phone calls from a monohull—two couples comfortably (we thought then) living aboard a 38-footer with two heads. On this trip, monohulls were clearly the exception

and not the rule. A high proportion of charter boats are now catamarans, both sail and power (as well as that “hybrid,” a sailing cat chartered by a crew that has no intention of sailing and will motor the entire time, because it’s less expensive than chartering a power cat). My crew was guilty of the catamaran preference as well, and our charter company (TMM) didn’t have a single mono in its fleet. Cats provide more space (though not necessarily better laid out) and the illusion of greater stability, which evidently today’s charter market demands.

The market demands not only catamarans, but a level of amenities which I’d previously never seen before in the BVI. In addition to WiFi, many boats now have microwaves, separate refrigerators and freezers, air conditioning and the generators to run them, and (a first for me on our boat, anywhere) a watermaker. No more inconvenient stops for water. If you needed ice, almost every anchorage had vendors happy to deliver ice and collect your trash as they buzzed around in their small powerboats. Not to men-

# White Bay.

tion the guys in North Sound who deliver frozen cocktails at the hour you designate for a mere $15 a pop.

Those frozen drinks are but an example of the overall upscaling of drinking and dining options throughout the islands. From creative artisanal cocktails (e.g. pineapple and jalapeno margarita at the Bitter End) to high-end dining (elevated seafood and steak at the re-imagined Cooper Island Beach Club), there are far more choices for a gourmet experience in the BVI. Thankfully for those of us who want a more traditional (retro?) drink or meal, you can still get a Painkiller at the Soggy Dollar Bar or a chicken roti at Pusser’s. And for me, who doesn’t care to have every meal at a restaurant, the provisioning options have expanded, both for online ordering and grocery stores. The quality is improved as well, so when I prepared ginger wine chicken (from a Tortolan recipe) for my crew, no one had to suffer with freezerburned chicken.

That we would have a lobster dinner in Anegada was a given for my crew. When first sailing in the BVI, we had to get written pre-approval from our charter company to go to that forbidden isle. Though only

a dozen miles away, the flat Anegada was not in the line of sight, and the channels through the reef were not reliably marked. In 2023, every charter boat has a chartplotter, the channel is clearly marked, and there are enough moorings for everyone making the trek to dine on gargantuan crustaceans.

Like Anegada, Jost Van Dyke’s White Bay was redlined in the past. The entrance reef was once marked with a bleach bottle, but the lure of the Soggy Dollar Bar and other iconic bars soon led to better channel marks and eventually mooring balls. Nowadays, White Bay is a three-ring circus. What mooring balls there are don’t appear to be owned by anyone in particular and are not especially wellmaintained (one we tried had no pennant, and another one’s pennant was partially chafed-through). The competition for those few poor moorings is fierce (one yokel was forced to back off a mooring and plowed heedlessly into the reef), leaving a horde of charterers attempting to anchor. Throw in plentiful alcohol, excursion boats

from throughout the BVI and USVI, cruise ship daytrippers, boat renters from St. John, and a three-plus-foot swell breaking over the reef into the anchorage, and you’ve got a recipe for bumper boats and other mayhem.

Cruise ships were making inroads into the BVI in the early 2000s, and there seem to be even more now. We left Road Town with two larger ships in port (and toilets

These sailboat charter companies specialize in sailing destinations such as the Chesapeake Bay, Northeast United States, Northwest United States, South America, Caribbean, Mediterranean, Southeast Asia, and South Pacific. Contact them and book your charter dream vacation today!

# The Hills return to the BVI.

at the charter base which wouldn’t flush for lack of water, which is anecdotally attributed to cruise ships filling their water tanks), but they and their hundreds of guests were easy enough to avoid by sailing away from Tortola. Smaller ships call in Virgin Gorda’s North Sound and off Jost Van Dyke—more difficult to avoid, but with fewer passengers.

Charter boat heads had been a huge problem in the BVI when we first started sailing there in 1993. Manual heads, no holding tanks, and a feeble plea for crews to use shore facilities when possible and not to flush in anchorages created an unpleasant situation that needed a remedy. There are still no pumpout facilities in the BVI, but the heads— many of which are electric and have robust macerators—now have holding tanks that we conscientiously only emptied when well offshore.

Of course, we can only wish that marine heads were not the only environmental issue facing the islands. The one-two punch of Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017 laid waste to the Virgin Islands. While heroic efforts at recovery have shown results, evidence of

the storms abound. Destroyed buildings and boats are scattered throughout, and many establishments are still rebuilding. Bitter End Yacht Club is open for day visitors, but its lodgings are far from complete. Peter Island Club remains closed. Its once-beautiful beach at Deadman’s Bay is a shadow of what it once was. Meanwhile, nutrient outflows and warming of the seas are blamed for

the larger-than-before mats of sargassum marring north-facing beaches.

Despite so many changes wrought by time, some things in the BVI have remained reliably intact. The islands are still lovely, lush and green, with gorgeous waters and beaches to be found. Winter sailing conditions offer at least a few days per week of good sailing winds. And wherever you go, people are happy to see you. #

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The Sailing Club: Outstanding Member, Linda O. Baker

Linda O. Baker loves to take the wheel when the winds are strong and the sails are pulling mightily. Having sailed over 30,000 bluewater miles, she is a source of calm in rough weather; she explains in soft tones to anyone showing concern how to manage and provides a task—because busy hands calm a busy mind.

Linda has always enjoyed a challenge. Once on a whim she and her teenage friends rode bikes to a town some 15 miles

By Mary Ann Gordon

away. None of them had money, food, or water. They wisely rode back home and barely beat the streetlights coming on. But the lesson was learned: Preparation is the key to success. Summer weekends on Lake Erie provided the opportunity to learn to sail a 20-foot O’Day, and she was always prepared!

Linda grew up in Shelby, OH. She still loves Shelby and still has friends there. When they get together, they reminisce

about long bike rides, sleepover parties, high school dances and converse about what everyone is up to nowadays.

Growing up Linda enjoyed trying to keep up with her older brother and sister. They taught her self-reliance and bargaining tactics. When they really don’t want you along, you learn how to bargain your way in or become comfortable being on your own. It’s an unintended consequence of having siblings.

Linda left home early by today’s standards. At the age of 20 she had completed nursing school, was married, and was working in a hospital in southern California. She and her husband returned to Ohio when her two sons came along.

By the mid-1970s, she was raising her boys on her own and moved to New Jersey to be close to an old friend. That old friend owned a 48-foot Hans Chrisitan sailboat, and Linda became his crew, sailing north from Long Island to Maine and Nova Scotia and then south to the Caribbean.

Linda has traveled the world and is still open to new adventures. It is the strength of her good heart, her calm presence, and deep knowledge of sailing that make her outstanding. She is also famous for her Chocolate Rum Cake!

# Linda Baker at the helm off St. John, USVI

Club Notes presented by Quality Cruising Yachts | Deltaville, VA

Jeanneau Sailboat Owners Annual Planning Meeting

By Nancie Merritt

The annual planning meeting of the Jeanneau Sailboat Owners (JSO) took place on April 8 at the Annapolis Maryland Capital Yacht Club, hosted by yacht club members Mario Taisch and Lori Burkhart. Thank you, Lori and Mario, for hosting, once again, this yearly event. As in the past, Paul Novak moderated this information-packed meeting.

Chesapeake Bay Tartan Sailing Club Annual Symposium a Success

By Greg Shields

Some days it feels as if spring is here to stay, and some days as if winter ain’t budging. One sure sign that the boating season is about to burst onto the Bay waters is the Tartan Spring Symposium hosted by the Chesapeake Bay Tartan Sailing Association (CBTSC).

On April 1 (no kidding) the club held its annual symposium at the Eastport Yacht Club (compliments of Crusader Yachts). Our expert organizer, Darlene Forte, presented a full day of speakers to expand our knowledge from birds to boat stories. We’d like to thank our speakers for giving up their Saturday to be with us: Dan Haas, birder; Jack Turner, wildlife photographer; Beth Christman, vice president of the Association of Maryland Pilots; Lara Lutz, editor/executive director of the Chesapeake Bay Journal; Matthew Rowe, assistant director of the Water and Science Administration, Maryland Department of the Environment; Stephen Ritterbush, author of Working Waterfront: A Maritime History of Annapolis and the Chesapeake Bay; and Bob McFarland, storyteller, “Don’t try this at home! A Marine Engine Reborn.”

We have published our 2023 event calendar. For more details and updates, go to cbtsc.org.

First up was Mick Meckler who presented the procedure required for members to use the JSO Group Call number on VHF to contact other JSO members while out on the water for impromptu gatherings. Then, Jean Luc Abaziou gave an informative talk on the use of EPIRBs, PLBs, as well as the rescue side of AIS. Everyone, and particularly those interested in bluewater sailing, learned a great deal about these safety devices. The next speaker, Larry Kaufmann, outlined the agenda including various planned stops for the DelMarVa Loop scheduled for Saturday, May 20 -25. Five boats have already signed up for this adventure, but there is still room for others to join.

Planning for monthly gatherings was next on the agenda. Tia Titgemeyer of Crusader Yacht Sales informed the group that CYS will host a Jeanneau Annapolis Rendezvous the weekend of July 14 -16. The price of $75 per person (plus dock fees) includes meals, prizes, cocktails, and games. It is sure to be a hit for the summer season.

Although a volunteer is still needed for May, Larry and Lauren Vanderveen will plan for June, and Jeff Porter and Mary Church will host the August raftup. Ralph and Margaret Marlett will host in September on their lovely deck overlooking Bodkin Creek, weather permitting. Still to be confirmed: October’s annual Bull and Oyster Roast hosted by John Murray and Jill Hanson.

If you are new to JSO or a new Jeanneau sailboat owner and would like to join us, please contact Paul and Karen Novak at svopiebea@gmail.com. We welcome new members! We are a loosely formed group of Jeanneau owners who enjoy boating and socializing together. See our website at groups.io/g/JSOChesapeakeBay.

BRMSA Officers for Club’s 50th Anniversary Year

Their boats come from the Middle and Northern Bay; their members come from Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, and Maryland. They are the Bay Region Mariners Sailing Association (BRMSA), which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Club leaders this year are pictured above.

A grand anniversary celebration is planned for June 3. It is one of the 21 events the association has planned for 2023. Eleven of the events are on-water cruises.

The BRMSA is a family cruising club on the upper Chesapeake Bay. The purpose of the association is to promote boating safety and education, foster fellowship, and share sailing activities with other members of the association.

BRMSA was founded in 1973 as the Bohemia River Marina Sailing Association by slipholders of Bohemia River Marina. When the marina went condo in the mid-1980s, the name changed to the Bay Region Mariners Sailing Association.

Today members are found in more than two dozen marinas located throughout the upper Chesapeake Bay, with more than half the members coming from marinas in the Rock Hall, MD, area. The club has year-round on-water and on-land events, ranging from an annual symposium to weekend, week-long, and holiday cruises, picnics, crab feasts and more. Learn more about BRMSA at bayregionmariners.org

Expires May 31, 2023

BRMSA officers for 2023, from left: Carl Moser, commodore; Donna Ferron, vice commodore; Barbara Hoffman, treasurer; Debby Evans, secretary; and Jack Evans, past commodore.

Chesapeake Bay Pearson Sailing Association Update

By Martina Sestakova

The Chesapeake Bay Pearson Sailing Association’s (CBPSA) biggest event of the year took place on Sunday, March 19 at the DoubleTree Hotel in Annapolis, when our members enjoyed coffee and Bloody Marys and had a chance to catch up and compare sailing notes.

Our program included elections of our 2023-24 officers, guest speaker lecture, and a raffle. Commodore Jordan Snyder introduced more than nine new members to the club and was excited to get additional planning done for our 2023 sailing season.

Our officers are as follows: Jordan Snyder, commodore; Martina Snyder, vice commodore; Joan Criscuolo, secretary; and Ron Harbin, treasurer.

The highlight of the gathering was a talk by Captain Hans Hoffmann who shared insights about DelMarVa

circumnavigation. His presentation was interesting and generated a lively question and answer session. He also chose the raffle ticket winners: Anne Martin, Joan Brandt, and Scott Hughes. They received gift cards to West Marine.

During the sailing season CBPSA holds monthly events. These consist of multiple raftups throughout the middle Chesapeake Bay and other social gatherings. We always welcome new club members to share sailing experiences, rendezvous, and stories. Learn more at cbpsa.org

Area Professional Captains Association

# CBPSA commodore Jordan Snyder with guest speaker captain Hans Hoffmann

Club Beneteau Chesapeake Bay Welcomes 2023

By Chuck Smith

Twenty-three years ago, a group of Beneteau owners met at Pussers in Annapolis and formed Club Beneteau Chesapeake Bay (CB2). The club was built around the principles of promoting the enjoyment of sailing, developing the exchange of knowledge, and providing educational opportunities on topics of interest to sailors. CB2 members enjoy good fellowship built around the sport of sailing. The club is going strong to this day.

To officially start the 2023 season, CB2 held its annual Spring General Membership Meeting on March 18 at Pirates Cove Restaurant. The luncheon and meeting marked the start of CB2’s 24th season. The gathering focused on the upcoming season. Also, Josh Johns from the Downtown Sailing Center (DSC) spoke about the important work the organization is

accomplishing in Baltimore. Continuing its tradition of charitable gifts, CB2 made a donation to the DSC that will help them serve the community, especially youth and individuals with disabilities and limited opportunities.

A classroom training day was held jointly with Herrington Harbor Sailing Association on March 25. Topics of interest to cruisers and racers alike were covered during the daylong event. This was the first combined effort between the two clubs. The turnout was amazing, and members from both clubs look forward to more collaboration in the future to enhance all members’ sailing experience!

If you have ownership interest in a Beneteau monohull or Lagoon catamaran berthed or moored on the Chesapeake Bay, I encourage you to join Club Beneteau Chesapeake Bay. Enjoy the camaraderie with fellow Beneteau and Lagoon sailors. To join visit cb2. clubexpress.com and click on ‘CB2 Membership Application.’

The marine insurance experts you know and trust at Atlass and Gowrie Group have joined together as Risk Strategies. As specialty marine insurance and risk advisors, we understand the complexities of yacht ownership, sport fishing, racing, cruising, entertaining aboard, and your need for the highest level of protection and risk management. We also offer a full suite of private client services to protect your assets and passions, on the water and on land.

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# Josh Johns from the Downtown Sailing Center (L) and CB2 commodore Chuck Smith presenting the donation.

Quality Cruising Yachts | Deltaville, VA

cPRSA Capital City Regatta: Laser Racing Under the

Monuments and the Planes!

By Nabeel Alsalam and Aaron Boesenecker

The Potomac River Sailing Association (PRSA) hosted our annual Capital City Laser Regatta on March 25-26. Twenty intrepid Laser sailors came out to race on the Potomac River, with views of the Washington Monument, the National Capitol Building, the Washington National Cathedral, and the planes close overhead landing at National Airport. Twenty sailors participated, representing PRSA, Fishing Bay Yacht Club, Huguenot Yacht Club, and Severn Sailing Association.

Day one of the regatta saw very light winds, with just one race held in neardrifting conditions. Day two dawned sunny and breezy. PRO Nabeel Alsalam made the most of the day, sending the

sailors off on six races. There was lots of hard hiking, some exciting reaches, some squirrely downwind runs, and more than a few capsizes in a gusty and shifty eight to 18 west/westnorth-west breeze.

In the end, it came down to the last race to determine the winner of the regatta. Laura Windecker was leading Jon Deutsch on points, and they both had one bullet. Just before the start, the wind shifted left making the pin highly favored. Laura came in on port and hit a hole at the pin with perfect timing to win the start. Meanwhile Jon started at the boat end and could see many boats many lengths ahead. However, the winds were fickle, shifting back

hard to the right just after the start. With all that leverage, Jon was lifted into the lead. He held on to win the race and tie Laura on points. With the extra bullet he won the tie breaker. He took home the vaunted PRSA ping glass with first place etched on it!

In the end, a total of seven races with the standings changing after each race made for a fun regatta regardless of place. Regatta results can be found under the “newsroom” tab here: regattanetwork. com/event/26003#_newsroom.

Sailing Club of the Chesapeake March Hare Icebreaker

One hundred forty Sailing Club of the Chesapeake (SCC) members and guests recently gathered at Harbor Hills Yacht Club on a beautiful spring day. This tradition started 50 years ago as sailors came dressed from working on their boats. March Hare was long-time member Milt Ricketts’s boat, so now the annual gathering is named the March Hare Icebreaker in his honor. We have a new mascot painting, created by cruise leaders’ Allan and Marianne Bernard’s daughter, that will be carried on.

Commodore Chuck Lawrence welcomed guests and congratulated Bill Hough senior, presenting him with his 50-year nametag. Bill Hough and past commodore Bill Torgerson have wonderful stories from the early days of SCC. Bill Torgerson was not present to receive his 50-year name tag but should have it by the time this issue goes to print. The Icebreaker is like a coming out party as the days are longer, sailors are getting their boats ready for the season, and people are happy just to get out, making it one of the favorite parties of the year. Thank you, Nancy Bray-Booth and Allan and Marianne Bernard, and your team of volunteers!

The Sailing Club of the Chesapeake is a small virtual club that promotes sailing, cruising, and yacht racing afloat and ashore for the purpose of furthering the sport of sailing. Nearly 200 members sail, cruise, and race 140 vessels throughout the Bay, the Atlantic region, and on extended international voyages. The membership welcomes sailors interested in learning more about the club. Visit scc1944.clubexpress.com

# Photo by Michael Heinsdorf

# SCC past commodore Bill Torgerson

the 11 Commandments of sailing Like

1. I will commit to making sailing better for everyone.

2. I will mentor young sailors and help them gain access to big boat sailing.

3. I will help people in the boat park and on the dock.

4. I will welcome new boat owners to the fleet, introduce them to other owners, and help them learn the fleet culture and how to make their new boats go better.

5. I will learn the racing rules of sailing.

6. I will put safety first and wear my lifejacket when I should.

7. I will make time to connect with anyone I got into it on the racecourse with and shake their hand, buy them a beer, etc. Even if we are headed for the room, I will remember we are all out there for the same thing—to have fun—and that we just saw things differently.

8. I will thank the race committee, volunteers and sponsors and will go to the regatta party to interact with them and other sailors.

9. I will fly the EWE flag (or sport other EWE gear) to show that I sail like EWE did, and I will always be watching, ready to catch others sailing like EWE did. When I do, I’ll thank them.

10. I will support the mission of the EWE Spirit Foundation on and off the water.

11. I will not forget how lucky I am to be able to sail like EWE did.

Dress Like EWE!

# SCC commodore Chuck Lawrence and Bob Hough

# Potomac River Sailing Association’s Capital City Regatta saw light winds on day one. Photo by Michael Heinsdorf

# Pearson Sailing Association of the Chesapeake Bay member Lynn Lanham

# District education officer John O’Reilly, commander Richard Butler, and members of the ABCW executive committee.

# Back Creek Yacht Club held St. Patrick’s Day gatherings in Florida and Maryland. L to R: Jo Rys, John Yanik, and John Oberright. A season kickoff party and Commodore’s Ball are planned for May.

It’s No Wonder New Members Are Joining ABCW!

Members of America’s Boating Club Wilmington (ABCW) celebrated the ABCW Change of Watch in March at the lovely Schaefers Canal House.

Our leadership works consistently to provide value to our membership. Our members enjoyed a boatload of opportunities during the past year. Those who joined the weeklong Summer Cruise in June spent two days enjoying St. Michaels, MD, on the Miles River. Approximately 60 Vessel Safety Checks were completed by our two ABCW Vessel Safety Officers. Summer raftups were well attended by sail and power boaters. Socials with educational components were held November through February. Members taught Basic Boating courses and taught or completed educational courses including Engine Maintenance, Marine Navigation, and Advanced Marine Navigation. We shared entertaining Lubber’s Line newsletters and honored photo contest winners. Our club received numerous awards from our District V, America’s Boating Club Mid-Atlantic!

We have scheduled a boaters Nautical Flea Market on Saturday, May 20, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at North Point Marina in Rock Hall, MD. To acknowledge National Safe Boating Week, we will offer free Vessel Safety Checks and information on boating education opportunities.

It’s no wonder we have recruited 10 new members in the past 18 months. America’s Boating Club Wilmington is all about “Fun, Friends, and Better Boating.” We learn as we play! Check us out at wilmingtonpowersquadron. org or contact us at wspsboaters@ gmail.com

ABCW group that attended the Change of Watch.

Photo by Mark Hergan

Photo by Al Schreitmueller

Event Schedule

April 30

Welcome Reception Sunday 18:00. Opening Ceremony will follow the end of the Spinsheet Crew Party, and the close of the Annapolis Spring Sailboat Show. The Ceremonies will be open to the public.

May 1-4

Racing starts at 09:00. Daily debrief with umpires follows after racing (approx. 17:30) Racing will occur in the Severn River just off the Eastport Yacht Club weather permitting. Spectators can watch from the seawall at the U.S. Naval Academy and EYC docks.

May 4

Prize Giving Celebration 19:00

Welcome to the 2023 Santa Maria Cup

Race Officials

Chief Umpire

Steve Schupak USA Umpires

John pratt ......................... USA

tom Rinda ......................... USA

Mike Butterfield GBR

charlie arms ..................... USA

Don Becker ....................... USA

Greg Kiely ......................... USA

Jeff Borland USA

Jeff Woodard .................... USA

charlotte Greppe ............ SWE

andrew alberti ................ CAN

Bill Simon USA

On behalf of the membership and staff of the Eastport Yacht Club, I would like to welcome you to Annapolis. The Eastport Yacht Club has a long tradition of running first class Women’s match race events, and it is my pleasure to see the Santa Maria Cup return.

With the help of Visit Annapolis and Anne Arundel Couty supported by the Maryland Sports Commission, the Santa Maria Cup committee and volunteers have spent countless hours rebuilding the event to ensure that it lives up to its root and will be able to carry on into the future.

We have many partners in this effort, the Visit Annapolis and Anne Arundel County Tourism Office, the Maryland Sports Commission, Spinsheet Magazine, Evolution Sails, Sailing Inc, Harken, and many local businesses. On behalf of Eastport Yacht Club, I would like to thank each of our sponsors as well as the local restaurants and businesses who have helped contribute to this event.

The dedication of the EYC volunteers is what sets this event apart from others, and is the heart of EYC. I salute their efforts and am grateful to be a part of this. I am quite certain that our team has organized every detail within their realm of influence, to ensure a successful event. Now it is up to Mother Nature to allow us to have four great days of racing.

Good luck to all of the competitors. I look forward to meeting you all and presenting the trophy to the winning team.

Mark Jones, Commodore Eastport Yacht Club

Dear Friends,

Welcome to the 2023 Visit Annapolis and Anne Arundel County Santa Maria Cup, supported by Maryland Sports!

The Chesapeake Bay is one of the great treasures of our state and an important landmark for the history of sailing in the United States. We are thrilled to host the Santa Maria Cup in Maryland’s beautiful capital city, Annapolis, which sits right on the Bay and serves as an important hub for the arts, a vibrant center of culture, and the home of the prestigious U.S. Naval Academy.

During your stay, I encourage you to see all that Maryland has to offer and explore the unique historical sites and cultural attractions that make our state great.

On behalf of the State of Maryland, I wish the best of luck to all of the athletes from all over the world competing in this year’s event. As a former college athlete, I deeply admire your drive, your talent, and your achievements. You represent the best of the best. I am honored to welcome you to our state and send you my best wishes for a successful and memorable week.

Sincerely,

Dear Santa Maria Cup Participants, Organizers, Volunteers, and Fans, Welcome to America’s Sailing Capital!

We are thrilled to host you here in Anne Arundel County for the second stop of the 2023 Women’s World Racing Tour.

Returning to Annapolis after ten years, we are honored to once again host the world’s only professional sailing series for women, and we look forward to showing you why we are a top destination for sailors and maritime enthusiasts around the world.

Between races, I encourage you to enjoy all that our county has to offer. Take in our beautiful 530 miles of shoreline, visit our many restaurants to enjoy some Chesapeake Bay oysters and crabs, and take a stroll through historic Annapolis to see the sites that sailors have frequented for centuries.

I wish you great sailing conditions, good competition, and plenty of fun during your stay with us and on the rest of your journey. Good luck to all!

Sail fast,

Wes Moore, Governor

Welcome Santa Maria Cup participants and fans to Annapolis!

Steuart Pittman, County Executive

Our City on the banks of the Chesapeake Bay is known as a top destination for sailors and maritime enthusiasts from around the globe. We are excited to have been selected as one of four host cities in this international professional women’s sailing competition.

And how lucky you are! You’ve arrived in Annapolis just as the springtime sailing season kicks off. I hope that between races, you will take time to enjoy our historic City.

As luck would have it, the Annapolis Spring Sailboat Show is happening this weekend at our iconic City Dock, which is a wonderful opportunity to see what’s new. But, we also have a culturally rich landscape, a thriving small business community, and a diverse (and delicious!) foodie scene to rival cities ten times our size. Of course, all of this goodness is underpinned by beautiful views from miles and miles of shoreline. I hope you’ll take some time to discover our amazing City.

For both locals and visitors, getting out on the water is always a treat. On this weekend, when the hard work and talent of professional women sailors is being showcased, I know Annapolis will shine as the world-class sailing and boating destination it is.

I want to thank Visit Annapolis and the Eastport Yacht Club for their work in bringing the Women’s World Match to Annapolis, and I can’t wait to see you out on the water! Cheers!

Gavin Buckley, Mayor of Annapolis

Megan Thomson - NZL

Crew: Anna Merchant, Lisa Dartnall, Maeve White Megan Thomson and her RNZYS Performance Programme team 2.0 Racing have been one of New Zealand’s premier match racing teams for the past few years. The 2.0 Racing team campaigned throughout the 2022 World Match Racing Tour’s US Grand Slam and impressing against some of the world’s best open Match Racing teams. While she isn’t competing around the world, Megan is the RNZYS’s Race Manager and has a wealth of knowledge from plenty of sailing on the Waitemata.

Anna Östling - SWE

Crew: Annika Carlunger, Linnéa Wennergren, Anna Holmdal White

Team WINGS (née Team Anna) has been in and out of the number one spot on the women’s match racing team in the world for the last 10 years. Anna and the team won the inaugural Women’s Match Race Denmark at Skovshoved Harbour in Copenhagen, hosted by the Royal Danish Yacht Club in 2022, and secured the event win with a 2-0 win over French world no.1 ranked match racer Pauline Courtois and her Match in Pink Normandy Elite Team. The team have been sailing together since 2009 and have since reached some dream goals. In 2014, they became Women’s Match Racing World Champions and 2016 they did it all over again and also won their first WIM Series Championship. The team has since worked hard to develop women’s sailing with introducing catamarans and new arenas to the women’s sailing.

Celia Willison - NZL

Crew: Charlotte Porter, Alison Kent, Serena Woodall. Celia is from a Kiwi sailing family and began sailing in an Optimist dinghy at Sandspit Yacht Club when she was seven, progressing through the youth dinghy classes including Starling and 29er. She began keelboat sailing as a bowman on Rantan II (an Elliot 50) competing in many inshore, coastal, and offshore races including Auckland to Fiji race in 2016. Currently Celia is in her third year of the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron (RNZYS) Youth Training Program as a helm having done two years of crewing as a bowman and then a trimmer. The team is very much looking forward to the season ahead on the Women’s World Match Racing Tour.

Nicole Breault - USA

Crew: Molly O’Bryan Vandemoer, Dana Riley Hayes, Maggie Bacon

Nicole Breault is a four-time US women’s match race champion who hails from San Francisco, California. She is a regular top competitor in regional and national open match racing events and has made several competitive forays into the women’s international scene, most notably finishing first and second in the 2015 and 2019 Nations Cup Finals, respectively. Before her match racing endeavours started, Nicole was a history teacher and soccer coach. Nowadays, she finds rewarding opportunities to coach and teach as a volunteer at her home club, the St. Francis Yacht Club.

Bridget Groble - USA

Crew: Morgan Collins, Katherine Klempen, Samantha Foulston

Bridget Groble began match racing in 2015 out of the Chicago Match Race Centre. In 2017, after learning the game through crewing, Groble began skippering some events. In 2018 Bow Down Racing was formed, and Groble and team competed in their first U.S. Women’s Match Race Championship in 2019. In 2021, team Bow Down Racing made it to the petite finals of the USWMRC to place third. In 2022, Bow Down Racing made it to the petits again and are looking to climb this year. Tactician Morgan Collins has also been match racing for roughly a decade as a driver herself, doing very well on the U.S. Women’s circuit. Kate is an excellent team racer and college sailor who made her match racing debut in 2021. We look forward to Samantha bringing her keelboat expertise to match racing this season.

Sophie Otter - GBR

Crew: Harriet Ward, Amy Sparks, Hebe Hemming Team Otter formed in October 2021 and has since made their debut on the World Match Racing Tour and Women’s World Match Racing Tour. The team was formed from a background of strong individual sailors. Between them they hold titles such as Women’s Match Racing World Champions, British Match Racing National Championss and medal finishes at ISAF Team Racing Worlds as well as various dinghy national and international championships. The team is very excited to compete again in the 2023 Women’s World Match Race Tour.

Brooke Wilson - AUS

Crew: Tiana Wittey, Emily Keg, Gemma Burns

Brooke started sailing at the age of eight and grew up sailing on Pittwater on Sydney’s Northern Beaches. She started match racing in late 2019 as a trimmer on an all-female team and more recently has competed in numerous international youth match racing events, including Warren Jones and taking out second place at both Harken and Hardy Cup with Max Paul skippering. She currently sails the ILCA 6 dinghy as part of the Australian Sailing Futures Team and has competed in numerous world class regattas representing Australia and the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron. Brooke and her team founded Amphitrite Racing in late 2022 representing Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron to compete in the John Messenger Women’s Regatta and New Zealand Women’s Match Racing National Championships. The team has a broad sailing background, with plentiful experience in the ILCA 6, 29er, Etchells, and J70 class as well as experience offshore racing and teams racing.

kristine Mauritzen - DEN

Crew: Katrine Ejlev, Christina Andersen, Emilie Nordby Lauritzen

Those Seagulls team was formed in 2022 and is based in KDY, Copenhagen where they train in the DS37 and J/70. Some of the team have been competitors before in the Europe dinghy, some come from the J/70, some from Match Racing, and also from offshore adventure sailing. The team debuted in the Women’s World Match Racing Tour in September ’22 taking seventh place in the Women’s Match Race Skovshoved, Denmark. The team has high ambitions and is aiming to climb the leader board significantly in 2023.

COMPETITORS

Janel Zarkowsky - USA

Crew: Rose Edwards, Meaghan MacRae, Abigail Preston We are Team As One, named for the mantra of the Georgetown University Sailing Team. “As One” means everyone has a part in the success of the team; everything you do to make yourself better makes the team better. We are excited to participate in the 2023 Women’s World Match Race Tour and build upon our seventh place finish at the 2022 World Sailing Women’s Match Race Worlds in Auckland, NZ.

Allie Blecher - USA

Crew: Beka Schiff, Katja Sertl, Ali Blumenthal

Team BAAM consists of four sailors whose collegiate sailing background brought us all together. As a team we won the 2019 and 2022 US Women’s MR Championships. We’ve been active WIM Series racers and are excited to be on the Women’s WMRT this year and beyond. Be sure to say it with emphasis, Team BAAM!!

How To Watch Match Racing

Watching a match race event on the water is just a little different than watching the America’s Cup on TV from the comfort of your favorite Barcalounger. Come on out and watch the Visit Annapolis and Anne Arundel County Santa Maria Cup!

When you go out to watch on your boat, here are a few tips:

• Sailors—keep your sails down. Just use your engine. The wind shadow of your boat extends a long way!

• If a pair of boats is coming at you and you can not get out of the way without getting in the way of one of the boats, put the boat in neutral and put your hands in the air. This signifies to the teams that your boat is stationary; you then become an obstruction under the Racing rules. (By all means, try not to get in this situation.)

• Watch out for the umpire boat! Don’t forget there is an umpire boat associated with each pair of racers.

• Give the rounding marks more room than you might during a regular race, as the competitors might not round it immediately. (And don’t forget, they turn right, not left!)

• Look at the racecourse diagram, and please try to stay outside the diamond indicated.

• Obey the official boats. If someone asks you to back away or go somewhere different, please just do it.

• When trailing a pair of boats to watch, keep a sharp eye out all around—there are six pairs of boats out racing on the same course.

• Keep a sharp eye out for the camera boat, too (it’ll be the boat with the guy holding the TV camera.). T2P.TV will film each day.

Enough rules! Support the sport by coming out to watch!

The volunteers, competitors, umpires, and members of the Eastport Yacht Club would like to thank our sponsors for their support of the Santa Maria Cup and Women’s Match Racing.

Title Sponsors

Gold Sponsors

Supporters

Naval Bagels | Davis’ Pub | Boatyard Bar & Grill | Eastport Liquors

Adam’s Taphouse & Grille | Forward Brewing | Sammy’s Italian Pizza kitchen

Get Amped Up for Weeknight Racing!

By Kelsey Bonham

Weeknight racing is upon us! If you’re not already excited about it, or you’re looking for some extra convincing to try it out this season, Bay racers have plenty of persuasive points. I spoke with Randy Goodman, Prag Katta, and Krissy and Brian Robinson, all veteran weeknight racers from up and down the Bay, about why they keep coming back year after year.

What, where, and how long have you been weeknight racing?

Randy: I race in the Norfolk, VA, area with Little Creek Sailing Association, which is part of Broad Bay Sailing Association. This will be my 16th year, and I own a Sabre 38.

Prag: I’ve been weeknight racing for almost 15 years. My primary fleets have been in Annapolis and Herrington Harbour Sailing Association, and I have my own Inland 20 Scow at Washington Sailing Marina.

Krissy: We currently have a J/22 at Annapolis Yacht Club and a J/105 at Eastport Yacht Club. We’ve been weeknight racing since we moved here in 2005. Before that we were doing it as kids and teenagers in New York, so we’re probably at 40 years!

What do you love about it? What keeps you coming back?

Randy: For a couple of hours, there’s nothing in the world that’s more important than your boat, your crew, and competing. It’s a total escape from the rest of the world. At the end you drink a few beers and watch the sunset on your way back to the marina. What could be better?

Prag: You can find whatever you want in weeknight racing. While some people think of weeknight races as prep for weekend races, that’s not always the case. A lot of the fleets that I’ve been in have been very competitive, certainly enough to get the juices flowing.

# Come for the sailing, stay for the sunset.

# Krissy Robinson on the rail at right, practicing what she preaches: fun! Photos by Will Keyworth

Chesapeake PHRF Mid-Bay Championships

JULY 14 TH - 16 TH 2023

 CRCA (Spin & NS), PHRF Cruisers, and PHRF NS on Cruiser Course

 Great Parties, Live Bands, Prize Drawings, Mount Gay Rum Drinks, Draft Beer, Safe Harbor Zahniser’s Pool… Traditional Screwpile!

 Screwpile and PHRF Mid-Bay Championship Awards

Krissy: Because boats are toys, and you should have fun with your toy!

What is your favorite role?

Randy: I’m typically at the helm. I like it because it’s my boat!

Prag: When I started, I did bow, and I loved it. But I really like the mental side of sailing, so I became crew boss and tactician for a few boats. One of the reasons I got my boat is because I also love driving. If you come in with the attitude that every

position is valuable, which it is, it doesn’t really matter.

Krissy: I like them all. My favorite position is the one that suits the team, and I want to have a team that is so awesome that I couldn’t care less what I do.

Any favorite traditions among your crew?

Randy: We go to a sports bar after the racing and talk smack about each other, both within the crew and within our fleet. It’s always better done over beer and tacos.

Prag: I am a big believer in appreciating the owners, so we always collect for a gift at the end of the year. Also, we have always been very superstitious about having women on the boat—we’ve always believed that we sail better with women aboard.

Krissy: When Brian first started driving in Annapolis and the competition was very stiff, he would get really wound up at the start. I would look at him and I

# Wednesday night racing on the West River.

would say, “Eff it! What do you have to lose?” Now it’s become a 15-year tradition. Before every race, we all put our hands in and make an exploding fist pump and as soon as the gun goes off, we go, “Eff it!” It’s a reminder that this is all just for fun.

Any stories that you’ll never forget?

Randy: We just started our Wednesday night series, and typically the first race of the season in April is kind of crappy, but this first one was perfect weather. It was in the 80s, we had a beautiful sunset; what more could you ask for? Every time is unforgettable.

Prag: When I called one of the toughest maneuvers I’ve ever called, which was gybing behind another boat in the zone at a leeward gate, rounding the gate, dropping the kite, and taking off. I’m not kidding— we gained 10 boat lengths on that move. Krissy: Everybody can tell you about the storms, but I remember the experiences. I remember when Brian went out racing on a friend’s J/80, there was an eightyear-old aboard, and she looked at him and said, “You know what? I think I want to drive!” And he spent the whole season going weeknight racing with her, teaching her how to drive one-design. She just competed in her first North Americans a year ago, at the age of 12!

Anything else you’d like to share?

Randy: What I love is the teambuilding aspect of sailing. It’s fun to do those things that I miss from being in the Navy; it’s fun to watch your team grow and expand their skills while everyone gets closer together.

Prag: People should not be intimidated by weeknight racing. It’s all about finding your niche. Among community sailing centers, sailing clubs, and all of the hubs in the area, there are a lot of opportunities to race.

Krissy: Weeknight racing is an untapped resource to get better. It’s a lot of races. It can be intense. You get so much better at the rules, and you get all these fleets going at different speeds. It’s awesome. Friday night racing, where it’s not serious, you can learn that skill that nobody would let you touch. It’s just fun!

# AYC’s Wednesday Night Race Series in Annapolis.

Southern Bay Race Week 2023

By Lin McCarthy

When you pack for Southern Bay Race Week (SBRW), June 1-4, pack for a casual four-day affair, which includes three days of great racing. Think of it as a mini adventure for the crew, family, and friends. It is a Thursday through Sunday chance to forget the trials and tribulations of the world and immerse everyone in something we all love: sailboat racing.

The warm-up is Thursday at the Open, Welcome, and Check-in racers gatherings. Boats staying at regatta headquarters come through Hampton Roads Harbor and proceed up Hampton River beyond the intersection of Sunset Creek. If you have reserved a slip at or are using the complimentary rafting that host Hampton Yacht Club (HYC) provides, radio the HYC office and slide into the dock area on your port side. You have arrived.

If you are coming by land, you’ll spot the sticks at the docks as you cross Hampton River just prior to freeing yourself

of Interstate 64. Cross Hampton River one more time on local Settlers’ Landing Road, turn on Bridge Street at the Virginia Air and Space Museum, cross the creek, and turn left at the HYC entrance Revolutionary canon. Get your trailer and boat situated with the help of welcoming HYC-ers and join your racing cohorts. They can be found spread over the grounds, docks, and in the clubhouse, making themselves at home.

And so it begins: registration; traditional SBRW bags and Black Seal Rum caps; and the Welcome Party and Skippers Meeting under the regatta tent

(which is attached to the HYC main club entrance and into which you are cordially invited throughout the regatta). You are welcome to enjoy dining and libations in the Dockside Lounge. Noodle the schedule in your welcome bag, check out the Chesapeake Embroidery Apparel display tent, enjoy the music, munchies, and libations at the social. Hope for success at the nightly Racers’ Beer Raffle. You win a nice prize if your bow number is on the iced beer can drawn from the raffle tub.

And there it is: three days of full-on racing and four nights of full-on partying and socializing. The pre-racing weather briefings and post-race awards happen every day.

Rafting at HYC regatta headquarters is complimentary and so is launching, hauling, and trailer storage throughout the regatta. Secure slip reservations at reasonable rates while available; they must be made directly through HYC Manager by calling (757) 722-0711.

In 2023, SBRW also includes: PHRF of the Chesapeake Southern Bay Championship, Viper 640 Atlantic Coast Championship, and Southern Bay Distance Racing Series. SBRW is ready for you. Y’all come racing!

Register at yachtscoring.com. For info or assistance, contact Lin McCarthy at (757) 850-4225 or mcbear@earthlink.net

It’s rowdy racing with laid back socializing… and something for everybody!

# SBRW Photos by Photoboat.com, Courtesy of Lin McCarthy

Please join us for the 3rd annual EWE Spirit Cup Regatta hosted by the Sailing Club of the Chesapeake

This fun pursuit-style race is open to any sailing vessel. Anyone looking to Sail Like EWE and live like EWE should register to sail, fundraise, and join in the post-racing fun. The party will be held at Horn Point Marina and is a Vans and Stepping Out shirts party open to racers and friends of EWE. There will be awards for the top fundraising individual and team plus special Forward Brewing beer for all race finishers. Any individual who raises at least $100 for the foundation will receive a EWE Spirit Cup tech shirt from our sponsor, Team One Newport.

Sailing Club of the Chesapeake

ewespirit.org/ewe-spirit-cup

The EWE Spirit Foundation’s mission is to honor the legacy of Geoff Ewenson by helping those facing immediate hardship bridge financial and social support gaps through mentorship, outreach and financial assistance, thus creating a kind world where everyone has the resources and opportunity to live with dignity, hope and joy.

Chesapeake Racers at the Viper 640 Worlds

Five Chesapeake teams among 33 overall boats competed at the Allstate Sugar Bowl 2023 Viper 640 World Championships at Southern Yacht Club (SYC) in New Orleans, LA, March 26-31. Among their finishes in the competitive one-design class, Jimmy Praley’s Annapolis-based team on Robot Flamingo stood out in fifth place.

“It was our first year in the boat,” says Praley. Before the event the team had competed in the New England Championships (September 24-25 at Larchmont Yacht Club in Larchmont, NY) and all of the winter series events: December, January, and February (all at Southern Yacht Club in New Orleans, LA). The team placed third in the winter series. Austin Powers and Mike Coe, both also from Annapolis, rounded out the team for the Worlds.

“The team is awesome at communicating. Austin and Mike are always adjusting things, talking about where our rig is and sail shape. I have the easy job. I just drive! They really take all the thinking out of it, so I can just concentrate on making the boat go fast,” says Praley.

“We try to keep it light in our boat. When something goes wrong, we talk about it and move on from it quickly so that we can seize the next opportunity. The boat was very well prepared. We made sure everything was where it needed to be. The bottom and sails were in great shape. We tried to eliminate anything that could go wrong.”

There were a number of highlights for the Robot Flamingo team. “I will never forget being tied for first the first day due to no sailing and dead last the next day when we were UFD’d (over early) in the only race of the day,” says Praley.

“The highlight was coming back and winning the next race on day three (day two of sailing). Being at any world championship is great, but to be able to shake that off and come out with a bullet was a total highlight, especially in super breeze

and choppy conditions: 15-18 first race with high swells. Later in the day, it was lighter, and the chop dissipated, so we saw the full range of conditions.”

The team enjoyed the Viper Class’s signature debriefs following a day of racing. “The leaders talk to the fleet about what they were doing. The fleet asks questions about boat set up, on-the-water adjustments, and strategy. The class always shares information among themselves.”

Praley notes that he and his team “had a blast” and that everyone at SYC was welcoming and “super friendly.”

Mary Ewenson and her Evil Hiss team had also sailed in the three winter events. “We felt we were sailing better and better as the winter went on. The conditions on the lake are super challenging, so it was as tough mentally as it was physically.”

Carl Smit and Rob Gorman crewed on Evil Hiss, with Ewenson at the helm for the Worlds.

“My biggest challenge has been starting the boat, and we made great progress on that front,” she says. “We had a couple of excellent starts as well as two UFDs. Proof that we are getting on the line. But, as Geoff would say, ‘It’s bang, then go.’”

“The highlight of the regatta was the last downwind leg on the second day

when we had the boat hooked up and flying and passed two boats on the way to the finish including one to leeward. Smiles all the way around on that one.”

All of the Chesapeake competitors got together for pizza one evening, including Peter Ill’s team (Virginia Beach, VA), Steve Taylor’s team (Suffolk, VA), and Vir Menon’s team (Newport News, VA).

Donning her EWE Spirit hat, Ewenson presented the Geoff Ewenson Giving Spirit Award to Cole Constantineau. The award’s description reads as follows: “In honor of Geoff Ewenson, who so openly and warmly helped so many in the class. Awarded to a person anywhere in the world who has made an outstanding sustained contribution to the Viper Class as determined by a selection committee chosen by the IACP and the NACP.” The trophy was donated by Harken, and the previous winner was Peter Beardsley.

The “11 Commandments of Sailing” was read at the beginning of the event, and the EWE Spirit flag flew at the club and on the RC boat for the entire event. Podium finishers for the Worlds were Jackson Benvenutti (New Orleans), Lee Shuckerow (Ontario, Canada), and Geoff Fargo (Santa Barbara, CA).

Learn more at viper640.org.

# Mike Coe, Austin Powers, and Jimmy Praley receive their award from PRO Taran Teague and SYC Commodore Duff Friend.

Photo by George Hero/ SYC

That Regatta We No Longer Call the NOOD

Helly, Helly, Helly… you can do it! A change in a longtime regatta name is a challenge for sailors, but we sailors like challenges. When the Helly Hansen Sailing World (HHSW) Regatta Series Annapolis (formerly the NOOD) comes to town May 5-7, racing sailors don’t really care what they call it, as long as they sail fast on the racecourse and find time to hang out under the party tent with their sailing friends at the day’s end.

At print time 134 competing boats in 13 classes were registered for the annual event, hosted at Annapolis Yacht Club.

Classes include Alberg 30 (Maple Leaf Championship), Etchells, J/22, J/70, J/24, J/80, J/30 (East Coast Championship), J/35, J/105, Melges 15, Viper 640, Wayfarer; and for the Saturday and Sunday distance race, Beneteau SE one-design and ORC.

The reunion aspect of the HHSW Series is a huge part of its appeal. Sailors will travel from as far as California for the event, with registrations rolling in from East Coast points from Maine to Florida, the Midwest, and Ontario, Canada.

Among local competitors with podium finishes from the 2022 event, many will be back on the racecourse in 2023: Tim Williams on LinGin and Jonathan Bresler on Constance (Alberg 30); Jose Fuentes on Caramba and Matt Lalumiere on Ca$h Money (Etchells); Jeffrey Todd on Hot Toddy and Brad Julian on Yard Sale

(J/22); Pat FitzGerald on Rush Hour and Sam McGuire on Blow’viate (J/24); Mary Ewenson on Evil Hiss (Viper 640); Derick Lynch on Outlaw (J/80); James Sagerholm and the AJ Syndicate on Aunt Jean and Bruce Artman on T-Bone (J/35); Cedric Lewis and Fredrick Salvesen on Mirage and Ray Wulff on Patriot (J/105); Pete Lalli on The Electric Mayhem (Beneteau First SE); and Ben Capuco on ZUUL (ORC).

To register and learn more, including spring weather tips from local pro Scott Nixon of Quantum Sails, click to sailingworld.com/regatta-series and “Annapolis.”

# Parades of spinnakers, in this case J/22s, fill the waters off Annapolis during the Helly Hansen Sailing World Series. Photo by Will Keyworth

Proud supporter of the 2023 Santa Maria Cup, an o cial stage of the Women’s World Match Racing Tour.

PHRF of the Chesapeake Championship Series

Starting in the 2023 racing season, PHRF of the Chesapeake has partnered with several of the premier regattas on the Bay to bring regional championships to the Southern Bay, Mid-Bay, and Northern Bay. It will be an opportunity to compete at the highest level against the best sailors on the Bay.

The first championship regatta is teamed with the signature event, Southern Bay Race Week, and will be the PHRF Southern Bay Championship. The regatta will be held June 1-4 in the waters of Hampton, VA. Perpetual trophies will be awarded for each PHRF class winner (A, B, C, and Non-Spin) and keeper trophies for the podium boats in each class. There is no additional fee for the championship event. The championship winner simply needs a PHRF of the Chesapeake certificate and can be from any region, so bring your boat and your crew and race hard!

The next championship regatta is the Mid-Bay Championship in conjunction with the time-honored Screwpile Lighthouse Challenge July 14-16.

PHRF of the Chesapeake will offer the same perpetual trophies and keepers as the Southern Bay Championship but will add PHRF Cruiser class as well. As a corporate sponsor of the event, PHRF of the Chesapeake is excited to see a championship where Southern Bay and Northern

valid PHRF Cruiser certification—and get this: the certs are free! So, keep the J/70 on the trailer and dust off the Alberg 30 for some fun and competitive racing around the buoys.

PHRF of the Chesapeake rounds out the 2023 championship series with the PHRF Northern Bay Championship September 30 – October 1. The regatta is being co-hosted by Glenmar Sailing Association along with Maryland Yacht Club. Racing will be at the entrance of the Patapsco River. Perpetual trophies and keeper trophies will be awarded as the Southern and Mid-Bay Championships.

Bay sailors meet to determine the best of the best!

In September, we are back to the Southern Bay with Fishing Bay Yacht Club’s three day series, the Stingray Point Regatta, over Labor Day weekend (September 2-4). This regatta will be for the new PHRF Cruiser class Southern Bay Championship. Open to all boats with a

Memorial Day Racing

Among the race events scheduled for Memorial Day weekend are the following. Send racing calendar additions at any time to editor@spinsheet.com

May 26 - The Down the Bay Race

May 27 - Annapolis to Miles River Race

May 27-28 - PRSA Spring Regatta

May 27-28 - SSA ILCA Spring Series

May 27-28 - SSA Snipe Colonial Cup

PHRF of the Chesapeake sailors traditionally compete at the highest levels of sailing both regionally and nationally. We see the PHRF Championship series as defining the best of the best and will submit the winning boats to CBYRA for consideration as the representative for the US Offshore Championship held in Annapolis, racing Navy 44 MK II. The best of the best of the best! PHRF of the Chesapeake!

# The Mid-Bay Championship in conjunction with the Screwpile Lighthouse Challenge July 14-16 will be part of the PHRF Chesapeake Championship series.

Photo by Will Keyworth

# The 120-mile Down the Bay Race unfolds May 26. Photo by SpinSheet

The Hampton Yacht Club Hospice One Design Regatta

Sailors look forward to the Hampton Yacht Club (HYC) One Design Hospice Regatta scheduled for May 20-21 on Hampton Flats. The regatta is open to one-design classes under 25 feet. Eligible classes

include, but are not limited to, Melges 15, Viper 640, Melges 24, 505, Lightning, HOD, ILCA, Sonar, and J/24. To be eligible for a one-design start, a class must have three boats entered and paid by May 13.

Free boat and trailer storage will be offered before, during, and after the regatta for 24 hours. Boats may launch and haul free of charge using any of the three HYC lifts or dinghy ramps.

Organizers have named the Sportsmanship Award after Eddie Williams. Eddie was a NASA engineer and lifelong sailor in many classes including the Hampton One Design (HOD) and the J/24. One of his most notable accomplishments was pioneering the fiberglass HOD.

HYC member Alan Bomar writes, “Eddie’s family donated his J/24 Willi (USA 3439) to Youth Sailing Virginia (YSV). YSV is committed to putting Willi in the J/24 fleet for the HYC One Design Hospice Regatta.”

The event will benefit the Hospice House of Hampton Roads. For the notice of race and registration, visit hamptonyc.com/regattas-registration.

Maryland Cures Cancer Regatta

(formerly Maryland Leukemia Cup)

For the benefit of the University of Maryland Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center

June 24th, 2023

Rock The Dock Post Race at Eastport Yacht Club Featuring the Eastport Oyster Boys

To

# A popular and competitive fleet in Hampton, the Viper 640 class will be at the new HYC One Design Hospice Regatta. Photo by Al Schreitmueller

Small Boat Scene Thanks, Coach!

By Kim Couranz

It can be awkward to have long-formed habits questioned, but what if it helps you sail faster?

While junior sailors get a lot of coaching—whether through high school programs or summer lessons and teams—opportunities for “grownups” to get coaching are fewer and farther between. Whether you sign up for a coached clinic or seek out a coach for a private session, it’s an opportunity you want to make the most of.

Go into your time prepared and with specific goals. Do you want to work on boathandling? Boat speed? Boat setup? (Yes, the answer can be more than one of those.) Make your topics and questions as specific as possible, and communicate those to the coach well before the session so they can construct an agenda to address your questions.

Don’t hesitate to ask about what seems like the small stuff. For example, a few months ago, I was lucky to sail with a team that worked with a coach the day after a regatta. The boat was new-ish to me, and I was having problems figuring out where and how to sit downwind. I literally asked, “Can you

suggest where I should put my feet and butt when I’m flying the spinnaker?”

The coach was able to suggest making sure I was putting my aft-most foot under a certain hiking strap to help orient my body the right way. Seems small, but it was huge.

Have an open mind and be willing to feel criticized (constructively, of course). If you knew everything there was to know about sailing and racing your boat, you wouldn’t need a coach, right? So, if you’re eager to learn from an expert, help them help you. Sure, it can be awkward to have long-formed habits questioned. But if they make you faster? Bring it on. Be open to addressing your flaws. We all have them, but learning from them and building on them is what helps us progress.

Prepare as if it were a race day. Make sure you’re ready to roll well before the coach arrives. Don’t waste their time (and yours, really!) pulling your sails out of your car and rigging or searching for your lifejacket. Get your boat set up for how you would race that day, given the

weather conditions.

Just like practices or fitness sessions, coaching sessions will likely be more exhausting—mentally and physically—than a race day. You’ll do so many more tacks, gybes, sets, and douses than you do on a standard racing day. Make sure you bring plenty of hydration and nutrition, and take breaks during your session to drink, eat, and take a deep breath so that you’re able to take in all the coach has to offer. Then, sleep well the night after, dreaming of all the ways you’ll go faster!

Make sure your coach has a plan to get and share photos and videos. Getting these images from off the boat provides an important and different perspective. Consider mounting a GoPro onboard if you need to focus on boathandling (and that’s something you can do even without a coach).

After the session, debrief together. Technology is your friend. We’ve learned so much about Zoom calls and sharing presentations over the past few years, you can even do post-session debriefs a few days after your on-the-water time if you are time-limited. Delaying your debrief a few days can give coach and coachees alike some time to sort through photos and videos and to identify takeaways and questions.

Keep good notes. Review them together with your team before your next practice session or regatta. Perhaps pick three things for upwind, three things for downwind, and three things for mark roundings that you learned out of your training session you really want to focus on. That will help you cement those newly learned skills into good habits.

Finally, the experience of being coached is not a one-way street. Don’t expect to just be told what to do and for it to *snaps fingers* make you faster and smarter. Go in with lots of energy and questions. Make the experience a dialogue, and you’re sure to benefit.

# Junior sailors aren’t the only ones who can benefit from coaching. Grown-up sailors can too! The author snapped this photo of a coach boat during a recent training weekend.

Staying in Control in Breeze

There’s nothing like the leeward rail buried in the water, the tiller or wheel gripped firmly fighting the pressure, or is there? Actually, any top sailor who specializes in making a boat get from point A to point B as quickly and efficiently as possible will tell you that the real secret to speed is balance and control. Even sailors who may not care about making their boat go a 10th of a knot faster upwind can relate to the need for understanding sail trim and sailing technique as an aid to control. Trim and technique allow you to be the master of your boat when it gets windy, instead of the other way around.

Let’s start with the question of how much heel is appropriate. In quantitative terms, the answer is probably somewhere between 20 and 25 degrees maximum for a displacement monohull, depending on

By David Flynn of Quantum Sails

boat-specific characteristics. Multihulls and high-performance monohulls need to be sailed at minimal heel angles.

Practically, there is a simpler way to know when the boat is tipping over too far. If you have to fight the helm (a rudder angle of more than five to seven degrees), you are heeling too far and need to adjust trim or technique. Heel equals helm. When the boat leans over, it attempts to turn itself back up into the wind; which is referred to as “weather helm.” To keep the boat going straight, we compensate with the rudder, which is fine up to a point. But the rudder is really a brake. Use too much, and it’s just like dragging a barn door through the water, which is not a particularly fast or efficient way to sail.

All sailboats need an optimum of “X” amount of power. A certain amount of heel allows the boat to sail on her lines

and gives the rudder bite and helps create lift. (That’s why you will see racing crews huddled on the leeward rail in light air to induce heel). More than “X” and the extra heel creates drag. Weather helm is the indicator. Sailing with more helm and heel than the optimum can be likened to driving your car down the street on the doors, instead of on the wheels. So, as in all things, we need to strike a balance and find the middle way. So, how does one remain in control?

Ease the sails.

The quickest way to get a sailboat back up on her feet is to ease the sheets. This is especially true when sailing on a reach, when you are attempting to sail more or less in a straight line. Easing mainsail and headsail sheets turns sideways force into forward force. Ease far enough and the

# A suprisingly autumn-like breeze at the summer Oxford Race 2022.

Photo by SpinSheet

Racer’s Edge

sail will luff, spilling excess power. When sailing on a reach, in every puff, the sails can be eased, in part because of the extra horsepower, but also because the apparent wind moves aft. To keep constant rudder pressure and consistent heel, ease in the puffs, and trim in the lulls when reaching. Remember, it is the sails that steer the boat; the rudder is just a fine-tune device.

Feather, don’t fight.

Upwind, the problem is a little more complicated. If we ease the sheets every time we get a puff, we will not be able to sail as close to the wind as we would with the sails trimmed in. We’ll go fast, but will not point well. Upwind, there is a powerful steering technique called “feathering” that makes all the difference. Feathering means sailing by angle of heel, instead of maintaining a constant angle to the wind as indicated by the headsail telltales. If steering upwind when a puff hits, let the boat head up slowly to balance the helm and maintain a constant angle of heel. Headsail telltales will lift, or “feath-

er,” indicating a slight luff. That’s okay; we don’t need the extra power. As the puff lets off, and the boat begins to get too upright, bear off slightly to maintain heel angle. The telltales will begin to stream aft in their normal upwind position. Use the telltales in the lulls, but maintain angle of heel in the puffs by letting the boat head up.

Flatter sails are less powerful. If you have to ease the sheets when reaching, or do a lot of feathering to keep the boat on her feet, it is time for flatter sails. For the headsail, add halyard tension so as to remove horizontal wrinkles (perpendicular to the headstay). If you have a backstay adjuster, add tension to minimize headstay sag. Move the sheet lead aft to flatten the bottom sections of the sail and allow the top to twist off. For the mainsail, add halyard tension to remove horizontal wrinkles (sound familiar?). Tighten outhaul to flatten the lower third of the mainsail. Add backstay to bend the mast if that is an option.

A little luffing is okay. Remember, you only need “X” amount of power, so it’s okay to let the sail luff a little. Upwind, drop the traveler and allow the mainsail to backwind along the forward 20 to 30 percent. Move the jib lead aft, and let the top of the jib luff slightly. If you need to drop the traveler to balance the boat, the jib lead should move aft to match the shape to the mainsail. Reaching, ease the sheets and allow the sails to luff slightly rather than allowing too much heel. If you have to luff both sails constantly (more than 50 percent of mainsail), it’s time to reduce sail area.

Some heel is good, too much is bad. So, the ultimate answer is some heel is good; too much heel is bad. To paraphrase rather badly from an ancient Zen saying, “As in all things, the correct answer certainly lies in the middle way.”

Questions? Email dflynn@quantumsails.com

OAKCLIFF GRADS GO EVERYWHERE

Jasmine Niijar grew up sailing at Piers Park Sailing Center in Boston. She joined Oakcliff as a trainee at the height of COVID and since then, her trajectory has been straight up. She moved from being the Match 40 Fleet Captain and Rigger to her current position, Boat Captain of OC86, the Maxi Boat which will be the largest boat on the start line of this year’s Annapolis to Newport Race.

“I never thought I’d be up a 120 foot rig checking a halyard lock, but I have been there many times. The best part about Oakcliff is you can literally go to any height you choose!”

To learn more about Oakcliff and to join us in supporting their mission visit their website!

Jasmine also has a very cute dog named Marlow – as in Marlow Ropes – who can climb the forehatch ladder when he chooses. Meet Marlow and race the Annapolis to Newport with Oakcliff Sailing.

The Team at SpinSheet loves the work OakCliff does to bring talented individuals into the marine industry.

40 Under 40

Now in its seventh year, Boating Industry’s annual recognition program of strong young leaders continues to put a spotlight on a very unique group of industry trailblazers. Selected from hundreds of nominations from across the industry, these young leaders were chosen based on their multitude of accomplishments and strengths, as well as their passion for the recreational boating industry and their promise to bring their industry into the future. Here at SpinSheet we wanted to offer congratulations to all those selected, but especially to our advertisers who were recognized.

Josh McLean, president of David Walters Yachts, was drawn to the marine industry following his eight-year service flying in the U.S. Air Force. He grew up sailing the Great Lakes as a kid growing up in Michigan. He says, “I was looking for a career path that would enable me to tie together my leadership skills and an aspect of my life that I’ve always been passionate about—boating. At the same time, I wanted a fun and rewarding career with new challenges and people as enthusiastic and driven as I am.” He adds, “The most rewarding aspect of a career in the marine industry is that we are here to deliver the dreams and desires of those who share our passion. And when you’re excited about what you do each day and your customers can sense your enthusiasm, it makes everything much more rewarding. Walking into our waterfront office every morning and feeling the energy around the office, hearing the halyards on the masts through the marina, watching the boats coming and going, and seeing smiles all around reminds me that this ‘work’ is a lot of fun. There are few careers where your passion can be your profession, as in the marine industry.”

davidwaltersyachts.com

New Product

AkzoNobel’s Awlgrip yacht coatings brand is launching Awlcraft 3000, the latest Awlgrip topcoat to feature enhanced color technology delivering truer and deeper colors for professionals and boat owners. The new Awlcraft 3000 system uses the same toner system as is used for Awlgrip HDT, which reduces complexity for Awlgrip distributors. Developed specifically for professional use, the system is coupled with AkzoNobel’s suite of digital color matching tools that support owners in finding the right color for their boat. Sharing the next generation color platform with Awlgrip HDT means it offers a deeper, truer, and more consistent color performance, while retaining the long-lasting, high-gloss finish that its Awlcraft 2000 predecessor is celebrated for. The launch of the new generation topcoat and clear coat comes in a landmark year for Awlgrip in which it will celebrate its 50th anniversary. At launch, the Awlcraft 3000 Clear Coat and a set of readymixed colors will be available for the Asia Pacific, European, and North American markets that include the popular colors of: Snow White, Flag Blue, and Extreme Black. The full Awlcraft 3000 range will consist of a full range of colors, one clear coat, and one binder base (available later in 2023). Awlcraft 3000 will continue to use Awlcat #2 converter and Awlgrip Reducers. awlgrip.com

Celebrating 20 Years

Prestige Yacht Management of Annapolis, MD, is celebrating its 20th year anniversary in business, founded by Kirk Benedict in 2003 alongside his brother, Keith. Kirk says, “(I’m) originally from Buffalo, NY, and while attending Michigan Law School, I visited the area for a summer break with my parents who lived here at the time. I eventually made the decision to make Annapolis my permanent home. My brother was living in Florida at the time while I worked for a charter company, managing their fleet while picking up other jobs here and there. I soon noticed the need for an organized marine service/detailing company in the area, a one-stop shop for boat owners. It all started in a single pick-up truck and took off from there. It wasn’t long before I needed more help. Keith moved to the area where we became the team behind Prestige, and then we hired two employees within our first year. It all started with boat detailing—fast forward, we now have 46 employees, a total of 16 vehicles, a full mechanical staff providing service work, a haul out yard, in addition to offering teak and gel coat services. Basically, anything and everything that revolves around boating we can provide and facilitate, while consistently maintaining our quality of work and customer service which I believe sets us apart from other companies.”

When asked how the milestone feels, Kirk says, “It feels great! Being in the marine industry has given us the opportunity to meet a lot of different people from different backgrounds including many who have become family friends over time. Not being from here but having been in the area for 20 years now, I feel honored and fortunate with how well known we have become for providing these services. With that being said, we are so grateful for every single one of our customers, I can’t begin to express the amount of gratitude we have for them, so thank you. Both my brother and I have kids; if they choose to follow into the business, I hope they love and enjoy it as much as we do.” Speaking of the younger generation, Prestige is connected with local colleges and trade schools to discover students who may be interested in marine industry careers, and they often have high school students employed with them through summer break. Looking forward, Kirk says, “We’re continuously growing on an annual basis, always adding new employees to our team in every department whether it’s detailing, service techs, or our office staff.” If you are interested in meeting the Prestige Yacht Management team in person, they will be attending the fall Annapolis boat shows. prestigeyachtmanagement.com

BRO k ERAGE & CLASSIFIED SECTIONS

D ONATIONS

DONATE YOUR BOAT

Help a Wounded Veteran 240-750-9899

BOATs4HEROEs.ORg B RO k ER S ERVICES

Mike Coe, North Point Yacht Sales

Looking for an upgrade? Spring is the best time to sell your boat, especially in this fast-paced market. Mike Coe at North Point Yacht Sales is an experienced yacht broker who brings outstanding service and dedication to each client. With Mike’s 15 years of experience working as a broker, sailmaker and boatbuilder’s factory representative, he brings technical expertise and broad market reach to each listing. To list your boat, contact Mike today at 410.387-8859 or Mike@NorthPointYachtSales.com www.NorthPointYachtSales.com

S&J Yachts, Brokers for Fine Yachts 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

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

DINGHIES

8’ Fatty knees Sail/Rowing Dinghy Lap strake fiberglass hull, teak trim, center board, folding rudder, mast w/ wood boom, new sail (2021). New lines, new 6’ oars. Trailer: new bearings + tires (2022), needs title. $2,750 Call 443.370.3429 or email wpsheils@gmail.com www.fattyknees.com/specifications.html

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

YaZu Yachting YaZu Yachting is delighted to welcome Arabella Denvir to the team in Deltaville, VA. Arabella grew up in a sailing and boat-building family in Kinsale, Ireland. She has shared her passion for sailing over the past 30 years through teaching; she has owned & run sailing schools in Malta and Virginia. Arabella has always enjoyed sharing her love of sailing and helping people find the right boat, fulfilling their small boat sailing dreams. In joining YaZu Yachting as a broker, Arabella can now extend this activity to bigger boats and bigger dreams! 804.815.0150 arabella@yazuyachting.com www.yazuyachting.com

BOAT SHARING

Sailboat Partnership Available 1983

Hunter 34 partnership looking for new member. Sails great and roomy for its size. Fully equipped. Great value at $3,000 buy-in, $750 annually. Contact Floyd 443.454.8210

8’ Fatty knees Sailing Dinghy Trailer. Cover. Only used 4 times. $4,000 Chestertown, MD. 207.266.5493 or flaxhermes@yahoo.com

SAIL

1972 Cape Dory Typhoon Weekender 18’ Fully equipped and restored. Torqeedo engine, 2 batteries and solar panel. Located in Washington DC at James Creek Marina. $9,000 Call Mark Schoen for info and more photos. 626.660.5823

1983 J/24 For Sale Hull # 3491, built 1983, with good trailer that needs paint. This boat has won J/24 High Point 5 times. The keel and rudder have been faired. I have many spares and extra parts. The sails are good, but you would want new ones for a national level regatta. Settings are marked for North and Quantum sails. $7,000 Email rtpotee@cablespeed.com

SALE PENDING

(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. Early April launch, ready to sail! $8,900 Call 443.822.4096 or artholtjr@gmail.com

FEATURED BROKERAGE

Brokerage & Classified

2021 Highfield CL 290 Never registered or used. Offered at $4,000 firm, over 25% off MSRP of $5,435.31. Call at 609.425.1356

Catalina 30 1985 Tall rig, shoal draft; great for Bay cruising. Single loving owner, good condition, universal diesel, low hours, runs well & ready to sail; needs caring owner. $15,000 Call 443.223.1165

John for more pictures and info at 410.726.0075 or jscollins111@comcast.net

Pearson 30 - Many Upgrades! Renovated Atomic 4, wiring, wheel, large bimini, new rigging, roller furler, mainsail, traveler, toilet, batteries, depth finder, cabin carpet, tiller box, Galvanic Isolator, Garmin plotter, Gel coat. Call 410.268.1058

Catalina 470 ’01 “Comfortably Numb” is a 2 cabin/2 head Catalina 470 with Chartplotter, radar, A/P, A/C, generator, bowthruster, dodger, bimini and enclosure, solar and more. Located in Annapolis. Call Denise Hanna at 410.991.8236 or denise. hanna@atlantic-cruising.com www.atlantic-cruising.com

Pearson 30 1977 Good old boat. Well maintained. Recent 130 Jib and new main. Good Atomic 4. New bottom paint. Everything works! $12,000 Located in Annapolis. Call 240.367.7977

31’ Pearson MkII 1988 Excellent condition. Deck’s balsa core totally replaced (2016) with synthetic honeycomb (impervious to water) and topped with new non-skid deck. New 130% Genoa 2023. Like new 2010 fully battened main. Wing keel 4’. Autopilot. Recent Raymarine VHF, depth, and speed. Clean below decks. Superb solid family cruiser, single hander. Bottom painted March 2023. Offers over $35,000 Contact petert3@outlook.com

To find more used boats, visit spinsheet.com

Owner

Year-old 125% headsail, Hood808SL furler on 3/8” forestay. Twoyear-old mainsail, new stackpack and lazy jacks. New self-tailing, Lewmar#46 main winches. Lofrans-RoyalHorizontal-Manual Windlass. 44#Bruce and 20#Danforth anchors. Dodger, full Bimini over cockpit. Price negotiable, dependent if desired as a bare boat or fully equipped cruiser: $40,000 to $50,000 USD. Details link below or contact owner: John Maliszewski 410.353.8115(M) or jrmalis@verizon.net https://bit.ly/3xAgTHE 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

Jeanneau 53 ‘14 “Zuma” is a three cabin/3 head with new dodger, new batteries, new turbo, electric winches, bow thruster, watermaker and only 2 hours on Onan generator. Located in Annapolis. Asking $320,000 Call Denise Hanna at 410.991.8236 or denise.hanna@atlantic-cruising.com www.atlantic-cruising.com

1978 Palmer Johnson NY40 Modern classic with PHRF90. Fully equipped for blue water or bay. New engine, life raft, roller furling, etc. Lovingly maintained. $29,000 for quick sale. Call 410.830.1176

312 Third Street, #102 Annapolis, MD 21403 410-991-8236

www.atlantic-cruising.com

Hunter 386 ’04 “Isabelle Madison” is a rare Hunter 386 with an electric engine, lithium batteries, new electronics, new dodger, new refrigeration, asymmetrical spinnaker, and more. Located in Annapolis. Asking $119,000 Call Denise Hanna at 410.991.8236 or denise.hanna@atlantic-cruising.com www.atlantic-cruising.com

Lagoon 40 ‘20 “Pasito” is a rare owner version with water maker, Code 0 sail, 1.6KW solar, 8KW generator, upgraded 45hp engines, 2 KW inverter, large dinghy and OB. Asking $575,000 On display here at the Spring Sail Show! Call Denise Hanna 410.991.8236 or denise.hanna@atlantic-cruising.com www.atlantic-cruising.com

‘23

IN STOCK! Limited edition, Performance pack, Sails fantastic, A true performance cruiser, Great for the bay! Call today to schedule a showing/Demo sail. 410.269.0939 or www.CrusaderYachts.com

of the

37’

This new catamaran has won awards around the worldCome see what it’s all about! 37-foot Performance cruiser! Hull #75 IN STOCK 410.269.0939 or www.CrusaderYachts.com

38’

‘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

32’ Allied Seawind ketch ‘76 Five sails, 30Hp Yanmar, C&G stove and oven, depth and speed log, 2 chart plotters. $18,500 Mike 410.446.7258

1995 33’ Dragonfly 1000 Foldable Trimaran for Sale New sails 2023. Two new 9.9Hp Honda outboards. Located in Ocean City, MD. $98,500 Call

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

35’ Chris Craft “Sail Yacht” Classic Sparkman Stephens design, fiberglass hull built by Chris Craft in Michigan. Kubota diesel, Isotherm refrigeration, new head. Featured in Good Old Boat, May 2015. Located in Virginia. $32,500 410.490.1191 studioda35@gmail.com

35’ Scanmar Center Cockpit Sloop ’85 Fine Swedish craftsmanship, light use, excellent condition, new Volvo diesel (50 hrs), recent survey, beautiful mahogany interior, low maintenance exterior. Located in Annapolis. $32,000 Email for inquiries wmmclin@aol.com

1979 Gulfstar 37 For Sale By Third

7078 Bembe Beach Rd., Annapolis, MD 21403

34’ Jeanneau 349

Model Year #841

Excess 11 ‘23 Model Year, Boat

YEAR winner!

Sabre 386

BAVARIA C50 2023

Brokerage & Classified

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

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

66’ CNB 66 ‘21 Well-equipped for offshore/distance cruising comfort. 4 cabins/4 heads with Captain/Crew cabin in bow. Asking $2,550,000 Call Mike Titgemeyer 410.703.7986 or www.CrusaderYachts.com

(Wimsey) 34’ Tartan ‘88 $38,000 David Robinson 410.310.8855 david@curtisstokes.net www.curtisstokes.net

40’ Pacific Seacraft 40 ‘00 Beautifully equipped & maintained, ready for next offshore adventure! Great maintenance & upgrades. Asking $275,000 Call Rod Rowan 703.593.7531 today! www.CrusaderYachts.com

49’ Excess Catamaran

‘23 Pulse

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

409 Chester Avenue, Suite A Annapolis, MD 21403 1.855.266.5676 | info@curtisstokes.net www.curtisstokes.net

(Elf) 35’ George Lawley & Son 1888 $249,000 Fletcher C. Bauman 410.263.2000 fletcher@curtisstokes.net www.curtisstokes.net

41’ Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 410 ‘23 Hull #242 IN STOCK! Very wellequipped! Call your Favorite CYS broker today for more info! Available now for Spring delivery! 410.269.0939 or www.CrusaderYachts.com

49’

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

(Yacht Sea) 32’ Island Packet ‘91 $79,400 Robbins Flynn 251.232.9717 robbins@curtisstokes.net www.curtisstokes.net

(Confidante) 36’ Vancouver ‘82 $60,000 Lars Bergstrom 910.899.7941 lars@curtisstokes.net www.curtisstokes.net

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 $285,000 REDUCED, won’t last long! Call Rod Rowan 703.593.7531 or www.CrusaderYachts.com

Bennett 410.739.4432 or www.CrusaderYachts.com

(Sandalo) 33’ Hunter ‘06 $64,500 Steve Horinek 239.887.0898 steve@curtisstokes.net www.curtisstokes.net

(Hobo) 36’ Cheoy Lee ‘66 $56,500 Robbins Flynn 251.232.9717 robbins@curtisstokes.net www.curtisstokes.net

(Cloud 9) 34’ Catalina ‘88 $37,500 Lin Earley 757.672.2778 lin@curtisstokes.net www.curtisstokes.net

(karen Marie) 36’ Union ‘84 $70,000 Lars Bergstrom 910.899.7941 lars@curtisstokes.net www.curtisstokes.net

To find more sailboat listings and boat reviews, visit spinsheet.com

15

Line Rigged. Loaded

Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 490 ‘23 Performance Cruiser, Furling mast,

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. Price reduced, asking $395,000 Call Gordon

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 jay@knot10.com 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 jay@knot10.com www.knot10.com

2005 Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 54 DS Captain’s layout. Full B&G Yacht Electronics. Call Jay 410.977.9460 jay@knot10.com www.knot10.com

7330 Edgewood Road, Suite 1 Annapolis, MD 21403

2020 Dehler 30 One Design Without question, the most innovative production level boat to come on the market in some time. Contact David Malkin at 410.280.2038 or David@NorthPointYachtSales.com www.NorthPointYachtSales.com

2003 J Boats J/109 A proven winner with Full Range of North Sails, B&G Electronics, Polars and Sail Charts. Contact Bob Oberg at 410.280.2038 or Bob@NorthPointYachtSales.com www.NorthPointYachtSales.com

1995 Sabre 362 A great sailing yacht, well-maintained and upgraded. Contact Bob Oberg at 410.280.2038 or Bob@NorthPointYachtSales.com www.NorthPointYachtSales.com

1994 Hunter 37.5 Perfect for the casual sailor and has been lovingly cared for by the current owner. Contact David Cox at 410.280.2038 or DavidCox@NorthPointYachtSales.com www.NorthPointYachtSales.com

1996 Dehler 37CR Well-maintained and ready to sail away for a coastal cruise. Contact David Malkin at 410.280.2038 or David@NorthPointYachtSales.com www.NorthPointYachtSales.com

2016 Hanse 415 Very nice performance cruiser, well-equipped with spacious accommodations. Contact Chris Beardsley at 804.885.4090 or Chris@NorthPointYachtSales.com www.NorthPointYachtSales.com

(Zephyrus) 37’ Irwin ‘74 Lars Bergstrom 910.899.7941 lars@curtisstokes.net www.curtisstokes.net

(Native) 38’ Herreshoff ‘70 $29,900 Lin Earley 757.672.2778 lin@curtisstokes.net www.curtisstokes.net

(Chaucer Blue) 41’ Morgan ‘77 $37,000 Lars Bergstrom 910.899.7941 lars@curtisstokes.net www.curtisstokes.net

(N2Deep) 42’ Catalina ‘03 $159,500 Joe Evans 843.813.8324 jevans@curtisstokes.net www.curtisstokes.net'

1977 Baltic 42 Newly finished restoration project. Whether racing or high-performance cruising, she is a must see! Contact Mike Coe at 410.387.8859 or Mike@NorthPointYachtSales.com www.NorthPointYachtSales.com

2022 Hanse 460 Commissioned and ready for the next owner to jump the line on a boat that has over a year wait. AST 340 Carbon fiber dinghy included. Contact Jack McGuire at 401.290.7066 or Jack@NorthPointYachtSales.com www.NorthPointYachtSales.com

2001 J Boats J/145 Turnkey example of one of the best J Boat designs. Vast list of new upgrades on this unique and sought after boat. Contact Grady Byus at 410.280.2038 or Grady@NorthPointYachtSales.com www.NorthPointYachtSales.com

1985 Pearson 530 Rare opportunity for an excellent blue water cruise; Several upgrades and meticulous maintenance. Contact Chris Beardsley at 804.885.4090 or Chris@NorthPointYachtSales.com www.NorthPointYachtSales.com

Brokers for Fine Yachts

Annapolis, MD 410-571-3605

Rock Hall, MD 410-639-2777

Deltaville, VA 804-776-0604

Charleston, SC 843-872-8080

Palmetto, FL 941-212-6121

www.SJYACHTS.com

Island Packet Yachts 27’-52’ List your Island Packet with the Experts! S&J Yachts is the World leader in selling IPs. No team knows these boats better! We have buyers looking now for these excellent cruising yachts. Call S&J now for a free market evaluation. 410.639.2777 www.sjyachts.com

Pacific Seacraft 31 ‘19 Nearly new, well-equipped w/ optional equipment, incl. cutter rig, shoal draft keel (4”), bow thruster, anchor windlass, inverter/ charger, reverse cycle AC/heat, and custom hard top dodger. $298,000 S&J Yachts 410.639.2777

www.sjyachts.com

35’ Catalina 355 ‘14 Nicely equipped & very well kept. 2 spacious cabins, 1 head, AC, solar, in-mast mainsail furling, AIS (transmit & receive), dinghy & outboard, professionally installed lithium batteries w/ new wiring & invertor/charger. $195,000 S&J Yachts 410.639.2777

www.sjyachts.com

Bavaria Yachts Quality Performance Style. Enjoy the expertise of German engineering. CR34, C38, C42, C45, C50 arriving this summer for 2023 delivery. Thinking of a new boat or wanting to sell your Bavaria? Contact S&J Yachts 410.639.2777

www.sjyachts.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: 37’, 42’, and 57’. S&J Yachts 410.639.2777

www.sjyachts.com

Shopping for a new or used boat?

410.639.2777 www.sjyachts.com

and maneuverability. $135,000 S&J Yachts 410.639.2777 www.sjyachts.com

410.639.2777 www.sjyachts.com

Alden 44 ‘79 A dream yacht, wellproportioned overall, slender at the beam, sturdily built, big enough to sleep 8, seaworthy & exceptionally pretty! NEW ENGINE INSTALLED 2020. $129,000 S&J Yachts 410.639.2777 www.sjyachts.com

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. $189,500 S&J Yachts 410.639.2777 www.sjyachts.com

www.sjyachts.com

1987

47.7 Spacious 2cabin/2head, ICW friendly design, comfortably suited for 6 aft cockpit, keel centerboard, A/C, Volvo diesel, plus many sail combinations and modern upgrades. $155,000 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

Island Packet 380 2001 Great cruiser w/ excellent accommodations & centerline forward berth. Nice galley, large roomy head. Wide side decks, incredible storage and tankage. 2 boats from $179,000

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. $315,000 S&J Yachts

41’ IP SP Cruiser ‘10 Switching from sail to power? Sit inside in comfort & trim all sails at the push of a button. Enjoy sailing or power like a displacement trawler. Large centerline berth. Spacious galley. Shoal draft. $264,000 S&J Yachts 410.639.2777

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

Bristol

Custom Islander 56 ‘92 Equipped for your adventures! Lloyd’s construction, sailplan options deliver safe, efficient passage-making. Belowdecks, warm, rich cabinetry & luxurious fabrics create elegant social areas. Generous storage. Secure accommodations. Reduced $299,000 S&J Yachts 410.639.2777 www.sjyachts.com

410.629.9186

WWW.YACHTBROKERSOFANNAPOLIS.COM

40’ 2001 Sabre 402 $194,500 This one

owner boat that has been meticulously maintained and it shows! Garmin electronics w/ radar and AIS (2018), newer sails, interior upholstery redone (2020), beautiful cherry interior joinery. This boat is a must see! Call Deanna: 410.629.9186 or Deanna@YachtBrokersofAnnnapolis.com www.YachtBrokersofAnnnapolis.com

40’ 1985 Ta Shing Baba 40 $73,000

Great value! ICW Friendly; 6’ Draft. Full keel, cutter rigged, double-ended, & built to last. This previously overhauled Baba is an affordable, bluewater classic- add your personal touches & go. Contact Allie: 443.534.4952 or Allie @YachtBrokersOfAnnapolis.com www.YachtBrokersofAnnnapolis.com

167’ Custom 3-Masted Schooner ‘07/’15 Major refit 2015. MYSTIC comfortably accommodates 36 passengers/12 crew overnight & 150 passengers for day charters. Great business opportunity. $2,400,000 S&J Yachts 410.971.1071 www.sjyachts.com

23’ 2013 J Boats J/70 $29,900 Lightly used and ready for her next Regatta! Includes: 2.3 Honda outboard, trailer, several sets of used sails including racing sails, extra hardware and lines for rigging. Call Drake: 703.869.8162 or Drake@YachtBrokersofAnnnapolis.com www.YachtBrokersofAnnnapolis.com

40’ 1981 Morgan Out Island 416 ketch $63,000 Shooting Star will make all your liveaboard or cruising dreams come true. Comfort is key with a center cockpit, huge interior spaces & generous storage. Proven, dependable, and ready now! Contact Allie: 443.534.4952 or Allie @YachtBrokersOfAnnapolis.com www.YachtBrokersofAnnnapolis.com

41’ 1996 Freedom 40/40 $124,900

Bowthruster, Newer jib & genoa, Newer sail cover and lazy jack system, Newer oversized bimini with full enclosure, Solar & wind, Dinghy, outboard, davits and more! Ready for her new owners to sail away! Call Deanna: 410.629.9186 or Deanna@YachtBrokersofAnnnapolis.com www.YachtBrokersofAnnnapolis.com

 TRAILERS  VIDEOS  WANTED  WOODWORKING

49’ 2007 Hunter 49 $234,999 This clean Hunter with a spacious three cabin layout would make for a perfect long-term cruiser or liveaboard! Bowthruster, generator, full enclosure, tender, davits, cutter rig, electric winch. Fantastic headroom and roomy layout below. Call Drake: 703.869.8162 or Drake@YachtBrokersofAnnnapolis.com www.YachtBrokersofAnnnapolis.com

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

27’ Hunter 27 ‘05 This tidy pocket family cruiser has a lot to offer for its length. Easy sailing with in-mast furling. Two owners only. $35,500 Deltaville, VA. Call Arabella Denvir 804.815.0150 arabella@yazuyachting.com www.yazuyachting.com

TOO LATE TO CLASSIFY

Read

32’ Tillotson Pearson Custom Pilothouse Motorsailer ‘96 This absolute gem is loaded with classic features. Meticulously maintained, a delight to behold! $69,000 Deltaville, VA. Call Arabella Denvir 804.815.0150 arabella@yazuyachting.com www.yazuyachting.com

35’

343 ’08 Extremely clean, low (550) hours, inmast furling mainsail, new canvas & mainsail 2018, genoa 2020. Chesapeake Bay boat. $85,900 Deltaville, VA. Call Anne Hutchings 804.567.0092 or anne@yazuyachting.com www.yazuyachting.com

804.567.0092 anne@yazuyachting.com www.yazuyachting.com

804.567.0093 or jon@yazuyachting.com www.yazuyachting.com

Call Jon Hutchings 804.567.0093 or jon@yazuyachting.com www.yazuyachting.com

Beneteau

45’ Lagoon 450F ’11 Solar, In Boom Furling, new sails 2018, all electric winches, new upholstery, Lithium batteries, davits, new SD60 saildrives, flybridge hard top w/ full enclosure. $475,000 Cardinal, VA. Anne Hutchings

46’ Bavaria 46 Cruiser ‘16 3 or 4 Cabin/3 head Layout. Tall rig, Shoal draft, Genset, Watermaker, Wind Generator, Davits, Electric heads, New refrig (2022), Dinghy & outboard. $249,000 Hayes, VA. Call Jon Hutchings

47’ Catalina 470 ‘00 Fresh water until 2019, cruised 2019/20. 2 Cabin, 2 head. Updated Raymarine electronics, washer/dryer, aircon, 5’10” draft. $176,000 Deltaville, VA.

MAR k ETPLACE & CLASSIFIED SECTIONS

ACCESSORIES

1-Inch Solid Back Stainless-Steel Rub Rail 100-Ft. Nice drilled 6-inch spacing. Can deliver up to 100-mile radius from Annapolis. $4,000 Call 561.281.5307 ART

Seaside Treasures Shop for nautical decor, beach decor, and more for your lake cottage or beach home! A family run business since 2001. Use coupon “SPINSHEET10” for 10% off! ContactUs@SeasideTreasures.com www.SeasideTreasures.com CREW

ELECTRONICS

Offshore Passage Opportunities Your Offshore Sailing Network. Celebrating twenty years helping sailors sail offshore for free. Learn by doing. Gain Quality Sea Time! Call 800.4.PASSAGe (800.472.7724). Keep the Dream Alive for the Price of a Good Winch Handle! Since 1993. admin@sailopo.com www.sailopo.com

DELIVERIES

Endurance Yacht Deliveries Local and long distance. Twenty-five years of experience with clean insurance approved resume. Power and sail. Please call Simon Edwards 410.212.9579 or email stredwards@gmail.com www.enduranceyachtdeliveries.com

P/T Delivery Driver

Three-day-a-month magazine distribution route in Maryland. 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

Model

H ELP WANTED

Canvas Department Manager - Quantum Sails

We are looking for an experienced Canvas Fabricator to join our ever-growing team in the heart of Eastport. Excellent pay, with benefits. Email your interest to resumes@quantumsails.com www.quantumsails.com

Captain Wanted - Baltimore’s Inner Harbor Weekends and charters during the week. Our boat is an 86 passenger Pirate boat, twin diesel powered. Flexible hours and competitive pay. Go to urbanpirates.com and apply via the Crew Wanted link under Contact Us. admin@urbanpirates.com www.urbanpirates.com/baltimore_crewwanted.html

Electronic Marine Annapolis is looking for a Full- or Part-Time installation technician and an installation assistant to install and service marine electronic and electrical systems on boats. Prior boat maintenance experience preferred. Our Full Time Tech’s work Monday to Thursday, 10-hour days. Pay and benefits based on experience. Our office is located at Bert Jabin Yacht Yard in Annapolis. Please email your resume to Sales@ElectronicMarine.com

Get Paid to Sail! The Woodwind schooners are hiring crew/deckhands. Some sailing knowledge is necessary. Fun people and guests - avg. $27/hour, and lots of great sea time. FT & PT. 410.263.1981. Download application at www.schoonerwoodwind.com/employment/

Gibson Island, MD - Boat Works - Full Time Jobs

We seek several skilled marine technicians and yard staff to diagnose system issues, perform seasonal maintenance, lead repair and restoration projects: varnishing, carpentry, woodworking, or to operate the Travelift. M-F 8am-4:30pm. Benefits: medical, dental, vision, life, STD, FSA, HRA, 11 paid holidays plus vacation & sick time. Join a professional crew of 20! Contact Boat Works: 410.255.8777. Submit resume to: jobs@gibsonisland.com

Marine Mechanic, Port Annapolis - Port Annapolis Marina is hiring marine diesel mechanics. Must have a strong work ethic, require minimum supervision and at least 2 years of experience on power and/or sail. Knowledge of outboards, outdrives, and sail drives is a plus. Salary commensurate with experience. Our benefits package includes vacation days, health insurance, 401K, profit sharing, and incentive bonuses. Send resume to richard@portannapolis.com www.portannapolis.com

The Eastport Yacht Club (EYC) is hiring Head, Lead, and Assistant Sailing Instructors for the 2023 Summer Program. Please send your cover letter and resume to the Waterfront Manager at waterfront@eastportyc.org

H ELP WANTED

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

P/T Delivery Driver for three-day-a-month magazine distribution routes in Maryland. 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

MARINE ENGINES

For Sale: Suzuki 9.9 Outboard Still in break-in period. $1,300 Call Richard: 443.618.6469 or email rjoklik@gmail.com

S ERVICES

Your CNG tanks empty? Been searching far and wide for refills? Considering an expensive conversion? Worry no more, your local refill connection is waiting and eager to help! Call 410.279.7322 or email peterholzinger4@gmail.com

M ARINE S ERVICES

M ARINE

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

34’ Slip for Sale on Spa Creek - at the end of Burnside Street in Eastport. Swimming Pool, clubhouse, parking included! $48,000 OBO Call or text 717.554.8432

For Rent or Sale: Magothy River Boat Slip Boat slip for sale or rent in beautiful condo marina in Severna Park on Magothy River. Gated, pool, complete bathroom, laundry facilities, fuel dock. 26’ x 12’ deep water. Call Holly 301.325.7247

Galesville – West River Deep Water Slips with water and electricity, 20 to 40 feet. $1,200 to $3,500 per year. 410.212.4867

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

M EET E VERETT L ANDON , S MITH I SLAND T OUR G UIDE

You can have your cake and eat it too when you join waterman Everett Landon, owner and guide of Experience Smith Island Tours, to see how watermen live and work on Maryland’s only offshore island.

What makes Smith Island special to you?

I’m proud to call Smith Island my home. As the only offshore island in Maryland, many practices and customs have remained over the years. For example, we kept our Elizabethan language. Family genealogy can be traced back to the time of the first settlers at Jamestown. We are a people who have made a living harvesting from the Chesapeake Bay while learning to live with nature and not against it.

What’s included in your tour?

Our tour consists of a six-hour day trip to three communities on Smith Island. We board at Somers Cove Marina in Crisfield. Our first stop is Tylerton, where you can stroll around and visit Drum Point Market, with its award-winning crab cake. Next, we

stop at a waterman’s crab shanty at Rhodes Point to see the gear and equipment watermen use to harvest crabs and oysters. Culinary lovers will appreciate the Smith Island Cake baking demonstration at this stop. The final stop is Ewell, the largest community on the island. Several gift shops and the island’s museum are located here. A local guide accompanies the tour to share historical details.

What will people see and do when on Smith Island?

Talking to locals, especially the watermen, is the most popular thing to do on the tour. You’ll also see seagulls, osprey, pelicans, cormorants, and bald eagles. There’s a chance you’ll see the goats on Goat Island. Locals say if you see them by the water’s edge, it’s a sign bad weather is coming.

What’s planned for future tours? I plan to add pelican and lighthouse day tours. Smith Island has a large rookery and I believe it is the farthest one north. The lighthouse tour includes the Solomons Lump Lighthouse and the military target ship.

I hear Smith Island is washing away. Is that true? Erosion is one of our biggest problems; also, properties are sinking. I’ve heard generations ago homeowners had to continually work to build up their property. Some would go to uninhabited areas and bring dirt to fill their yards. They used oyster shells to pack the land. It continues to be a problem despite efforts to prevent the loss of land.

What do you hope those who take the tour will remember about Smith Island?

Life on the Bay as a waterman. It’s one thing to read something in a book or be taught by an instructor in a class, but it’s another thing to see and hear firsthand from a waterman who has lived on and worked the bay for decades.

How can someone book a tour? Tours can be booked at experiencesmithisland.com or by calling (443) 783-2079. Find more details on Facebook, Instagram, and Google Business at Experience Smith Island LLC.

About the interviewer: Gwen Mayes is a writer, life coach, workshop host, and docent for the Annapolis Maritime Museum and Park. Find more about her work at anchortoself.com

Interview by Gwen Mayes

# Photo by Elizabeth Landon

WHATEVER IT TAKES.

OCEAN CROSSINGS. FAMILY MEMORIES. MAGICAL SUNSETS. WHATEVER IT TAKES TO POWER YOUR ADVENTURES.

SCAN TO CONTACT A QUANTUM LOFT