Delmarva 2009

[zz4gta]

I'm fine with adjusting the date in either direction for better night visibility. Any apposed?

[badsanta]

not me. when ever the most can make it

[craigtoo]

What would the new date window be?

[zz4gta]

Good question, I also am in favor of when the most people can make the trip. If it works out to provide moonlight than so be it, but a new moon doesn't bother me.

Instead of picking back up dates, lets try to nail down a week when the most can make it. Who would like to do the trip during the week of Memorial day? May 25th? I would start my trip from mid bay heading north on the 23rd or 24th to get up to the bridge/ annopolis area. If others hava a better idea about when to do the trip, let me know, and I'll start another post with a poll, so we can vote.

[pdqaltair]

Regarding Chincoteague, the channel does move from year to year - no question. However, the Coast Guard has a large station and a buoy tender in Chincoteague and the markers are plentiful on-station. There is a feet of fishing trawlers that go in and out, and in speaking with the Dock Master, he assured me that some draw 12 feet and manage.

Getting to the town dock is easy, up to 9-foot draft. Getting to the gas dock is not if you draw over 4 feet; go at high tide, which should give you another 4 feet.

There are three books that detail this approach: Circumnavigating the Delmarva - A Guide for the Shoal Draft Sailor is a story and a guide book, covering all of the required detail and providing internet citations for the rest; Eastern Shore, Western Wind is a well written story and picture book that gives an excellent feel for the experience, with wonderful photography; Between 2 Bays and a Sea is sort of an up-dated re-make of Eastern Shore, Western Wind and is a good read too. I believe all of these are available at Alibris: Used Books, Used Textbooks, Rare & Out-of-Print Books - that is where I found mine.

There are other inlets along the coast, usable by small sailboats and powerboats, but impractical if you draw over 4 feet. Books speak of them in more detail.

[Jotun]

Once upon a time, wasn't there an annual Delmarva rally/race? It would be great to see that started again. I might be able to follow along for a portion of the cruise, but there's no way I could take two weeks off.

[zz4gta]

Originally Posted by Jotun

Once upon a time, wasn't there an annual Delmarva rally/race? It would be great to see that started again. I might be able to follow along for a portion of the cruise, but there's no way I could take two weeks off.

Two weeks was a worse case senerio. I think most are planning only to take off a week (5 days) of work such as myself. However, if a huge storm rolls in, I'll explain to my employer that I can come back a day late, or not at all, and my family can notify them of when the funeral service will be held. I don't plan on sailing in anything above 30 knts.

[chucklesR]

My yacht club (Welcome to YCCSC's Web Site) used to do a Delmarva race annually under the CBYRA - Haven't done it since the 80's as a lack of sponsorship and shrinking of the membership occurred.
It takes a lot of people to man up on those.

I generally would prefer to sail at under 25 knts, it's a home not a hobie

[mccary]

Originally Posted by chucklesR

My yacht club (Welcome to YCCSC's Web Site) used to do a Delmarva race annually under the CBYRA -

Wasn't that race called "The Great Ocean Race"? My brother did that race 2 years. It started at Annapolis #2 and went North (motored through the canal and then raced down DE Bay and down the coast and entered The Bay at Cape Charles turned North again and raced back to Red #2.

One year the boat he sailed on was worried about battery power (this was before the advent of GPS) and in an effort to save juice they didn't turn on the RDF (radio direction finder for those of you too young to recgonise the term) until the passed sea buoy that alerted them they were somewhere off the NC coast (way too far south). The next trip they were becalmed in Southern Chesapeake and anchored as they watched other boats slip back-wards.

[brokesailor]

I am in Cobb Island on the Potomac. I would be intersted in joining in my own boat if we leave before Memorial Day. Can't take vacation the week of Memorial Day. Where do I sign up?