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2019 Sailing Season on the Chesapeake

64K views 519 replies 53 participants last post by  chef2sail 
#1 ·
Can the mods make this thread a sticky as they always do please

It's a new year (almost) and the most posted in Sailnet continuous thread lives on. Happy New Year, good health and safet travels to all😄🤘🌪

Our plans this year include a 3 week trip at the end May to the Long Island Sound and the Mystic, Greenport, Sag Harbor and Newport areas. Hopefully we meet up with some native SN up there ( SanderO are you listening)

Also a traditional 13 day mid September excursion to the the southern Chesapeake reaches , including Yorktown, Hampton Roads, Northern Neck of Virginia stops



Anyone planning any interesting excursionions.
 
#50 ·
Finally took the plunge, my 1st...Bought a Dufour 31 in a slip on Kent Island on New Year's Day. It's an older boat but the price was right...just need elbow grease and some parts. I've been going down every other weekend to do the work that I can. Am going down this weekend to sleep aboard for a 2 day work schedule. While it may be cold, I can't wait! Sleeping bag City!
I'll not be a pain to all of you..you've all been fantastically helpful and supportive over the years that I've been around...but am sure that I'm going to need some sage advice.
The benefit of having chartered so many different boats for 30ish years is that I get a real feel for the differences...I have a good feeling about this one...
Wish me luck...am in.
Pat
 
#53 ·
Temps in the 60's on Sunday...one small problem.
"It will also warm us into the 60s on Sunday. But that comes with the price tag of strong winds…which could reach the 50 to 60 mph range."

Hurry up real spring!
 
#55 ·
Sunday turned out to be a glorious day for a sail, a bit windy with some pretty wild gusts at times but beautiful. When I first was clearing the creek, it was still cloudy, damp, and cold. As I turned into the wind to raise sails, I was confronted with square whitecaps, and some gusts that heeled the boat before the sails were even raised. I thought what's wrong with me going out in this crap. Any sensible senior citizen would be home on the sofa petting the cats.

But once I got sails up and things tidied up, and the boat settled down, it was a real romp of a sail. Even nicer, once the clouds cleared and sun came out it warmed up pretty quickly. I made a very fast trip out towards Thomas Point, made a quick pass through Annapolis Harbor and buzzed the tourists strolling at the end of the city dock, and made a quick trip home, dropping sails at the end of my pier and wasting not a moment of sailing time. Of course, I was back in the slip with the sails down and folded before the serious winds kicked in.

The only casualty was my backstay adjuster pennant. I had been planning to replace it since it had started to fray where it was in the cleat when the backstay was really honked down on. The cover gave up the ghost when I pulled in a lot of mast bend during a particularly gusty portion of the sail. When I got back to the dock, I replaced it with a piece of salvaged Kevlar cored main halyard that I had kept around for the past half dozen years for just that purpose.

It was one heck of a windy night. At one point, this morning Thomas Point was showing an ambient wind of 38 knots with gusts to 42. I think that I was sensibly petting the cats at that point in time.

Speaking of senior citizens, has anyone heard from Gary in a while?

Jeff
 
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#56 ·
Sunday turned out to be a glorious day for a sail, a bit windy with some pretty wild gusts at times but beautiful. When I first was clearing the creek, it was still cloudy, damp, and cold. As I turned into the wind to raise sails, I was confronted with square whitecaps, and some gusts that heeled the boat before the sails were even raised. I thought what's wrong with me going out in this crap. Any sensible senior citizen would be home on the sofa petting the cats.

But once I got sails up and things tidied up, and the boat settled down, it was a real romp of a sail. Even nicer, once the clouds cleared and sun came out it warmed up pretty quickly. I made a very fast trip out towards Thomas Point, made a quick pass through Annapolis Harbor and buzzed the tourists strolling at the end of the city dock, and made a quick trip home, dropping sails at the end of my pier and wasting not a moment of sailing time. Of course, I was back in the slip with the sails down and folded before the serious winds kicked in.

The only casualty was my backstay adjuster pennant. I had been planning to replace it since it had started to fray where it was in the cleat when the backstay was really honked down on. The cover gave up the ghost when I pulled in a lot of mast bend during a particularly gusty portion of the sail. When I got back to the dock, I replaced it with a piece of salvaged Kevlar cored main halyard that I had kept around for the past half dozen years for just that purpose.

It was one heck of a windy night. At one point, this morning Thomas Point was showing an ambient wind of 38 knots with gusts to 42. I think that I was sensibly petting the cats at that point in time.

Speaking of senior citizens, has anyone heard from Gary in a while?

Jeff
Reading this makes me believe it's almost time to get down to Whitehall and takes the winter canvas off.
 
#64 ·
Visited Haleakula yesterday. Got the winter canvas off yesterday and made Ali see the of mine or projects and commissioning stuff.,

We put the dodger and Bimini on, Donna tweaked it over the winter as last year was new and it always comes with minor adjustments. Plan is to start going down weekends now. Probably start the Yanmar next Saturday and recondition all the fresh water systems. Take a tour ok f alone fittings with the rachet set, amazing how some loosen up. We'll wait a few weekends for the dinghy.

Plans are to take her to Hartages on West for a short haul and waxing as well as rig inspection , a new Raymarine wind IInstrument (birds got to the last one), and akeel check.

All in prep for a mid May 3 week trip to Newport, Cuttyhunk, Sag Harbor, Greenport, Northporg and other stops on the LI Sound.
 
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#65 ·
Hey,

The weather mid May is very 'interesting' on the Long Island sound. The water is still cold and it can be rough.

Please let me know when you're in my area( port Jeff) . I'd love to get together.

Barry

All in prep for a mid May 3 week trip to Newport, Cuttyhunk, Sag Harbor, Greenport, Northporg and other stops on the LI Sound.
 
#66 ·
Looks like around May 21 - May 30 area.
Would love to get together
Last time we were up we stopped in Mt Siani and anchored overnight. Thiink we spotted you boat. Do you still keep it there?
 
#67 ·
I headed to the boatyard today to wet sand the bottom. Temperature under the canvas cover was 99°F. After 30 minutes of setup I was ready, but then realized the water is still turned off. It will be on by tomorrow. I did 1/3 of the boat from a bucket (filled at the clubhouse), but it was slow going, so I stopped and dry sanded the shaft and masked off anodes to prep for zinc paint. It was too windy to spray it today.

Hoping for April 14 splash, but various factors may delay it by a month.
 
#70 ·
Spent yesterday commissioning Haleakula for the new sailing season. Donna and I cleaned all ty being terior cabinets, reinstalled the filled propane tanks, polished the interior wood, put the grill , lifesling, and horshoe back on the rail.

Figures...snow flurries tonight.
 
#71 · (Edited)
Yesterday was a beautiful sailing day on the Chesapeake. Decent (albiet shifty) breezes, lots of sunshine and almost no one around. I went sailing with a fellow who had never sailed before. He did great for a first time out. It was neat to see his joy as the things that he had read about turned real in front of his very eyes.

Jeff
 
#72 ·
Do you guys have recommendations for boat rental for new sailors in the Annapolis/Deale/Galesville area? My wife and I took the 101 course last fall and would like to rent (or join a club) to get our feet wet on something like a Catalina 22 or 25. The eventual goal is to buy a boat, but probably not for the first year or so.

I'm hoping you folks could point me to the right place to look for this sort of thing. I live in Springfield, VA and I've begun looking into the sailing clubs on the Potomac, but I'd honestly rather do my sailing on the Bay. I'm open to joining a sailing club if it's not *super* expensive. Also, single-day rentals would be good.

Thanks for any info you can provide!
 
#73 ·
Do you guys have recommendations for boat rental for new sailors in the Annapolis/Deale/Galesville area? My wife and I took the 101 course last fall and would like to rent (or join a club) to get our feet wet on something like a Catalina 22 or 25. The eventual goal is to buy a boat, but probably not for the first year or so.

I'm hoping you folks could point me to the right place to look for this sort of thing. I live in Springfield, VA and I've begun looking into the sailing clubs on the Potomac, but I'd honestly rather do my sailing on the Bay. I'm open to joining a sailing club if it's not *super* expensive. Also, single-day rentals would be good.

Thanks for any info you can provide!
https://thesailingacademy.com

The owner was in our Sailing Association. Really nice family.
 
#75 ·
Tommorow our sailing season begins

Looking to continue with our Spring commissioning tomorrow and fire up the hibernating Yanmar.
Plan on staying tomorrow night. Probably anchored out on one of the Severn Creeks or Mill Creek/ Whitehalll Creek.

Grilled Rockfish is on the menu with dirty rice and grilled pears with gorgonzola cheese.
 
#76 ·
Decided to stay tied to the dock. Winds gusting over 40 all afternoon. Didn't want leaving the slip for the first time this year to turn into a spectacle.

Nice and cozy inside. So we grilled the fish , but decided to eat below, which is a a rarity for us. Just good to be back on Haleakula
 
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#77 ·
First sail of the season in the books. Beautiful out today. Very light wind . The water temp showed at 45 degrees in the middle of the Bay and 50 in our Creek. The breeze off the water required sailing gloves, sweatshirt, wind pants and good windbreaker. Haleakula showed no issues.

Was a great day for hot chocolate underway
 
#79 ·
It was a glorious day indeed. We lubed 3 old Grogo's, put on new reg #'s (she's only 20' LOA, so no CG reg), waxed the hull, replumbed galley sink (removed the jerry-rigged nest of valves PO had installed in attempt to use galley pump for salt water rinse), and finished removal of 'shelf' PO had installed in v-berth locker.

The only sailing we could have done was on the hard, but I did sit in cockpit during a break, and made little swishing/sailing sounds :)
 
#81 ·
Looks as thought I will be joining you guys for the 2019 season at least.

My job needs me out in Martinsburg Wv for at least the next 3 months. Near term, I am flying out next week and getting rolling with the job and using off days to do a little recon on a place to stash the sailboat then once I get that figured, I'll fly home and trailer it out from Kansas City for the duration to give myself something productive to do on my off days.

Just wrapped up some engine repairs out here and have everything back installed and mostly aligned, just need to double check everything now that she's sitting in the water and not on the trailer.

Also need to do the usual pre-trip trailer overhaul work. Repack all the bearings, replace any worn brake bits, check the everything. I usually trailer a decent distance every year so it's in pretty good nick, I just need to make sure it stays that way.

It will be nice to be in an area that has marine services. There is nothing here where I live and nothing to speak of any of up the portions of Lake Superior I generally travel out to. It would be a delight to get my boat up on some hard stands and vigorously attack my swing keel and potentially get some custom canvas work done.
 
#83 ·
Haleakulaon the loose today with a nice sailing day. Temps in the high 60s. A few shakedown tacks across the Bay to Hemmingways and we are currently anchored on Mill Creek for the night near Orchard Marina.

Dinner is Grilled filet mignon , grilled portabellas marinated in aged balsamic vinegar , chopped salad with gorgonzola and grilled pears and petite butter potatoes ( on the grill of course). Accompanied by a David Bruce Russian River Valley Pinot noir.

So peaceful and relaxing to get out
 
#84 ·
Quiet night at anchor followed by the passage of the cold front. Motored home the 1/2 hour rather than tack back and forth in 40 knot gusts. Always challenging putting Haleakuka into her slip without ping ponging in during these kind of conditions, but we seemed to get it right today.

Just in time as Gale warnings just stared,
 
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#85 ·
We were supposed to splash this weekend but it was too windy for the travel lift. They will try again one day this week. The yard did manage to use a genie lift to replace my windex, which had fallen victim to a winter bird attack. Maybe we'll get out for our first sail (probably not overnight though) this weekend. Forecast is showing it warming back up as the week goes on. Saturday was beautiful.
 
#86 ·
I'm in the middle of the sand/paint process. It was finally warm enough this weekend to start sanding. Khaleesea had a lot of barnacle damage this year (as did many others, by the looks of the yard), so the process is slower than it might otherwise be.

About 75% through the electric conversion process too. I can't wait to drop her in the water and see how far I can get on a full charge.

My wife is looking to redo our decals. The front runner is a full length dragon spitting lightning. :)
 
#87 ·
Family issues over the past several months lead us to choose not to renew the lease on our slip for this season and we have been unsure if we would launch at all. Now things have settled down some, so we started looking for a slip. Unfortunately we were not really happy with the offerings at our current marina, or or previous one just across the creek, so we continued looking and found an opportunity that is perfect for our current situation on West River in a condo slip. Since we haven't had a minute to think about boat prep, it works fine with us that the slip isn't available until May 1.

We've decided to give it a try this season, and see how we like it. Will take some time off in April to sand a paint the bottom and wax the hull, then we'll be headed a bit further north for the season. Thinking we could be anchored out on Rhode River on Friday nights from this new location, and Annapolis, Chester River and Rock Hall will be easy options for weekend cruises. Our favorites off the Choptank will be a bit further, but Eastern Bay will be about the same, if not closer. Really, just happy to be thinking we'll have some time on the boat this season after contemplating staying stacked the whole season.
 
#90 ·
Good to hear.

Don't forget the Wye and it's many gunkholes.
And for that matter the Magothy
If you see us give us a shout.
We frequent the same spots you mentioned
 
#88 ·
The West is a pretty ideal location for having lots of weekend overnight choices. Marinas there will be on the top of our list when we eventually decide to try keeping our boat on a different part of the bay.
 
#91 ·
Speaking of the Chester River, I was looking at the map recently at the Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge. The eastern shore of that island looks quite nice for an overnight. Has anyone done this, and how is it? Are there any restrictions there?
 
#92 · (Edited)
I've occasionally seen boats anchored there when passing by. The coves and creeks are very shallow but if you have a shoal enough draft (<3 feet) it looks like it would be a great place to explore. I don't see any anchoring restrictions although you'll probably encounter a lot of crab pots and pound nets. The main thing is if you do go ashore to be sure to dock or beach your boat or dinghy at a designated public landing and to otherwise honor the rules and operating hours of the refuge.

If you want the natural beauty of the refuge with more depth and greater protection from the fetch of the river, going a couple of miles up to Grays Inn Creek is a great alternative.
 
#97 ·
Two weeks ago, I launched my Morgan 33 OI and motored 17 miles from the mouth of the Susquehanna River to the top of the North East River to Bay Boat Works to have some repairs done. The weather cooperated, but by the time I arrived, I was shivering like a hound dog pooping peach pits. I need temperatures higher than my age! ;)

The repairs will take about a month, then this old fart is gonna put up the sails and head down Chesapeake Bay for the Atlantic, might make the Delmarva Loop, or just might sail down to South Carolina to visit some friends. My health issues will determine all this, and the past six months has been pure Hell. The lungs are a lot worse, I'm on supplemental O2 24/7, my back and shot, and some other issues recently popped up. Gettin' old ain't fer wimps and sissies!

I rarely am on the forum anymore, though I hope to see many of you while out cruising this summer.

All the best,

Gary
 
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