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2010 Races & Events
2010 Races & Events
Event
1. Annual Meeting Severn Inn (Annapolis) (COMPLETED)
6 March (Sat) 2009 1200 -1600 Contact: Marc Cruder 410-987-9616
2. 2010 Long Cruise (COMPLETED)
30 May - 5 June 2010 Contact: Marc Cruder 410-987-9616
3. Patuxent River Shootout (COMPLETED) - 4 July 2010 Contact: Steve Flesner 410-586-8179 or Butler Smythe 240-298-2602
4. Parson's Island - TBD
5. Corsica River Races
24-25 July 2010 Contact: David Park 410-827-4168
6. Great Whitehall Race(Labor Day Weekend)
5 September 2010 Contact: Butch Miller 410-271-2540
7. CTSA Old Salt Race
10 September 2010 Contact: Van Nield 410-268-6008
8. Prospect Bay Race
11 September 2010 Contact: Roger Compton 516-656-3243 or MD #410-827-6019
9. St. Michael Small Craft Festival
2 October 2010 Contact: Dave Park 410-827-4168
CCBA Annual Meeting
6 March 2010
Severn Inn Annapolis MD
The Chesapeake Catboat Association met 6 March 2010 at the Severn Inn for their Annual meeting, which was well attended by both old and new members. People came from all over the Chesapeake area came to hear what was in store for the new season, as well as renew old and initiate new friendships.
With displays, slideshows, catboat related books as well as photos of events past presented for all to see the, the event successfully identified what we hope will be the best season for the organization. The organization has also gained two new members who have brought their Nonsuch 22 sailboats into the fold, and another member (Steve Flesner) recognized by the national catboat organization for his service to the CBA. During the meeting his wife Lois was specifically recognized by our Commodore (Marc Cruder) for her ability to put up with our Roving Ambassador’s treks in search of catboats, catboat builders and those that associate themselves with these unique craft of the bay. How many 17’ sailboats are taken on weeklong (+) cruises of the bay? Not many.
MID-WESTERN SHORE - CCBA CRUISE LITE 2010
“The Sail Everywhere Without Going Far From Home Cruise
INTRO: Having completed some rigorous distance work last year by staging the cruise start from the Patuxent River so we could do a week on the Potomac, a change of pace is in order for this year. Except for those coming up from the Patuxent (and I can think of at least two skippers), this is a sail everywhere, cruise-lite itinerary which provides the opportunity to explore some not so usual places in what would otherwise be home waters for most of the core cruisers. Due to last year’s wind challenged sun scorcher, we also opted to move the cruise up a week and incorporate Memorial Day weekend. Our focus will be the rivers of the mid-western shore starting and ending in the vicinity of the Rhode/West River, but venturing only as far north as the Magothy River and as far south as Herring Bay, including a creek stop on each river in between. The legs are short and should be good sailing regardless of wind and weather. We will be spending minimum time in the open bay, so away from commercial shipping and generally protected. Herring Bay and specifically Rockhold Creek has some interesting possibilities and may give us good reason to take a slip with the requisite amenities including dining ashore. So get your chartbook out and perhaps a copy of the Anne Arundel ADC Street Map Book (which in some cases provides better detail for the more obscure and less obvious locations). Here’s the plan….
SUNDAY 5/30: Anchorage: WHITE MARSH CREEK – Rhode River
Plan: Initial rendezvous site. Enter the Rhode River at the Flashing Red #2 daymark and continue almost due north following the channel buoys. After leaving the green #7 daymark to port, pick up the #1 green dead ahead taking you out of the river and up Bear Neck Creek. Blue Water Marina (Orme’s) is to starboard and identifiable by its collection of red buildings and one of the few remaining marine railways. Continue up the creek to the left and then past Rhode River Marina recognizable by its ample Boatel. White Marsh Creek is the next creek to starboard. Ponder Cove is up the creek a bit, on the port side. Look for WANDERER’s green hull and sundown buff stick. Plan is to come ashore and “cook what you brought” for dinner on the shoreside outdoor barbecue pits available at the community Beach Club. Some slips may be available as well as limited room for beaching, but do not block the launching ramp. Otherwise there is plenty of room in the creek to anchor out and at least one dinghy (mine) available for transportation. There is an industrial porta potti on the grounds and our future retirement bungalow walking distance up the street will be available for showers somewhat camp style (read original well water). There are no fuel/facilities on the river, so be prepared for this first night.
MONDAY 5/31: Anchorage: FORKED CREEK – Magothy River (22 mi)
Plan: Depending on wind and tides, we should have a nice northeasterly run once out of the Rhode River up past the entrance to the South River, with an opportunity to pass Thomas Point Lighthouse (the oldest screw pile light in the bay) close aboard to starboard. Continuing on we will pass the mouth of the Severn River, the remaining submarine towers on Greenbury Point and Whitehall Bay before transiting under the Bay Bridge. From there, use Sandy Point Lighthouse as your turn to port shaping up for the narrow entrance into the Magothy River. Leaving the flashing green #3 off Persimmon Point to port and opposite the tip of Gibson Island to starboard, proceed another 2.5 miles to Ulmstead Point, marked by the #9 flashing green day mark. Turn to port and mind the buoys, holding close to the #4 red daymark at the end of the bar that almost blocks the entrance to Forked Creek. Once inside, depth increases and we will look for a suitable anchorage spot. There are no facilities on this creek, but stops along the way include Selby Bay on the South River, Annapolis on the Severn River as well as Deep Creek, first creek on the south side of the Magothy, home to Fairwinds and Deep Creek Marinas.
TUESDAY 6/01: Anchorage: CRAB CREEK – South River (22 mi)
Plan: Again with reasonable mileage planned, laying in or exploring deeper into the Magothy is an option before heading out in the morning. Retracing our steps out of the Magothy, head south past Annapolis and around Thomas Point into the South River. The buoy system here is a formality as there is plenty of water shore to shore. Proceed up the river about 4 miles finding the #4 red daymark off Ferry Point to starboard and then come right to find the entrance to Crab Creek. Favor the starboard side of the entrance leaving a piling reported there well to port. Continue past the small cove to port. Best anchorage is reported to be past the second point to starboard in 10-12 ft. Again no facilities on this creek, but Selby Bay enroute this anchorage and Liberty Marina at the route 2 bridge as well Mike’s Crab House at the Riva Road bridge.
WEDNESDAY - 6/02: INDIAN LANDING - Severn River (18 mi)
Plan: With our destination just back up to the Severn River, there is again plenty of time to explore any and all creeks on the South River. Proceed back down river turning north up the bay, around Tolly Point and into the Severn. Transit up under both bridges, past Round Bay, a distance of almost 8 miles to the last charted buoy, the green #13. This marks the entrance to the Severn River Narrows. Proceed another 1.5 miles until you see two small islands on the chart, First Island to port and Second Island to starboard. We will look to anchor in 8 feet of water just east and north of Second Island. Get there early. This could be an interesting place to explore by dinghy or kayak once anchored. Continuing a theme; there are no facilities this far up the river, but plenty along the way.
THURSDAY 6/03: Anchorage: ROCKHOLD CREEK – Herring Bay (25 mi)
Plan: With some mileage in the offing, an early start will be necessary. Exit down the Severn and south on the bay continuing past the South as well as the Rhode/West River giving Horseshoe Point at Shady Side a wide berth due to clearly marked shoal water. South of Thomas Point Light, being conservative, you can keep the line of green can buoys to port as a guide until you reach the flashing red #2 day mark at Herring Bay, but this takes you considerably south, before you need to turn north again to pick up the #1 flashing green that marks the entrance to Rockhold Creek. Alternately, you can “catboat navigate” much closer to Horseshoe Point, then pick your place to cut across Long Bar shoal which is well marked on the chart. Our plans get somewhat fluid from here depending on weather conditions. Once you pick up the channel into Rockhold Creek, there is a suitable cove just to starboard that we could anchor in then dinghy ashore to the restaurant at Skipper’s Pier, but it is unprotected from the southeast. There are other alternatives further up the creek that would include/necessitate taking a slip and facilities. These include Paradise Marina to starboard or Shipwright Harbor to port, both with suitable dining ashore nearby. Final destination to be determined pending number of boats on the cruise and final local recon.
Note: There is a stray CBA member we met 2 years ago in Mystic who owns a Herreshoff Eagle and runs a marina on Rockhold Creek. I need to contact him and discuss descending him with a litter of catboats….more to follow.
FRIDAY 6/04: Anchorage: SMITH CREEK – West River (13 mi)
Plan: With our needs ashore fulfilled and a low mileage day, departure will be as ready. Suggest allowing plenty of time to explore. Coming out of Rockhold Creek, cut across the Long Bar shoal again and head north up to Horseshoe Point, then around Curtis, Mckinley and Cedar Points, giving the first two sufficient berth to stay in good water as you round the Shady Side peninsula shaping up on a southeasterly heading for the West River. If you are going to explore the Rhode River again, you will pass its entrance to starboard. Although we transited the main portion of the Rhode at the start of the cruise, that did not include the large area on the south side just before Bear Neck Creek. It is home to the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, which means undeveloped as viewed from the water and worth a look. Consult your charts and keep a weather eye out for remains of High Island and Big Island as you navigate around. If you don’t go into the Rhode, just pick up the marked channel into the West River. Galesville is on the right with all manner of slips, restaurants, fuel, etc. Continue past, staying to starboard as you come up on Chalk Point ahead of you. We will look to anchor in the basin where Smith Creek bends to the west in about 5 ft.
SATURDAY 6/05: HOMEWARD BOUND
Plan: Trek home, fair wind as weather/seas allow. Supplies in Galesville as you exit.
GENERAL CRUISE NOTES:
1. Sunday to Saturday cruise routine to accommodate those with normal working schedules.
2. All legs are short, so sail everywhere/explore all corners of these normally familiar waters.
3. A dinghy is handy, but not a necessity, since there are always one or two along.
4. Facilities are more than sufficient and somewhere on every river, so plan accordingly.
5. Keep your VHF on and give commercial traffic the right of way. CH 13 is bridge to bridge.
6. As always, anchorage locations are the key to finding the group. VHF channel 72 will be monitored by Wanderer with radio checks at 1200 and 1700 daily. I can also be reached on my cell phone at 202-680-3803. For more info or questions, contact me at home: 410-987-9616.
See you on the water!
ADDITIONAL NOTES:
Regarding Rockhold Creek -
- Paradise Marina is to starboard on Rockhold Creek just past the green #15 - there is a sign on the dock and you will see a Marshall 22 named HESPER moored there. It is a newly renovated marina with empty slips, not really set up for transients, but here's the deal...
* I told him 8 boats at $1 per foot
* Shower and bathrooms ashore will be available
* Price was contingent on everyone walking down the street a block and eating at SKIPPER'S PIER, that you passed on the way in on the point to starboard, and which John also owns
John is a local who had a catboat in his youth so was very interested in our making this work. He said someone will be down at the docks by 3pm the afternoon of 6/3. His cell phone number is 301-832-6578. It all came together easily so let's make it work. My original plan of anchoring out is really not practical and Paradise is the nicest (renovated) place on the creek. Up by the bridge at Deale Road is Sherman's, where there is Herreshoff Eagle tied up but fast deteriorating for those who want a peak. We met Frank Sherman at CBA a few years ago, but the yard did not have the ability to accomodate our group.
So there are your final instructions. I have been inside the resturant at Skipper's Pier and it is on the water is the type of place we are accustomed to. You can find them on line at www.skipperspier.com. I'm sure it won't be jumping on a Thursday night, so catboaters coming by land are welcome. You guys should make quite the scene in little Rockhold Creek with 8 catboats.
See all of you Sunday afternoon 5/30 at Ponder Cover. Several slips will be available as will anchoring out or temproarily nudging up to the beach. Charcoal and drinks will be provided. Bring something to cook. Matt is living in the house up the street for the summer while working on WOODWIND, so facilities will be available to the group.
Now get those catboats ready!
2010 Paxtuxent River Shootout
The Chesapeake Catboat Association’s Patuxent River Shootout was held over the July 4th weekend using the Calvert Marine Museum as the venue for the weekend’s successful activities for the first time. Their willingness to host our diverse group was much appreciated and the public got to see and hear about our boats as well. We mustered a record 10 boats that included a Handicat 14 up to the massive 25’ wooden Shoveller. Most boats arrived the 3rd, with races and potluck dinner – followed by fireworks – on the 4th. The race this year did have some wind, thought not steady through the race and it was called as most of the boats drifted in the current after only one lap of the course across the Patuxent River, with the Solomon’s boardwalk a great place to see the start. Battling shifting light winds, current and the ever-present powerboats that made tacking in the light winds all but impossible, Butch Garren on his Nonsuch 22 won the day. Dave Bleil in his Mystic 20 and the other Butch (Miller) in his Marshall 18 followed. The rest of the boats are listed in either engine ON sequence, or an estimate of where they were relative to the “finish” mark when the race was called. Another interesting wind even that perplexed the organizers for venue to support wind, the course and avoid the ever-present powerboats and jet skis that we can’t seem to avoid. Our thanks to Kent Mountford for supplying the last minute RC boat as well.
The Results:
Place
Skipper BoatDesign
Skipper BoatDesign1 Butch Garren No Name Nonsuch 22
Butch Garren No Name Nonsuch 222 Dave Bleil Gull Mystic 20
Dave Bleil Gull Mystic 203 Butch MillerDustyMarshall 18
Butch MillerDustyMarshall 18~4 Mike Crawford Shoveller Fenwick Williams 25
Mike Crawford Shoveller Fenwick Williams 25~5 Glenn Hall Time Herreshoff America 18
Glenn Hall Time Herreshoff America 18DNFMarc CruderWanderer Wittholtz 25
Marc CruderWanderer Wittholtz 25DNFButler Smythe Caerulean III Menger 23
Butler Smythe Caerulean III Menger 23DNFSteve Flesner Scotty Marshall 15
Steve Flesner Scotty Marshall 15DNFDeborah KerrPatience Handicat 14
Deborah KerrPatience Handicat 14DNS Alan SuydamNo Name Nonsuch 22
Alan SuydamNo Name Nonsuch 22
