For clarification, we are moving any discussion on this even to the scheduled cruising forum. This is not a race, but a changed to get out as a group and challenge yourself, test your boat setup, and maybe take somebody new along. Myself, my younger brother from TN is coming up and has very minimal experience sailing. Since he is going to be around for a week, I challenged him to do this with me.

If there is a change you will attend, please fill out the registration on the calendar entry for the event:

https://chesss.clubexpress.com/content.aspx?page_id=4002&club_id=27349&item_id=1637367&event_date_id=255

Here is the link to the Antique & Classic Boat Festival & The Arts at Navy Point -

https://cbmm.org/events/annual-festivals-and-special-events/antique-classic-boat-fes

Doug

Vice Commodore

s/v REVOLUTION

1987 CS 30

Dog,

I do not see the 'scheduled cruising form' that you mentioned. You might want to add a link.

I have signed up to participate. If you have not been to the Classic Boat Festival at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum (St. Michaels), it really is a treat. The last time I was there it was packed with wooden boats and some classic plastic of all sizes and an amazing range of types. It looks like the Museum is offering a two-day ticket at an affordable price especially for us seniors.

I psyched!

Jeff

CHESSS St. Michaels Challenge of 6/18/2

Ahoy CHESSS Members,

I wanted to share my experience from the challenge sail to St. Michaels. For the event, my younger brother Chris joined me. He has very little sailing experience. The two previous sailing events were on very windy days in my 1976 C&C 24 in 2017 and 2018. It seems, he has a particular ability to conjure up very breezy NE - NW weather from Tennessee. How that happens from the south, I don’t know.

Saturday, we left Tracy’s Landing at 8:30 am with 15kt breeze gusting to 20kts. I am just 3 months out form a 4-level lumbar spine fusion, so I didn’t want to overdo it. After a short while, we reefed the main and jib. The wind and sea state going up wind to Thomas Pt. Lighthouse was fine in my 1987 CS 30 REVOLUTION. I have sailed REVOLUTION now in most weather conditions on the Chesapeake since I acquired her in 2019 and find her more than willing to sail any condition with proper seamanship.

We made it in record time under sail to Thomas Point before the 10am scheduled rendezvous. Unfortunately, none of the members who signed up for the event showed. So, shortly after 10 we turned down the bay and down wind to Bloody Point. It was a real blast sailing down wind. We clocked breezes now up to 26kts and boat speed to 10 kts. We never felt like the us or the boat were working hard.

As we neared Bloody Point before 11 am, the alternative rendezvous location, CHESSS Commodore Rich announce from his s/v Alacrity that he was approaching Eastern Bay. We could see him about 2nm away under reefed main alone.

We rounded Bloody Point and watched the shoal on the chart plotter to skirt north of 84A. It worked out well. As we sailed around the point, we jibed the main and sailed a bit wing and wing, even with the genoa furled. Then after a bit, we jibed the genoa and pointed up Eastern Bay. Even with the very breezy conditions, and gusting conditions, the sail was comfortable and manageable. With our speed, the apparent wind moved a bit forward, so we needed to frequently trim sails. It is all about how much sail you have out, sea state, and thinking ahead to plan your activities.

While the wind had some very high gusts during the trip, I saw 29kts once, they were mostly building gusts. You could feel and watch the wind indicator build and know it was coming and steer and trim sailed accordingly. Also, the breeze was such, the sea state was not ominous. Seas were not confused. They sea state was mostly very directional with the breeze. The sea state did build higher further from shore, but as you rounded Kent Island, the sea state dropped significantly. I think the biggest sea state was in the area across South River, where there was a longer stretch which, the breeze could build energy in the water.

As we turned south, we were greeted with a nice downwind run to St. Michaels. The sea state did increase again a bit, but it was fine running down wind. We initially eased the sails out to run on port tack south, then sheeted in and jibed for the final run south through the channel.

We made it in record time. We arrived at St. Michaels around 1pm. I pulled out my jack lines for the main, furled the genoa, dropped the main and waited for our Commodore. He was close behind. We anchored up in Fog Coved. Later, my brother and I went to Harrisons for dinner. We settled back to the boat for a relaxing sunset and evening playing some cards.

The next day we got a ride in the Commodore’s dingy and we all went to Carpenter’s saloon for a Father’s Day power breakfast. After breakfast, my brother Chris and I headed back though the museum and got a taxi to the boat. We left around 10:30 am and made it back to Tracy’s Landing around 2:30 pm. We did motor north initially, but as soon as we could turn SW down eastern bay, we set sail. Wind again was solid 15-20 kt gusting to 25+kt. But given our sail management, it was a very comfortable sail back.

We were all disappointed that others who signed up didn’t join us. It was a good day to work on seamanship and heavy breeze sailing. There was very little powerboat traffic, and no commercial boats crossed us either day.

Sailing shorthanded is a great way to figure our if all your running rigging is working in a way that is manageable and learn what you and your boat comfort zones are. I must say, while every skipper needs to know their limits, getting out and working and stretching your skill development for all conditions is important and fun. You never know when your out there when the weather forecast could change in timing and impact your sailing plans. Having the skills to adapt with changing conditions is important. Building those skills and experiences will give you greater confidence in your vessel and allow you to enjoy more days sailing.

Hope you can join us for a future event, whether cruise or race. Speaking of racing, please consider trying the Governor’s Cup race to St. Mary’s July 29. It is always a fun experience and there are frequently changing conditions. If you need crew to join, let me know. I have some crew I can recommend that are good at shorthanded sailing.

Cheers,

Doug Ellmore, Sr.

Vice Commodore, CHESSS

s/v REVOLUTION, 1987 CS30

We're never going to harangue any of our members for exercising risk assessment. We're all different ages, sailing all different kinds of boats and we all have different limitations. We call them "CHESSS Challenges" not "CHESSS Cruises" because they are an opportunity to step outside of your comfort zone by sailing in challenging conditions but that doesn't mean that skippers shouldn't perform their own risk assessment and make their own decisions.

I sailed over, but I stayed an extra day because I had no desire to needlessly put wear and tear on my boat by smashing my way home. Revolution had an easier path home than I did or I also would have left on schedule.

Socialization is a function of attendance. If no one attends, then there is no socialization. We didn't raft up but I did row over to Revolution in my dinghy for conversation after we arrived and we all had breakfast together the following morning.