Eye on the bay
##Of the eight skipjacks competing, six were home-based in Deal Island.
Ida May Wins Deal Island Skipjack Race
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Photos by Shannon Hibberd
abor Day weekend brought “As a young man, Ebb-Tide worked light westerly breezes to Deal on his father’s skipjack, the Louise Miles. Island for the 58th annual As he got older, he eventually owned 12 Skipjack Race, which caps skipjacks, a bug-eye, and various other a weekend of festivities including oyster and crab boats. He hired captains concerts, arts and crafts, a car show, and crews and had boats working out the blessing of the fleet, and Chesaof Annapolis, Kent Island, Cambridge, peake Cowboys’ docking contests. ##Ida May at rest. According to Captain Shawn Ridgely, “The light-air day worked to benefit Ida May.” Remember the skipjack that flipped a few years back during the event? That was Ida May. “We added ballast for this one,” says the skipper, who notes that the conditions were perfect for their boat. Ridgely’s crew of 18 included Mike Oh as mainsheet trimmer, SpinSheet photographer and Deal Island. The Ida May was EbbShannon Hibberd, and the Gladden Tide’s last purchase in 1954, shortly after family, who own the skipjack. Hurricane Hazel blew through.” According to the skipjack’s website: Although she’d been rebuilt and was “Gordon and Elbert Gladden, Jr.’s in great condition, by 1990, the wooden father, Elbert Gladden, Sr., known workboat was in bad shape. With their as ‘Ebb-Tide,”’was born and raised in father in failing health, Gordon and Chance, MD.” Elbert made the decision to restore her 72 October 2017 spinsheet.com
in 1991, but by 2005 she was rotting again. The brothers had her hauled and started tearing out the rotted wood. “We had no idea how bad things were, and if we did, we’re not sure we would’ve rebuilt her,” says Gordon. “We had to remove and replace the bottom, the keel, the sides, the stem, and sampson post.” The Gladden family restored the boat from 2005 until she went back into the water in 2011. The annual Deal Island Skipjack Race might be just one windwardleeward race for eight boats, but to a local family who’s owned a skipjack for 50 years, victory tastes sweet. Ida May is on the National Register of Historic Places (idamayskipjack.ning. com). For more about the races, visit: dealislandchancelionsclub.org. Top three finishers: 1. Shawn Ridgely on Ida May 2. Delmus Benton on Fannie L. Daugherty 3. Wade Murphy on Rebecca T. Ruark