You say you demand a boat that shields your friends and family from the seas and the weather with militarylike might?
By Lenny Rudow 29
See the Bay
A cruising journey through favorite Chesapeake Bay destinations.
By Tim Smale
The British Invasion of the Upper Chesapeake
Most people probably think of the siege of Fort McHenry when thinking about the War of 1812, but the story actually begins a year-and-a-half earlier.
By Bart A. Stump, Photos By Jennifer Stump 35
Winterization: Preparing Your Boat for its Winter Slumber
Whether you are a DIY owner or hire a professional, there are always things to do for decommissioning.
By Erik Lostrom 38
Journeying North on the ICW
While reminiscing on past trips (and mishaps).
By Gary Armstrong 52
Classic Boat
Onaway, built in the 1920s, continues to turn heads wherever she goes.
By Kaylie Jasinski presented by AnnApolis GelcoAt
Dodger, a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever, enjoying a boat ride on a 1980 Shamrock 20. Dodger was the runner-up in this year’s cover contest, and you can read more about his family’s classic boats on page 52. Photo by Madeline Vachon
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PropTalk is a monthly magazine for and about Chesapeake Bay boaters. Reproduction of any part of this publication is strictly prohibited without prior consent of the officers of SpinSheet Publishing Company. SpinSheet Publishing Company accepts no responsibility for discrepancies in advertisements.
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Member Of:
1. Boat insurance isn’t just for accidents
2. Accidents can happen to anyone
With comprehensive coverage, you’ll also be protected nancially for theft, vandalism, and unexpected events like storms if you need repairs or replacements due to damage.
When accidents happen, boat insurance offers liability coverage for damages or injuries you cause while boating, up to speci ed limits. It can also cover lawsuit costs if you’re sued.
3. Boat insurance can cover medical payments
Boat insurance offers a range of optional medical payments coverage limits, helping to cover medical expenses if you’re in an accident or someone is hurt on your boat, regardless of fault.
ve things you should know about boat insurance
Are you ready to embark on your next on-water adventure? Before you set sail, here are ve things to know about boat insurance.
Progressive Casualty Ins. Co. and af liates. Product features are subject to policy terms and conditions and may not be available in all states or for all vehicles and coverage selections.
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**Sign & Glide® is an optional coverage you can add to any Progressive Boat policy and costs $30/annually ($50/annually in Florida). Prices are subject to change.
4. Most lenders require boat insurance
If you nanced your boat, you’ll likely need boat insurance since most lenders require boat insurance to protect their investment. Additionally, some marinas or municipalities require proof of insurance for docking.
5. Progressive offers specialized boat coverages
Ever worry about getting stuck on the water?
Progressive’s Sign & Glide® On-Water Towing coverage** can help. It’s an additional coverage that steps in if your boat is disabled or breaks down on the water, paying for on-water towing, jump starts, soft ungroundings, and fuel delivery. Fuel cost isn’t included.
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How Lucky Are We?
By Kaylie Jasinski
“You’re cleaning your boat again??” is a common refrain from my grandmother (when not in use I keep my boat at her house). When I remind her that I clean (and sometimes wax) it every time before I take it out and every time that I bring it back, she grimaces in disbelief. And then we inevitably have the same discussion the next time.
In her younger days my grandparents owned and operated a crabbing business, and I can guarantee that that crabbing boat, beloved as it was, rarely saw soap and fresh water. So her questioning ‘again?!” every time she sees me grab my bucket never fails to bring a smile to my face. “Seems like a lot of work…” she’ll say. And she’s not wrong. It’s often a lot of work and there’s not always a huge payoff.
Most of us, even ones who work at a boating publication, have a 9-5 schedule that requires us to be chained to a desk five days out of seven. So that leaves only two days a week, along with the occasional weeknight, to get our boating in. And sometimes even that can feel like an impossibility.
Just recently I got the boat all scrubbed down and waxed and planned to put it in the next morning but woke
# Boating is a lot of work, sure, but days like this with family make it
to gray skies and thick fog. And the next day I had on-land plans I couldn’t break so… there went that weekend.
Multiple times I have (almost) been thwarted by my tow vehicle. There was the time it broke down at the marina (thankfully after I had gotten the boat safely in the water). Then there were the wasps. Somehow, they managed to get into the truck and make a nest in the door. Unaware of this, I started to hoist myself in, only to run screaming from the truck moments later, door ajar, while multiple neighbors looked on in bemusement. Thankfully I was able to remove said wasps eventually.
I should also mention that my tow vehicle is borrowed; it’s my family’s beat-up old pickup as I only have to go just down the street to my local boat ramp. But lately it’s starting to show its age more and more. We realized recently that the brakes weren’t just bad; they needed to be replaced asap.
This is where I need to take a moment to say a giant THANK YOU to my dad, because without him, without a doubt, I probably wouldn’t have spent any time at all on the water this summer. When the truck’s brakes needed to be replaced, he immediately got to work. When the battery in my boat went up, he helped install a new one. When I complained about my boat’s stereo, he surprised me with better speakers. And the list goes on. He is always there to lend a helping hand, to teach me something new (like how to winterize the outboard last winter), or simply dream about potential excursions. When I bought the boat, I was adamant that I wanted to do as much as possible on my own. I didn’t want someone to do it for me, and where I didn’t have prior experience for a particular task, I was determined to take the time
to learn (this is an ongoing process). Case in point, I’m pretty proud of the fact that I can now back my boat down my rather skinny boat ramp like a pro. Backing the trailer into the driveway has been a different story (Nana, if you’re reading this, sorry again for your bush). But like the ramp, I was determined to get it right and thanks to guidance from my dad I’m finally at the point where I feel confident doing both. For the first time the other day I managed to back into the driveway on the first try. I didn’t realize anyone was watching until my neighbor shouted across the lawn, ‘Hell yeah, Kaylie!’
So yeah, being a boat owner is a lot of work. Sometimes it feels as if we’re constantly working on our boats rather than out there enjoying them. Sometimes we get chased away by wasps or are thwarted by several weekends in a row of rain. But one thing I think we can all agree on is that, despite everything, it’s worth it. The next time you get in a rut over your boat, remind yourself how lucky you are to be able to experience boating on the Chesapeake Bay. And if you have an amazingly supportive boating dad like mine, make sure to give him a big hug and know how doubly lucky you are.
all worth it.
I
Hi Kaylie,
Captain Riggs
Iwant to thank you again for including my boy, Captain Riggs, in the October issue of Proptalk. Nicely done! He is greatly missed. I like the picture of the golden with the PropTalk hat on also!
~Martin W.
Department of Corrections
n the October issue we incorrectly printed Dave Henn’s email in the article “Upcycling Nautical History Into Art,” pages 35-36. If you are interested in contacting Dave about purchasing one of his water ski towel racks or any of his work, contact him at davidhenn@me.com
New Subscriber
Ireceived the August issue of PropTalk promptly. Thank you so much. I enjoy PropTalk so much and especially stories about vintage vessels.
~Richard D.
Editor’s Note: Thank you for subscribing! For anyone else interested in getting PropTalk shipped directly to your door, visit proptalk.com/subscribe. A one-year subscription costs $45 for 12 issues (covers first-class shipping and handling). ~K.J.
Ticket Giveaway
So excited to win these tickets!!! Thank you soooo much!!!!
On another note, our dog Whiskey was one of the dogs featured in last month’s magazine as a Dinghy Dog! We love PropTalk!!!
~Debby S.
Boat Dog
Send your questions, comments and stories to kaylie@proptalk.com
Meet Nellie
Tyler Wilson shares these photos of his pup Nellie (brown and white) and his mom’s dog, Willie Bear. He says, “Nellie has been boating for four years, departing out of Lynch Cove in Dundalk, MD, on a 23-foot Hydra Sports walkaround. She’s full of energy and always ready for an adventure on the northern Chesapeake Bay. She loves swimming, island hopping, and standing by my side on any boating excursion. Her favorite spots are HartMiller Island and Hoopers Sandbar (Skimmer Island) in Ocean City, MD. She’s now showing her friend Willie Bear the ropes of being a true boat dog!
Want to see your boat dog featured in PropTalk? Email one to three photos and a short description to kaylie@proptalk.com
Maryland’s Five Tributary-Scale Oyster Restoration Sanctuaries Now Complete
With the completion of the Manokin River oyster sanctuary on the lower Eastern Shore at the end of August, Governor Wes Moore announced that Maryland had formally met its commitment to restore five oyster tributaries in the Chesapeake Bay. The oyster restoration projects— among the largest in the world—have been highly successful at helping bring back oyster populations, building habitat, and supporting economic growth in the Chesapeake Bay.
Oysters are a key driver of Maryland’s commercial fishing industry. Average dockside value saw a more than 300 percent increase from before restoration began, with watermen bringing an average of 475,000 bushels of oysters annually for an average dockside value of more than $18 million annually during the previous five years. Prior to restoration beginning, Maryland watermen harvested an average of 116,000 bushels per year for an estimated dockside value of $3.5 million annually from 2005 to 2010.
A keystone species in the Bay, oysters are ecologically important for filtering water and providing habitat for fish and other aquatic life. The oyster restoration sanctuaries are permanently closed to
harvest, except on aquaculture lease sites, and are intended as areas where oysters can grow undisturbed for their many ecological benefits. With restoration sanctuaries, scientists also hope to increase the Bay’s overall spawning stock of oysters and facilitate natural disease resistance.
Maryland Department of Natural Resources secretary Josh Kurtz joined federal, university, and nonprofit partners for one of the final oyster deployments in the Manokin, adding thousands of new oysters to the site. The event marked the culmination of 14 years of large-scale oyster restoration in Maryland and ensured the state would meet its Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement commitment of restoring native oyster habitat in five tributaries by 2025. Virginia restored five tributaries in its portion of the Bay as well.
The restoration effort was made possible through strong partnerships. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration provided funds, scientific expertise, and monitoring. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers assists with monitoring and helped build the foundation of reefs with stone, shell, and other hard substrates to better support oyster beds on Bay bottom. The University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science’s Horn
Point Lab set billions of oyster shells with spat–or juvenile oysters–to seed the newly created reefs. Nonprofits including the Oyster Recovery Partnership and Chesapeake Bay Foundation distributed those young oysters throughout the underwater sanctuaries.
Maryland’s other completed oyster restoration sanctuaries are the Little Choptank River in Dorchester County, the St. Mary’s River in St. Mary’s County, and Harris Creek and the Tred Avon River in Talbot County. The 2025 stock assessment, which found oysters in the Maryland waters of the Bay had increased from 2.4 to 7.6 billion in 20 years, also found that the population of oysters in the area of the first three restored sanctuaries grew by a combined total of about 700 million oysters.
Maryland is already working on the next phase of oyster restoration. DNR has selected the next three sites for largescale oyster restoration in Maryland waters of the Chesapeake Bay, in Herring Bay, the Nanticoke River, and Hoopers Strait sanctuaries. The department is also currently planting at sites in Eastern Bay, which is a multi-use regional project that supports planting in protected sanctuaries, aquaculture lease sites, and fishery harvest areas.
# The Manokin River oyster restoration sanctuary is now complete! Photo by Winn Brewer, Maryland DNR
Chesapeake Boaters Supporting Veterans
Veterans Day, Tuesday, November 11, is a perfect day to consider supporting one of the many veterans’ organizations around the Chesapeake Bay and beyond. Whether it’s a financial or in-kind donation, offering your skills as a skipper, angler, or even lending your vessel, you can make an impact. Here are four local programs, but there are many more. If you have one that is particularly close to your heart, tell us about it by emailing beth@proptalk.com
Chesapeake Region Accessible Boating (CRAB): CRAB’s Gemini Freestyle power catamaran provides a platform for guests in wheelchairs (who do not want to leave their chairs) to go fishing or cruising on the Bay. The adaptive vessel has a very stable platform that can accommodate up to five wheelchair guests, plus family members or friends. Guests can take part in the CRAB fishing program, learn powerboating skills, and even earn a Maryland Boating Certificate. crabsailing.org
Heroes on the Water-Tangier Sound: Heroes on the Water provides recreational wellness experiences to veterans, first responders, and their families, primarily through kayak fishing. Programs incorporate structured activities in a pressure-free environment, creating opportunities for community building and personal healing. Participants do not need prior experience, and there is no cost. On the Chesapeake they may be reached at TangierSound@Heroesonthewater. org Heroesonthewater.org
Charter for Veterans: Since 2008 Charter for Veterans has gifted exceptional days on the Chesapeake to wounded, injured, and ill veterans, taking them out as guests aboard charter fishing boats. Veteran Bob Messick founded the organization, and he still plans and attends the outings. Another event is planned for this month, and perhaps another in December. charterforveterans.org
Wounded Warriors Day on the Bay: Since 2012, Wounded Warriors Day on the Bay has been providing veterans and their families a well-deserved day of connection, healing, and fun on the water. Founder Jim Diven, a veteran himself and then-commodore of North Point Yacht Club, wanted to give back to those veterans and wounded warriors and their families who had given so much for their country. The year’s event welcomed nearly 300 guests and included a crab feast and boat rides. wwdayonthebay.org
# First time kayaking and fishing. Photo courtesy of Heroes On the Water-TangierSound/Facebook
New Fireboats on the Bay
There were a couple of exciting, new fireboat announcements on the Bay this year, including in Middle River and Annapolis, MD. For more, stay tuned to proptalk.com
In September, Ocean Craft Marine announced the successful delivery of a 6.5M (23-foot) Aluminum Fire Rescue RHIB to the Bowleys Quarters Volunteer Fire Rescue/Marine Emergency Team 21 (MET21) in Middle River, MD.
Designed with a robust marine-grade aluminum hull and an integrated firefighting system, the vessel will significantly enhance the department’s ability to respond rapidly and effectively to both marine emergencies and waterfront firefighting incidents.
MET21 contracted Ocean Craft Marine to build the vessel, which will replace MET Boat 216. The limitations of the existing vessel were highlighted during the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse, where it could not be deployed due to unfavorable conditions. The new boat’s design and capabilities will prevent such limitations in the future.
The project was fully funded by generous grants from the Maryland Waterway Improvement Fund, the Baltimore Community Foundation, Chesapeake Marine, and the Mark Kukucka Foundation. MET21 expresses its sincere gratitude to these organizations for their support. Visit bqvolunteers.org for more information.
Earlier this year, the Anne Arundel County Fire Department welcomed its second new fireboat (the first was welcomed in the summer of 2024). Both are state-of-the-art 50-foot Defiant NXT Fireboats from Louisiana-based boat builder Metal Shark. A christening event for both vessels was held in June at Sandy Point State Park.
These powerful and versatile vessels are set to significantly enhance the county’s ability to respond to emergencies on the water and represent a significant investment in the safety and security of Anne Arundel County. With over 500 miles of shoreline, these vessels are faster and better equipped to handle a wide range of maritime
emergencies, from fires on boats and waterfront structures to medical emergencies and search and rescue operations on and around our County’s vast waterways.
The new fireboats feature a wide range of innovative enhancements, including twin-inboard diesel waterjet propulsion engines with a projected top speed of 45 knots, making them more economical than traditional inboards at cruising speeds. The spacious, climate-controlled pilothouses with ‘pillarless glass’ will significantly reduce blind spots, giving crew members better visibility during storms or other emergencies where visibility is diminished.
To learn more, visit aacounty.org/firedepartment
New MD Outdoors App
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is introducing a new free mobile app, MD Outdoors, which will be the official app for the state’s outdoor enthusiasts, hunters, and anglers.
The MD Outdoors app replaces the AccessDNR app, which will no longer be supported. Users will need to remove the old app and download an updated version from the DNR website.
The new MD Outdoors licensing system went online in June for residents and visitors to purchase Maryland hunting and fishing licenses as well as associated stamps and permits, boat and off-road vehicle renewal registration, and other services. The new app can also be used to display an individual’s hunting or fishing license as well as boating or off-road vehicle registrations when needed.
The MD Outdoors app will continue to include:
• Maps and directions to Maryland State Parks, trails, Wildlife Management Areas, boat launches, and water access sites.
• Maryland State Parks’ activities and amenities by location.
• Hunting season information by date.
• An option for hunters to report their harvest directly to DNR.
• A location-based sunrise/sunset display.
• Maryland fish and shellfish identifier.
• Tide time tables and state fish record information.
• Hunting, fishing, and boating regulation guides. More features are also slated to be added later. The MD Outdoors app was developed alongside the department’s new licensing system, which provides an easier-to-navigate interface, auto-renew options, and other upgrades in a convenient one-stop shop.
Find and download the free mobile app on the Apple App Store and on Google Play.
Hosting 81 deep water slips with water and electric.
Catamarans and boats up to 100 feet in overall length welcome.
# Photo by Natalie Kolb/ MD DNR
Powering Through the Century Club 2025
Century Club member Jim Townsend logged 100 days on the water last year by paddling and sailing. This year, he added significant days to his log by powerboating through PowerTime Annapolis. We caught up with Jim in late September to learn more about his journey:
You’ve logged 88 days so far. Do you think you will reach 100?
I am confident I will complete the Century Club challenge. October is a great month to be on the water.
Why did you choose PowerTime over boat ownership?
As a novice powerboater, I needed some experience to determine how much I enjoyed powerboating and what kind of boat would suit my needs. The slip fees, insurance, and depreciation for a boat would likely exceed my membership costs, not to mention the unknowns of maintenance costs for a used boat. PowerTime offered training to get us started and answers to all our questions.
I think I ended up boating more than many boat owners typically do in a season. I see so many boats that rarely venture from their docks. Some of this could be my enthusiasm as a novice, but I suspect some boats lay idle due to maintenance issues.
Tell us about the powerboat you use. Our boat is a Beneteau Flyer 9 Sundeck, a nine-meter boat equipped with twin Mercury 250-hp outboards. It is primarily a day boat but also sleeps four if you want to cruise. The Flyer 9 has a comfortable head and shower which is important to many guests. The Flyer 9 is way more boat than I would buy as a first-time powerboater. It’s an ideal size for the Chesapeake Bay, large enough for guests to be comfortable, yet fast, nimble, and easy to dock. I enjoy features like the shade of the hard top, the bow thrusters, and advanced Navionics.
# Jim has logged 88 days on the water and aims for 100 in 2025.
What do you like most about PowerTime?
PowerTime is a great group of people, from the owners Todd and Tammy Hess to fleet technician Silas Denton and the members. They make us feel welcome and supported. Compared to other boat clubs, I like using the same boat each time so that I can become more familiar with it over the season.
Can you name three of your favorite days on the water this season?
Two of my favorite days on the water were trips from Eastport to Rock Hall. The first was for lunch at Harbor Shack, where I tasted Chesapeake snakehead for the first time. Later in the season I
ferried one of my buddies and his crew to pick up a sailboat at a marina in Rock Hall. Both times we had excellent weather, and the distance is enough to feel like you have been somewhere without wearing out your guests. The third memorable cruise was to Historic London Town and Gardens, a great destination overlooking the South River.
Did you encounter any scary, intimidating, or otherwise surprising days on the water?
Changing Bay weather can raise your pulse. I had days when the wind would pick up late in the afternoon, creating chop that guests didn’t enjoy and making docking challenging.
Did you have any memorable wildlife sightings?
This year I have seen ospreys, eagles, blue herons, green herons, egrets, ducks, geese, cormorants, gulls, terns, and songbirds while on the water. The kayak is better than the powerboat for wildlife viewing and gets me to small water such as Blackwalnut Creek. The most memorable sight was from the powerboat: dozens of cownose rays near the water’s surface.
For boaters considering joining the Century Club, what would your advice be?
I wholeheartedly recommend joining the Century Club. It’s great to have a challenge that might encourage you to get out on the water. It costs nothing to join this club, and you may get a chance to attend a party with fellow boaters to swap stories. We are fortunate to have so many experiences waiting for us in the Chesapeake Bay. Once I embark, I’m always glad I did. Learn how you can join the Century Club at spinsheet.com/100-days All boaters are welcome to our free, inclusive club.
Fall Festivals on the Bay
Last month we featured a fun roandup of oyster-specific festivals around the Bay, so we wanted to take the time to highlight a few events that should also be on your radar (some even include oysters). Find more at proptalk.com/calendar.
Sultana Downrigging Festival: October 31-November 2. Okay, okay, hear us out. Yes, the Sultana is a sailing vessel, but this event is sure to delight mariners of all kinds. Each fall Downrigging weekend features the largest annual gathering of Tall Ships in North America, a top-notch Bluegrass festival, and one of the coolest small towns in America—Chestertown, MD. With three days of music, sailing, ship tours, lectures, exhibits, and family activities, this festival is hard to beat. All proceeds benefit the Sultana Education Foundation’s environmental literacy programs and the other educational nonprofits participating in the festival. Find more details and a schedule of events at downrigging. org
Fish For a Cure: November 1. While fishing is open to all areas of the Chesapeake Bay, the fabulous Shore Party takes place at Safe Harbor Annapolis from 5 to 9 p.m. And as we’ve said before, this is one of our favorite charitable fall events on the Bay with many ways to get involved. You can still register to fish the tournament ($600 per boat); you can make a donation (we hope you’ll consider helping us reach our fundraising goal) and/or purchase tickets to the Shore Party. All funds raised directly benefit the Cancer Survivorship Program at Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center’s (LHAAMC) Geaton and JoAnn DeCesaris Cancer Institute. Visit fishforacure. org to support a worthy cause.
MRE Tug of War: November 8 at the crack ‘o noon in Annapolis, MD. Billed as the longest International Tug of War over water in the world, the Tug is a not-to-be missed maritime event that to date has raised more than $500,000 for various charitable organizations in the Annapolis area. Learn more at themre.org/tug
Yorktown Maritime Festival: Spend an entire weekend, November 8 and 9, celebrating everything there is to love about this waterfront locale. During this extended farmers market in historic Yorktown, VA, sample some of the best seafood in the area including clam chowder, Virginia blue crabs, and fresh fried fish. Artisans will be selling nautical-inspired jewelry and art, and pirates will invade the area to talk to kids about seafaring life. Enjoy deck tours, kids’ crafts, live music, and educational information for mariners of all ages. Find a schedule of events at visityorktown. org. And if you’re around on Friday, November 7, be sure to head to the American Revolution Museum for the third annual Yorktown Tea Festival.
Tracey’s Landing, MD 410.656.1518
# Fireworks are scheduled for 8 p.m. Friday, October 31 at the
Easton Waterfowl Festival: November 14-16. One of the nation’s premier events dedicated to the celebration of waterfowl and the natural environment, returns to Easton, MD, for its 54th year. The event offers a diverse range of activities that highlight the art, culture, and conservation of the Chesapeake Bay region. Not to be missed this year, the World Waterfowl Calling Contest will be held at Easton High School, featuring the Champion of Champions round, only held every five years. Favorite attractions include the iconic Dock Dogs jumping competition, retriever demonstrations, the Tasting Pavilion and DelMarVa Craft Beer Wetlands tent, live music, shopping, and more. Children will be entertained by the many stops on the Quackin’ Trail including two different raptor exhibitions, educational presentations by The Chesapeake Mermaid, interactive art activities, the children’s calling contest, a fishing derby, and more. VIP ticket packages and general admission are available. Children 10
and under are free with a ticketholding guardian/parent. Parking is free and bus transportation to
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all attractions is complementary with a festival ticket. Learn more at waterfowlfestival.org
Sultana Downrigging Festival.
Photo by Eric Moseson
for stocking stuffers, hats, tees, hoodies and dog gifts. Gift cards, too!
October
Through Mar 31
The Great Chesapeake Invasives Count Help collect important data while competing for great prizes! Log your invasive species catches (northern snakehead, blue catfish, flathead catfish) on iAngler, and FishTalk will present live, monthly prize drawings. Register: ccamd. org
1-31
Reelin’ & Rockin’ Rockfish Bash Tournament
Join Lucky and Blessed Fishing for a month-long rockfish tournament and a night of food, music, and celebration at our Benefit Banquet on November 13! Prizes, raffle items, and a community that fishes and gives back. Tickets and tournament registration are open now; grab yours today at labfishing.org
14-19 The Great Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race
A 118-mile, overnight race for schooners and classic vessels from the start in Annapolis to Norfolk, VA. Featuring a Parade of Sail and Public and Educational tours in Baltimore, the overnight race itself, and a post-race Oyster and Pig Roast, Shanty Sing, and an Awards Ceremony in Norfolk.
15 Annapolis Anglers Club Monthly Meeting
Speaker, food and drink, table raffle, and 50/50. Food starts at 6 p.m. followed by a meeting at 7 p.m. at the American Legion Post 7, Crownsville Road, Annapolis, MD.
18 Maritime Career Festival
10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at The Mariners’ Museum and Park in Newport News, VA. This family-friendly event is designed to educate and inform the public of exciting opportunities in the maritime world. No pre-registration is required, and admission is included in the $1 museum admission.
18 Oyster Festival
Featuring good community company, fine regional music, an array of choice gifts for purchase, a cash raffle, local food and drink, and the best oysters anywhere. Enjoy the day on the broad green lawn on the banks of the West River in Shady Side at the Captain Avery Museum.
18-19
59th Annual US Oyster Festival
Home of the US National Oyster Shucking Championship. At the St. Mary’s County Fairgrounds in Leonardtown, MD.
21 Boater Education: How To Use GPS Annapolis Sail and Power Squadron’s education course will teach how to choose a suitable GPS chartplotter, create waypoints, build and execute routes, monitor your progress, and integrate with other electronic systems onboard, including VHF marine radio, radar, and autopilot. Zoom 7 to 9 p.m., $15. Instructor: John Locke.
22 Boater Education: Winterization of Your Boat
Learn about what you need to do to make sure your boat is able to survive the winter weather. Zoom, 7 to 9 p.m., $15. Instructor: Dick Radlinski.
24 USS Monitor Legacy Program
12 to 1 p.m. in-person at The Mariners’ Museum and Park in Newport News, VA, and virtual. Topic: Capt. John Rodgers, Hero of the Battle of Wausau Sound. Advance registration required ($1 in person, or free to watch online).
25 CBMM OysterFest
Features live music, retriever demonstrations, oysters, and more at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum’s campus in St. Michaels, MD. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
27 CAPCA Speaker Series 6:45 to 8:30 p.m. (virtual). Free and open to the public. Speaker: Captain John Wesley Nash, ABYC-CAPCA Coordinator and author of the “ABYC Happenings” column in The Log. Topic: American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC): A Resource for CAPCA Members.
Chesapeake Calendar
30 CCA Annapolis Chapter Annual Fundraising Banquet 5:30 to 9 p.m. at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation Philip Merrill Center in Annapolis. This fundraising dinner directly supports CCA Maryland’s focus on ensuring the health of our marine resources and anglers’ access to them, and our objective to conserve, promote and enhance our marine resources for the benefit of the general public.
31 - Nov 2
Sultana Downrigging Festival
The largest annual gathering of tall ships in North America plus a bluegrass festival, featuring music, sailing, ship tours, lectures, exhibits, and family activities. Hosted by Sultana Education Foundation, Chestertown, MD.
November
1
19th Annual Fish For a Cure F4AC is a fishing tournament and fundraising challenge. All funds raised directly benefit the Cancer Survivorship Program at Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center’s Geaton and JoAnn DeCesaris Cancer Institute. Shore Party 5 to 9 p.m. at Safe Harbor Annapolis.
1 The Mariners’ Park Fall Festival
1 to 5 p.m. at Harvey Field, The Mariners’ Museum and Park in Newport News, VA. Family friendly activities, pumpkin decorating, live music, beer and cider tastings, food trucks. Entrance to the festival is $2 per person, children 3 and under are free (tasting tickets sold separately).
7-8
68th Annual Urbanna Oyster Festival
Virginia’s official celebration of oysters and one of the world’s oldest festivals dedicated to these prized shellfish. Entry is free; “pay-as-you-go” festival.
8 MRE Tug of War
The Maritime Republic of Eastport hosts a tug between Eastport and Annapolis, with parties on both sides, to benefit local charities. Starts at the crack o’ noon.
8-9
Yorktown Market Days: Maritime Festival
9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Riverwalk Landing in Yorktown, VA. Sample some of the best seafood in the area, artisans will be selling nautical-inspired jewelry and art, and pirates will invade the area to talk to kids about seafaring life. Enjoy deck tours, kids’ crafts, live music, and educational information for mariners of all ages.
12 CAPCA Members-Only Tour
10 to 11:30 a.m. at Tradepoint Atlantic Marine Terminal, Baltimore. $50 (pre-registration required, CAPCA members only). Join us for an inside look at Tradepoint Atlantic (TPA), the 3300-acre global logistics center located on the former site of Bethlehem Steel at Sparrows Point in Baltimore County. This once-historic steelmaking facility has been transformed into one of the East Coast’s most strategic multimodal trade hubs, featuring deepwater port access, rail connections, and direct highway links.
12 Frederick Saltwater Anglers Monthly Meeting
Meets the 2nd Wednesday of each month at the Frederick Elks Lodge #682. Optional food starts at 6 and the meeting begins at 7. We have a speaker and vendor along with raffle prizes and a 50/50.
13
Reelin’ & Rockin’ Rockfish Bash Benefit
Lucky and Blessed Fishing invites you to our 1st Annual Reelin’ & Rockin’ Rockfish Bash Benefit - a celebration filled with great food with Mission Barbecue, live rock and roll band, silent auction, raffles, and the chance to support programs that make a difference for people of all ages and abilities: rockfishbash.com
14 USS Monitor Legacy Program 12 to 1 p.m. in-person at The Mariners’ Museum and Park in Newport News, VA, and virtual. Topic: Commodore Matthew Calbraith Perry, Father of the Steam Navy. Advance registration required ($1 in person, or free to watch online).
14-16 Easton Waterfowl Festival
Join family and friends to celebrate the traditions, music, art, and food that make this area of the world so special. For over 50 years, the Waterfowl Festival, Inc. has staged an annual event that has raised $6 million for wildlife and habitat conservation, education, scholarships, and research. Delicious food and drinks, dock dogs, world waterfowl calling championship competition, art, kid’s activities, and more in Easton, MD.
19 Annapolis Anglers Club Monthly Meeting
Speaker, food and drink, table raffle, and 50/50. Food starts at 6 p.m. followed by the meeting at 7 p.m. at the American Legion Post 7, Crownsville Road, Annapolis, MD.
20 CCA Angler’s Night Out 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at West End Grill in Annapolis. Speaker and topic TBD. Free and open to the public.
Showcasing artisans and craftspeople, selling an array of unique coastal and sea glass goods, including jewelry, home decor, art, and more. Features food and live music at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, St. Michaels, MD, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
27 Thanksgiving Happy Turkey day!
28 Blue Friday
Held the Friday after Thanksgiving, Blue Friday is a day to spend time on or near the water celebrating the Chesapeake Bay. Take a walk, pick up trash, go for a boat ride, spend time with family and friends.
Targa 32: Professional Grade
By Lenny Rudow
You say you demand a boat that shields your friends and family from the seas and the weather with military-like might? One that offers complete comfort and tremendous versatility? Check out the Targa 32. This craft is designed with such seagoing solemnity that it’ll make the coxswain on a USCG Motor Life Boat jealous, and interior accommodations that will make him or her even utterly envious.
The Targa 32 is available in several different flavors, some more traditional and others more modern. It can be had with single or twin sterndrive powerplants or can be outfitted with outboards. It can sport a three-seat flybridge atop the cabin or can be ordered in coupe form. And there are different berth arrangements for the lower cabin to fit your personal preference. In all of the above forms, however, the basic layout features a fully enclosed helmdeck cabin with a settee/dinette aft of the lower helm and not one but two private lower cabins.
Yes, you read that right: two private cabins. Unlike most boats this size, the Targa doesn’t carve out a mid-cabin berth that’s more or less attached to the forward stateroom. Instead, the bow stateroom (which can have either a U-shaped or pedestal island style berth) is completely separated from the other cabin spaces, accessed via the companionway stairs next to the helm. But if you walk aft in the main cabin, you’ll find a second set of stairs, this one leading down to a lower mid-cabin which has a double berth to port and a single berth to starboard. Back here is also where you’ll find a fully enclosed head compartment with a shower.
The main cabin holds a few surprises of its own, starting with the galley. It has a unique location up forward, to port of the helm and the forward stateroom entry. Swing up the cover behind that forward-raked windshield and you’ll find a sink and two-burner cook-top. Below that there’s a convection oven/microwave, and integrated into the helm seat
base there’s a refrigerator. It’s a really nifty use of space where you might normally find a blank bulkhead, a nominally useful glove box, or stowage compartment on other boats, and it opens up a lot of room around the dinette where you’d usually find a galley. Added bonus for foodies: you can have an additional chilled space in an in-deck box in the sidedeck, which can be either a refrigerator or a freezer.
More about the sidedeck: it rings the cabin 360 degrees with plenty of walkaround space all the way around. That will make it easy to move fore and aft from the bow to the cockpit and work the lines at an unfamiliar slip or dock, which you’ll pull up to with ease thanks to the standard bow thruster.
Considering the amount of cabin space this boat delivers, the size of the wide-open aft cockpit is a big surprise. There’s plenty of space to set out a couple of deck chairs complementing the seats/stowage compartments on either side or maybe take a cast For more boat reviews, visit proptalk.com or scan this code with your phone’s camera.
or two with your fishing rod. Opt for a sterndrive version of the boat and the aft center opening gate leads to an oversized swim platform, or when rigged with outboards, smaller platforms to either side of the powerplants.
Another variable that changes with power choice is performance, and you might be surprised at just how spiffy the Targa 32 is without loading on gobs of horsepower. Take a gander at the figures for a pair of Volvo Penta D4 320-hp diesel sterndrives, for example. These could be optioned up to 440-hp D6s or swapped out for a pair of 350- or 400-hp outboards, so there’s plenty of room to grow. But with the total 640 horses churning belowdecks you’ll be cruising at over 30 knots and see a top-end pushing close to 40 knots. Better yet, efficiency sits right around 1.4 nmpg at cruise, never drops below 1.0 nmpg, and if you cruise at the most efficient speeds of 25 to 28 knots, you’ll enjoy 1.5 nmpg.
Targa boats hail from Finland, and they’ve been building powerboats since 1976. They’ve got the heritage and the history to know what works out on the water. And if you know, too, you’ll probably want to take a Targa 32 for a sea trial. Just don’t be too surprised if the Coasties swing by—not to do a safety check, but because the coxswain just can’t resist getting a closer look.
Local Dealer: East Coast Yacht Sales in Annapolis, MD. (410) 287-9150 or ecys.com
Specifications
LOA: 35’4”
Beam: 11’1”
Draft (max.): 3’6”
Displacement (approx.): 13,889 lbs.
Fuel Capacity: 211 gal.
Water Capacity: 40 gal.
Max HP: 880
# The Targa 32 can be had with single or twin sterndrive powerplants or can be outfitted with outboards. Photos courtesy of ECYS
Cruising the Chesapeake Bay: A Journey Through my Favorite Harbors and Towns
By Tim Smale
Cruising the Chesapeake Bay is never just about getting from one harbor to another—it’s about savoring the small joys along the way. Each marina and town has its own personality, offering everything from friendly staff and loaner cars to cozy cafés and worldclass ice cream. Over the course of three cruises, I’ve built a list of favorite stops, each one tied to fond memories and unique local experiences. Whether it’s wandering thrift stores, walking forested trails, or enjoying a perfectly cooked meal, these places make the Bay feel like a second home.
Here’s my journey through some of my favorite Chesapeake Bay destinations, where the water meets hospitality, charm, and discovery.
Chesapeake Boat Basin –Kilmarnock, Virginia
There’s something immediately welcoming about pulling into the Chesapeake Boat Basin in Kilmarnock. The staff
greets you with genuine warmth, making it one of the friendliest marinas on the Bay. What really sets it apart, though, are the thoughtful amenities. The loaner car is a game-changer, allowing boaters to explore town at their leisure and obtain provisions. After long days on the water, I appreciated their clean laundry facilities and showers, which make an extended cruise far more comfortable.
Kilmarnock itself has its own treasures, most notably its wonderful thrift stores. You never know what you might find while wandering through—vintage housewares, nautical trinkets, and even books and movies for those slower evenings aboard. It’s the combination of marina hospitality and small-town charm that makes this stop so memorable.
Spring Cove Marina –Solomons Island, Maryland
Farther north, Spring Cove Marina on Solomons Island, located at the mouth of the Patuxent River, is another favorite
haven. Here, comfort is the priority. Although the park-like setting is beautiful, watch for tree sap during certain parts of the season, which can make boat cleaning memorable. Like Kilmarnock, they offer a loaner car, making grocery runs or sightseeing incredibly convenient. On hot summer days, nothing beats lounging by their pool, a rare luxury when cruising. For more active exploration, the marina has bikes available, perfect for pedaling around Solomons Island at an easy pace.
# Each anchorage and town has its own personality.
“The Chesapeake has a way of turning routine cruising into something deeply personal.”
See the Bay
Nearby, the Weis Market is an ideal spot for restocking the galley. It’s one of those reliable grocery stores where you can always count on quality produce and essentials. After errands, it’s easy to spend the rest of the day enjoying the island’s laid-back atmosphere, knowing that the marina has everything you need for a restful stop.
Onancock Marina –Onancock, Virginia
Crossing back into Virginia, Onancock Marina is a destination that captures the heart. Docking here feels less like stopping at a marina and more like arriving at the center of a vibrant little community. Just a short walk from the docks, you’ll find a café and a bakery. We especially loved catching an entertaining musical rendition of “Gilligan’s Island” at the Roseland Theatre.
Onancock’s walkability is one of its greatest charms. The streets are lined with quaint shops, art galleries, and plenty of local history. A leisurely stroll through town makes this stop feel like a cultural retreat as much as a boating destination.
Cambridge Yacht Basin –Cambridge, Maryland
For food lovers, few places compare to Cambridge Yacht Basin. This town is home to the best fish and chips I’ve ever had, served at Port Side Seafood Restaurant. It’s the kind of dish that keeps you coming back—crispy, perfectly seasoned, and best enjoyed while overlooking the water.
Cambridge is also home to Simmons Center Market, a local grocery store renowned for its quality meats. Stocking
up here is always a treat, as you can count on bringing premium cuts back aboard for grilling. Like Onancock, Cambridge is also a great walking town, with historic streets that invite exploration. It’s a place where good food and a relaxed pace of life offer a mix of history and culture.
Safe Harbor Marina –Oxford, Maryland
When cruising to Oxford, the stop at Safe Harbor Marina is always worth it. Oxford itself feels timeless—a classic Chesapeake Bay town steeped in history. But what truly makes it shine is the Scottish Highland Creamery, serving what many consider the best ice cream on the Bay. Rich, creamy, and made with care, it’s a stop no cruiser should miss.
The town also offers nice walking routes, from shaded streets lined with historic homes to the town beach, where you can relax with sand between your toes. Oxford’s slower pace makes it feel like an escape within an escape—a chance to pause and savor simple pleasures.
St. Michaels – Maryland’s Quintessential Bay Town
If there’s a crown jewel among Bay towns, it’s St. Michaels. Known for its charm and vibrant history, this stop never disappoints. A highlight for us was an anniversary dinner at Theo’s Steakhouse, where a delicious, perfectly cooked steak, warm atmosphere, and excellent service made for a magnificent evening.
But St. Michaels isn’t just about dining. The Treasure Cove Thrift Shop is a fun place to browse, often yielding unexpected finds. History buffs will love the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, which tells the story of the Bay’s working watermen and showcases beautifully preserved vessels. Between shopping, dining, live music, and culture, St. Michaels truly has it all—making it one of the favorite and most rewarding destinations for cruisers.
We weathered two significant thunderstorms storms complete with tornado warnings about a week apart anchored close to town, finding the holding excellent in winds up to 60 knots. We first anchored in Fogg Cove just off the Maritime Museum, however, we found there were many wakes from boats departing the harbor, so moved and enjoyed anchoring closer to the docks near town.
Wye Island – Granary Creek
Sometimes, the best stops are the ones where there’s nothing but nature. Wye Island, particularly Granary Creek, close to St. Michaels, is one of those magical places. Here, you won’t find marinas or bustling streets. Instead, you’ll discover quiet trails and serene waters.
# The raft race at the annual Chestertown Tea Party Festival.
# The author and his wife have found trailering to various destinations to be the best of all worlds.
Anchoring in Granary Creek feels like stepping back in time. The absence of other boats means no wakes rocking you through the night, and the stillness of the creek provides unmatched peace. Exploring the island’s trails offers a chance to connect with nature, from towering trees to wildlife that thrives in this untouched environment. For boaters seeking solitude, Wye Island is a true sanctuary.
Pickering Creek – Audubon Trails
Another natural treasure is Pickering Creek, home to an Audubon Center, a 410-acre wildlife sanctuary located in Easton, MD. The anchorage here is peaceful, and going ashore offers the chance to immerse yourself in conservation land dedicated to preserving the Bay’s ecosystems.
The trails are varied and rich with birdlife, making this a dream stop for nature lovers and photographers. While the Chesapeake is filled with charming towns and bustling harbors, Pickering Creek stands out as a safe anchorage where the reward is simply being present in the natural world.
Chestertown – History and Quirky Charm
Last but not least is Chestertown, a destination steeped in history and creativity. We almost skipped this stop because we thought the Memorial Day activity would be busy and were glad we didn’t miss it. Chestertown’s real charm lies in its events and unique attractions.
The Tea Party Festival is a highlight, featuring hand-built boat races that celebrate the town’s revolutionary heritage in a lively, fun way. Just like the famous Boston Tea Party, Chestertown residents in May 1774 also tossed tea overboard to protest British Parliament’s taxation. The annual reenactment is the centerpiece of the Chestertown Tea Party Festival along with other colonial-themed activities.
For something truly unusual, there’s the not-for-profit Cat Colloquium, where you can visit with cage-free cats rescued from around the world. One of our favorites was Rose Arnold, who loves to be picked up and purr in your lap. Grocery delivery from Acme market made provisioning easy and the paved old railroad trail made for an interesting
# If there’s a crown jewel among Bay towns, it’s
walk through town. This mix of history, whimsy, and community spirit makes Chestertown unlike anywhere else on the Bay and well worth the extra time to get there.
The Joy of Cruising the Chesapeake
Taken together, these destinations paint a portrait of the Chesapeake Bay that goes far beyond the water itself. Each harbor and town offers a different kind of reward.
For cruisers, these stops remind us that the Bay is more than just a body of water—it’s a collection of communities, traditions, and landscapes waiting to be explored. Every town and harbor brings
new opportunities: a friendly face, a memorable meal, or a quiet trail under the trees.
The Chesapeake has a way of turning routine cruising into something deeply personal. My favorite places aren’t just waypoints on a chart; they’re the highlights of journeys, each with their own story to tell. The Chesapeake Bay offers a unique blend of comfort, history, and adventure, and we hope to keep coming back to these harbors and towns for many years to come.
Editor’s Note: If you missed Tim’s first article in the September PropTalk, check it out at proptalk.com. There he shares helpful planning and logistics tips for trailering his Ranger Tugs R-31CB up and down the East Coast to various cruising grounds.
About the author: Tim Smale and his wife Jennifer started sailing on a Newport 28 sloop on Lake Erie and a Cape Dory 36 ketch in the Great Lakes and on the west coast from San Francisco to Mexico, where they spent two years cruising. They moved up to a Sealine 47 and cruised the Great Lakes and Canadian North Channel, then downsized to a Rosborough 246 and trailered between Florida and Maine. They found that trailering is the best of all worlds and, with their Ranger Tugs R-31CB Scout, travel back and forth from Florida to Maine, stopping along the way to enjoy the Chesapeake Bay and cruising Florida in the winter and New England in the summer.
St. Michaels.
Images of Francis Scott Key penning the “Star-Spangled Banner” after observing the siege of Fort McHenry are what most people envision when thinking about the War of 1812. However, many may be surprised to learn that British aggression in the Upper Chesapeake started a year and a half earlier.
British operations in the Chesapeake Bay came in response to the American invasion of Canada in 1812. On the defensive and at a disadvantage in Canada, the British hoped to redirect American troops and resources to a different theater of operation and turn the tide of public opinion against the war. With a sizeable naval presence and experience conducting amphibious operations, the British viewed the Chesapeake Bay, with its political, economic, and strategically significant targets, to be of great military
By Bart A. Stump, Photos By Jennifer Stump
importance, especially Washington, DC, and Baltimore.
To accomplish their mission, the British dispatched a fleet consisting of four ships, six frigates, and multiple smaller ships, under the command of Sir John Warren, to blockade the Chesapeake Bay on February 4, 1813. Warren’s second in command, Rear Admiral Sir George Cockburn, was responsible for the military operations and ensuing destruction inflicted upon the Bay area. Cockburn’s strategy consisted of sending troops into towns carrying the warning that armed resistance would result in the town being razed and military supplies and sailing vessels being seized or destroyed.
Cockburn arrived in the Upper Chesapeake with his flagship, HMS Marlborough, and two schooners on April 28, 1813. There he met up with a squad-
ron of 12 or 13 shallow-draft barges powered by oar and sail and manned with a complement of 400 British troops. After resupplying, the fleet anchored off Turkey Point.
Cockburn ordered the barges up the Elk River with directions to attack any fortifications encountered on the way to their primary objective, Frenchtown. The barges travelled upstream unchallenged until reaching Welsh Point. There they were met by a small force of militia under the command of Major William Boulden. Lacking artillery, the Americans could only offer a token resistance which the British simply bypassed.
In contrast, the militia at Frenchtown had the benefit of a small wooden fort armed with three four-pounder cannons. Their mission was to defend the town’s wharf, storehouses, depot of military supplies, and two boats, the Annon Ruth and Morning Star. Though they put up a valiant defense, the militiamen were outmatched and forced to abandon their position. They withdrew to Elk Landing, hoping to defend 30 ships that had fled upstream.
The British then divided their forces. Waterborne troops burned the
# The Kitty Knight Inn in Galena, MD.
# According to local legend, Catherine “Kitty” Knight repeatedly doused the flames that threatened the house she was living in. She then implored Admiral Cockburn to spare her home.
Frenchtown wharf and Annon Ruth and captured the Morning Star. A force of 150 marines marched a mile inland to Frenchtown. There they plundered the storehouses and military depot, burning what they couldn’t carry. Private dwellings were spared.
British naval forces continued upriver toward Elk Landing. Half a mile short of their goal, they encountered forts Defiance and Frederick as well as an iron chain stretched across the river blocking their route. The defenders opened fire with cannonballs and grapeshot, forcing the British to withdraw downstream.
Landing at White Hall Point, the British tried forcing owner Frisby Henderson to show them the road to Elkton. When Henderson refused, Hetty Boulden, an enslaved girl, offered to guide the British. The cunning Boulden had other plans; she led the unwitting British to Cedar Point, located directly across from the guns of Fort Hollingsworth at Elk Landing.
The militia commander at Fort Hollingsworth, Captain Henry Bennett, ordered his men to open fire, causing the British to withdraw and return to the fleet at Turkey Point. The British would return on July 11, 1814, and again be repulsed by the militia, sparing Elkton from a fiery demise.
When militiamen from Havre de Grace displayed a large American flag and fired on passing British ships from a six-gun battery containing 12 and six-pounder cannons, the city became the next target of British aggression. In retaliation, the British launched an attack at midnight on May 3, 1813, using small, armed boats and a force of marines and sailors.
Near dawn, the British began landing troops and opened fire with cannons and Congreve rockets. The untested militia quickly abandoned their cannons and fled, with the exception of Irishman John O’Neill, who single handedly manned a cannon until captured. The British plundered the town and set fire to 40 of the 62 houses.
John O’Neill was taken aboard the frigate HMS Maidstone as a prisoner of war. Local legend reports that his 15-year-old daughter, Matilda, met with Admiral Cockburn to negotiate his release. Cockburn was said to be so
impressed with Matilda that he paroled her father three days later and gave her a gold trimmed tortoise shell snuff box for her bravery. The box is now preserved at the Maryland Center for History and Culture.
Some of the British forces continued upriver to Bell’s Ferry (Lapidum) where they were said to have helped themselves to whiskey from John Stump’s warehouse before burning 500 barrels of flour. Across the river at Creswell’s Ferry (Port Deposit), residents viewed the rising smoke with trepidation. Their fears were allayed by the conspicuous placement of a gun battery near the water that may have deterred the British.
Moving on from Havre de Grace, the main British force worked its
The National Park Service’s Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail is a 560-mile land and water route that conveys the story of the War of 1812 throughout the Chesapeake Bay region. It features communities impacted by the war and follows American and British troop movements. To learn more, visit nps.gov/stsp/index.htm
# British cannonball found on the riverbank in Havre de Grace. Currently on display at Bahoukas Antique Mall.
# The brass ring on the second floor indicates where the house was struck by a British cannonball.
# The Aveilhe-Goldsborough House in Havre de Grace.
way east, seeking a site of strategic importance, the Principio Iron Works. The foundry, which started production in 1725, housed Maryland’s first blast furnace and refinery forge. Its production of cannons for the U.S. Navy made it a target of paramount importance.
In a communiqué to Admiral Warren, Cockburn stated, “The Cecil or Principio Foundry… was one of the most valuable works of the kind in America, the destruction of it… will I trust prove of much national importance.” The British raid resulted in the capture of a five-gun battery, the destruction of the foundry, and the loss of at least 30 finished cannons.
Setting their sights farther south, the British entered the Sassafras River on the night of May 5, 1813. Their targets were Fredericktown and Georgetown. Hoping to dispense with the unpleasantries experienced at Havre de Grace, Cockburn sent two local boatmen ahead on May 6, 1813, warning the residents that military action against the British would be severely punished.
The local militia had other plans, utilizing earthworks at Fort Duffy to protect Fredericktown and Pearce Point Fort to protect Georgetown. As the British approached, approximately 400 militiamen divided between the two sides of the river and a single cannon opened fire. However, when the British began to
return fire and started landing marines onshore, the militia quickly dispersed and fled into the woods.
In Fredericktown, multiple structures were set ablaze, leaving much of the town in ashes. Across the river, Georgetown faced a similar fate, with a notable exception. According to local legend, Catherine “Kitty” Knight repeatedly doused the flames that threatened the house she was living in. She implored Admiral Cockburn to spare her house
and that of an elderly neighbor woman. Cockburn acquiesced, and the house she eventually purchased is now the Kitty Knight Inn.
Thus ended the British incursion of the upper reaches of the Chesapeake Bay during the early part of the War of 1812. Subsequent raids continued farther south in the Bay and culminated the following year with the burning of Washington, DC, and the siege of Fort McHenry in Baltimore.
# John O’Neill Memorial at Concord Point Park.
# Havre de Grace Historical Marker at Concord Point Park.
Winterization Preparing Your Boat for its Winter Slumber
By Erik Lostrom
As we close on another season of boating, it is sadly that time of year to put away the boats for the winter sleep. Whether you are a DYI owner or have it done professionally (recommended), there are always things to do to prepare for decommissioning:
• Remove all perishable food items from your vessel and any beverages that can freeze.
• Remove soft goods such as fabric cushions, curtains, linens, clothing, towels, etc. This will help with possible mildew and odors onboard. It’s also the perfect time to wash everything and have it ready for next season.
• Open cabin lockers and access panels to allow the boat to breathe and hopefully
have less mildew issues. Using moisture remover-type products can help with moisture control since many boats have a tendency to sweat when they warm in the sun.
• Have good communication with the yard where the boat will be stored and convey the particular details for your vessel. This will help avoid added costs and incorrect service procedures for winterization.
• With marine engines in particular, it’s very important to follow proper winterization procedures, such as changing the engine oil and filter before winterization. Not doing so can lead to long-term damage as the old oil can become acidic and corrode finely machined surfaces internally (see photo of crank shaft damage).
• Change fuel filters and top off diesel tanks with fuel and add stabilizer but be aware that diesel oils can expand and contract with temperature changes. The best practice is to only fill threefourths to seven-eighths max to avoid spills out of your vents. Yards can charge for cleanup costs related to this. With gasoline I prefer to have below a quarter of a tank of fuel (with stabilizer) as ethanol-added fuels have a
short lifespan. This way you have less degraded fuel and can top off the tank in the spring.
• Change transmission oils and lower gear oil in the fall, checking to see if any seals are leaking. It’s also not a bad idea to have oil sample tests done to monitor machinery condition.
• Properly drain domestic systems and pumps before running antifreeze through. Bypass water heaters, drain water tanks, and of course, be sure to flush out holding tanks as well. Make sure you have identified all fixtures in the domestic systems, so nothing is missed: icemakers, washdown, windshield wash systems (typically fresh water supplied).
# One thing you’ll need to consider when it comes to winter layup is whether you will do dry (land) storage or wet storage.
# Change transmission oils and lower gear oil in the fall, checking to see if any seals are leaking. This shows failed seals and water intrusion, soon to be freeze damage.
# Inspection during winterization found dry-rotted hoses.
Batteries are often overlooked as part of winterization and need extra care as they are expensive and can be a source of hazards. Fully charge batteries before layup, and if they are the wet cell type, top off with distilled water. Having them analyzed for capacity ratings can check the feasible life of the batteries. Also, it’s always best to remove batteries and store them where they are not exposed to freezing temperatures. If this is not practical, then you should have some means of charging them at least once a month.
Some other things we need to consider for winter layup are the pros and cons of land storage versus wet storage.
One overlooked item on this list is your insurance coverage. Most insurers prefer land/dry storage in their polices. Wet storage is not always covered for winter layups, so be sure to check your policy as there may be an additional fee for this. I have had owners get a big surprise when an incident occurred during winter when the boat stayed in the water. Also, if wet stored, make sure thru-hulls are properly winterized after closing to avoid damage to the valves. If your boat is stored on
land, make sure thru-hulls are open so no trapped water can freeze, and remove drain plugs as well.
Washing and waxing a vessel for winter layup is recommended. This will help protect the gelcoat or paint from further deterioration and staining during its storage making a quicker springtime cleanup. A clean boat is a happy boat!
During dry storage it’s a good opportunity to inspect the bottom coatings and anodic protection system. It’s always
a good idea to consult with your service yard for recommendations on possible work that will need to be completed. Some of this work can be prepped during winter months with final coating applications done in the spring, saving time and money.
When it comes to covering your prized vessel, there are a few things to consider. Shrinkwrap has certainly become one of the most popular ways to cover a boat. It works well and holds fairly well but is
Marinas That Meet Your Standards!
Anchor Marina
Anchorage Marina
Annapolis Landing Marina Bowleys Marina
Broad Creek Marina
Campbell’s Boatyards
Casa Rio Marina
Coles Point Marina
Corinthian Yacht Club of the Chesapeake
Cypress Marine
Dandy Haven Marina
Dennis Point Marina and Campground
Fairwinds Marina
Forked Creek Yacht Club Marina
Generation III Marina
Harbour Cove Marina
Hartge Yacht Harbor
Herrington Harbour North
Herrington Harbour South
Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay
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Lankford Bay Marina
Legasea Marine
Lighthouse Point Marina
Maryland Marina
Middle River Landing Marina
Nomad Norview Marina
Piney Narrows Yacht Haven
Pleasure Cove Marina
Port Annapolis Marina
Porter’s Seneca Marina
Riverside Marine Marina
Rock Hall Marine Railway
Rod ‘N’ Reel Resort
Selby Bay Marina
Shipwright Harbor Marina
Skipjack Cove Yachting Resort
The Wharf at Handy’s Point
The Wharf Marina
Tri-State Marine
Whitehall Marina
Yacht Haven of Annapolis
# Changing fuel filters during winterization can reveal needed service beyond the filter, such as a possible tank contamination.
not always the cheapest; not to mention disposal has been an issue.
Another option is having a canvas cover made to fit your vessel and thus you have a reusable cover for many years with a better cost benefit in the long term. There are also several cover companies that make stock covers for production boats of many models that are usually in the same price point as shrinkwrap. Either way it is a good idea to protect your vessel as much as possible from the winter elements.
Last but not least, winter layup is a great time to inspect the vessel for repairs and maintenance items to do over the winter, looking over all systems and making a list of deficiencies, some of which as an owner you can do and some you’ll save for marine professionals. A lot of yards give winter work discounts for work this time of year, even offering a “free inspection.” My recommendation is to take advantage of this and experience a more trouble-free summer season. There is always something to service on a boat. This is your chance to keep up with it!
About the Author: Erik Lostrom is a naval architect, third generation professional boat builder, and a graduate of The Landing School. He has worked in the marine industry for over 40 years and currently serves as the marine technology coordinator at Chesapeake College.
FilterBOSS Command
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By Gary Armstrong
While Reminiscing on Past Trips (and Mishaps)
In every good story there is an element of suspense, adventure, or mystery. Unfortunately, this story doesn’t have any of those things in it. The trip up the Intracoastal Waterway from Hilton Head to the Sassafras River didn’t involve any dangerous situations, men overboard, mechanical failures, medical emergencies, or even a lousy meal at a restaurant. That doesn’t mean we didn’t have a lot of fun on the seven-day trip. But I am getting ahead of myself.
When the telephone call came in March from a fellow boater I will call John, I couldn’t say no. How can you say no to an invitation to spend seven days on the water with three other guys moving a 44-foot Sea Ray from Harbour Town, SC, to Skipjack Cove Marina in Georgetown, MD? The other crew members, Steve and Harry, couldn’t say no, either, so there we were, loading a week’s worth of gear onto the boat one Tuesday afternoon in the middle of May.
Locks and Leaks
We left Harbour Town early the next morning with sunny skies and temperatures in the mid-90s, and as I said, we didn’t have any problems. This was a marked contrast to what happened the last time I was on the Sea Ray a year ago.
On that occasion Hilton Head Island was the endpoint of our voyage from Florida, and we had just returned from dinner at about 10 p.m. We were docked at Windmill Harbor, which is behind a lock that only operates during the daytime, when we discovered a leaking thru-hull transducer. There wasn’t a lot of water leaking in, but the captain and one of the crew insisted on tightening the locknut down using two 20-inch pipe wrenches. Now, I’m no expert, but I didn’t think it would be a good idea to
have two determined men torquing on a rusted, frozen nut with 20-inch pipe wrenches in the middle of the night on a boat trapped behind the lock wall with no help in sight.
All I could envision was the small trickle turning into a two-inch geyser when the nut broke off and the transducer fell out of the hole in the hull. Fortunately, my pleas to the two mechanics to stop, at least until the morning, finally had an effect because they put the wrenches away and we all went to sleep (no doubt a light sleep, listening for the sound of rushing water or the feel of something wet and cold lapping at our extremities).
But nothing like that happened on this trip, and we arrived in Charleston, SC, at about 3:30 in the afternoon after an enjoyable day of cruising. I say it was enjoyable, but there was a small incident which happened when we were passing a sailboat.
The Slow Pass
At this point I should explain the custom for overtaking a vessel on the ICW. Unlike the Chesapeake Bay, the narrow confines of the ICW necessitate a form of courtesy known as the “slow pass.” The slow pass involves signaling the slower boat ahead of you that you intend to pass them, either “on two” (on their port side) or “on one” (on their starboard side). Once the overtaken boat acknowledges your intention, they slow to idle speed so that the overtaking vessel can pass them at a speed only slightly faster than idle so as to minimize the wake produced. After the pass, the passed vessel quickly turns into the passing vessel’s wake and everyone continues on. Ordinarily, this little give and take comes off without a hitch; however, on this occasion we had trouble passing a sailboat (a sailboat!). As we cleared their bow, one of the crew on the bridge accidentally hit the kill switch for the star-
# The Sea Ray and crew (L to R): Harry, the author, Steve, and John.
board engine, shutting it down. Steve, who was at the helm, felt the boat veer and thought we had run aground. He pulled back on the throttles, causing our boat to slow so abruptly and veer to starboard that the sailboat we just passed almost rear-ended us. Imagine the shame, the embarrassment, the outright humiliation to be rear-ended by a sailboat. That disaster was fortunately averted due to some quick maneuvering by the skipper of the sailboat.
A Stubborn Knot and a Bread Knife
Unfortunately, we weren’t so lucky on the trip north a few years earlier. I was aboard the Sea Ray for the leg from Florida to Hilton Head, and we hit something while crossing the St. Johns River in Florida. The port shaft wouldn’t turn, and the engine would stall whenever it was put into gear. We anchored at the side of the channel, and before I knew it the other three men onboard were staring at me. “What?” I said. “Well, you are the youngest crew member aboard,” they said. I will spare you the details of the rest of the discus-
sion, but pretty soon I was fitted with a mask, snorkel, and gloves so I could go over the side to see what was wrong.
I went under and found that we had picked up a line. Or rather a polypropylene hawser, approximately one-and-a-half inches in diameter, was wrapped around the shaft and prop multiple times. We must have had 20 feet of it, forming a massive ball that looked impossible to remove. But I figured I should give it a try anyway. (I
may have elected to give up sooner had I known that the only knife aboard had previously only been used to cut bread.)
I soon found myself face-to-face with the knot while wielding the bread knife and I attempted to cut it apart. I could only work on cutting for about 10 seconds at a time before I ran out of air and had to resurface. Soon a 10-foot length of garden hose was duct-taped to the snorkel in an attempt to allow me to stay submerged longer (It didn’t
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# The ICW hawser after I cut it off the shaft.
work). After about an hour of slicing (10 seconds at a time) I managed to clear the shaft and prop. The length of the hawser filled the better part of a 40-gallon trash bag, but we were finally on our way again. Luckily, nothing like that happened during the trip this spring.
Snakes in the Hurricane Hole Thursday dawned sunny and warm. On this day we were headed for North Myrtle Beach. It was an uneventful day, unlike the trip south in the fall with a different crew a year or so earlier. After that crew had set out from the Chesapeake, they discovered that a hurricane was headed toward South Carolina. The crew of the boat was awakened one morning to the sounds of chain saws cutting up the docks at their marina. Apparently, during a prior hurricane, the docks were swept away, and they didn’t want a repeat of the experience. The crew were forced to take the vessel to a nearby deepwater creek and used every foot of line on the boat to secure the vessel to trees on the shore along with a couple of anchors. Dozens of other boats were tied up in the creek in like fashion; crisscrossing lines and anchor rodes were everywhere.
As it turned out, the storm veered off to the northeast and the anticipated storm swell was much less than expected, so the crew needed to go ashore to release the lines. Crewmember Pete was nominated. Now, Pete had heard that the island to which they were tied harbored a few varieties of poisonous snakes. Pete, not being a snake fancier, put on his foul-weather gear, and to be extra safe, duct-taped the leg and arm openings to prevent unwelcome advances of the serpents. Then, having been put ashore, he wielded a boat hook, which he used to thrash the weeds and shrubs in front of him in an attempt to scare off any scaly serpents.
scaring away the snakes. The old-timer informed Pete that due to the storm swell, there were no snakes in the bushes anymore. Pete was momentarily relieved until the gentleman informed him that all the snakes had gone into the trees, and sure enough, when Pete looked up, the trees were dripping with copperheads and water moccasins. Pete made it back to the boat in record time without even getting wet and Steve had to go back to finish the job.
Luckily all the papers were in order, and we were only delayed five minutes, but the Marines are a punctual organization. Normally, the bridge opens precisely on the hour, no earlier, no later. And we now figured we were five minutes behind schedule. Ordinarily, this might not have been a concern, but we were already expecting to get to the marina in Beaufort late, and another one-hour delay would mean that the fuel docks would be closed, and it might even be dark when we arrived.
But as I said, on this particular trip we had great weather, no rain and sunny skies and certainly no hurricanes.
Perpetually Behind Schedule
One good ol’ boy sat in his boat and watched Pete with amusement as he noisily bashed his way about the island. Finally, he yelled over to Pete to ask what he was whacking the bushes for. Pete replied that he was
We made the marina at Dock Holiday’s in North Myrtle Beach and had perfect Bloody Marys as the drink of the evening. Friday, we left early for Beaufort, NC. This leg has several drawbridges we had to go under, and we miss-timed almost every one. We thought that we had finally gotten through this gauntlet of bridges and were headed for the Marine Corps Bridge at Onslow with just enough time to make the five o’clock opening. It was then that the North Carolina Fish and Game patrol decided that we needed to be boarded for an inspection.
John called the bridge operator and started begging early and often to hold the bridge. The operator told him to put the hammer down, and thankfully, he delayed the opening for about five minutes, so we made it through and made it to the marina just before the fuel dock closed.
Run Aground
The Sea Ray wasn’t so lucky on a fateful trip south in the fall. An incident occurred just north of Beaufort in a section of the ICW on a southbound trip. Just north of Beaufort a 40-foot Fountain go-fast went by at an estimated 60 mph within approximately 50 feet of the Sea Ray. The wake from the go-fast tossed the Sea Ray out of the channel and onto a sandbar. She bent her shafts and propellers and sucked up enough mud and sand to completely plug the raw-water strainers. It had to be towed to a marina, and temporary repairs were made so she could get to her destination. A permanent fix was later accomplished: the owner of the Fountain was tracked down and his insurance company paid for the repairs, but nothing like that happened on this trip. It was pretty uneventful.
Returning Home
On Saturday we left Beaufort for Coinjock. The sounds, Pamlico and Albemarle, didn’t present much of a problem, and we arrived at five o’clock. Coinjock is a unique place that caters to boats transiting the ICW. There’s not much there but a fuel dock and a restaurant, but it offers the only services for many miles. It’s too far to make it to Norfolk from Beaufort so a lot of boats stop here. On the way to Coinjock, the captain/owner spilled some
# The hawser in question with a water bottle for scale.
varnish on the carpet in a misguided attempt to re-finish a railing in the cabin. Steve and John used every cleaning product on the boat and eventually discovered that a mixture of turpentine and baking soda did the trick. (Note: This concoction also removes the skin from your hands.)
We arrived at Windmill Harbor on the Rappahannock River after passing
through Norfolk. We were finally back in the Chesapeake, and it felt like home even though we were still two days away from Skipjack Cove. We could have made it to the Sassafras, but John refuses to bypass Annapolis when he gets anywhere near it (something to do with oyster shooters, crab cakes, and Painkillers).
After an enjoyable evening in Annapolis, we left early the next morning and
arrived at Skipjack Cove around 11 a.m. We unloaded in record time and soon were heading home in John’s land yacht. Seven days on the water, zero incidents. A pretty boring trip, but I’d do it again in a heartbeat. Maybe next time will be more exciting.
# The lock at the marina where the leaking occurred.
Boat Dogs
Thank you again to everyone who sent in photos of their boat dogs for our annual cover contest! Here are a few more cuties that didn’t make it in last month. You may email photos for our monthly boat dog column anytime to kaylie@proptalk.com.
# Photo by Kent Morris
# Photo by G.L. Fronk
# Photo by Barbara Freedman
# Photo by Steve Poole
# Photo by Lorie Lagola
# Photo by Gary Armstrong
# Photo by Lesley Sutherland
# Photo by Kim Holmes
# Photo by Sydney Hughes
# Photo by Kristin Duda
# Photo by Lindsay Powell
# Photo by Peg Lincoln
# Photo by Adrienne Morgan
# Photo by Erik Anderson
# Photo by Travis Matthews
Annapolis Powerboat Show
Photos by Larry French and PropTalk
It was another amazing year of the Annapolis Powerboat Show, October 2-5. Thank you to everyone who stopped by our booth to say hello!
# Photo by Larry French
# Photo by Larry French
# Photo by Larry French
CHARTER SERIES PART 3
A Newbie’s Guide to Charter Vacations
By Zuzana Prochazka
Contemplating a charter vacation? It’s easier than you think. Here are some pro tips on planning, executing, and enjoying a charter whether in the British Virgin Islands, Mexico, Croatia, or beyond.
Bareboat or crewed?
First, decide how you want to cruise. Will you be the skipper on a bareboat and have responsibility for navigating, anchoring, troubleshooting, and generally managing the charter, or do you prefer to let a captain handle the boat and maybe a chef do the cooking?
Professionals aboard a crewed charter mitigate risk and stress, but they also
make the charter less private and more expensive. No experience is necessary.
To bareboat charter, you must have some experience. It’s less expensive, but you’ll need basic operating, anchoring, and docking skills. You’ll plan the itinerary, monitor weather, and tend to your crew. Some charter companies offer a midpoint solution by providing a “partial captain” who’ll
stay aboard for one to three days until you learn the ropes.
Where to go and who to book with, and what kind of boat to choose?
There are many places to go and lots of charter companies to choose from, both regional and international. Both experiences can be good, but for the first outing you may want to stick with one of the “majors” because they offer booking advice, easy payments, loads of support onsite, and decent boats.
The Moorings, Sunsail, and Dream Yacht Charter may be a bit more expensive than local outfits, but they offer fewer surprises along the way. For example, vacation planners at Sunsail answer questions on the phone and handhold you through the process. Start with a company’s website for fleet information, destinations, packing tips, and sample itineraries
The British Virgin Islands in the Caribbean are the most popular destination for beginners due to line-of-
# Powercats offer stability, space, and better privacy, so your crew will love a cat.
# The British Virgin Islands in the Caribbean are the most popular destination for beginners.
sight navigation, steady trade winds, and lots of shoreside entertainment like restaurants and bars. With greater skill comes more adventure, so soon you’ll be able to explore the far-flung islands of Greece, the remoteness of the Sea of Cortez, or the beauty of Tahiti.
If you’re set on a longer cruising charter such as in the Pacific Northwest, you may find single or twin-screw diesel inboard engines on monohull powerboats like those with the Anacortes Yacht Charter fleet. These boats are bigger and possibly more complex, but they may mirror what you already drive back home, so they’re familiar. If you go overseas with one of the major charter companies to explore destinations like Croatia, Tahiti, Martinique, or the Sea of Cortez, you’ll most likely be on a powercat.
The Moorings, Dream Yacht Charters, and MarineMax Vacations all offer powercats from 35-55 feet, and some monohullers find these big platforms intimidating. But here’s my first tip: these boats are actually easier and more fun to drive, so there’s no need to worry. They offer stability, space, and better privacy, so your crew will love a cat.
When to book, when to go, and whom to bring?
Like tour companies, charter organizations operate on high, low, and shoulder seasons. The Mediterranean is busy in the summer while the Caribbean perks up in the winter. The key is to avoid hurricane, typhoon, and meltemi seasons, which bring strong winds to different parts of the world. Shoulder season is less busy, offers lower prices, and sees smaller crowds in anchorages and restaurants. Shoulder season in the Caribbean is May and June and early November, while the Med is less crowded in May and October. Some charter companies offer pricing discounts or extra days (such as 10 days for the price of seven), so ask about specials.
Depending on the destination and time of year, plan to book six to 10 months in advance. If booking for peak season holidays such as Christmas or New Year’s or peak summer in the Med, make it 10 to 12 months ahead. For off-peak cruising, you may be able to book three to six months out, and if you have a flexible schedule, you may be able to take advantage of last-minute deals.
For your first time, target a few days or a week, and don’t over-plan your itinerary. Be flexible, stay in the present, and if you like a specific place, be spontaneous and take extra time. Rushing makes for a lousy vacation and a cranky crew. Speaking of which, choose your crew carefully. Bringing non-boaters, non-campers, young kids, and the seasick will definitely impact your vacation.
What about paperwork, briefings, and costs?
For bareboating, you’ll sign a contract, and you’ll need your boating resume and crew list with the names and passport information of all guests. You’ll also complete insurance waivers and arrival information.
Technical and chart briefings are essential, so don’t plan to skip them.
Some companies require you to watch online videos prior to arrival and attend onsite briefings as well. The chart briefing walks you through setting up an itinerary and provides local knowledge. The tech briefing teaches you how to run the boat’s systems such as the generator, tank manifolds, electronics, and dinghy operation. Both briefings are invaluable.
Expect to add insurance fees and fuel and provisioning costs to the charter base price. For crewed charters, plan a tip of 10 to 20 percent of the base cost of the charter for the crew. Consider adding toys such as SUPs and kayaks but remember these are priced per day or per the length of the charter, and they’re not cheap. For best results choose the “partial provisioning” option if there is one where you have some basic foodstuff brought aboard by the company, but you’ll also have the flexibility to dine out often.
Why not start now?
Chartering isn’t hard, and there are so many tools to help along the way. If you’re new to boating, consider a crewed charter. If not, take the plunge on your own. A bareboat in the BVI may open doors to a lifetime of adventure vacations around the world.
# Some companies, especially in the Pacific Northwest, specialize in trawler-style yachts. Photo courtesy of NW Explorations
CRUISING CLUB NOTES
As you’ll read in these pages, Chesapeake Bay powerboat clubs offer members cruises, social events, and educational opportunities. Share your club’s excursions and other benefits of membership. Send appproximately 350 words (sometimes longer) and clear photos of pretty boats and happy boaters to beth@proptalk.com
An Incredible Journey, x2
By Doug J. Smith
I’m writing from Solomons, MD, to share some truly exciting news about Tad and Libbie Sheldon. Labor Day weekend marked a momentous occasion for them—the culmination of an incredible journey. Not only did they triumphantly complete America’s Great Loop aboard their Kadey-Krogen 39 Silkie, but they also celebrated their 41st wedding anniversary with us
at Solomons Island Yacht Club (SIYC) on September 1.
The Sheldon’s adventure began in May 2022. After purchasing their boat in Baltimore and undertaking some necessary preparations in Solomons, MD, they set out for a remarkable 6000-mile circumnavigation of the eastern third of the United States. Their trip concluded on August
#
30 at SIYC. What a remarkable achievement!
This trip represents the fulfillment of a long-held dream for Tad and Libbie, who embarked on this journey following their semiretirement. Tad, formerly a program manager at Quail Comm, and Libbie, a distinguished lab director and an astonishing 53-year veteran of a level three ski instructor (a feat in itself!), traded their daily routines for the open waters. They even maintained a sailboat at the South Beach Yacht Club in San Francisco Bay, while living in Incline Village, NV, a testament to their lifelong passion for sailing and powerboating. Now, having completed this epic voyage, they are preparing to sell Selkie and return to their home in Nevada.
I wanted to share their incredible story of dedication, perseverance, and the pursuit of a shared dream. It’s truly inspiring! Learn more about their adventure at mvselkie.blog
About the author:
Doug Smith is a Harbor Host for America’s Great Loop Cruisers’ Association (greatloop.org) and member of the Solomons Island Yacht Club (solomonsislandyachtclub.com).
Tad and Libbie Sheldon display the gold AGLCA burgee, indicating they have completed the Great Loop.
National Rendezvous in Crisfield
The Marine Trawler Owners Association (MTOA) National Rendezvous powered into Crisfield, MD, on September 15. Participants numbered 140, with 49 boats and 3 RVs.
Festivities unfolded at Somers Cove Marina, with an optional trip aboard the Chelsea Lane Tyler to Smith Island for a tour on September 19. Learn more about MTOA at mtoa.clubexpress.com
Grand Banks Owners Cruise to Long Island Sound
By Steve Lingsch
Six boats from the Chesapeake Bay Grand Banks Owners Association (CBGBOA) cruised to Long Island Sound in June.
The group met at Summit North on the C&D Canal June 1, and the next day the flotilla made the trip down the Delaware Bay to Utsch’s Marina in Cape May. After dinner we studied the weather and considered the layovers in Atlantic City, Barnegat, and Manasquan. The decision was made to make the 14-hour run (at eight knots) to the Atlantic Highlands anchorage just behind Sandy Hook. It turned out to be a good decision as the emerald green swells were one foot at eight seconds for the entire run.
After a brief stay, the flotilla made the run up the Hudson and East Rivers to Harlem Yacht Club on City Island, which
is part of the Bronx, for our first stop on Long Island Sound. The Harlem Yacht Club is the second oldest yacht club in the country, and City Island is a great layover with excellent neighborhood restaurants. After a two-day stay, the next stop was picturesque Oyster Bay for several days. From there, the group split up stopping in Northport, Port Jefferson, Essex, Mystic, Block Island, and Newport. For the most part, cruising Long Island Sound is economical, and accommodations are easy to get; most destinations and towns offer mooring fields with reliable tender service. This was CBGBOA’s third summer cruise to Long Island Sound over the past four years.
CBGBOA is an association for current and former owners of Grand Banks or boats of similar workmanship and quality. CBGBOA is an established yacht club located at Oxford Yacht Agency in Oxford, MD. In addition to reciprocal benefits with other yacht clubs belonging to Yacht Clubs of America, members receive discounted membership to BoatUS, a membership directory of Grand Banks owners, mentorship programs for new members, social events and cruises throughout the year, and, finally, a warm welcome from fellow, like-minded, Grand Banks owners and enthusiasts. If you would like to join or learn more about CBGBOA, visit cbgboa.org.
# Aboard the Chelsea Lane Tyler for a trip to Smith Island.
# The flotilla ran up the East River to Harlem Yacht Club on City Island.
Cruising Club Notes
A “Classic” Summer on the Bay!
By Mark Hogan
What a great summer it was for members of the Classic Yacht Club of America.
Club members kicked off boating season in April with an Ice Breaker Dinner held at MacGregors in Havre de Grace, MD, where members renewed friendships and previewed plans for the season.
In June they gathered at Osprey Point Marina in Rock Hall, MD, for the season’s first rendezvous and annual flag raising ceremony. Throughout the weekend members enjoyed Osprey’s pool, bike rides to town, paddleboarding, and kayaking in Swan Creek. On Saturday evening the bridge officers donned dress whites. Joined by members, they hoisted the club burgee up the flagpole. During a very moving ceremony a memorial wreath was laid in Swan Creek in memory of deceased members.
In July the club cruised to Knapps Narrows Marina, Tilghman Island. The highlight was a Boat Show Open House, an enjoyable event which offered members the opportunity to tour all of the unique and classic boats in the club. The event was made more enjoyable with Bloody Marys and mimosas served dockside.
The August Rendezvous took us to Chesapeake Yacht Club (CYC) on the
Cruising Into Fall
By Anne Knab
Back Creek Yacht Club (BCYC) rear commodore Tim Nelson understands that just because Labor Day is in the rearview mirror does not mean Chesapeake Bay boaters are done for the season. Tim rallied about a half dozen vessels for a loosely structured cruise south to the Tide’s Inn in Virginia in mid-September.
The fleet stopped, together and separately, in Solomons Island and Ridge MD, as well as Urbanna and Kilmarnock, VA, allowing other BCYC members to join via land for happy hours and dinners along the way. The unstructured cruise also meshed well with a 16-day trip by BCYC’ers Tim Feldman and Jae Hamilton who joined the others at the Tides Inn. Just another example of the advantages of yacht club life!
West River. CYC is a first-class operation with a lovely pool, pool bar and grill, floating docks and a very attentive dock crew. Friday members toasted the evening with their own signature cocktail, “The Chesapeake Classic,” a sweet, rummy concoction. On Saturday a gourmet dinner was served in CYC’s dining room. Sunday morning’s mimosa toast was to friendships, boats, and the splendor of the Chesapeake Bay.
In September, the club cruised to Great Oak Landing for the final ren-
The cruise was not part of our official schedule, so Tim created a fall cruise topic in our WhatsApp group to organize and coordinate individual boats as they headed out as wind and tides permitted. WhatsApp again came in handy as the fleet passed the mouth of the Potomac, and those ahead offered guidance on local conditions to boats behind them. All breathed a sigh of relief for the calmer seas once they started up the Rappahannock River to the Tides Inn.
Upon arrival, BCYC members learned the pool was still open for business, although most were more interested in the pool bar. The inn also provided lawn games and a fire pit, which we used until the next weather front moved in, forcing everyone to transition to indoor pursuits such as board games, trivia, watercolor painting, and afternoon tea. Commodore Chuck Kahle compared the multi-day
dezvous of the season, and in October gathered once again at MacGregors for a Change of Watch dinner and ceremony. If this sounds like the kind of summer you and your boat would like to be part of in 2026, please consider becoming a member. The club is comprised of all types of boats, from classic wooden vessels to modern cruisers. Our members share a common love of their boats and the enjoyment of cruising the Bay. Visit us at classicyachtclub.org or email cycaboard@classicyachtclub.org.
stay to Gilligan’s Island, stating that he “couldn’t be marooned with a better group.” Isn’t that what cruising with a yacht club is all about?
Participant Amy Andrews called this one of her favorite cruises because they got to explore new rivers and marinas such as Solomons Island Yacht Club, Point Lookout, and Chesapeake Boat Basin. If you’d like to enjoy new boating experiences with a group of friends, consider joining BCYC. Check us out at backcreekyc.org. #WelcomeAboard!
# Camaraderie at the Tides Inn.
# Classic wooden vessels and even modern cruisers are all welcome.
PropTalk Gives Thanks
This year Thanksgiving falls on November 27, so even though it’s a little early, all of us at PropTalk wanted to take a moment to share what we’re thankful for.
“I’m thankful for the great fall weather, for all of our boating friends, and for the team that makes PropTalk. I can honestly say I look forward to getting to work in the morning. I’m also thankful for my family and for Angus and Malcolm, the best four-legged coworkers ever.”
~Mary Ewenson
“I’m thankful for the weird way many of our Chesapeake Bay lighthouses lean over. Italy’s got nothing on us!!”
~Lenny Rudow
“Thankfully, I was able to take my dad to the Sailboat Show this year. I am also thankful for our readers and advertisers; without them, our titles would not be publishing.”
~Eric Richardson
“I’m grateful for the simple joys this year—laughter with family and friends, the wagging tails of Mabel and Shackleton, and for the cherished memories of Kona. I’m also grateful for the Chesapeake Bay, which has a way of bringing me peace and reminding me to slow down and appreciate the people and moments that matter most.”
~Beatrice Mackenzie
“I’m thankful for a second season on the water with my boat, along with friends and family who spend time out on the water with me. I am also thankful for my trusty boat dog and best office companion, Bodhi, as well as our faithful readers, writers, and advertisers who make all of this possible (and so much fun).
~Kaylie Jasinski
“Thankful to live in a place where I can take a short paddle after work and see wildlife— herons or bald eagles, fish or rays, a turtle sunning on a log—it remains a pleasure and privilege for which I’m always grateful.”
~Molly Winans
“I am thankful for the time I spent with my family, being in a workplace that encourages time on the water, and as always, office dogs.”
~Royal Synder
“I’m thankful to be able to work parttime now with SpinSheet, PropTalk, and FiahTalk. It’s quite wonderful to be able to come in to work when I do and enjoy the camaraderie of all the younger people in the office. It’s a great group that puts on these amazing magazines.”
~Lucy Iliff
“Thankful for all the folks who love to read newsprint about all things boating. Thankful for the amazing family I get to come home to every day.”
~Brooke King
“I am thankful for time on the water, awesome co-workers, my family, and the opportunity to bring fun, informative, and inspiring boating stories to Chesapeake boaters.”
~Beth Crabtree
“I’m thankful for my fishing friends and grateful for all the Chesapeake adventures we went on this year, from Ocean City, Cape Charles, Crisfield, and Smith Island to name a few.”
~Zach Ditmars
“I am thankful for our readers, advertisers, and partners who make each issue possible.”
~Chris Charbonneau
Blue Friday
On the day after Thanksgiving, Friday, November 28, join us once again in celebrating Blue Friday. This is a great opportunity to spend time by the water, especially after the hustle and bustle of a holiday.
While you’re there, take a moment to think about what you’re thankful for. You don’t have to go out in a boat (but you certainly can!). We’ve found that a simple walk with a water view is a really nice way to spend time with family and friends. Some of our readers like to bring along a garbage bag and clean up the beach with their kids or stroll along the shoreline with their pup.
The point is, let’s get outside and do what we love. Celebrate the Chesapeake Bay and give thanks for this awesome body of water we call home. If you decide to go out on the water, please use good cold weather boating sense. File a float plan, wear PFDs, and use wet or dry suits if needed.
After you’ve spent time by the water, then you can go shopping. But consider shopping local this year. If you’re in need of a boating good or service, you’ll find a multitude of options within the pages of PropTalk. And if you shop with our advertisers, make sure to say PropTalk sent you.
We started this idea back in 2015 and we love how it continues to grow in participation each year. Let’s kick off the holiday season by enjoying the water! Send photos of your day to kaylie@proptalk.com
Making YOUR BOaT New Again!
Onaway
By Kaylie Jasinski
Is that a sailboat without a mast?
Nope! And it’s not a true deadrise either; Onaway is in a field of her own. We recently reached out to Xan Schlegel, the service manager at Hartge Yacht Yard, after he submitted a photo of his dog Dodger for PropTalk’s cover contest. Dodger was aboard a beautiful classic boat, so we had to learn more. Xan and his father Alex Schlegel (his full name is Emile Alexander Schlegel after the yard’s founder), the owner and general manager of Hartge Yacht Yard, shared more about Onaway’s history.
Onaway was built around 1920/1921 by Xan’s great great uncle, Captain Dick Hartge. He was 26 years old at the time, and while he built the boat, it was designed by his father, Emile Alexander Hartge, who started Hartge Yacht Yard in 1865.
Captain Dick’s main claim to fame, however, are the Chesapeake 20 sailboats. He designed and built them, and they are still an active one-design class today. Xan estimates that he also probably built another 150 or so vessels in addition to those over the years.
But back to Onaway—she’s 36 feet long and about eight feet wide, making her long, low, and narrow, and she has a round bottom as opposed to a traditional hard chine deadrise. Xan says, “I’ve heard them called ‘river boats’ before; they look like a deadrise in terms of the sheer line. They are lower to the water and were built for commuting or working in calmer waters.”
“It was pretty much the kind of boat that was designed around that timeframe,” adds Alex. “They had small horsepower engines (typically one to two cylinder) and were easily driven. Pretty much all the workboats of that time were long and low and narrow. This boat was designed as more of a pleasure boat; something to ride around the river on. Back in those days water was still the main means of transportation.”
When I asked about the typical upkeep and maintenance required for Onaway, Xan and Alex explained how the boat was ‘glassed over’ with fiberglass in the 1980s, so it doesn’t require as much work as the typical workboat or a typical wood boat. Similarly, all of the wooden Chesapeake 20s were also eventually glassed over (not when they were built, but probably sometime during the 1960s). Alex says, “Most wooden boats were not covered in glass
# Xan with his girlfriend, Madde Vachon, and Dodger on another design by Capt. Dick Hartge. It’s called the Rosy Tosy, named because it rows and tows easily.
# This boat was designed as more of a pleasure boat; something to ride around the river on. Photos courtesy of Xan Schlegel
Making YOUR BOaT New Again!
at the time; it wasn’t worth the trouble, I guess. It was easier to maintain a wooden boat (labor and materials were cheaper), but later, as prices changed, it became easier to maintain a fiberglass boat.
“Folk wisdom used to say that covering a wood boat with fiberglass would cause a boat to rot, but if it’s done properly and is maintained properly, that hasn’t been my experience,” he added.
The cabin was originally low and squared off. Later the cabin was rebuilt using a single piece of steam-bent oak as the cabin wound around with additional planks added above to raise the cabin top. The interior of the cabin is varnished, and the outside is painted. The seam between the single panel of steam-bent oak and the upper planks opens as the seasons change, which requires a little filling and painting every year.
Apart from that, the bottom paint is done every year, and they work to keep the hull sides looking nice. There’s also of course typical yearly engine maintenance.
Onaway has a Chrysler Slant-Six, about 145-hp. Alex says in general it’s a pretty low maintenance vessel since it’s been glassed over and had a major refit in the 80s (which included a new deck, all new frames and timbers, engine beds, and a new engine).
“I don’t know who the boat was built for, or who owned it, the builder or his father, but it was used as transportation, not as a watermen’s boat,” says Alex. “All the pictures I’ve seen of it are just people having fun, swimming off of it, just riding around. At one point it was sold to the Labrot family; they owned and eventually sold the land that became Sandy Point State Park.”
Alex’s father and uncle bought the boat back, sometime during the 1950s, so there was only a short time when it wasn’t in the family. When his father passed away in the late 60s, Alex maintained Onaway after that, and his mother officially gave him the boat sometime around 1970.
So, how does Onaway fare out on the Bay? Xan says he typically takes the boat out about half a dozen times during the year, sometimes more, and has been to Annapolis quite a few times. Recently Xan, his girlfriend Madde, and their dog Dodger did a circumnavigation of Wye Island, cruising nicely at around eight to nine knots.
“It’s definitely a crowd pleaser,” says Xan. “Everyone always asks who built the boat and people ask, ‘Is that a sailboat without a mast in it?’
“One time we brought it up to Annapolis where these guys were sitting on their boat in Ego Alley, and they had three scoreboards that said ‘style,’ ‘class,’ and ‘party’ and we got 10, 10, 10,” he says.
Regarding the boat’s name, Alex says it’s “always been Onaway,” but they have never known where the name came from.
“There’s a town in Michigan named Onaway, but I don’t think that’s where it came from,” he says. “Everyone who would know about the name died long ago.”
Xan joked that it could be as simple as a South County accent shouting “we’re on the way!”
So, if you’re out on the Bay and happen to see a long and low boat that kind of looks like a deadrise but also kind of looks like a sailboat missing a mast, chances are it might just be Onaway. Be sure to give them a wave!
Do you have a beloved classic boat? Want to share your story? Reach out to kaylie@proptalk.com
# Onaway with a Chesapeake 20 sailboat in the background, Captain Dick Hartge’s most famous design. They are still racing today.
Authorized d e A ler. Certified t e C hni C i A ns
Marine Engine & Generator Sales • Parts • Service
By Capt. Rick Franke
Fall is officially here, not only on the calendar but in the weather and the boat shows as well. The boating season is rapidly drawing to a close, and for most area shops it seemed like it was a pretty good year. The winter season seems to be shaping up well for local shops as well. The slow market in new boats seems to be offset somewhat by the busy repair and repower demand. Let’s hope that demand carries through the off season. In the meantime, we have lots of things going on in and around our Chesapeake boatshops, so let’s see what’s happening.
Jake Glover at Ferry Point Marina in Trappe, MD, starts us off this month with this report: “Our paint shop recently completed a topwork Awlcraft application on a 28-foot Robbins Bay Boat. We also had a Formula 45 yacht in the shop to address failing clearcoat. Over in the fiberglass shop the team is completing a new transom for a 24-foot Grady White. Our mechanics team—led by two certified Master Techs—is wrapping up several repower and repair projects and gearing up for the busy winterization season. With a cold spring and an early fall, this boating season has been flying by. Deposits are coming in quickly for both our indoor and outdoor storage options, so don’t wait to reserve your space. Attached are before-and-after photos of a Whaler collision repair we completed this summer.”
Bill Griffin forwarded this update from Zimmerman Marine in Herrington Harbour North in Tracys Landing, MD. “Transformation complete. You might remember this Selene 60, Coffee Break, when we first shared the prep work underway for
a full Awlgrip hull refinish. From prep to final coat, our Herrington Harbour team handled every detail with precision, and it shows. If you’re considering a refresh, now’s the time to start the conversation.”
# The newly repaired and refinished Whaler at Ferry Point Marina in Trappe, MD. Courtesy of FPM
# A Whaler in for collision damage repair at Ferry Point Marina in Trappe, MD. Courtesy of FPM
# The transom on a 1966 Chris-Craft Tri-Cabin ready for a new coat of varnish at Marine Services LLC at Pocahontas Marina in Edgewater, MD. Photo by Rick Franke
Andy Dize of Roudebush Yacht and Engine Works in Dundalk, MD, sends us this newsy report. “Hope all are doing well this fall and looking forward to a great winter season! It has been a busy end of the year for us, and it looks like it will continue strong through the winter. We recently completed and delivered the second of two 28-foot by eightfoot, six-inch aluminum dive support boats for Marine Solutions. The boats are powered with two 150-hp Suzuki outboards. Boat one has already seen service off Thomas Point Light and has supported the Maryland Department of Transportation with bridge inspections. Boat two is headed to Kentucky. The customer is considering increasing our project scope to a third boat which will be slightly larger and will have a cabin.
“On the repair side, we are deep into the engine replacement on an ex-U.S. Coast Guard 41-foot utility boat for Aberdeen Proving Ground. The project involves the replacement of two older eight-cylinder Cummins diesel engines with two six-cylinder turbocharged
diesels, control system, transmissions, and propellers. This project will take us into late fall to complete. We are also in the process of completing an inboard engine replacement on a Morgan Out Island 41. The project required major structural repairs and system replacements to support the new engine installation. A project we recently picked up was for a Sundancer 280 starter replacement. However, once we got into the project, which required removing the engine to replace the starter, a number of other issues were found, from outdrive component replacements to belts, hoses, and filters for the engine.
“Between these specialized projects and our fall storage and cleaning work, there may be potential for adding to our workforce for 2026. RY&EW is a fullservice repair yard able to dock, lift, and repair boats up to 45 feet. We are also able to design and build custom boats in aluminum or fiberglass. Reach out to Andy to discuss your future repair or new construction project.”
Eric Detweiler of the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St. Micheals, MD, forwards the following update from shipyard manager Robert Leiby: “The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum’s (CBMM) shipyard has the 1920 Chesapeake Bay buyboat Winnie Estelle in the spotlight this fall. As part of an extensive refit, the vessel’s Santa Maria bottom planking—a remnant from its time in South America before coming to CBMM—has been carefully reclaimed and given new life as the new sole bearers in her hold. The rebuilding of its bulwarks and rails is now underway. This process will return its silhouette to its original, graceful form with open rails and slimmer lines. At the same time, new cypress bottom planking is steadily being laid and should be finished by late fall. With steady progress on all fronts, we’re confident that Winnie Estelle will be back on the Miles River by next summer.”
Rob Hardy of Composite Yacht in Trappe, MD, winds up this month’s reports with an upbeat summary. “We’re plugging along, doing just
# Coffee Break, a Selene 60, leaves the shop and heads for the water at Zimmerman Marine in Tracys Landing, MD. Photo by Bill Griffin
# Sundancer, a Sundance 280 in at Roudebush Yacht and Engine Works in Dundalk, MD, for a new starter. Courtesy of RYEW
# A retired Coast Guard 41-foot Utility Boat being refitted and updated for use as a Range Boat at Aberdeen Proving Ground by Roudebush Yacht and Engine Works in Dundalk, MD. Courtesy of RYEW
# The newly removed engine from a Sundown 280. In the background is the bow of the newly built workboat number 2 complete with pushing knees at Roudebush Yacht and Engine Works in Dundalk, MD. Courtesy of RYEW
fine. We’re still working on the 55-foot yacht tender and the 46-foot research vessel for St. Mary’s. We’ve got a CY 26 under construction and coming along; she’s about halfway done. We have another 26 to do after that. We have a contract to build a 62-foot offshore boat, an offshore convertible. We are still in the preliminary design phase on it. We know what she’ll look like, but
we are in the middle of putting in the place holders for all the equipment and things like that. The naval architect that we’re using is working on the bottom and working out the balances. We’re excited about that. This is our first foray into the real offshore market. One of the things that has become a fair portion of our business is government contracts, making parts for the military,” he concluded.
When asked about the state of the business, Rob replied, “Things have been going well. The brokerage side of the business has been a struggle, but I think that’s been true across the board for everyone. But we are doing fine. We also do a lot of ancillary work. We work in conjunction with Ferry Point, so we have a lot of paint jobs, upgrades, refits, repowers, repairs, and things like that. At
restoration of Winnie Estelle, a 1920 buyboat, at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St Michaels, MD. Courtesy of CBMM
# Creating a new 27-footer at Jennings Marine in Reedville, VA. Photo by Bill Griffin
this point we are fully booked for the winter. We are actually pretty well booked out well into the spring. We are still getting a lot of inquiries. We’ve still got another 26 to build; we are getting ready to start waxing the mold for it. We just took an order for a new 62. So, we are doing well, and we remain cautiously optimistic.”
Thanks, Rob. We always like to end on an optimistic note. As you plan to put
the boat away for the winter, consider doing without the shrinkwrap cover this year. The recycling issue with these large plastic items continues to be problematic. If you plan to use shrinkwrap, check now with your marina management to make sure they have a plan and a way to handle the problem in the spring. If you are a doit-yourselfer, check with the Marine
Trades Association of Maryland for their plans and recommendations for recycling. You can contact them at mtam.org.
Enjoy the fine fall weather on the water and be careful out there!
# A 1968 26-foot Lyman Cruisette and a 1963 Chris-Craft Sea Skiff 20 in the shop awaiting new interior and deck varnish at Marine Services LLC in Edgewater, MD. Photo by Rick Franke
# A Bandy Center Console outside the Bandy Shop at Casa Rio Marina in Mayo, MD. Photo by Rick Franke
FISH NEWS
Survey Says
By Lenny Rudow
Apoll jointly conducted by Republican research firm New Bridge Strategy and Democratic research firm FM3 found an overwhelming 92 percent of Virginia voters believe the state should leave more menhaden in the Bay. Every policy tested for stricter management was supported.
“We can’t continue to stick our heads in the sand and ignore the storm brewing,” said Chesapeake Bay Foundation Virginia executive director Chris Moore. “The Bay’s lack of menhaden is already hurting small businesses, commercial and recreational fisheries, and the predators that depend on menhaden for food. It is clear Virginians want definitive action to leave more menhaden in the Bay. The safest approach is to pause menhaden reduction fishing inside the Chesapeake Bay until science can show whether this industrial fishery is sustainable.”
Rockfish Under Review
The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission recently conducted its Striped Bass Stock Assessment Data Workshop, with additional workshops expected in the winter and summer of 2026 to assess the condition of the striped bass stock. The final assessment is expected to be ready for peer review in the spring of 2027. Meanwhile, Addendum III proposes a 12-percent reduction in the striped bass take for 2026, equally split between recreational and commercial sectors. Regulations have yet to be set for the 2026 Chesapeake Bay season but change in some form is likely.
Catfish Changes Coming?
The Virginia DWR announced possible changes in blue catfish regulations, considering limits on blue catfish in tidal rivers of the Chesapeake to be a barrier to reducing abundance. The proposed regs remove limits on the Rappahannock and York Rivers as well as portions of the James, while retaining a daily limit of one blue catfish per day over 32 inches. As we go to press, the public comment period has closed but the DWR has not yet announced the results of the board meeting, so stay tuned for updates.
# Changes in striper regs should be expected for the 2026 season.
TOURNAMENT NEWS
If you haven’t already signed up for the Fish For a Cure Tournament, hurry up! This year’s event is Saturday, November 1, with fishing from 6 a.m. through 4 p.m. This is a C-P-R tournament with the largest stringer of three fish taking the prize, but there are several other ways to win. The Grand Slam will be awarded to the longest stringer of three different species, a Perch Division will be won by the team with the longest stringer of five perch, and an Invasive Species prize goes to the team with the longest stringer of three invasive catfish and/or snakeheads. The fishing, however, plays second fiddle to the fundraising. Each team also participates in the Paul C. Dettor Captain’s Challenge to see who can raise the most to benefit the Cancer Survivorship Program at Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center’s Geaton and
JoAnn DeCesaris Cancer Center. Yes, the cash you raise in your angling endeavors will be helping cancer patients, and last year for the first time Fish For a Cure surpassed the million-dollar mark.
All of us either know someone who’s been impacted by cancer or have been impacted ourselves, and all of us want to go fishing. So, the combined goals of Fish For a Cure make joining in a nobrainer. If you haven’t registered yet, do so ASAP. Get cracking on that fundraising and help make sure that patients have the critical support this tournament funds when they’re in their greatest time of need. And then go fishing—visit fishforacure.org, the very next moment you’re within reach of a digital device.
You say you can’t fish on November 1, or can’t join in the tournament for one reason or another? That doesn’t mean you can’t pitch in and help. Team
FishTalk/PropTalk is all-in for this event, and we’re pulling out all the stops to amp up our fundraising. So here’s a direct ask: please go to the Fish For a Cure website right now, click on Tournament Standings, then click on Team FishTalk/PropTalk and make a donation. Any amount is appreciated, and every dollar helps. Thank you, anglers!
BROKERAGE & CLASSIFIED SECTIONS
Lloyd Cooper — Yacht Consultant, East Coast Yacht Sales – Annapolis
With decades of experience in yacht management, deliveries, and brokerage, Lloyd’s background spans custom builds, classics, and both power and sailing yachts. His hands-on expertise and market knowledge make him an excellent choice if you’re looking to list your brokerage boat. Meet Lloyd at our Annapolis Office or reach him directly at 443.852.0093 or lloyd@ecys.com. The Annapolis office of East Coast Yacht Sales is located at Bert Jabin Yacht Yard, 7320 Edgewood Road, Building 6, Annapolis, MD 21403.
As a USCG Captain with years of experience on both sail and powerboats, Nathan has worked everywhere from the Chesapeake to the Caribbean and trained midshipmen at the U.S. Naval Academy. His practical knowledge and teaching background make him a trusted advisor for boat owners looking to sell. Connect with Nathan at our Annapolis Office or reach him directly at 301.730.5303 or nhesse@ecys.com. The Annapolis office of East Coast Yacht Sales is located at Bert Jabin Yacht Yard, 7320 Edgewood Road, Building 6, Annapolis, MD 21403.
S&J Yachts, Brokers for Fine Yachts With 10 locations from Maine to Florida, S&J Yachts is one of the largest full-service yacht brokerages on the East Coast. Our extensive reach & marketing helps find top buyers quickly. S&J Yachts has established an outstanding reputation for integrity and service! Our experienced team of brokers is committed to serving both buyers and sellers, ensuring fair practices and complete satisfaction with every deal. Whether sail or power, we’ll help you find the perfect fit! 410.639.2777 info@sjyachts.com www.sjyachts.com
To advertise in the Brokerage and Classified sections, contact beatrice@proptalk.com
YaZu Yachting With a career in construction equipment rental and sales, thirty plus years boating on the Chesapeake Bay, and a twenty-year Gwynns Island resident, Bob Hoefer has taken his sales talents to the water with a career at YaZu Yachting. “Understanding the importance of relationship building in any sales arena, I am eager to meet and get to know new people. Whether in the acquisition of their new boat or the sale of their current boat, it all starts with a relationship.” 804.241.8924 bob@yazuyachting.com www.yazuyachting.com
YachtView.com wants to be your concierge Annapolis brokerage to sell your power or sailing yacht. We offer complimentary, secure dockage with electrical hookups for vessels ranging from 25’ to 80’ until sold. Our commission is 8% for direct sales or 10% co-brokered. We advertise on YachtView.com, YachtWorld.com, YachtTrader.com, and Yachtr.com for excellent MLS exposure. Located 15 minutes from BWI and downtown Annapolis for easy customer access. Visit YachtView.com or contact Capt. John Kaiser, Jr. for a detailed yacht appraisal today! Yacht View Brokerage, John Kaiser, Jr., Full-time yacht broker since 1988, call/text: 443.223.7864, John@YachtView.com, www.YachtView.com
2021 Sportsman Heritage 211 Yamaha F150XB 4-Stroke Outboard, Aluminum Trailer, Twin Garmin 943XSV, Hardtop, Dual Battery w/ Switch, Underwater Lights, Raw Water Washdown, Seakeeper Rideprofessionally installed by Riverside, Bow Filler Cushion, Cooler Slide, JL Audio Stereo, Premium Dual Chair Leaning Post, Bow Cushions w/ Backrests, Transom Full Bench Seat, Outrigger Bases, Prewire for Trolling Motor and Bracket. $64,995 Riverside Marine, 410.686.1500, sales@riversideboats.com , www.riversideboats.com #21279
Brokerage & Classified
21’ Chris Craft 215 Scorpion Cuddy Cabin 1986 GM 305cu in/230Hp, 784 hrs.; I/O Merc Alpha 1; Wired for two batteries; Bimini top & cushions like new; 2015 ‘Elite’ Load Rite trailer, 24’ & 5,400lbs capacity, new tires. $6,500 410.320.1747 More info/photos: www.tinyurl.com/21ChrisCraft
Jeanneau 22’ New Leader 6.5 WA 2024 Yamaha F200, Digital display, Garmin, Fusion Audio, Windlass, SkiMast, Sundeck. WAS $79,999 NOW $69,999 (Stock# BJ-145) Rudy Marine 302.945.2254 www.RudyMarine.com
2017 Tidewater Boats 230 XLF Yamaha F250 Vmax (253 Hours), 300hr Service was completed 2 years ago and a 100hr Service was completed this spring. Aluminum Tandem Axle Trailer, Garmin GPSMap, Standard Horizon Eclipse VHF, Gull Wings, Sprayshield, Dual Battery and Switch, Underwater Lights, White Bottom Paint, Trim Tabs, Outriggers, JVC Stereo KD-MR1BT, Missing 2 Cushions in Bow and 1 in the Transom. $64,995 Riverside Marine, 410.686.1500, sales@riversideboats.com , www.riversideboats.com #21230
2024 Steiger Craft 23 Miami Yamaha F250 Digital Controls (108 Hours), Warranty until 7/20/29, Venture Trailer, Garmin 1243xsv, 2nd Garmin 1243xsv (Exterior of Cockpit), Garmin Fantom Radar, Garmin GT56 Side Scan, Sionyx, Horizon VHF, Bracket, Wiring, and Setup for future Trolling motor and Humminbird Transducer, Humminbird Solix 10” Screen w/ 2 dedicated transducers, and more! $124,995 Riverside Marine, 410.686.1500, sales@riversideboats.com , www.riversideboats.com #21256
New 2025 Sportsman Open 232 F250XB Yamaha Outboard, (Trailer Available), Storm Cloud Hull w/ White Bottom, Polar White Upholstery, White Powder Coating, Premium Dual Chair LP w/ Flip-up Bolsters & Armrests, and more! $99,475 Riverside Marine, 410.686.1500, sales@riversideboats.com , www.riversideboats.com #20966
SeaCraft 23 Potter Hull Center Console, direct drive 5.3 Merc inboard, custom trailer included, newly upgraded engine parts. $22,000 Text for more info/pics: 301.452.8499
2016 Cutwater C-24 Coupe $89,995NEW LISTING - Call 888.519.9120 or sales@pocket-yacht.com www.pocketyachtco.com
2019 Key West 244CC Yamaha F300UCA Outboard (473 Hours), Load Rite Aluminum Trailer, Garmin 7616 GPS, Uniden VHF Radio, Hardtop, Dual Battery, Portable Head, Raw Water Washdown, Windlass, Trim Tabs, Bottom Paint, and more! $79,995 Riverside Marine, 410.686.1500, sales@riversideboats.com , www.riversideboats.com #21162
2021 Cutwater C-24 CW $99,987 Call 888.519.9120 or sales@pocket-yacht.com www.pocketyachtco.com
Twin Vee 24’ Catamaran Dual Console 2024 Pre-owned, New Condition. New custom-fit trailer. Twin Mercury 4-Stroke 150 HP 11hrs. Hard T-Top, Rocket Launchers, Simrad, GPSMAP. $139,998/OBO (Stock# U-390) Rudy Marine, 302.945.2254, www.RudyMarine.com
Read boat reviews online at proptalk.com
2020 Crownline 264CR Brokerage - She’s a fast and fun cruiser, loaded w/ features and nearly every option to make boating fun for family and friends. Asking $94,900 Call Dave Townley 410.271.5225 or www.seattleyachts.com
26’ Cutwater ‘22 $140,000 Fletcher C. Bauman 410.263.2000 fletcher@curtisstokes.net www.curtisstokes.net
Cutwater 26’ Cruiser WA 2016 Preowned, excellent condition. New custom-fit trailer, Volvo Penta Diesel 200HP, low hours, digital gauges, GPSMAP, windlass helm controlled, cooktop, microwave, full head. $134,499/OBO (Stock# U-395) Rudy Marine, 302.945.2254, www.RudyMarine.com
2021 Ranger Tugs R-27 $179,987 Call 888.519.9120 or sales@pocket-yacht. com www.pocketyachtco.com
27’ Cherubini ‘13 $149,000 Jack Kelly 609.517.2822 jack@curtisstokes.net www.curtisstokes.net
2020 29’ Jeanneau NC895 “Lydie Ann” 2 stateroom, 1 head, twin Yamaha 150hp 4S outboards (140 hours), A/C & heat, bow thruster, new Garmin Phantom 18 radar, new full cockpit enclosure, new 24” flatscreen TV, triple axle trailer. Price Reduced $149,500 Deltaville, VA. Call Bob Hoefer 804.241.8924 or bob@yazuyachting.com www.yazuyachting.com
29’ Hunt Yachts Surfhunter 29 2017 NEW LISTING! Ideal for those seeking a high-performance, beautifully crafted yacht with classic appeal. Legendary handling, combined with timeless design & modern features make her a favorite among boating enthusiasts. $329,000 S&J Yachts, 410.639.2777, www.sjyachts.com
2023 Nimbus T9 30’ New - Hull #121Twin Mercury V6, Foiled Hull, Thruster, Radar, Underwater Lights, Zipwake Dynamic Controls, Extra Fridge. Just Reduced $255,000 Call Seattle Yachts Annapolis 410.397.7323 or www.seattleyachts.com
2023 Aviara AV 32 32’ Baltimore, MD. Asking $279,000 One owner, low hour, freshwater boat. 380Hp Ilmor’s w/ joystick control. Black hull and hardtop, highly optioned. To schedule showing or for more information, please contact Chuck Meyers: 703.999.7696 or chuck@cyc.yachts www.chesapeakeyachtcenter.com
2023 Cutwater C-32 CB $344,987 Call 888.519.9120 or sales@pocket-yacht.com www.pocketyachtco.com
32’ Nordic Tug 32 1999 Classic styling meets cruising comfort—perfect for the Loop or weekends. Wellmaintained tug w/ Cummins diesel, bow thruster, new electronics, generator, solar, and fresh upgrades. Classic styling meets cruising comfort—perfect for the Loop or weekends. $149,000 S&J Yachts, 410.639.2777, www.sjyachts.com
32’ Fratelli Aprea Sorrento ‘22 A luxurious yacht w/ stunning interior. Spectacular Performance! A dry and comfortable ride at 30+ knots. Handcrafted in Italy for over 130 years by the Fratelli family. Stand out from the crowd w/ this very elegant Yacht! Lightly used as a demo boat. Now offered for sale! Contact S&J Yachts, 410.639.2777, www.sjyachts.com
2024 Nimbus 305C 33’ New - Hull #393 - Volvo Penta D4-270hp, Thrusters, Air Con, Windlass, Simrad Electronics. Special Pricing $480,000 Call Seattle Yachts Annapolis 410.397.7323 or www.seattleyachts.com
33’ Bavaria Vida 33 2023 DEMO SAVE $75,000 & DUTY PAID! Lightly used DEMO boat. Fast cruiser 40+. Fun boat with tons of room. Twin Merc 300Hp surrounded by hydraulic swim platform. Axius joystick, large retractable sunroof, galley up. Below: A/C, head/shwr, comfortable lounge area. $418,540 Call S&J Yachts for details 410.639.2777, www.sjyachts.com
To find more used boats, visit proptalk.com
2014 Nordic Tugs 34 Brokerage - If you’re looking for a trawler to fulfill your quest for adventure, look no further than this low-hour Nordic Tug 34. Immaculately maintained beauty lives in covered dockage year-roundAC/Gen, Bow Thruster, fully equipped. Asking $325,000 Call Jeff Jordan 410.320.5183 or www.seattleyachts.com
Jeanneau 34’ New NC1095 Weekender 2026 Yamaha twin F300, Helm Master joystick w/autopilot, Bow thruster, Windlass, Garmin, AC, Generator, Electric cooktop, Bow sun awning. (Stock# BJ-241) Rudy Marine 302.945.2254 www.RudyMarine.com
35’ Eastern Casco Bay Flybridge 2010 Excellent Condition and Many Upgrades. Single Diesel, Bow & Stern Thruster, Generator, A/C, Outriggers, New Electronics & Clearance that would make her an ideal Great Loop Boat. $179,000 S&J Yachts, 410.639.2777, www.sjyachts.com
Jeanneau 35’ New Leader 10.5 WA 2025 Yamaha twin F300, Helm Master joystick w/autopilot, Windlass, Bow thruster, Garmin12”, A/C, Fridge, Electric cooktop, microwave. LOADED (Stock# BJ-226) Rudy Marine 302.945.2254 www.RudyMarine.com
1990 Pettegrow Flybridge 36’ Brokerage - Custom built classic Maine Lobster-Style boat. Hull recently painted, many upgrades, varnished cherry interior, radar, A/C-heat, much more. Reduced $160,000 Call Rod Rowan 703.593.7531 or www.seattleyachts.com
2018 Legacy 36’ Brokerage - Flag Blue hull, VERY nicely maintained. 480 Cummins w/ low hours. Galley down, genset, 3-zone AC, lots more. Asking $445,000 Call Dave van den Arend 443.850.4197 or www.seattleyachts.com
36’ Judge Chesapeake 36 2009 NEW LISTING! Experience the perfect fusion of luxury, performance, and rugged reliability. Whether you’re chasing trophy fish or cruising the coast in style, this vessel delivers. 480Hp Cummins QSB 5.9 common-rail diesel inboard… $249,500 S&J Yachts, 410.639.2777, www.sjyachts.com
1999 Nordic Tug 37 BrokerageCummins 330hp. Bow & stern thrusters, generator, air conditioning. Clean, wellequipped cruiser. Asking $239,000 Call Gordon Bennett 410.739.4432 or www.seattleyachts.com
37’ MAKAI M37 2025 SHARP PRICE & DUTY PAID! Luxury sports cruiser! Fuel efficient. Spacious & stable like a much larger yacht w/ the maneuverability of a smaller boat. Cruise 24Kts/Max 35Kts. Retractable sunroof. Large cockpit. Galley up. 2 staterooms each w/ ensuite head & standing headroom throughout. $749,900 Call NowS&J Yachts, 410.971.1071, www.sjyachts.com
2024 Nimbus T-11 41’ New - HULL #283 - Twin 400 Mercs. Joystick, Thruster, Open day boat layout w/ yacht construction quality. 2 Cabins and enclosed head. $625,000 Well-equipped! Call Seattle Yachts Annapolis 410.397.7323 or www.seattleyachts.com
2025 Nimbus W11 41’ New - Hull #46. Foiled Hull, Twin Mercury Verado V-10 400XXL, Mooring Sunshades, EcoTeak, Zipwake & Bow Thruster, Windlass, Air Con, Simrad Electronics Package and More. $670,000 Call Seattle Yachts Annapolis 410.397.7323 or www.seattleyachts.com
41’ Bavaria SR41 2023 DEMO SAVE $150,000 & DUTY PAID! Lightly used DEMO boat. Modern family cruiser. Enjoy outdoor living w/ all the amenities & spacious indoor living w/ 2nd galley, salon and 2 large staterooms. A/C, large electric sunroof, sunpad fwd & aft, much more. $599,350 Schedule your test run now –S&J Yachts, 410.639.2777, www.sjyachts.com
1996 Grand Banks 42 Classic 42’ Baltimore, MD. Asking $298,000 Beautifully Kept! 300hp CATs provide reliable and efficient cruise. Updated Electronics, Decks, Interior and More! To schedule showing or for more information, please contact Chuck Meyers: 703.999.7696 or chuck @cyc.yachts www.chesapeakeyachtcenter.com
2002 43’ Mainship 430 Trawler
“Kris Sea” Twin Yanmar 440Hp turbo diesels (3800 hours), Kohler 8KW (887 hours), bow and stern thrusters, Highfield 340 11’ Dinghy (2023) w/ Tohatsu 25Hp Four-Stroke Outboard (2023), Extensive Service and Maintenance Records. $224,950 Urbanna, VA. Call Bob Hoefer 804.241.8924 or bob@yazuyachting.com www.yazuyachting.com
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2008 Sea Ray 44 Sundancer 44’ Baltimore, MD. Asking $298,000 Clean boat! Cummins power, joystick docking, Sky Hook, Hydraulic Swim Platform, Helm A/C, Blue Hull, Hardtop w/ New Canvas and more! To schedule showing or for more information, please contact Chuck Meyers: 703.999.7696 or chuck@cyc.yachts www.chesapeakeyachtcenter.com
(It’s About Time) 45’ Ocean Alexander ‘00 $249,000 Curtis Stokes 410.919.4900 curtis@curtisstokes.net www.curtisstokes.net
(Jubilee) 46’ Post ‘88 $129,000 Curtis Stokes 410.919.4900 curtis@curtisstokes.net www.curtisstokes.net
2022 Prestige Yachts 460 Fly 47’ Baltimore, MD. Asking $949,000 Seakeeper Equipped. Like-New Condition. Several years of remaining Volvo factory warranty. Most volume mid 40’ yacht on the market. Price Reduction for Summer Sale. To schedule showing or for more information, please contact Ian Dimka: 410.693.7386 or ian@cyc.yachts www.chesapeakeyachtcenter.com
48’ Sabre 48 SE 2014 Stunning Downeast design & Claret hull which sets her apart from the rest. Extremely well looked after by her knowledgeable owners. Twin 550Hp Cummins engines, Zeus pod drives – Max speed 38kts. 2 staterooms w/ private heads, spacious salon, & fully equipped galley. $749,900 S&J Yachts, 410.639.2777, www.sjyachts.com
2015 Prestige Yachts 500 S 50’ Rock Hall, MD. Asking $634,000 Award Winning 3-Stateroom Layout. Tender Garage. Indoor-Outdoor Salon/Helm. Excellent Condition and ready for her next home! To schedule showing or for more information, please contact Ian Dimka: 410.693.7386 or ian @cyc.yachts www.chesapeakeyachtcenter.com
2016 Prestige 500 S 50’ Stevensville, MD. Asking $599,000 Low Hours, Immaculate Condition. Turn-Key. To schedule showing or for more information, please contact Ian Dimka: 410.693.7386 or ian@cyc.yachts www.chesapeakeyachtcenter.com
2017 Prestige 500 Fly 50’ Easton, MD. Asking $699,000 Amazing condition. Complete Volvo Engine/Pod Services. To schedule showing or for more information, please contact Ian Dimka: 410.693.7386 or ian @cyc.yachts www.chesapeakeyachtcenter.com
2017 Prestige Yachts 500 S 50’ Rock Hall, MD. Asking $689,000 Grey Oak Wood. Well-Maintained. Ready for Spring delivery. To schedule showing or for more information, please contact Ian Dimka: 410.693.7386 or ian@cyc.yachts www.chesapeakeyachtcenter.com
2014 Azimut 51’ Brokerage“Sparrow” combines luxury, space, and efficiency in a stylish, seaworthy yacht designed for both long-range cruising and refined onboard comfort.” Based in Annapolis and available to show any time. $598,765 Call Matt Weimer at 410-212-2628 or www.seattleyachts.com
2023 Prestige 520 52’ Annapolis, MD. Asking $1,199,000 LikeNew. Tons of Custom Options. TurnKey. To schedule showing or for more information, please contact Ian Dimka: 410.693.7386 or ian@cyc.yachts www.chesapeakeyachtcenter.com
53’ Carver 530 2000 Spacious, stylish cruiser w/ a luxurious salon, 3 staterooms, flybridge seating for 8, & ample fuel capacity. Designed for comfort, entertaining, & extended cruising. $290,000 S&J Yachts, 843.872.8080, www.sjyachts.com
2006 Vicem 52/55 Classic 55’ Ocean City, MD. Asking $529,000 Low Hour MAN Diesels. Bow and Stern Thruster, Updated Garmin Electronics. Beautiful High Gloss Mahogany Interior. To schedule showing or for more information, please contact Chuck Meyers: 703.999.7696 or chuck @cyc.yachts www.chesapeakeyachtcenter.com
2016 Prestige 550 Hardtop 56’ Baltimore, MD. Asing $829,000 Great Condition. Motivated Seller. Ready for Immediate Delivery. To schedule showing or for more information, please contact Ian Dimka: 410.693.7386 or ian@cyc.yachts www.chesapeakeyachtcenter.com
56’ Johnson High Tech 56 Euro 1994 Impressive on-the-water liveaboard. Solid cruiser/liveaboard - 3 cabin/3head, spacious saloon, flybridge, aft deck & ample storage for extended cruising. 2x Detroit AV92TA, fwc, 8 CYLINDER Diesels: cruise at 20 kts, max 26-28 kts. $239,500 S&J Yachts, 410.639.2777, www.sjyachts.com
1985 60’ Hartman-Palmer 60 Long Range Cruiser “Calypso” 4 bed 5 head, new galley appliances (2022) bow & stern thrusters, Niaid roll stabilizers (2012), new electronics (2022), 2 generators: 20KW & 15KW, low hour Detroit Diesels, stand up engine room/ workshop. $469,000 Deltaville, VA. Call Bob Hoefer 804.241.8924 or bob@yazuyachting.com www.yazuyachting.com
61’ Buddy Davis 61 Convertible 1987 Iconic sportfisher w/ 3 staterooms/3 heads, freshly rebuilt Detroit Diesels 12V92TA, updated electronics, teak finishes, and premium fishing amenities. $329,000 S&J Yachts, 410.639.2777, www.sjyachts.com
2017 Prestige Yachts 630 Fly 63’ Baltimore, MD. Asking $1,189,000 Low hour, fully serviced Volvo IPS 950. SeaKeeper 9, bow thurster, 3 staterooms/3 heads plus crew. To schedule showing or for more information, please contact Chuck Meyers: 703.999.7696 or chuck @cyc.yachts www.chesapeakeyachtcenter.com
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MARKETPLACE & CLASSIFIED SECTIONS
EQUIPMENT
Pair of Reconditioned Props For Sale Two reconditioned 22”x22” 4-blade props, fits 1 1/16–1 1/4” tapered shafts. $778 invested. Reasonable offers considered. Contact: 410.845.7405 or rwittlinger28@comcast.net
FINANCE
HELP WANTED
Marine Mechanic: Solomon’s Island, MD Immediate opening for a marine mechanic at a service-oriented marina on the Chesapeake Bay. Experience in marine engine service; certifications preferred. $30-$45 per hour, health benefits, retirement savings, PTO. Visit https://jobs.compassmaritimegroup.com or email captsue@compassmaritimegroup.com
Yacht Sales - Curtis Stokes and Associates, Inc. is hiring new salespeople for our Chesapeake area operation. Candidates must be honest, ethical and have boating experience. This is a commission only position. Contact Curtis Stokes at 410.919.4900 or curtis@curtisstokes.net www.curtisstokes.net
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contact beatrice@proptalk.com
MARINE SERVICES
MARINE SERVICES
a career in
Boating
Retirement and Welcome Aboard
Scott Croft, VP of public relations at BoatUS announced his retirement earlier this summer with this message: “My 23-year journey at BoatUS and my 35-year career in tourism/travel and recreational boating public relations drew to a close on September 30, as I head into retirement. I am grateful for the friendship given to me, our professional experience together, and possibly the thousand acts of kindness and camaraderie that all contributed to my wonderful PR career. I have felt valued, made an impact, and most importantly, had fun. But as they say, one chapter ends, a new one begins. My wife, April, and I are headed to Saratoga Springs, NY, where I will continue my volunteer work on Hudson River boating issues. I also plan to explore Adirondack lakes and ponds on a small sailboat and maybe cruise the Erie Canal (now celebrating its incredible bicentennial). Yep, I’ll still be ‘messing about in boats.’ After September 30, I can be reached at dscroft3@gmail. com.”
With this announcement, Croft also shares that Alisha Sheth is the new BoatUS manager of Public Affairs. He says, “Alisha would be more than welcome to help you with any BoatUS and BoatUS Foundation news and information, whether it be our TowBoatUS on-water towing fleet, helping to remove abandoned derelict vessels from the nation’s shores, speaking up on Capitol Hill, growing boating safety education and saving lives, or other myriad programs, policies, and advocacy that helps make boating better for the nation’s nearly 12 million boat owners and our more than 740,000 BoatUS members. Just like me when I came to BoatUS in 2002, Alisha has over a decade of public relations agency experience. I know she will carry on our Public Affairs mission with the highest service—listening, helping, brainstorming, and getting answers or interviews for the media we serve. Feel free to send her a short note to say hello!” She can be reached at alisha@boatus.com or (703) 245-2300. boatus.com
Product Debut
Tenero Tenders, LLC announced the debut of its new 12foot tender at the fall Annapolis Boat Shows. Designed by the internationally acclaimed Farr Yacht Design, this vessel sets a new benchmark in performance, customization, and engineering excellence. The hulls are manufactured from fiberglass or carbon/ glass hybrid laminates with foam cores and infused with epoxy resins by Ghostworks Marine of Holland, MI. The tender weighs just 218 pounds empty and supports a payload of over 500 pounds. The hull features a flat pad keel and low deadrise stern for efficient planing and stowage, while the forward sections and rocker distribution ensure smooth handling in short chop. Operational ease was a key priority. A flat, fendered bow surface allows for straightforward boarding, and the recessed outboard motor mount adds stern protection and buoyancy in turns. Wide side decks and a deep cockpit provide secure footing and easy trim adjustment for crew. The prototype on display was powered by a 30-hp four-stroke outboard, reaching speeds up to 22 knots with two passengers aboard. The hull is designed to accommodate up to 40-hp outboards, offering flexibility for heavier loads or longer-range cruising. Tenero has also engineered the tender for electric propulsion, including compatibility with ZeroJet’s electric jet drive system. With next-generation batteries, the electric configuration delivers up to 40-hp and operates in less than a foot of water—quietly and cleanly. tenerotenders.com
Service Center
Annapolis Boat Sales shares that a brand-new, state-of-the-art marine service center will be opening in early 2026. This expansion is a big step forward in how the company plans to serve the Chesapeake Bay boating community—faster, better, and with even more care. The new facility will include climate-controlled bays designed for service in every season, extra-large 19-foot doors to bring in larger vessels, more designated service space for quicker turnaround times, and an employee break room and upgraded work areas to support its team. “This expansion is about more than just servicing boats,” said owner Walter George. “It’s about continuing to grow with our boating community. Whether you purchased your boat from us or not, our certified team is here to keep you out on the water, doing what you love.” Annapolis Boat Sales extends a heartfelt thank you to its loyal customers for trusting them with your boats, and to its incredible staff that also helped make this possible. annapolisboatsales.com
Dealer Network
Legasea Marine has been appointed as an authorized dealer for Monterey Boats. This new partnership brings Monterey’s awardwinning lineup to customers throughout Legasea Marine’s sales and service territory in Virginia and northeastern North Carolina. In over 40 years of boat building, Monterey Boats has established themselves as leaders in the marketplace, focusing on cutting edge design, craftsmanship, and technology. Matched with high-quality construction techniques, a high-capacity facility, and a committed team of experts, Monterey has achieved an unparalleled level of customer satisfaction in the marine industry. As an authorized dealer, Legasea Marine will offer the full range of Monterey sport boats featuring Mercury Marine’s industry leading power options and supported by the company’s experienced sales staff and factory-trained service team at their waterfront facility in Yorktown, VA. Two of the first Monterey models slated to arrive at Legasea this fall will be the Elite 27 and Elite 30 bowriders. legaseamarine.com
New Platform
Current Yachts announced its official launch with a mission to transform the yacht brokerage industry by eliminating excessive commissions and putting consumers first. The company’s innovative model is a service-based patent-pending approach where traditional eight to 10 percent commission structures are replaced with transparent, flat-rate pricing while maintaining the highest professional standards. Current Yachts also launched the beta version of a new seller platform designed to shorten the time to list, boost listing quality, and elevate the overall customer experience. Current Yachts is co-founded by industry experts Amanda Haley of Fort Lauderdale, FL, and Maryline Bossar of Annapolis, MD, together with their technical cofounders Jeff Dorso and Sean Walsh, seasoned startup founders and developers with the deep know-how, technical expertise, and robust track record in scaling solutions to solve complex problems. The firm’s consumer-centric approach delivers significant cost savings to sellers, facilitates faster transactions, and promotes unprecedented transparency throughout the buying and selling process. Another important differentiator of the Current Yachts model is the collaboration of two skill sets with every transaction: a yacht broker and a transaction manager. currentyachts.com
New Places To Pick Up PropTalk
Let’s give a warm welcome to these new PropTalk distribution stops!
• Edwards Pharmacy in Centreville, MD
• Realistic Holistic in Hampton, VA
• James T. Wilson Fishing Pier in Hampton, VA
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