The Sailing Club, Inc.

August Catamaran Trip
August 16-18, 2003

August lived up to its billing with hot muggy days on the Chesapeake.  This didn't curtail the activities of 26 sailors who boarded their respective catamarans on a Friday evening for a mid-morning shove-off Saturday to Shaw Bay up the Eastern Bay. Three catamarans, each 43 feet in length and 22 feet in beam, departed Annapolis in August on a beautiful Saturday in light winds. Under sail, the trio made their way past St. Thomas light, around Bloody Point light and into Eastern Bay under sail and on a beam reach. Soon the northwest sky began to darken, and the wind began to back announcing a weather change that would soon be upon us. Dowsing all sail, the cats-three made a run for Shaw Bay and were clobbered with 40+ knots of wind just as each entered the Bay. Two of the three cats, skippered by Tom Davies and Don Gilmore, milled about smartly while the third, skippered by Steward, made his way back to the end of Shaw Bay and dropped a hook to ride-out the blow. It took several attempts to do so with the wind screaming, and the lightning crashing all about. As quickly as the weather was on us, it left. The other two cats joined Steward and crew and quickly built a raft for a very enjoyable, if not sticky, evening aboard a sixty-six foot wide raft. Victuals and libations were rumored to flow until the wee hours - ah, it was another Sailing Club progressive-party under the guise of a sailing trip!

Sunday morning dawned in grand splendor. Each of the boats got underway in due time and headed back down Eastern Bay toward the day's objective of Herrington Harbour South. The wind pooped out on us after noon, but it afforded an opportunity for the skippers on two of the cats to announce a swimming party. With fenders made up and dragging behind, the swimmers enjoyed a refreshing dip in the Chesapeake. Herrington Harbour was made that afternoon, and the various amenities of the harbor were enjoyed by all of the crew until late that evening. With generators running to provide A/C, most were quickly sound asleep on what was a rather full day. Monday morning gave us gray sky and wind out of the NNE; of course right on our nose. Most motor-sailed back to Annapolis to check-in and venture back to New Jersey, or others parts north or south.

Catamarans are fun to sail from time-to-time but don't give the avid sailor a feeling of truly being among the elements like a monohull does. They are a stable platform, and great for the first time sailor who wishes not to get their sea-legs too quickly. With twin engines, they're most fun in tight situations and can spin in their own length just by manipulating the throttles. Their spacious cabins and the salon make for a real comfortable get-together. Each boat had either 8 or 9 aboard and few, if any, felt cramped. We'll do it again sometime, when we want a respite from the monohull.

Dave Steward