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Old 10-06-2018, 14:32   #1
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Chesapeake Bay/Offshore Sailing

I saw at least 10 sailboats (in 6 hours or so) coming down the Chesapeake Bay Saturday Morning after I left my anchorage along the Eastern Shore 10 miles or so North of Cape Charles

Many were near or going thru the 18 or so tankers that were anchored off Cape Charles/Kiptopeke

The wind stayed up pretty good out of the South and even increase to maybe 18 knots plus in the afternoon so even though the boats were beating to windward it was nice to see the tacking back and forth across the bay.

Was everyone headed to Harbor Fest in Norfolk or was there an Offshore Race going on?

I also saw a sailboat headed out the Northern Channel this am with a number on it. It looked like maybe a C&C
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Old 10-06-2018, 15:07   #2
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Re: Chesapeake Bay/Offshore Sailing

Annapolis to Bermuda started Friday at 1330.

I have only done one of those but a fun fast race.

I think the C & C withdrew with electrical problems.


www.bermudaoceanrace.com
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Old 10-06-2018, 15:18   #3
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Re: Chesapeake Bay/Offshore Sailing

Quote:
Originally Posted by sailpower View Post
Annapolis to Bermuda started Friday at 1330.

I have only done one of those but a fun fast race.

I think the C & C withdrew with electrical problems.


www.bermudaoceanrace.com
Thanks, I was thinking it might be that.

I got to see how close to the wind some of these sailboats could point up close and personnel as they passed me during these tacks coming down the bay

I used to race ( Beach Cats for 15 years, Gulf Coast) and this brought it all back. So I think I need more than 19.75' of waterline!

I know where a boat is that has 29' plus so I'll be looking at it soon. It's an old Pearson 10M with lots of sails that the owner got too old to race. It also has a fin keel with a depth of about 6'

The boat (The C&C maybe number 83 I believe) was still headed offshore around 9 am this morning under sail with a very light breeze. I thought he might still be racing because usually sailboats are motoring in those conditions ……..around here anyway.

Looking at the link and pictures, I think it was Sail Number 83 Impromptu. I passed in front of him by maybe 150 yards as I motorsailed home this am

I saw one sailboat with a black jib that maybe went out (offshore) around 12-1 pm yesterday afternoon. He was looking real good
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Old 12-06-2018, 07:11   #4
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Re: Chesapeake Bay/Offshore Sailing

This is the first boat I saw early Saturday Morning because he tacked near where I had just sailed off anchor on the Eastern Side of the lower Chesapeake Bay.

No wonder he looked so fast and was pointing so high. Looks like one hell of a nice boat.

44' Tenacious

Table 1-1 Specifications
Length, Overall 44.3 ft. 0 in. (13.51 meters)
Length, Waterline 36.75 ft. (11.2 meters)
Beam, Maximum 12.725 ft. (3.84 meters)
Draft 7.638 ft. (2.327 meters)
Mast Height, from Waterline 63.09 ft. (19.23 meters)
Displacement, Lightship trim 29,156 pounds
Ballast 10,472 pounds
Sail Area 1020 square feet mainsail and 100% jib
Engine, Diesel Auxiliary
Yanmar Model 4JH4E (NA 21-25) and 4JH4AE (NA 26-36), 50 H.P. @ 3000 RPM
w/ Yanmar reverse reduction gear model KM4A, with Max Prop 483mm diameter,
356 mm pitch, feathering 2 blade prop.
Fuel Capacity 55 Gallons (50 useable)
Consumption (approx) 1 GPH @ 3000 RPM (maximum power)
.75 GPH @ 2400 RPM (cruise power)
ELECTRICAL 12 volts D.C., 120 VAC, 30 Amp.
Alternators Ship’s Service/House alternator, Balmar 90-100 D 100 Amp
Engine Start Battery alternator, Yanmar 60 Amp
Batteries
Ship’s Service/House Batteries 4 batteries in 1 SS bank; Lifeline AGM GPL-31T (420 total Amp hrs)
Engine Start Battery 1 - Lifeline AGM GPL-31T (105 Amp hrs)
COMMUNICATIONS
VHF ICOM IC-M 506 with ICOM HM-195Command Mic IV
HF/SSB ICOM IC-M802
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
Navigation System Furuno NavNet TZT14 Multifunction Display: Chartplotter, Radar, AIS, WeatherFax
Sailing Instruments Brooks & Gatehouse Hercules H5000 with Graphic and Triton Displays
Radar 4kW 24” High Definition Digital Radome Model DRS4D incorporated in NavNet
GPS GPS/WAAS Sensor Model GP330B incorporated in NavNet
Weather Furuno Fax-30 facsimile; and NavCenter Weather, (internet access required)
AIS FA50 Furuno Automatic Identification System, incorporated in NavNet.
Instrument interface MiniPlex-41BT provides interface for up to four NMEA instruments, and has a laptop
serial port access. Bluetooth capable for PDA or computer.
POTABLE WATER 175 Gallons in 3 tanks (35 gal day tank, 2-70 gal tanks under settee berths)
REFRIGERATION Technautics Coastal 12 (12 VDC)
MSD HOLDING TANK 50 gal (PVC)
TANK TENDER SYSTEM Hart Systems Model

He was leading the race at the time it appears ...........

https://www.usna.edu/Sailing/lectures/navy44.php
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Old 14-06-2018, 04:29   #5
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Re: Chesapeake Bay/Offshore Sailing

Tenacious Navy 44 1st in line honours
1st in PHRF 1
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Old 14-06-2018, 05:10   #6
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Re: Chesapeake Bay/Offshore Sailing

And the academy has like 10 of those. And a couple of Tp52’s as well. A few of them will be in the Newport Bermuda race as well.

Used to race against them a lot. Very entertaining to be sandwiched between two of them, close hauled and charging over the start line in 15 knots, 6’ between boats. If you’re on the rail keep your feet up!
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Old 14-06-2018, 05:36   #7
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Re: Chesapeake Bay/Offshore Sailing

Quote:
Originally Posted by Suijin View Post
And the academy has like 10 of those. And a couple of Tp52’s as well. A few of them will be in the Newport Bermuda race as well.

Used to race against them a lot. Very entertaining to be sandwiched between two of them, close hauled and charging over the start line in 15 knots, 6’ between boats. If you’re on the rail keep your feet up!
Yeah, there were at least 3 of them in this race.

I had no idea what I was seeing Saturday Morning as far as Navy 44 Tenacious, but I quickly learned it could really point!

I researched it when I got back on Sunday.

I did figure out it was a race of some sort before then and also saw the C&C #83 Impromptu leaving the bay in very light air under sail early Sunday with his number attached to his lifelines

Another race boat crossed in front of me by maybe 4 boat lengths while I was negotiating the tanker anchorage (18 of them) but I haven't figure out who he was

Sly, the XP44, was the one I saw more out in the bay with a black jib I believe.
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Old 14-06-2018, 05:59   #8
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Re: Chesapeake Bay/Offshore Sailing

The boat I crewed on had the same PHRF rating as the 44's, although only a 38', so we battled them constantly. Basically, if you made one mistake...a botched tack, a slow kite haul, etc. the race was over. The mids don't make mistakes.

These boats do come on the market now and then, as "government surplus" at auction sites, when they are decommissioned. They are maintained incredibly well (picture Navy sailors with holy stones scrubbing decks lol), but they are also used hard. They are no frills training and racing machines, rigged and outfitted for ocean sailing.

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Old 14-06-2018, 06:14   #9
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Re: Chesapeake Bay/Offshore Sailing

I certainly enjoyed watching the one I saw, Tenacious, plus the other boats.

(I could see the one with the black jib, an XP44 it turned out, was moving well also and in good position to the West of Navy 44 Tenacious. I was between them at one point early as I sailed offshore to get some leverage to tack back to Kiptopeke. Wind was SSW according to my hand compass)

For one thing, it was nice to see another sail as soon as I sailed off anchor almost running aground. Then another, and another and so on

He (Tenacious) came right in where I had spent the night maybe 10 miles or so above Cape Charles off Smith's Beach.

You can see it on the tracker at around the 0831 mark. Looks like he caught a nice lift (land breeze effect probably) along there which explains why he was able to run his tack so long in there, and when he did tack he was at least 30-40 degrees closer to the wind that I was. And was ahead of the XP44 for a while it appears (boat for boat)

I was a mile or two out in the bay by then though so it was hard to tell
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Old 14-06-2018, 06:39   #10
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Re: Chesapeake Bay/Offshore Sailing

Related story:

Annapolis- Bermuda Race (Unique Experience)

So I sailed North from VA Beach/Norfolk on Friday. My outboard died (overheated) on the way out Little Creek, but I said the hell with it.

I'll have a problem trying to dock now or in a few days and I knew the wind was suppose to come up. (although it hadn't at this point early afternoon)

So after I crossed the shipping channel (Thimble Shoal Channel) just ahead of a ship, the wind picked up and I had the tide. My Bristol 27 at one point actually hit 7.8 knots in the deep channel near the anchored tankers close to Cape Charles.

Anyway, I sailed on up to maybe 10 miles or so North of Cape Charles (30 miles from where I started) where the land dips way in to the East. (near Smith Beach even with Eastville)

I sailed here because the wind was heavy SE and I found a nice calm spot west of the Eastern Shore, but with my luck during the night, the wind rotated to the SSW so I had bay waves knocking my boat around much of the night and got little sleep

So when I got up I carefully fixed coffee with my propane hot plate while the boat still pounded into the waves, but a least now the waves were head on and not on the beam.

After I got straight, I raised sail and sailed off my anchorage barely missing running aground as the wind was pushing me toward shore. Depth finder showed 1' under the keel as I made the turn.

So now I'm headed just North of West since my Bristol simply will not point. It's around 8 am or so.

A mile or so off after I get the autopilot hooked up and things get somewhat normal (decks are slippery etc) I get to look around and spot a sail. (blue hull/ maroon bottom seen when he got closer) His heading is different than most boats I see coming down the bay. (I didn't know there was a race happening!) He is headed to the spot where I was anchored which was maybe 200-300 yards off the shore

He carries his tack way too long and too close to shore for a cruiser (which is what I've been trying to learn to be after racing beach cats for 15 years, Florida Gulf Coast, beach cat racing heaven at least it was back in the day)

I can't really tell the boat type yet since he is a ways away so I'm thinking I wonder if I can point with this guy. I have position being west of him with a SSW wind. I know he's going fast but...….hey, I'm a racer guy or was

So I see he runs this tack way long, on the tracker for the race it shows he must have picked up some land effect breeze. I didn't know any of this at the time but when he tacked, I'm like. Nope, you can't point with that guy. I thought It might have been an old full keeler trying to get to Harbor Fest.

So now I'm sailing my Bristol (I love her lines) and see another boat with a black jib. He has a good line going as I'm trying to get SE to Kiptopeke where my son is meeting me with tools to repair the outboard. So I sail way west to line up with him then tack and as luck would have it there is a tanker coming up the bay and I'm going to cross too close so I tack back. This over 30 minutes or so.

There are 18 tankers anchored in this area. So after tacking twice to clear two moving tankers, I'm headed SE again but directly at another tanker at anchor so I have to sail off the wind a bit to avoid. I was so concerned with the tanker (he was blocking the wind and I didn't want the strong outgoing tide pushing me into him) that I never saw another race boat that crossed maybe 4 boat lengths in front of me. The boat was at least 40' plus.

So long story short (er), The first boat I saw was Tenacious which is a 44' sailboat funded by Congress for the Naval Academy.

https://www.usna.edu/Sailing/lectures/navy44.php

The one with the black jib that I thought I might follow his line may have been S/V Sly which is an XP44.

I'm not sure which boat crossed my bow (I was on starboard btw!) but it could have been Divide by Zero a Frers 45 (later I found out it wasn't. He was long gone by this time along with Sly and Tenacious)

Btw, the race started at 1330 On Friday from near Annapolis

Race Tracker.

Annapolis Bermuda Ocean Race Annapolis Bermuda Ocean Sailboat Race
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Old 14-06-2018, 09:18   #11
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Re: Chesapeake Bay/Offshore Sailing

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Tenacious Navy 44 1st in line honours
1st in PHRF 1

Sly was first in line honors.


Tenacious was second in line honors and first in PHRF 1.


Annapolis Bermuda Ocean Race Annapolis Bermuda Ocean Sailboat Race
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Old 14-06-2018, 09:58   #12
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Re: Chesapeake Bay/Offshore Sailing

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There are 18 tankers anchored in this area. So after tacking twice to clear two moving tankers, I'm headed SE again but directly at another tanker at anchor so I have to sail off the wind a bit to avoid. I was so concerned with the tanker (he was blocking the wind and I didn't want the strong outgoing tide pushing me into him) that I never saw another race boat that crossed maybe 4 boat lengths in front of me. The boat was at least 40' plus.
I've been on a few races where we had to sail through that area at night, through all the anchored ships, then on out through the CBBT. Weirdly exiting and terrifying at the same time. So many lights between the causeway and bridge, Norfolk, and heavy ship traffic, but lots of it blocked out by hulking black shapes around you.
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Old 14-06-2018, 10:29   #13
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Re: Chesapeake Bay/Offshore Sailing

Quote:
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Sly was first in line honors.


Tenacious was second in line honors and first in PHRF 1.


Annapolis Bermuda Ocean Race Annapolis Bermuda Ocean Sailboat Race
I got that off Sailing Anarchy rather than typing it in.....

I think he was talking start line honors as Tenacious (A Navy 44) had a crown symbol off it most of the race.
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Old 14-06-2018, 10:30   #14
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Re: Chesapeake Bay/Offshore Sailing

Quote:
Originally Posted by Suijin View Post
I've been on a few races where we had to sail through that area at night, through all the anchored ships, then on out through the CBBT. Weirdly exiting and terrifying at the same time. So many lights between the causeway and bridge, Norfolk, and heavy ship traffic, but lots of it blocked out by hulking black shapes around you.
That would definitely be worrisome.......I don't like it during the day.

The second tanker I had to tack away from Saturday Morning was coming out of the anchored group and I didn't even notice he was moving at first.........

The other one, the first one, was headed South ........
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Old 14-06-2018, 10:35   #15
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Re: Chesapeake Bay/Offshore Sailing

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I got that off Sailing Anarchy rather than typing it in.....

I think he was talking start line honors as Tenacious (A Navy 44) had a crown symbol off it most of the race.

Tenacious had the crown because they were first in class most of the way..
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