|
Chesapeake Appreciation Days, formerly held at the
end of October, was a special event for the Alberg 30s who were involved
from the very beginning. At that time, they represented the modern
racing sailboat in contrast to the skipjacks, who were still a fleet
of actively working oyster dredgers.
Things change. Chesapeake Appreciation Days is no more. The Alberg
30s are considered "classic" boats. And the skipjack fleet
has fallen on hard times. With the dwindling supply of oysters in the
Chesapeake Bay, few could afford to maintain the boats, much less earn
a living. Today, there are only a handful that dredge oysters under sail.
This was an event that brought everyone out for a
race. It was exciting to sail amongst the skipjacks.
|
Offshore Sailing
by Bill Seifert with Daniel Spurr
We went to a Windjammers lecture to hear Bill Seifert and I was impressed enough to buy
the book on the spot. I've heard a lot of people talk about ways to improve a boat, but
I've never heard one person suggest so many good ideas that I hadn't considered. Part
of the charm is the specificity of the suggestions. Everyone says you should secure your
floorboards, hatchboards and batteries. Bill shows good suggestions on how to do so.
The suggestions are very practical for the do-it-yourselfer, too. Many show how to
make or adapt inexpensive solutions. Tip #12 on closing the deck blower vents is one
that will pay off for me without ever going offshore. I'll implement that one to
stop the wintertime storms from finding their way belowdecks.
Besides modifications, the book also includes advice for operating offshore, cooking,
boat selection, dealing with bureaucracy, and more.
Bill Seifert has worked at Tartan, TPI, and Alden Yachts. He's a veteran of many
Marion-Bermuda races and now runs his own yacht management company. His tips are
born of experience--not of book-learning--and it shows. He obviously knows his
stuff.
(Note: commissions earned from this link help defray the costs of this website)
|
|
A30 Pretty pictures
|
