Just got back from a week of sailingin the Chesapeake. Just my son and I. Not our first time but memorable none the less. Sailed out of Annapolis and explored both shores from Chester River down to the Miles River.
Winds were southerly and light and not blowing as much as we’d hoped but we got a couple of good days to get the hull up near 8 knots. Spent a couple of nights achored out in quiet coves. The rest were spent in small picturesque marinas hooked up to shore power enjoying the relief and comfort of on board a/c.
Watched osprey’s hunt for fish, saw crabs doing the back stroke just below the water’s surface, were surrounded by sea nettles varying in size from a coupe of inches across to some close to 8 or 10 inches, gave way while humbled by the size of the mineral and cargo barges making the passage up and down Craig’s Hill channel.
Now, less than 24 hours since getting home, the living room is swinging like the motion of the boat and I’m wondering how I’m ever going to get used to the ambient noise of suburbia.
The Chesapeake is wonderful for sailing and exploring! I miss anchoring out and being awakened by watermen checking their crab traps. I miss visiting the little towns and heading up the Patapsco to Baltimore. I miss seeing other boats.
I don’t miss the stupid people who use their VHF radios as if they’re CBs, I don’t miss the morons who think it’s funny to throw their wake at sailboats, and I definitely don’t miss all the maintenance our boat required. We sold it 4 years ago, and while I’d love to spend more time on the bay, the last 3 or 4 years we had the boat, we spent more time doing maintenance than enjoying the water.
I envy your week - it sounds like trips we made over the years. And I know what you mean about the room rocking. Oddly enough, when we lived aboard, I didn’t notice the lack of motion when I’d go to work, but once we moved to our house, an afternoon on the bay would have me off-balance for a couple of days. Weird!
Oh, I can relate entirely. Having been a boat owner for years, I can honestly say I don’t miss the chore and expense of ownership one bit. I’ve been a firm believer in chartering for years.
I’ve become familiar with a couple of reputable chartering outfits that keep a fleet of beautiful boats all less than 5 years old. All perfectly maintained inside and out. You show up with all the gear and food you’ll need. Enjoy the boat and the sailing. Then hand it back to the charter company to worry about the maintenance and repair.
We chartered once when our boat was a little trailered sailboat. Unfortunately, the boat we’d booked had a major engine issue so they put us in another that had a centerboard. I don’t like centerboard boats. But apart from that, it was a nice week.
We had a boat of ours in charter one year, but I think the company was too interested in booking their own boats first, so it wasn’t profitable for us at all. It was in Annapolis and we lived in northern neck of Virginia at the time - if it wasn’t booked, it was inconvenient for us to use it ourselves. So that was a disappointing venture.
Color me envious, but I’m doing a weeklong sail up the California coast and across to Catalina in the not too distant future; the early fall winds should be steady and clear.
What plan of boat and how much sail? How did it handle with just the two of you crewing?
We typically charter something between 42 and 50 feet. Those typically run about 12-15 foot beam, and 5-6 foot draft. For the Chesapeake, that’s about the perfect size and draft because it can get puffy and choppy in early and late seasons. Also, the bigger boats come with all the luxuries of home including a gen-set so you can run a/c, refrigeration, (charge all batteries if you’ve not run the engine, etc.) while anchored and away from shore power. Powered winches are not a must but often handy if single handing.
Three sleeping cabins, 2 heads with showers, spacious cabin and fully kitted galley. The best part is the wide and spacious cockpit with two helms and an electrically operated stern rail that turns into a swimming platform. Easy on the eyes and even more pleasant to sail. Coming into an anchorage we had a couple of enthusiasts in dingies ask for permission to circle us just to have a closer look at the boat.
I’d charter it again without a bit of hesitation.
California, from what I’ve read, is a great place to sail. My experience there is limited to the San Francisco Bay and that was a very memorable experience.
Too late to edit: This boat can be single handed because of the electric winches and dual helm. But in stiff winds, an extra set of hands is much welcome and a good precaution. Even more so when reversing into a slip. On virtually any boat but a small day sailer, a second or third pair of hands is just a good to have, especially when they are good company.
We sailed with a full main and genoa. Boat didn’t come with a spinnaker, which would definately need extra hands and is generally a pain in the ass unless racing. In a pinch I rig up a safety line and run wing on wing to get down wind faster.
A 45 foot boat seems quite big, esp for two people. But I’m used to the great lakes, which can get wavy (just ask the Edmund Fitzgerald), but quite the ocean
If you don’t mind me asking, how much does that cost to charter?
