Explore the Chesapeake Bay Log Canoe –– A Sailing Clinic on the Eastern Shore of Maryland!
Wednesday July 5th - Sunday July 9th, 2023
Imagine sailing, but it's more like flying. These shallow-drafted, and heavily canvased wooden boats of the 19th century were designed to be loaded with oysters and raced back to shore in order to receive the highest price for their catch. Today, they are raced competitively every weekend in the summers by a community of dedicated and creative people. These beautiful relics have grown with their communities with their masts becoming taller and sails becoming bigger allowing them to fly across the water even in light air. Log canoes require incredible teamwork and orchestration to maneuver. One moment you are riding out over the water, many feet outside the hull of the boat, on a board to counterbalance the sail then the next scrambling back into the hull to shift the boards to the other side as you tack. Join us for this unique sailing clinic in Wittman, Maryland where we'll learn to sail these boats and meet the community that has been keeping this tradition alive for over 140 years.
This log canoe sailing clinic will deepen your understanding of sailing, sail trim, sail handling, and working as a team under sail. In addition to sailing, the program will include discussions on leadership, personal reflection activities, and local history/cultural presentations.
We have the opportunity to sail PERSISTENCE, owned by Owen Lyons, who is generously loaning his historic log canoe to Atlantic Challenge USA this year in order to share the craft and sport with new generations.
Wednesday July 5th - Sunday July 9th, 2023
Imagine sailing, but it's more like flying. These shallow-drafted, and heavily canvased wooden boats of the 19th century were designed to be loaded with oysters and raced back to shore in order to receive the highest price for their catch. Today, they are raced competitively every weekend in the summers by a community of dedicated and creative people. These beautiful relics have grown with their communities with their masts becoming taller and sails becoming bigger allowing them to fly across the water even in light air. Log canoes require incredible teamwork and orchestration to maneuver. One moment you are riding out over the water, many feet outside the hull of the boat, on a board to counterbalance the sail then the next scrambling back into the hull to shift the boards to the other side as you tack. Join us for this unique sailing clinic in Wittman, Maryland where we'll learn to sail these boats and meet the community that has been keeping this tradition alive for over 140 years.
This log canoe sailing clinic will deepen your understanding of sailing, sail trim, sail handling, and working as a team under sail. In addition to sailing, the program will include discussions on leadership, personal reflection activities, and local history/cultural presentations.
We have the opportunity to sail PERSISTENCE, owned by Owen Lyons, who is generously loaning his historic log canoe to Atlantic Challenge USA this year in order to share the craft and sport with new generations.
Provisional Schedule:
Days, weather permitting, will consist of optional morning yoga, a group breakfast, packing a picnic lunch, a short class or presentation, then sailing from about 10am-3pm. Evenings are for more optional sailing in a laser, star boat, or cat boat, exploring Wittman, downtime, and having dinner. Most meals will be eaten at the house we'll be staying in with some picnic lunches and of course at least one crab feast! We can accommodate many dietary needs.
Travel Day. Tuesday July 4th - Travel to Wittman, MD. Arrive by evening, 8-9pm. You can meet us there, or join us in a car/van driving south from Rockland, Maine. If it makes sense to meet us in the morning (9am) of July 5th, that is also an option.
Day 1. Wednesday July 5th - First day of the program. Introductions and orientation to each other and the log canoe PERSISTENCE built in 1895. Go sailing!
Day 2. Thursday July 6th - Passage to Wye Island in the log Canoe. Pick raspberries/wineberries.
Day 3. Friday July 7th - Launch the log canoe in the Corsica River. Prepare the boat for the Race Weekend. Sail the log canoe or a star boat, alternatively.
Day 4. Saturday July 8th - Participate in the weekend log canoe races, or sail nearby in another boat to watch the races. Pig roast at the Corsica River Yacht Club for all log canoe sailors.
Day 5. Sunday July 9th - Participate in the weekend log canoe races, or sail nearby in another boat to watch the races. Community crab feast and bonfire in Wittman.
Travel Day. Monday July 10th - Travel Home. Morning departure after breakfast.
We will be staying in a large house with ample parking. There are some private bedrooms in the house, and otherwise folks can sleep on a camping pad in a private or shared bedroom. There are showers, wifi, and AC.
All ages - Intergenerational, 14 and up, and all experience levels. Limited to 8 participants. All instruction, food, optional van/car transport from Maine to Maryland, transport within Maryland, and accommodations covered in tuition. Safety gear such as lifejackets and first aid kits will be provided. Participants must have a basic swimming ability.
Folks who live in Maine or points in between Maine and Maryland are welcome to drive south with us to Maryland on July 4th and back north on the morning of the 10th.
Led by Olivia Carlson-Keene, Michael Keene (Olivia's father, a wooden boatbuilder in Wittman, MD), Arista Holden, and Dylan Ladds.
Days, weather permitting, will consist of optional morning yoga, a group breakfast, packing a picnic lunch, a short class or presentation, then sailing from about 10am-3pm. Evenings are for more optional sailing in a laser, star boat, or cat boat, exploring Wittman, downtime, and having dinner. Most meals will be eaten at the house we'll be staying in with some picnic lunches and of course at least one crab feast! We can accommodate many dietary needs.
Travel Day. Tuesday July 4th - Travel to Wittman, MD. Arrive by evening, 8-9pm. You can meet us there, or join us in a car/van driving south from Rockland, Maine. If it makes sense to meet us in the morning (9am) of July 5th, that is also an option.
Day 1. Wednesday July 5th - First day of the program. Introductions and orientation to each other and the log canoe PERSISTENCE built in 1895. Go sailing!
Day 2. Thursday July 6th - Passage to Wye Island in the log Canoe. Pick raspberries/wineberries.
Day 3. Friday July 7th - Launch the log canoe in the Corsica River. Prepare the boat for the Race Weekend. Sail the log canoe or a star boat, alternatively.
Day 4. Saturday July 8th - Participate in the weekend log canoe races, or sail nearby in another boat to watch the races. Pig roast at the Corsica River Yacht Club for all log canoe sailors.
Day 5. Sunday July 9th - Participate in the weekend log canoe races, or sail nearby in another boat to watch the races. Community crab feast and bonfire in Wittman.
Travel Day. Monday July 10th - Travel Home. Morning departure after breakfast.
We will be staying in a large house with ample parking. There are some private bedrooms in the house, and otherwise folks can sleep on a camping pad in a private or shared bedroom. There are showers, wifi, and AC.
All ages - Intergenerational, 14 and up, and all experience levels. Limited to 8 participants. All instruction, food, optional van/car transport from Maine to Maryland, transport within Maryland, and accommodations covered in tuition. Safety gear such as lifejackets and first aid kits will be provided. Participants must have a basic swimming ability.
Folks who live in Maine or points in between Maine and Maryland are welcome to drive south with us to Maryland on July 4th and back north on the morning of the 10th.
Led by Olivia Carlson-Keene, Michael Keene (Olivia's father, a wooden boatbuilder in Wittman, MD), Arista Holden, and Dylan Ladds.
The Chesapeake Bay Log Canoes
Additional small craft we can sail.
Our air-conditioned accommodations in Wittman, MD, owned by our Log Canoe Instructor and skipper, Michael Keene.
Summer sunset views of the Chesapeake, and ripe raspberries that will be in season.