Chesapeake Sails

Whether the Bay connection is the designer/builder or the home port, all types of sailboats are included. From early contests that involved working craft to today's regattas and one-design events, racing boats have provided an outlet for the competitive spirit of the crew. A variety of Bay cruising boats have carried their owners comfortably around the Bay and beyond. And the occasional boat has succeeded in both areas, as exemplified by the famous Finisterre, a cruising design that won the Newport-Bermuda race three times in a row.

Among the Bay designers, Thomas C. Gillmer is well recognized for his association with the Pride of Baltimore, a replica of the historic Baltimore schooner, but he also designed the Seawind 30, said to be the first fiberglass boat to sail around the world. Other Bay boats described in the book include two versions of a Tancook whaler, the Owens Cutter, the Oxford 400, and boats by William C. Dickerson and Thomas E. Colvin.