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Model skipjack races begin May 15 in St. Michaels

(St. Michaels, MD) Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum guests are invited to watch model skipjack races beginning at 11:00 a.m. on Sunday, May 15, 2016, with the series continuing on select Sundays through October 16, 2016.

CBMM_SailingSkipjacksjpgThe radio-controlled (RC) sailing races are organized by the museum’s Model Sailing Club, which meets regularly throughout the year to build and race these models. Subsequent race dates include June 12, July 17, August 21, and October 16, with the public invited to watch from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. from the museum’s Fogg’s Cove waterfront.

Built in the early 20th century, the sail-powered skipjack was once a cost effective working boat used by watermen for oyster dredging. Today, only a few remain working on the Chesapeake Bay. The club races RC models of these two-sailed bateaux, which at full size can vary from 38 to 48 feet in length. The 48-inch skipjack models are built from scratch from plans sold by the club at the Museum Store.

Started in 1983 as the Saint Michaels Model Boat Club, CBMM’s Model Sailing Club continues today through its many members and volunteers. To learn more about the races, or to join the club, visit www.cbmm.org or contact Commodore Gary Nylander at [email protected].