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Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum small craft rentals begin May 27

The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum’s small craft rental program will launch for the 2017 season this Memorial Day weekend, May 27-28, and continues weekends and select weekdays through August 27. Boats will be launched from CBMM’s floating docks, located near the Steamboat Building. Participation is limited by the number of boats available, with drop-ins welcome but reservations encouraged.

Built over the years in CBMM’s boatyard through the Apprentice for a Day program, the fleet of boats includes small wooden sailing skiffs, single and tandem kayaks, and rowboats that are perfect for singles, couples, or families. For participants wishing to sail but without basic sailing experience, CBMM also offers private sailing lessons.

“We’re a museum that brings people closer to the Chesapeake Bay, so getting people out on the water for a first-hand experience is absolutely central to our mission,” said CBMM President Kristen Greenaway. “Come join us this summer and you too can mess about in boats that you’ll find nowhere else.”

The small craft boat rental program began in 2015 through the generous seed money support of donors to the Jim Greenaway Memorial Fund. The fund is named after CBMM President Kristen Greenaway’s late father, an avid sailor, furniture manufacturer and boat builder, who passed away in January 2015.

The program will be operating on weekends May 27 through June 18, and will expand to include Wednesdays through Sundays June 21 through August 27. Hourly and daily rental reservations can be made from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., with all boats returning to CBMM’s docks no later than 5:00 p.m.

“You can take one of our boats out for as little as one hour to an entire day,” said CBMM Boatyard Program Manager Jennifer Kuhn. “For our guests it’s a unique chance to play around on the Miles River in a handcrafted wooden vessel.”

Private sailing lessons include up to four participants per session and are available to each participant at $50 per hour, or $250 per person for a full-day lesson from 10-4:00 pm. Advanced registration is required for sailing lessons.

Boat renters must be 16 years of age or older, with minors accompanied by an adult, unless a boater safety certificate is presented. All participants must be physically able to get in and out of a small boat without assistance. Life jackets will be provided. In the event of small craft warnings or inclement weather, the programs will be canceled. Daily and hourly rates vary per vessel, with discounts to CBMM members; advanced reservations are encouraged by contacting Jennifer Kuhn at [email protected] or 410-745-4980. To learn more, visit cbmm.org