Having just moved to Annapolis, MD I am looking for places to launch my Hobie 18. Unlike New England, I have found there to be very little public access to the Bay. I have so far found three places to launch. 1)Sandy Point State Park. 2)Podicary Point(sp), but they are very expensive to be a member of. I could buy a new boat each season for what membership and storage costs. 3)West River Cat racing Assoc.

Does anyone out there know of any other palces to launch?

Thanks

Water access in the Bay is dismal. There are some Anne Arundel County efforts underway to change that, but I wouldn't hold my breath. Ramps you do find may be more suited to powerboats. Other marinas only have lifts.

So, other than moving to a water privileged community:

Your best bet from Annapolis is Sandy Point State Park. I'm not sure if you know, but they have a beach launch area in addition to the launch ramp complex. When I used to sail out of there the beach access was closed, and the prevailing winds always had you tacking out the narrow channel - not fun. But the beach access/small boat launch area is great - check it out or send me a note.

Fairwinds marina in Cape St. Claire (near the Podickory area) has two launch ramps, allows on-trailer mast-up storage for "rampers", should be much cheaper than Podickory. I used to sail my F-27 off the trailer from there.

And of course, I'm partial to WRCRA. I can elaborate if you'd like. I'm living proof a Hobie 18 can compete there successfully!

Also, in Annapolis there is Truxton Park which is on Spa Creek, meaning you'd have to sail out under the Spa Creek drawbridge to get through Annapolis and into the Severn/Bay.

That's a few - there's probably more from some of the other smaller marinas in the area, mostly on the Magothy. Let me know if you want more.

Also, come on down to Galesville on a Tuesday and check out the action there. If nothing else, you'll meet a bunch of catsailors, make some friends, have a beer. Bring your stuff, there's usually somebody looking for crew!

Ketih just about covered everything you need to know.

Podickery and WRCRA are private launches and NOT public access.

FYI, You may have to get to Sandy Point early on popular weekends because they will close the park and the parking lot by the small boat launch.

Oh... and the depth drops off quickly on the point so don't send your wife out there to hang onto the boat.

The Rangers will tell you to not drive on the treadle from the parking lot and to sail out through the marked channel.

You will need beach wheels to make it to the water without much pain and suffering. You will loose your vehicle if you even try to drive on the sand. It's super soft
not to mention the fine when they catch you and the tow out.

Finally, don't speed in the park... they love to use their radar gun!

Take Care
Mark

Mark and Keith,

Thanks for the info. I went to Sandy Point two weekends ago. It wasn't too bad, and you're right... beach wheels are a must. Glad I invested in them.

I have looked at the public boat launches and some of the smaller marinas. Unless I defile my cat with a motor I will have to do way too much paddling. You would think in the "sailing capital of the US" that there would be more access to the Bay.

Keith, I will defintely take a look WRCRA. I ran into Jahn from J World and he mentioned you guys too. What time does everything start on Tuesdays?

Thanks again,

Nick - do check out Fairwinds - you only need to clear the piers before you're in clear water - there's enough room to sail out and it's not too long of a paddle if you're becalmed or not confident of the room. They're near the mouth of the Magothy River, so you have the option of staying on the river or venturing out into the Bay. They have a website, do a Google you should find them.

But by all means come on out and check us out. Directions are on the website. First gun for the racing is supposed to be 6:00, usually it's a little later. People show up to rig starting around 4:00, some of us blast in at the last minute and try to get on the water on time... We end up at Pirate's Cove afterward, and you can see the start and finish from their pier.

Our only thing is that we try to reserve our spots for folks who will try to make at least half of the races. But once in you can use your boat whenever you want.

And you're right Nick, it would seem that the "sailing capitol" would have better access for people to go sailing. It would seem that it's the sailing capitol for those with the scratch to join an established club, buy waterfront, or live in a water-privileged community. If you want to show up, launch your boat and go sailing, well, sorry mister! Oh, and leave your extra hulls behind! Most people around the area believe you should only have one with a lot of lead attached.

Evening Folks,

Please tell me more about the restrictions on the Sandy Point State beach launch area.

I am the person who, almost 13 years ago, single handedly forced the Park to put this launch in.

As I designed it...and a year later when they implemented it...there were at least one, if not two, sets of aluminum ramps going directly over the beach and into the water. When the launch first opened I insisted that folks be able to move their trailers directly into the water...while the boats were still attached to their cars and trailers. Hand-carrying was not an acceptable solution to me.

Also, I had the park set up a special "Cars With Trailers" parking area as well.

Please update me. Even though I have been away from Maryland for more than 10 years, if I have to do my 600 pound ape routine again, I will give it a try.

Thanks,

Paul

P.S. Alternately, when I move back to Maryland in the coming year or so, I will share my "Cat Launch" Plan with whoever is the current Park superintendent. If the superintendent can't get things back to the original plan, I will go back to the governor and remind him of our earlier agreement. I may not be subtle, but I am usually successful!

Well they have one steel treadle that extends about 50 feet from the parking lot. You still have 150 feet to go to the water IF you leave you vehicle on the treadle. You must have wheels to make it.

Current Policy is that you are NOT supposed to put your vehicle on the treadle. It's supposed to remain on the parking lot pavement At this year's C100. we had a truck and trailer completely on the treadle in order to load beach wheels and I was told not to do that again.

The problem is the sand is so soft that the very few rec sailors who visit the launch and don't know much will back down and get their trailer caught in the sand and so this policy appears to be the solution.



This is not enforced The parking area is lined for trailers but it is used as general parking for the picnic crowd and fisherman. First come first served... since it's the lot closest to the beach and access to picnic tables it will fill up first. It is also used by a lot of the fisherman who will cast off the jetties.

The actual beach launch is not user friendly. Two rock jetties extend off the beach for 20 yards... and the distance between them is not great. If you don't sail well you can get tossed onto the rocks. The water drops off rapidly so it's tough to hold onto the bow of a boat while the wife get's on. All of the powerboat slop from boat traffic ripping around the point and heading into the Magothy make it a washing machine on the beach.... So much so that the hords of jetskiers we are supposed to share the beach with have also abandoned it. Not sure where they go these days.

You are supposed to then sail another 200 hundred yards out through a marked channel (but this is not enforced).. They will hassel you if you don't beach your boat in this narrow launch area though.

The launch area is hardly used. I sail out of Podickery Point which as you may remember is 1/2 mile north. I usally sail by to check out the beach and for most weekends the launch is not used at all... I have never seen more then one boat on the beach in several years.

You will occasionaly have a windsurfer or kite surfer using the beach when it's breezy. They will move down the beach a bit so that they don't get thrashed by the jetties and the park is usually empty on those days anyway. Usually they will drive to Dewey or across the bridge and down Tillman Island to another launch. They hate it as well.

It is not a pleasent place to spend any time at if you are rec sailing and the local hobie fleet despises the place. The CRAC racing fleet does not have a problem with the launch. Everyone has beach wheels and rig's up on Friday afternoon when the park is empty using the parking lot. We then move our trailers to the powerboat parking lot so that we free up parking for the picnic crowd. Sunday is just a zoo if we get back early. One year we could not get the Race Committe into the park because it was closed. Jodie Perkins did her best pleading to have them make an exception so that we could finish the race.

Compared to previous sheltered launch, the current setup is a nightmare. I must say... in the early days I frequently cursed your unknown existence. The cat clubs had no idea who had given input to the park for the redesign. Currently, there is so little demand for the facility that we are happy with it the way it is for our once a year race.

I think that the entire beach launch area was closed for about two years because the park had an issue with the paving contractor and it had to remain closed for the year and half after it was built. After that... the rec sailors never returned. It just wasn't a fun place tobe or sail from.

email me and we can talk further if you would like

Mark Schneider
CRAC

I learned to sail on the Eastern Shore, yet have NEVER been to Sandy Point.

Everytime I drive over the Bay Bridge I see that huge beach there and think to myself what a great place to launch from.

I suppose thats not the case. :-/

Over in Oxford, there are plenty of launches, however I'm told that Talbot County wants to start charging non-county residents $50 a boat to launch from the public ramps, all because the Oxford town dock ramp is over-crowded.

Like squishing a mosquito with a jackhammer.

To me, the Sandy Point set up is an improvement to the last place I lived (Salem, MA). The public launch was in Beverly, MA and was also named Sandy Point. The entire usable beach was about the size it is in MD. There were two jetties as well along with an old cement drainage pipe right in the middle of the beach that was just below the water at high tide. Once you go in the water you had about 50 ft before you were in a mooring field. after that was the main channel for Beverly's marinas and it was always full of power boats. If the wind was right you could sail out through the channel and make enough speed so the stinkpots wouldn't run you over. If not, then into another mooring field you go. Finally you were in open water.

So, Sandy Point in MD is much better than I am used to. Yes, vehicles must remain on pavement, so I bought beach wheels. The few times I've been there the trailer parking was used for trailers. The small beach area was crowded with people, most of whom did nothing to get our of your way when you were rolling a 400lb boat down to the water.

I've dealt with worse, but there could be some improvements. I am planning, weather pending, on being there this Saturday. I usually get there around 9:00 in the morning to rig and spend the majority of the day on the water.

BTW, thank you for getting that set up. If not for Sandy Point, I don't know where I would launch from. Podickery Point was very expensive, at least when I called and asked about pricing.

Paul,
What Mark and Nick said are pretty well correct, but give the worst and best look to the situation. Please get in touch with some of us when you get in the area. Mark has been working very hard over the years to develop catamaran racing in the area and easier, more flexible launching from Sandy Pt. would be a help to local cat sailing--racing or recreational. There are, as you can tell from the responses, few areas for cat sailors in this, the "sailing capital of the world".

David
H20

Is anyone sailing cats out of St. Michaels, MD? Should I drag my boat up there from Florida for late summer sailing on my family visit? If CRAC sail out of the west side right across from St. Michaels, it looks like about 10 miles straight across to get to racing, a nice reach if your winds are out of the north. Any hints?

Nowhere really to launch in St. Michaels.

Go to Bellvue where the Oxford ferry dock is. There is a small sand spit along the road that nobody cares if you use or not. Just be aware of the power line nearby.