LOCAL KNOEWLEDGE
ANNAPOLIS
Steve
Pickel
Geoff
Becker
P H O T O : 2 0 1 4 P H O T O B O AT. C O M
NORTH SAILS SPOTLIGHT
ANNAPOLIS 2015
SW NOODS 010
RACING IN ANNAPOLIS
Northern Chesapeake Bay offers a challenging
Winds come from all points and in all strengths.
upon races in the Bay (not in the Severn River).
sailing venue. It is close enough to the ocean to
Currents run strong and vary widely. Further,
Local knowledge, of course, is based upon
be affected by sea breezes, and is far enough
the winds have a big effect on the current,
past experience. As the prospectus explains,
North to be battered by cold fronts, and isolated
sometimes making a joke of the tide tables.
past performance is not a guarantee of future
enough to develop its own local gradients.
The local knowledge offered here is based
returns. Keep your head up and look around.
The southeast/south sea breeze comes
Work the middle for steady and stronger
become a big factor. Stay left to avoid the ebb.
in on top of a prevailing southerly, or when
winds coming straight out of the Severn.
Go right to take advantage of a flood, though the
shifty but not strong. Current is important,
since the course runs diagonally across the
Bay. Downwind, sail in the channel to take
advantage of the flood and sail to the better
breeze on the west side. Upwind, on an ebb
tide, sail to the main channel to get to the
current, but stay right once in the current.
Avoid the left corner. Downwind, cross the
current to the west side in search of better
breeze and current relief.
Also, the wind tends to be puffier by the river
than it is on the eastern shore. Be ready for
Northeast winds
more wind at the top of the leg, and for lighter
passage. As the frontal wind fades the breeze
air as you return to the bottom of the course.
will clock to the northeast. The temptation
For leeward legs on windward/leeward
courses, current dominates the strategy.
The current runs strongest near the leeward
mark and the wind tends to be lighter.
Overcorrect for the current early to make
sure you are sailing with it late in the leg.
You’ll get a favorable header as you put the
When the wind is south/southwest, the
sea breeze will fill and reinforce it. As the
breeze builds, it does not back to the south
as might be expected (since ocean lies to
the southeast). Winds around 200 to 210
degrees roll straight up the bay. Winds tend
to clock, and lift inshore between Tolly Point
and Thomas Point. Against the flood, the best
tactic is to tack inside the line between Tolly
and Thomas (don’t forget to honor Tolly Pt.
wind may diminish its strength.
current on you leeward quarter. (Work south
on a flood, north on an ebb).
will
follow
a
frontal
is to go right, and that strategy may pay off
early in the leg, but if the mark is set under
the Eastern Shore, the right will be a problem
later on. In the second half of the beat, boats
coming in on port from the left hand side will
be favored by more northerly puffs which roll
down from the bridge, while those on the
right suffer in fickle easterly puffs off the
shore and big northerly headers. The current
can be a big factor, as you will have to cross
If a frontal passage is weak, the sea breeze
the main channel on the way to the mark.
may push the breeze to the southwest in the
After a strong northerly there will be little
afternoon. A strong front will tend to clock
water left for an ebb, but beware the flood
the breeze to the northwest. You’ll see this
that may run longer and much stronger than
more in the fall, but stranger things have
usual as the Bay refills. Downwind against
happened and we may be treated to a late
the flood, it pays to get across the channel
spring front during the NOOD.
on starboard before jibing to port as you get
current relief on the west side.
Buoy) to avoid the current. With the wind
Post-frontal northwest winds provide some
tending right, all signs lead inshore. On the
of the Bay’s best sailing conditions. From a
The easterlies are among the most fickle
ebb, a more moderate strategy is called for;
start in mid-bay, the windward mark is set at
and difficult of Bay breezes. One thing is for
but the channel is often out of reach to the
the mouth of Whitehall Bay or off Hackett Pt.
sure: rain is on the way. Whatever you decide
left. There is rarely a strong ebb against a
to the east. Coming off the line there tends
to do, good luck. Look upwind and “connect
southerly wind. The wind effectively blocks
to be starboard tack lifts, with the boats up
the dots” by sailing from puff to puff. You can
the current, and wind strategy prevails.
the line gaining an advantage. From there
anticipate stronger current in the channel.
the race is often a sprint to the left in search
Upwind, the correct strategy is to set up
of puffs from the Severn. The puffs are
down current when the current is weak and
starboard headers, allowing a tack to port
sail with your bow into the current when
and a lifted track into the mark. The further in
sailing across a channel with current running
you go the bigger the shift. Go ahead and tack
perpendicular to the wind. Downwind, you
on the first header, but don’t be reluctant to
want to sail the jibe that puts your stern to
tack back and dig in further for the next one.
the current when the current is strongest.
The prevailing westerlies
can
become
blustery after a frontal passage. Most cold
fronts take the wind northwest or north, but
a post-frontal westerly is not uncommon. The
races are generally started near the Eastern
Shore, with the windward mark set at the
mouth of the Severn River. The wind tends
You’ll get a sailing wind lift upwind and a
to fan out of the Severn, particularly in the
In a northerly there is no fixed strategy. With
upper half of the beat. Boats sailing out to
the mark set below the bridge there may be
either side are lifted but never get a favorable
some port lifts off Whitehall, but there may also
The entire team at North Sails welcomes you
shift for a return tack so boats come back
be better breeze in the open part of the bay. If
to Annapolis, so please let us know if there
from the corners headed. The wind also gets
the wind is clocking then plan a strategy to take
is anything at all we can do to assist you and
lighter off to the sides. Avoid the corners.
advantage of the persistent shift. Current can
your team. Good luck, and sail fast.
header downwind.
SW NOODS 011
Southeast to south winds are generally
ANNAPOLIS 2015
no other weather pattern is firmly in place.