You might have guessed by his photos: SpinSheet photographer Al Schreitmueller DIGS log canoes. Here's his recap of the 2014 racing season from the November issue... and some more of his pretty pictures.
Since the newest active racing canoe was built in 1947, fleet growth is not as important as existing fleet activity. With Patricia and Mystery on sabbatical and Flying Cloud out for repairs, observers had concerns. In the end, the boats’ cult following and a youth movement provided yet another successful season for those sailing and watching the beautiful boats on the rivers of Maryland’s Eastern Shore.
The season started on a sad note with the early passing of Pete Esslinger, former skipper of Silver Heel (#2) after a lengthy illness. The amount of personal energy required to sail these boats at a high level is significant, and his will be especially missed. On the positive side of the equation, there were races this year where the majority of drivers were under 30 years of age, so the effects of long-time skippers mentoring younger successors showed. An ongoing worry is the passing down of the boatwright skills required to keep these antiques maintained in operating and competitive form. This flies in the face of “modern” society’s “use and toss out” mentality.
Along with the youth movement, there were other transitions. Flying Cloud (#22) was donated with an endowment to the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in August, and she was fielded quite successfully, including a first-place finish. But in the end, Corbin Penwell’s Island Blossom (#9) prevailed again winning 16 races over the season to capture the 2014 Season Champion Flag. Runner-up honors went to the DuPont brothers’ Island Lark (#16). Dan North’s Jay Dee (#15) rounded out the top three.
Racing Log Canoes requires a high degree of teamwork, trust, and commitment. And as the loss of Esslinger demonstrates, relationships developed in this environment run deep. So it isn’t too surprising that just after the racing season ended, two crew marriages were celebrated: Meredith and Zack of Oliver’s Gift (#10) and Flying Cloud’s Katie and Andrew.
If you haven’t seen these boats sailed before, they are a remarkable interaction of nature, man and machine and well worth the trip. And you just might fall in love again.
