The Chesapeake Bay Nonsuch Association (CBNA) welcomes sailboat enthusiasts to see the fleet of Nonsuch sailboats in Solomons on September 16 - 18. Over 25 boats are registered to attend, seven of which are local to Southern Maryland. Many of the local boat owners are volunteers or contributors to the Calvert Marine Museum. The museum is hosting a behind the scenes tour for some participants. The weekend is hosted by the Holiday Inn Solomons, Solomons Harbor Marina (SHM) and Isaacs Restaurant. Boats may be seen all weekend at the Solomons Harbor Marina, where skippers and crews will be on-hand.
What is a Nonsuch sailboat? First constructed in 1978, these rare vessels are unique in that they do not have a boom nor do they have shrouds to hold up the mast. Instead, they use a well-designed wishbone to control sail shape. There were only 975 of these beauties made and only 58 of the model Nonsuch 22s were produced. Five 22-foot Nonsuch call Solomons their homeport.
See lots of activity on the Patuxent River on Saturday morning as the Nonsuch fleet heads north for a river cruise sail from the Solomons Harbor area. See them again in the afternoon returning from Mill Creek in St. Mary’s County. For more information about Nonsuch sailboats and the event, please contact Butch Garren at 410-394-0014.
