Yorktown Sail
After a decade, they’re taking down the empty fuel tanks at the Yorktown Refinery.
Season Opener
After a shakedown cruise with a delightful couple from Fredericksburg, we launched the season opener with a fellow who brought his wife and sisters-in-law along for his third time at Let’s Go Sail. Since it was a Monday, we were on the lookout for two Moran tugs that would signal an incoming Navy warship. Sure […]
Good Riddance
Derelict boats are being crushed and removed from the marina yard.
Danger Sails
Danger Sails recounts the troubles people have boating.
Arts Quarter Sails
Award-winning actor Glenn Close was the star of the dedication of the William & Mary Arts Quarter, a massive reconfiguration of Phi Beta Kappa Hall into a half dozen buildings interconnected. Before several hundred alumni and guests in the new PBK, Close expressed heartfelt gratitude for their support, tearing up at one point from the […]
Hover Sail
Three couples from Georgia, South Carolina and Maryland converged on a cool, crisp Fall day to pursue the History Cruise. But first we sailed under the Coleman Bridge to view a Navy submarine in port. Doug Boyd reluctantly took the helm, having once sailed S-28s in Annapolis. He talked of the wind conditions there as […]
The World
Albeit pretentious, that’s the name of a massive cruise ship that anchored overnight in the York River. MS The World presages the coming (and controversial) Princess liner with 3,000 passengers disembarking at Yorktown. But this one has only 150-200 passengers who own 165 condo apartments worth millions. As the name implies, the cruising course extends […]
Last Call
Last Call recounts the end of dolphin season, plus flying the spinnaker.
Sailing Teamwork
Let’s go sail the York River, where couples enjoy a serene three hours. Take one of 6 sailing adventures near the Chesapeake Bay for your best vacation excursion: Adventure, Event, Appreciation, History, Lessons, Boat Buying. People ask, “Is teamwork important in sailing?” Very much so. A Portsmouth couple bought a 27 Seward to dock near […]
Navy Sail
For six weeks, we saw nary a Navy warship. Then two showed up within two days. Three days later, the first ship left to go out to sea. A New Hampshire couple was aboard, having taken their ASA 101 course on Lake Champlain. I thought it only fitting that the navigate under the Coleman Bridge […]
Childhood Sail
Some people have wonderful childhood sail memories, largely about their parents. While sailing the York with his wife Melissa, Ralph Leonard recalled his dad. “We sailed a trimaran off the coast of Florida to the Bahamas. I guest it took maybe a day. We stayed overnight on the beach and sailed back the next day. […]
Elegance of Sailing
People ask, “Can you sum up sailing in one word?” Yes. Except for polo, nothing beats the elegance of sailing. From the yacht club to the ocean and everywhere in between, sailing exudes a special ambiance and attitude that is hard to replicate elsewhere. Few sports compare to sailing. It lends itself to special occasions […]
Farming Sail
Farming Sail recounts hay harvesting in Oklahoma, plus other stories by other couples. Let’s go sail.
Emergency Sail
Emergency Sail recounts tales of the ER and sunning deck, among other items.
Excessive Sail
Yorktown is abuzz about a giant cruise ship coming into port next year, ahead of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Typical headline: Princess Cruises shares update on Yorktown Voyage, but not everyone is on board The company announced in February that it would add Yorktown to the list of ports, largely because […]
Buccaneer Sail
Eight years ago, I took Lewis and Paula Volk of Kansas out sailing for their first big cruise. They returned this year with another couple and told a fascinating story. “We were looking to buy a bigger motorboat than the one we had. But the deal went sideways with the broker, and then we went […]
Southern Sail
For the second time in 11 years, we headed south to review venues to relocate or extend the charter sail business. The Carolinas offer a longer season, albeit with few tourists than Williamsburg. First, we stopped in Edenton NC where we took a 40-minute boat ride on Liber-Tea, an electric engine runabout under Capt. Mark […]
Dolphins
Dolphins explains how they are slowly returning to the York River.
Policy Sail
Four family members from Richmond took a well-deserved day off to go sailing on the York. Temperatures in the 90s were offset by winds blowing a steady 15 mph and gusting over 20. It was so delightful and the conversation so intense that no one noticed the boat heeling past 20 degrees. We sailed around […]
Busy Sail
A quiet July morning led us to motoring under the Coleman Bridge to see two Navy warships in port at the Yorktown Naval Weapons Station. I pointed out the tubes between two square tents where the Tomahawk missiles fire. Their range is 2,000 miles, sufficient to bomb Iraq and Afghanistan from the Mediterranean Sea during […]