Following a year of tremendous growth for rally participation, the Cruising Rally Association is adding four new events to their 2007 calendar. The 2006 Caribbean 1500 (Hampton, VA to Tortola, BVI) drew a record fleet of 75 boats and their Atlantic Cup rally (Tortola to Bermuda) also had a record fleet of 20 boats. Seminar attendance has also been at its highest level in the 18 years that they have been offered. The new events include a rally, two rally rendezvous, and an additional seminar.
The Newport-Annapolis Rally is a rally from Newport, R.I. to Annapolis, MD, starting September 20, 2007, three days after the Newport Boat Show. “It will begin the migration south while cruising the Chesapeake at its very best,” says Steve Black, President of the Cruising Rally Association.
Two Rally Rendezvous are scheduled starting with a dinner at Wayferer Marine in Camden, Maine, July 28, 2007. The second will be held at the Eastport Yacht Club in Annapolis, MD, on October 4, 2007. The Rendezvous bring rally veterans and new passagemakers together for an evening of fun and idea sharing at the height of the cruising season on the East Coast. The Camden Rendezvous is hosted by Wayfarer Marine, where many boats are prepared for ocean voyages.
The Annapolis Rendezvous will be held on the opening day of the Annapolis Boat Show and is sponsored by Jack Martin & Associates, the leading insurance provider for offshore sailors.
An additional Offshore Sailing Symposium will be held in conjunction with the Camden Rendezvous, July 28-29, 2007. The 2-day intensive workshop outlines specific steps needed to make a long offshore passage from the preparation phase to the completion of the passage. The three other Offshore Sailing Symposiums will be held in Annapolis, MD, March 10-11, Newport, R.I., March 24-2, and Hampton, VA, August 11-12, 2007.
Besides their signature rally, the Caribbean 1500 starting on November 4, 2007, the Cruising Rally Association will also run the Bermuda Cup, June 20, 2007, and the Atlantic Cup May 3, 2007. The rallies are preceded by 2-3 days of boat inspections, workshops and briefings. There are nightly parties and both a send-off dinner and an awards dinner for owners and crew.
For more information on the Cruising Rally Association and its sailing events and seminars, visit www.carib1500.com or call Steve Black at 757-788-8872.
