Fast and Furious
Narrow, swift and graceful, Ruweida V is a beautifully restored 38-foot R‑Class sloop originally designed by Burgess, Swasey & Paine in 1926. Her full, meticulous restoration began in 2011 at the International Yacht Restoration School in Newport, Rhode Island, where expert shipwrights replanked her hull, replaced decking and rebuilt her rigging to modern standards while preserving historical character.
Since returning to the water, Ruweida V has been campaigned successfully in regattas hosted by the New York Yacht Club, the Museum of Yachting and at Panerai events across Narragansett Bay, consistently finishing on the podium. Her construction is double‑planked mahogany over cedar on white oak frames, a traditional approach that gives strength and classic lines. She is equipped to fly both asymmetric and symmetric spinnakers and carries the necessary running rigging and hardware for competitive sailing.
Ruweida V is listed for sale at $137,500 through Sparkman & Stephens in Newport. For inquiries, see the listing at sparkmanstephens.com.
Couch-Based Sailing
The American Sailing Association has updated its Sailing Challenge app so students and sailing enthusiasts can practice keelboat skills without leaving home. Designed with ASA 101 Basic Keelboat certification candidates in mind, the game runs on iOS and Android and aims to reinforce practical skills through realistic simulation.
The latest version enhances visual realism and adds new training modules, including a night‑sailing navigation challenge, tiller versus wheel handling options and a dedicated tacking master course. Other modules cover sail trim, points of sail, right‑of‑way rules and docking techniques, making the app a useful supplement to on‑water instruction. The app is available for a modest fee; details are at asa.com/sailing-challenge-app.
Moorings Named National Regatta Sponsor
The Leukemia Cup Regatta has raised more than $62 million for cancer research since its inception in 1993, and this year the series will stage more than 45 races nationwide, including events in Annapolis, Newport and St. Petersburg. A longtime supporter, The Moorings has stepped up as the national sponsor for the regatta for this year and next.
Participants at select Leukemia Cup events will be eligible for prizes such as private sailing experiences and a weeklong yacht charter with The Moorings in the British Virgin Islands. Any participant who raises at least $500 will be entered to win the grand prize: a BVI charter aboard The Moorings’ flagship Moorings 4800 sailing catamaran. Learn more about the series at leukemiacup.org.
“Changing headsails in more than 40 knots is probably the most difficult and dangerous change we have. Six guys hooked on with safety lines on the bow, trying to pull down the old jib. The boat is still logging up to 20 knots and suddenly a wave washes the bow, pushing the six big guys back at high speed.” — Djuice Dragons skipper Knut Frostad, recalling the 2001–02 Volvo Ocean Race. The next edition of the race began in Alicante, Spain, Oct. 22. volvooceanrace.com
Slurp Suds, Save the Chesapeake
Few pleasures pair better with a day on the water than a cold beer — and some breweries are using that connection to support restoration work in the Chesapeake Bay. Flying Dog Brewery in Frederick, Maryland, and Devils Backbone Brewing Company in Lexington, Virginia, have released beers whose proceeds benefit organizations focused on oyster habitat restoration, watermen advocacy and watershed cleanup.
Whether you prefer a dark stout, a crisp summer ale or a bright pale ale, choosing one of these brews helps fund local conservation efforts. Below are the featured beers and the causes they support.
Pearl Necklace Chesapeake Stout
Flying Dog Brewery
Pearl Necklace is a stout brewed with fresh oysters contributed by the Rappahannock River Oyster Company. Proceeds support the Oyster Recovery Partnership, which works to restore oyster reefs and rebuild vital habitat across the Chesapeake Bay watershed. More information is available at flyingdogbrewery.com.
Dead Rise Old Bay Summer Ale
Flying Dog Brewery
Dead Rise is a summer ale accented with Old Bay seasoning. Sales benefit the Maryland True Blue Program, an initiative that advocates for watermen who harvest the Chesapeake Bay’s blue crab and supports the working‑watermen community. Visit flyingdogbrewery.com for details.
Striped Bass Pale Ale
Devils Backbone Brewing Company
Striped Bass is an amber‑hued pale ale with a portion of proceeds directed to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, an organization focused on improving water quality and restoring habitats throughout the Bay watershed. More on the program is available at dbbrewingcompany.com.
Fetch, Fido
Mystic Knotwork offers a clever monkey‑fist rope dog toy designed for active dogs who love the water. Essentially a tennis ball encased in marlinspike knotwork, the four‑inch toy is available in navy blue or gray and includes a long rope handle to keep owners’ hands away from excited jaws. The toy floats, making it well suited for boating and waterside play. Priced around $18, the toy is available from Mystic Knotwork in Mystic, Connecticut; contact information is listed at mysticknotwork.com.
The Leaning Tower Of Sharps Island
Sharps Island Lighthouse leans dramatically after being pushed off its foundation by an ice floe during the winter of 1977, earning comparisons to the Leaning Tower of Pisa. The cast‑iron and concrete structure now sits rusting in roughly 10 to 11 feet of water near the mouth of the Choptank River in Chesapeake Bay. It is not the first lighthouse on the site; previous structures were moved or lost to erosion and ice, including a famous incident when a screwpile lighthouse floated away with its keepers still inside — fortunately everyone aboard survived. The leaning lighthouse remains on the National Register of Historic Places and is a notable landmark for boaters in the region.
This article originally appeared in the October 2017 issue.