FROM THE HELM

By Bob Osborn, SV Pandora, President SDSA

The Dawgs are Spreading their Wings!

For more than a decade, the Salty Dawgs have helped sailors gain blue water experience and to undertake voyages that most only dream about. It is the goal of “sailors helping sailors” that motivates the dozens of volunteers in making The Salty Dawg Sailing Association  (SDSA) the vibrant organization that what it is today. 

 We are pleased to announce that the SDSA is launching our first trans-Atlantic rally. In June 2025,  we will hold our first “Salty Dawg Rally to the Azores.” This breathtaking archipelago of nine Portuguese islands is the perfect destination to enjoy and then continue east to the Mediterranean or northern Europe.  

BREAKING NEWS

SET SAIL WITH THE SALTY DAWGS THIS SUMMER!

DELMARVA RALLY

Departing Hampton, VA June 1

• Experience Offshore Sailing:  Cruise through the Atlantic, mastering the art of overnight sailing with the guidance of seasoned sailors.
• Safety in Numbers:  Join forces with other Salty Dawg boats and benefit from the camaraderie and support of a tight-knit community.
• Navigate like a Pro:  Learn to navigate the currents and tides of the region like a seasoned sailor.
• Gateway to Adventure:  Use this experience as a launchpad to our thrilling longer offshore rallies, including the Downeast Rally.

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DOWNEAST RALLY

Departing Hampton VA July 5, departing from Newport RI July 13.  

Whether you're gearing up for extensive offshore voyages, seeking a delightful summer retreat, or eager to expand your coastal cruising adventures while forging new friendships, the Downeast Rally offers an experience like no other. Immerse yourself in the rich tapestry of New England, renowned for its delectable seafood, picturesque coastlines, and charming historic towns. Embark on a journey filled with unforgettable sights, great food, and cherished moments with fellow sailors. This experience can be used as a stepping stone to our longer rallies, such as the Caribbean Rally, or the Homeward Bound Rally.

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OCTOBER 10, 2024:  ANNAPOLIS RENDEZVOUS

Join us for the Annual Salty Dawg Annapolis Rendezvous, sponsored by David Walters Yachts. Enjoy a congenial gathering of Salty Dawgs and friends at the Annapolis Elks Lodge, 2 Pythian Drive, Edgewater, MD, with drinks and dinner.  We are excited to announce that Sheryl and Paul Shard from Distant Shores will be the presenters for the evening.

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PAY IT FORWARD, AND VOLUNTEER FOR A SDSA WORKING GROUP!

We need YOU to volunteer for one of our working groups!  The Salty Dawg Sailing Association is an organization run almost entirely by its volunteer-members.  If SDSA has helped you, please consider paying it forward and helping us so that we can continue our great work of "Sailors Helping Sailors".

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ATTENTION ALL SALTY DAWG WOMEN

We need your voices! 

The mission of the Salty Gals group is to build community among Salty Dawg women sailors, to give voice towomen's concerns, and address specific issues that affect women sailors. Whether you are captain of your own boat, or a partner with your captain, retired, working, young, not so young- we want to hear all of your concerns.  We have come to realize that many women do not have their email addresses in our system.  If you think this is the case for you, the primary SDSA member can verify, add and remove family members, details here. Please become a part of our community!

ARE YOU A GREEN BOATER?

Written by Katie Bloxham

Cruisers like us see firsthand many of the issues that our oceans face, from pollution which fouls our playground, to overfishing and habitat destruction, which threaten marine life and the source of food for billions of people around the world.  Green boaters promote sustainable boating practices and protection of marine environments through their personal actions, community involvement and advocacy.

Salty Dawg sailors already do many things to support Green Boating.  Some of these are out of respect for the waters we live on and around, and others are just plain common sense.  So here’s a celebration of Salty Dawgs being Green Boaters!

First, however, a few facts:

Plastics:  Plastics never go away.  Instead they break into smaller and smaller pieces.  Recycling is often presented as a solution to our plastics crisis, but it falls short.  Only 9% of all the plastic waste ever created has been recycled. 

WHEN TO REPLACE YOUR SAILBOAT RIGGING

Written by Steve Madden, M Yachts

The standing rigging is what keeps the mast in place, and thus requires particular attention. How do you know when it’s time to re-rig? There are some obvious answers to this one — for instance, if your wire rigging has broken strands or if it’s suffering from “candy-striping,” i.e., rust-colored streaks swirling down the wire. The latter may indicate two things: one, that it’s simply surface rust, which you should be able to polish off, or two, that as the wire was being manufactured, a strand might have picked up some contamination during the process and is compromised, which is cause for concern. A third visual indicator is cracks in swaged fittings, some of the most common end fittings for wire. Cracks are hard to see (use a magnifying glass), and sometimes marks that look like cracks can be left by the machine used to create the swage. Then there’s just age, and this factor as a reason to re-rig is more subject to a boat’s history than anything else.

THIS MONTH IN PICTURES

Great times had by all at Puerto Bahia Marina! 

VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT:  ALEX HELFAND

Boat Name and Type:  Compass Rose, Nautich Open 40 

Home Port:  Annapolis MD

Years volunteering for the Salty Dawgs:  Since September 2020

I became a member of Salty Dawgs in 2020 as a result of my search for information on Bluewater sailing.  This was in preparation for taking delivery of a new catamaran in 2021.