camping Archives - Small Boats Magazine

2019 Small Reach Regatta

The idea of the SRR is to gather together small sail-and-oars boats for sailing, with the same kind of camaraderie and appreciation that the ERR has established. We will sail on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. This year, we plan a one-way sail from Herrick Bay to the waters off the campground, where we’ll anchor, so secure anchoring ability is especially important. The next day will be a return to Herrick Bay. Final haulouts, trailering, and departure will take place on Sunday, July 28, vacating the campground before noon and the boatyard as soon as possible.

Click here for full details about the event and how to sign up.

Boating safety is always a priority at the SRR, and the fleet is accompanied at all times by a chase fleet, usually six fast powerboats. Participating boats are required to meet a checklist of safety equipment. Our safety demonstrations in years past have included a firing of emergency flares and a deliberate capsize and self-recovery. We take safe seamanship seriously.

E-mail is our preferred method of communication. We’ll get back to you as soon as we can. We hope to see you this summer on the coast of Maine!

For more information, contact

Tom Jackson <tom@woodenboat.com>; or
David Wyman, <david@dwymanpe.com>.

New England Junket: 2nd Annual Junk Rig Gathering

The New England Junket will happen this year on Labor Day weekend, in Gouldsboro Bay, Maine. This is a gathering of Junk Rig Association members and others who sail junk rigged boats and/or are interested in junk rig. Emphasis is on sailing together and visiting, in the context of sharing information and interest in junk rigs.

Accommodations: Protected anchorages are nearby and a small number of moorings are available. Camping is available about 3 miles away at Mainayr Campground, which boasts tidal access to Joy Bay, at the head of Gouldsboro Bay. There are two nearby boat ramps, one tidal, the other deepwater and paved. One is on Joy Bay, and the other on the west shore of Gouldsboro Bay, just south of the narrows into Joy Bay.

Gorgeous sailing is to be had in Gouldsboro Bay and outside of it to the east and west. Gouldsboro Bay is approximately 10 miles east of Mount Desert Island and Acadia National Park, and about halfway between Penobscot Bay and the Bay of Fundy.

For more information, or to RSVP, please contact Shemaya, at shemayalaurel@yahoo.com

For online information, see:
Junk Rig Sailing Facebook page (scroll down for event notice)
Junk Rig Association member events listing

Bushcraft/Canoeist TSCA Dauphin Island Rendezvous

Traditional Small Craft Association (TSCA) Rendezvous on Dauphin Island, Alabama. Specifics for the day sails and overnight camping will be decided based on participants and weather forecasts leading up to the dates. The Dauphin Island Campground near the ferry landing will be home base for the event. A boat ramp with parking is available near the campground.

This is the first rendezvous for our new chapter of the Traditional Small Craft Association. RSVP via Facebook, the link is in this listing.

2017 Small Reach Regatta a Success

What a turnout and what a variety of boats this year at the Traditional Small Craft Association‘s Small Reach Regatta, held in Brooklin, Maine. The gathering is a labor of love for WoodenBoat Senior Editor Tom Jackson, who returned from a small boat raid in Sweden wanting to have a similar event here in Maine. They’ve been at it for 11 years now.

Here’s a look at the end of their lunch stop on Babson Island as the boats got underway:

The Downeast TSCA’s website explains, “The idea of the SRR is to gather together small sail-and-oars boats for sailing, with the same kind of camaraderie and appreciation that the ERR has established. The boats typically sail courses of 5 to 15 nautical miles on three successive days (Thursday through Saturday) starting from the waterfront anchorage each morning and returning each afternoon. There is no racing, but participants always show keen interest in how their boats perform against others. Many of the boats were built of wood by their owners themselves, and last year seven of them were even designed by their builders.”