As of September 3rd, the Salty Dawg Rally has 47 entrants signed up for the fall sail-in-company to the Caribbean and the numbers are climbing daily. If you want to join the Rally, please check out the website at www.saltydawgrally.org.
The Rally has a series of events planned this fall prior to departure from Hampton, Virginia to the Bitter End Yacht Club, B.V.I. in early November.
Rally founders Bill and Linda Knowles will be at the SDR booths at both the Newport International Boat Show (Sept. 11-14, Booth A4) and the United States Sailboat Show in Annapolis, Maryland (Oct. 9 – 13, Booth G2A). They will be handing out information about the Salty Dawg Rallies and will be able to answer questions about upcoming events and rallies. Also, the Salty Dawgs will have SDR T-shirts and hats available for sale so you can join in the fun even if your rally days are still in the future.
On October 8th in Annapolis, MD, the Salty Dawg Rally is hosting a daylong seminar at Mears Marina’s Pavilion on safety and seamanship for the Salty Dawgs and any sailors who would like to attend. The seminar is free and generously sponsored by Sea Hawk Paints. Attendance is limited to the first 100 who sign up. Registration for new Dawgs starts on September 10.
Key seminars will include: Communications at Sea with Curtis Morris; Sails for Passagemaking with Bill Gross (Quantum Sails); Weather for the Rally with weather router Chris Parker; Preparations for Offshore Sailing with the U.S. Coast Guard; Life Rafts with Life Raft and Survival, Inc.; Steering Systems with Will Keene of Edson; and, Rigging with Steve Madden.
The seminar will start at 0745 with opening remarks by the Salty Dawg Board of Directors member Paddy O’Donnell. An inexpensive but very tasty box lunch is available to buy for those who sign up early. The day will end at 1700 with closing remarks about the Salty Dawg Rallies and any final discussion. Please log on to www.saltydawgrally.org to learn more and to sign up via the contact button.
On October 9th, the Salty Dawgs will gather at Mears Marina Pavilion at 1730 for a social evening with the Dawgs sponsored Jack Martin Insurance and Falvey Insurance. This fun party is open to all the Salty Dawg family of cruisers and their friends plus any blue water sailors interested in learning more about the Salty Dawg Rally.
Prior to the start of the Rally from the Bluewater Marina in Hampton, the SDR will offer more free seminars on topics of importance to offshore sailors. These are open to any cruisers who would like to attend and the SDR hope those in the area will join them.
The highlight of the Hampton seminars will be a live air-sea rescue in the waters right off Bluewater Marina. The U.S. Coast Guard will use one of their helicopters and a rescue swimmer to show the attendees just how a rescue at sea works. This promises to be a spectacular and valuable learning session.
In Hampton, the Salty Dawgs will put on a series of fun evening events and a big raffle for all kinds of sailing items. One of the highlights for the whole family will be the Hampton Halloween Party that is sponsored by the City of Hampton’s Convention and Visitors Bureau. The evening has a costume party for adults and kids, boat decorating and trick or treating.
The Salty Dawg Rally is a registered 501(c)(3) not for profit company based in Rhode Island. All events, seminars and the Rallies are run by volunteers dedicated to fostering sound seamanship and safety at sea. The SDR has many leading marine companies as sponsors and many individuals have stepped forward to support the organization with tax-deductible donations.
For more information log on to the Salty Dawg website at www.saltydawgrally.org.
