News

Our 2025 sailing season kicks off when crew and volunteers rig the Nathan on Saturday, March 22, at 9:00 am. Our rain date is Sunday, March 23, at 1:00 pm. During April, the returning crew will become reacquainted, especially since a new mast was built and installed over the winter. We also begin dockside training with new volunteers interested in learning to sail Nathan of Dorchester. Initially, this is a mentoring process with volunteers and experienced trainers working closely. Training to be a sail crew is very intensive. We begin training “under sail” with new volunteers in mid-April. Twice a […]

NATHAN “SCAVENGER CHALLENGE” TO BE HELD IN DOWNTOWN CAMBRIDGE Unique prizes are destined for the winners of the “Nathan Scavenger Challenge” to be held Saturday, May 8 in Downtown Cambridge. The Scavenger Challenger is free to participants, but donations for the Nathan’s maintenance will be gratefully accepted. Sponsored by the Dorchester Skipjack Committee, the “challenge” for participants is to find numbered Nathan of Dorchester logo magnets at downtown businesses. The event will run from 3 to 6 p.m. Those wishing to enter may register on May 8 starting at 3 pm at the Nathan of Dorchester table in front of […]

We have been meeting via zoom every Wednesday evening during March rather than is a classroom setting. Several of our participants have asked for copies of the presentations. Here are the first 2 presentations in pdf format. The first handout is an overview and update to the Nathan of Dorchester and the Dorchester Skipjack Committee intro ppthandouts  The second link takes you to the presentation called all about skipjacks. about skipjacks handouts We will add training materials as they become available.   Bud

This winter the Nathan of Dorchester has been tied up at the Generation III boatyard as work continues to replace a section of the starboard lograil and Port knightshead. This picture shows the start of lograil work. The forward chain plate for the starboard shroud has been removed and you can see where rotten wood is being removed. This picture shows removal of even more of the  lograil wood from around the knightshead. Fortunately rot was confined to the pine lograil and did not affect the starboard oak knightshead. Here is another view of the starboard side, all opened up and […]

Listen to Pat’s recent radio interview about the Nathan of Dorchester

Thanks to everyone who contributed! You helped us buy a new suite of sails to help Nathan keep on sailing!

Someone once wrote that “A wooden boat is a hole in the water into which a lot of money is poured”.  The Dorchester Skipjack Committee has been very aware of this saying as we continue to work preserving the skipjack Nathan of Dorchester. The Corona virus pandemic forced us to cancel all public sailing activities for 2020, a major source of fundraising to keep Nathan in operation. We may not be out there sailing with passengers this year, but our volunteers are always finding something to repair or replace.     Weather keeps attacking the boat. Soft spots appear in […]

A limited Skipjack Race will be held September 26th at Long Wharf in Cambridge. We expect 10-12 skipjacks to attend this years race. The surviving skipjacks  of a once mighty fleet need funding for repairs and the 2020 Choptank Heritage Skipjack race for boats and crews will provide much needed funding for each boats ongoing maintenance. Due to restrictions on social gatherings, the race may safely be viewed from the shoreline of the Choptank river. There will be no other public events associated with the race. Ida Mae won the 2019 race in very light winds. Maryland Public TV featured […]