In June 1976, a World Multihull Symposium was held in Toronto, Canada. Amongst the 400 enthusiasts attending from all over the world were a small group from Maryland…. Peter Abresch, Barbara Beitscher, Roger Hatfield, Brad Houghton, Charles Gabeler and Bob Ware. Ken and Carolyn Loving attended from Illinois where they were building “Aeolus”. Each multihuller was in the various stages of researching a new boat, already building one, or on the lookout for a new design. Jim Brown and Hugo Myers were on the designer/speaker roster.

The Symposium was a fantastic emotional experience for these believers in a better way to sail. They were used to being the lonely pioneers in their home waters, looked upon with scorn and derision as they attempted to advance the multihull concept, each in his own small way. But suddenly, here they were in Toronto, with thirteen of the world’s foremost multihull designers and 400 fellow believers, all anxious to interchange the latest designs and techniques. It was a marvelous inspiration for us all as we attended the lectures and workshops, observed in-the-water demonstrations, questioned the designers, and listened to Phil Weld describe the “Gulfstreamer” capsize at the concluding banquet where we had a “Maryland Table”.

First Planning Meeting at Ernie Linke’s House

Contacts among local multihull sailors were stimulated by the World Multihull Symposium. Brad Houghton and Barbara Beitscher met Bob and Marge Ware at Middle River and, after a day of sailing, introduced Bob Ware to Ernie Linke. For years, each had collected names of multihullers in the D.C. and Baltimore areas, respectively. This contact led Ernie Linke to plan the first meeting at his home, which was held on January 15, 1977 at 2 P.M. Attendees included Roger Hatfield, Brad Houghton, Barbara Beitscher, Bob Ware, Lew Boss, Jack and Jimmie Daft with the host and hostess, Ernie and Kay Linke. Ed Boyle and Lin Kilmon, who were unable to attend due to a snowstorm, took telephone assignments from Ernie to prepare for the first (charter) meeting.To initiate the effort, every multihuller was contacted to gather a large list of people interested in multihulls from around the Chesapeake area. These folk were then notified of a public meeting to be held at the Fleet Reserve Club on February 19, 1977.

Report of the Charter Meeting
Multihull cruising sailors gathered in Annapolis at the Reserve Officers Club. Lewis Boss arranged for the very comfortable and adequate facilities. The purpose was to determine the extent of interest in the formation of a multihull cruising organization for Chesapeake Bay. We began by having everyone introduce themselves, describe their interests, what boat they sailed, and where it was kept. Lin Kilmon thoughtfully provided a general guideline sheet of suggested topics for consideration, a fine membership application, and a suggested design for the CCMA logo. Ed Boyle presided.

In deciding on the Chesapeake Cruising Multihull Association, there was no intent to exclude day-sailors, but the primary emphasis was on larger cruising boats. Proposed activities included meetings with outside speakers, publishing a newsletter, maintenance of a roster of multihullers with their boats identified, cruises to local points of interest, both formal and informal racing, and providing discount collective buying for those building or refurbishing their own boat.

A volunteer executive committee included Peter Abresch, Barbara Beitscher, Lewis Boss, Ed Boyle, Lin Kilmon, Ernest Linke and Bob Ware. This task force provided a constitution, set the dues, arranged for a newsletter, started a calendar of events and set the committees in place for the organizational meeting on March 26, 1977.

First CCMA Program: Jim Brown, Speaker
Next meeting: Saturday, March 26, 1977 at 2 P.M. at the Annapolis Recreation Center, diagonally across from Fawcetts and the Hilton. Jim Brown, Searunner designer, spoke on Multihull Safety. Based on his 15-year involvement, he touched on his investigations of multihull accidents, differences between catamaran and trimaran, prevention of offshore capsize, survival and habitation in capsized craft, latest developments in multihull self-rescue from the 1976 World Multihull Symposium, and ways to improve multihull safety by design, construction and seamanship. A tape recording actually recorded during hurricane conditions was played.

The First CCMA Board

Conclusion
Since the beginning, the great void on the Chesapeake has been filled. The local multihull sailor now lives in a different world. We have developed friendships with sailors of all ages. We have well-known sailors, designers and builders as CCMA members. We have racing, cruising, production boat building, one-off boat building, and visiting designers and speakers….even a World Multihull Festival in Annapolis. Thanks to everyone who made it possible.

A QUARTER-CENTURY OF CCMA SAILING: 1977-1986  by Bob Ware

1977
An ambitious sailing program took place on the Chesapeake Bay in our first year. A combination of nine cruising rendezvous and races were set up from May to September. The first rendezvous was at Poplar Island. The first race was an informal affair off Annapolis on June 4th. Cruises to, and rendezvous at, such well known spots as Fairlee Creek, St. Michaels, Swan Creek, West River and Solomons Island were made.

We would cruise to the designated rendezvous; the first boat to arrive dropped anchor in a favorable area for the raft, which formed as the others sailed in. The socializing, boat-hopping, general togetherness and group songfest accompanied by guitar, was great fun. After the happy hour, if the location suited, one boat would taxi the crews to a nearby restaurant for a good shore dinner.

Once, after a 3 A.M. thunder storm in St. Michaels cove, we learned not to keep a large raft overnight… the ensuing panic party was memorable. In those days, a large raft of multihulls was a source of great curiosity for the monohull sailors. They would often come over to sightsee and when circling the raft, were even known to run aground in the shallows where we anchored the raft. They had never seen such a collection of catamarans and trimarans in one place.

The first land/sea rendezvous was held at Commodore Ed Boyle’s place on Seneca Creek in September, 1977. Members came by boat and car so a truly enjoyable gathering took place at the host’s waterside home. Over the years, the Club has been welcomed at many notable Bayside homes of the Angells, Bells, Browns, Butlers, Goodmans, Jubbs, Skardas and the Smiths. Many interesting trips were taken up rivers, through inlets, and seeking out creeks where Club members reside.

Various arrangements have been tried for the food and refreshments at these gatherings. The current practice (1986) is for each family group to bring a salad, main covered dish, fruit or dessert to serve six (with prior consultation with the hostess for coordination purposes). The Club supplies ice, paper plates, cups and plastic utensils. All bring their own beverages. CCMA members are great food providers. No one goes hungry.

In November 1977, Cynthia and Roger Hatfield left for the South making a long non-stop trip from Beaufort, NC directly to St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands. Their boat was “Mandala”, a Searunner 31. Carolyn and Rit Will also cruised South to the Bahamas, the Keys and the Dry Tortugas in a Searunner 37.

The inclusion of the word “cruising” in our name did not signify that we excluded racing, so it was not long before the competitive spirit was in evidence. Our early racing was simply boat for boat. Since we were such a varied collection of cats and tris, from 20 to 45 feet, we were certainly not a one-design fleet. Some sort of simple handicap system was required for our friendly cruiser races.

1978
We started out with a performance system based on Portsmouth Numbers (PN), using the Langstone Tables developed in England by S. Z. Milledge. We used this system for Yachting’s Five Race One-Of-A-Kind Regatta in Annapolis during the month of September. John Walsh sailed with Reg White in the new Comanche 32 catamaran; John Olin was in a Tremolino Tri; Dick Newick and Jan Gougen sailed the Val 32 “Third Turtle”; a factory team with Peter Wormwood sailed a Stiletto 27; and our own Don Angel was in his Iroquois 30. Lin Kilmon with his Quest 31 was out due to motor trouble. The Stiletto was the winner.

Carolyn and Ken Loving passed through our area en-route to a 21/2-year cruise in the Bahamas in their 36-foot trimaran “Aeolus”.

1979
There were four CCMA’ers in the 1979 Multihull Newport to Bermuda Race…Dick Newick in a Val, Bill Homewood in his “Third Turtle”, and Hugo Myers and Landgrave Smith crewed on a MacGregor 36. A large group went up to witness the start, including Ernie Linke who did it the hard way in his 23 foot “Nip ‘N Tuck”.

1980
We celebrated the 4th of July with a “cruise week” which included our first 120-mile Annapolis to Norfolk overnight race and a group cruise back to Annapolis with stops along the way at Sarah Creek, Onancock, Crisfield, Solomons and Dun Cove.

Bill Homewood carried our burgee in the 1980 OSTAR with “Third Turtle” making her second such event. His rendition of “Old Man River” was highlighted in the memorable “American Challenge” film, made possible by the cameras that were aboard all the American boats.

Roger Hatfield sailed his 31′ Searunner tri to first place in Division 11 against much larger boats in the 800-mile Caribbean Trade Winds Race. Mary and Randy Bruce made an extensive southern cruise around Florida and as far as New Orleans in the Gulf aboard “Celtic Cross”, their 45′ catamaran. Charlie Proctor made a round trip cruise in his 30′ “La Chatte Marin” to Florida and the Keys.

Another significant event occurred in the fall of 1980 when Phil Weld donated his OSTAR winning 50′ trimaran “Moxie” to the Naval Academy’s sail training program. “Moxie” was to play a significant role in the acceptance of multihulls on the Chesapeake. Several members of CCMA, namely: Leo Flanigan, Charles Gabeler, Bill Homewood, Chuck Kanter, Tod Knowles, Ken Loving, Hugo Myers, Marge Ware and others were selected as multihull sailing coaches to assist the midshipmen in sailing “Moxie”.

1981
This was the year that the multihull banner received recognition on the Chesapeake Bay. The Cape St. Claire Yacht Club invited CCMA to enter a class of multihulls in the 377-mile Great Ocean Race (GOR) around the Delmarva Peninsula. Special safety rules for multihulls were prepared by Clint Wyatt, Jere Glover, Bill Homewood, and Tom Pride. Eight multihulls entered this first GOR, which was won by Bill Homewood, and it marked the first time that multihulls raced in a CBYRA-sponsored race.

“Moxie” raced with CCMA several times during the season. Then, partly as a result of the cooperation and assistance of the CCMA sailing coaches in instructing the Middies on “Moxie”, the Naval Academy Sailing Squadron extended an invitation to CCMA for multihulls to sail in the September Annapolis to Oxford Race. We entered 21 boats in another CBYRA race on the Bay. The Tred Avon Yacht Club invited us to sail in the return race. Thus, due in large part to the presence of “Moxie”, we were able to take another step forward for multihulls on the Bay.

Jim Perrie trailered his MacGregor 36 “Wampum” to Florida for a fast two months cruise in the Bahamas.

1982
Based on our 1981 experience with three races in CBYRA, it was clear that we would have to modify our rating system. Each CBYRA was run by a different race committee, which required advance notice of each boat’s rating. The PN system did not fit this requirement for the upcoming season of 16 CBYRA races.

A first attempt at a new system in the 1982 GOR was not successful in rating different types of boats, so Dr. Hugo Myers was asked to suggest another method that would be simple, easy to use, and fair to all. His answer was the simple equation R=0.5(LxSA/W) to the .5 power, based on waterline, weight, and sail area equal to main and largest jib plus 5% for spinnaker. CT=ETxR.

Hugo corresponded with John Shuttleworth in England, where they use this system; Lock Crowther of Australia, which uses the IOWR, a much more complex system; and Larry Bedell of New England, who was seeking a better handicap system at that time. Hugo suggested that this new method be tried in 1982 and then consider minor improvements, e.g., a change of exponent in 1983. To help in the rating process, eight of our multihulls were weighed in Baltimore with an accurate crane scale.

The multihull class made a big splash with its premier appearance in the 1982 Governor’s Cup, an overnight race from Annapolis to St. Mary’s City… with 12 multihulls entered. “Mirage”, a 30′ Stiletto catamaran, sailed past a record fleet of 312 yachts to take line honors in that popular event.

This year marked our first entrance as one of the select classes that race with the skipjack work boats in the Chesapeake Appreciation Days in October off Sandy Point State Park.

Upon conclusion of our first year of racing in CBYRA, seven CCMA members qualified for the High Point Trophy, which was won by Bill Homewood. The multihull class received many congratulations for its participation in 1982, as well as invitations to two more events in 1983.

1983
To increase the accuracy of our ratings, we began an extensive program of sail and boat measurements in the early spring of 1983. The previous haphazard collection of data from various sources proved to be inadequate when accurate measurements were obtainable. Fleet Captain Randy Bruce and his helpers rendered a great service to the Club by spending many hours of many days collecting the data from our fleet. In the end, 33 boats and 66 sails had been accurately measured.

Based on the 1982 racing results, the CCMA Race Committee, led by Otto Scherer, made an extensive analysis of the factors affecting sail-boat performance…sail area, waterline length, displacement, draft of center boards and keels, sail plan height, excess skin friction, and hull waterline widths. The rating formula remained the same, but sail area and weight became “rated” values and length changed to “effective L”, all due to modifying factors that were applied to these values. Lin Kilmon won the High Point Trophy.

1984
The first week in July 1984 was Cruise Week. Members cruised and raced to rendezvous points scattered from the Choptank to the Sassafras Rivers… winds, unfortunately, were dead! The large group at the Georgetown rendezvous went ashore for dinner at the Granary.

Based on the 1983 season results, the rating formula was modified to the form of R=0.6((Le x Sr)/Wr) to the 3/8 power, with several constants in the supporting equations being reduced. In addition, a small performance factor was introduced to further fine-tune the results.

After ten races, the results indicated that the new rule was working remarkably well, producing close corrected time finishes among the various boats in the fleet. Finishes were often decided by time differences of 5 to 43 seconds.

Bill Homewood entered his second OSTAR and came in first in Class IV despite a severe toothache and strut damage. He was dropped to second because of an early start. This was the third Trans-Atlantic race for his Val 32, “Third Turtle”. B. J. Watkins won third place in the Round Long Island Race in her new trimaran “Heart”. Dale Martin won the High Point Trophy.

1985
B. J. Watkins was the first multihull to finish in the 1985 GOR, beating Bill Homewood in the Annapolis to Bermuda Race. She single-handed “Heart” from Bermuda to New York and then was dismasted in her second running of the Round Long Island Race. Larry Bedell took line honors in the Multihull Festival Race to Baltimore in his “Barbara Ann IV”. Corinne and Chuck Kanter spent two months cruising in the Bahamas and reported on valuable anchoring techniques. Tom Linton, our 1987 Commodore, won the 23rd National Shark Catamaran Championship for an unprecedented sixth time. Wayne Fisher was eligible for High Point Trophy, but our multihull class narrowly missed qualifications.

1986
The new Herting/Price Condor 40 trimaran was the first multihull to finish in the GOR. Tom Linton, in a Dragonfly 25, effected a sensational rescue of a seaman 21 miles off the Virginia coast during the same race. An injured sailor was found standing on the bow of his slowly sinking sailboat, which had been run down 13 hours before by a hit and run trawler.
Ernie Linke conceived and organized a two-week CCMA cruise up to the Statue of Liberty re-dedication in New York Harbor. The pictures and reports from this exciting cruise filled three issues of the CCMA newsletter and were featured in Multihulls magazine as well as the Chesapeake Bay magazine.

Bill Homewood won the High Point Trophy.

A SUMMARY OF CCMA ACTIVITIES: 1987-2001  by Nat and Ida Harrison

1987
CCMA Commodore Tom Linton received Honorable Mention in the prestigious Annapolis Sailor of the Year award given each year by The Capital. The Commodore’s citation reads: “Tom Linton for seamanship and unselfishness. During last spring’s Great Ocean Race, Linton spotted and rescued a cruising sailor whose yacht had been run down during the night by a passing motor yacht in the Atlantic Ocean.”

CCMA Board Member, B. J. Watkins on board her flaming red “Heart”, won the 202-mile 11th Annual Round Long Island Regatta. Second place went to Commodore Tom Linton with his Condor 40 “Alcyone”.

Bob and Marge Ware took delivery of their F-27, “Frisky”.

1989
Vice Commodore B. J. Watkins receives honorable mention in Annapolis Sailor of the Year, along with eleven men and one syndicate as significant contributors to the Annapolis sailing scene. B. J. also earned her U. S. Coast Guard Captain’s license, Master Class.

Charles Chiodi (creator and publisher of Multihulls magazine and staunch supporter of CCMA) and Randy Smyth (winner of 25 national and three world championship titles and a silver medal in the 1984 Olympic Tornado Catamaran Class) were voted Honorary Membership in CCMA.

Randy Smyth wins Chesapeake Bay Cup (Salem ProSail 1989) by a quarter point. CCMA’s volunteer assistance in the event activities was highly commended in many letters of appreciation from event supporters/participants.

Bob Caffrey (co-designer, builder, and racer with Gino Marrelli and Randy Smyth) was bestowed CCMA Honorary Membership.

Marge and Bob Ware’s “Frisky” dismasted in a thunder squall.

The CCMA Largest Multihull Raft-Up One Design Award goes to the skippers of 16 Gemini.

Many backyard boat builders tell their stories: Ken and Carolyn Loving, Charles Jubb, Peter Abresh Sr. and Jr., Dewey Pleake, Brad Houghton and Barbara Beitscher, and Walter Pollock, to name a few.

CCMA is admitted as a provisional member club in CBYRA on December 2, 1989. CCMA is now CBYRA club number 81.

1990
February’s meeting was held at the Condor, Ltd. plant in Annapolis. Phil Herting and Michael Price, producers of the Condor 40 and new Condor 30 (named Sailing World “Boat of the Year”), conducted a tour of their facility. Unfortunately, by late June Condor closed its doors due to the boating industry slump.

For the first time, there was no multihull start in the Great Ocean Race. The format of this event, which circumnavigates the Delmarva Peninsula, was also changed to run only in even numbered years. In odd numbered years, beginning in 1991, a new race will be called the Chesapeake Lighthouse Challenge.

Last Year’s Largest Multihull Raft-Up One Design distinction was beat by a record 21 Gemini.

Roger Hatfield, one of CCMA’s founders, was commissioned to build a 53′ day charter boat (“Stars & Stripes – Key West”) for the Dennis Conner organization in partnership with See and Sail Excursions of Key West. Roger also had another contract to furnish a “Stars & Stripes – San Diego” for the next America’s Cup defense.

Rear Commodore B. J. Watkins christened her newly acquired 16′ Prindle, “Heartless”. In April she and her crew set sail again for Plymouth, England aboard “Skyjack”, a 45′ Spronk-designed catamaran, in another attempt at a transatlantic race. With bad weather again almost claiming the boat prior to even starting the race, “Skyjack” safely arrived in Plymouth and B. J. and her crew member, Boots Parker, went on to finish the Two-Handed Transatlantic Race, becoming the first American all-female crew to complete the course.

The boat “user fee” annual tax passed.

The CBYRA Annual General Meeting unanimously approved CCMA as a permanent member club.

1991
Jim Brown, one of CCMA’s founding members and a man of many talents as designer, author, inventor, and the true champion of multihull sailing, returned to speak at the January CCMA meeting. He presented “The Modern Multihull; an Overview of Yachting’s Underdogs” as a prelude to giving the same presentation to the Mystic Seaport later in the year. Jim was the speaker at the first-ever CCMA program. In February, CCMA members were the guests of Doyle-Allan Sails at their sail loft in Eastport, MD. Scott Allan and Allan Drew demonstrated the sail design program, how various materials are made and used, and the complexities of the different sewing machines and sewing techniques.

Guest speaker for the Annual Spring Banquet was Jan Cameron Miles, Senior Captain of the “Pride of Baltimore”.

Legislation was introduced to repeal the boat “user fee” tax.

Brad Houghton and Barbara Beitscher’s Seawings trimaran “Quicksilver” prepares for a spring maiden launch.

Nat Harrison organized the first Lower Bay Multihull Rendezvous in Mobjack Bay on the Ware River.

One of CCMA’s founding members, Lin Kilmon, died on April 14, 1991. He was CCMA’s second Commodore and he and Peter Abresch created CCMA’s first constitution. Lin had also been Sail Captain of the Baltimore Yacht Club and Commodore of CBYCA. He was largely instrumental in obtaining CCMA’s entry into CBYRA and CBYCA. The Lin Kilmon Memorial Service Award was established and will be awarded for Outstanding Service to CCMA in appreciation of the years of effort that Lin devoted to CCMA.

1992
CCMA celebrates its 15-year anniversary!

February’s meeting had a presentation by Dick and Dixie Goertemiller, founders of Chesapeake Bay magazine and editors of the Guide to Cruising Chesapeake Bay. Several original lighthouse drawings by Dick were featured in CCMA’s newsletters (and in this chronicle).

Corsair Marine publishes Volume I, Issue 1 of the TRIbune, a monthly newsletter for sailors in the Corsair Marine family.

Performance Cruising was so successful with Gemini sales that they established a national dealer distribution, with the first four dealers in Long Beach, CA, San Francisco, CA, and Ft. Lauderdale, FL.

Ed Boyle, CCMA’s first Commodore, and Sandy Kilmon, with her son Clifford, presented the first Lin Kilmon Memorial Award to Bob Ware.

Bob and Pat Englert hosted Nat Harrison’s 2nd Lower Bay Multihull Rendezvous at their home in Mobjack Bay on Wilson Creek. This is the beginning of a new tradition for lower Bay CCMA members.

More backyard boat builders join the ranks…Robert and Edwina “Teddy” Reid launch their trimaran “Trying Twogether” after 5 years in-the-making.

Sandy Kilmon presented CCMA with a $2,000 check bequeathed by Lin Kilmon to establish two new perpetual race trophies.

Bill Mathers, and his partner Hank Parker, of sunken Spanish Treasure fame (Bill also became a CCMA member) gave a presentation and passed around glittering replicas of their finds (only for viewing, unfortunately).

1993
Gemini builder and past CCMA Commodore, Tony Smith, and his son Neil took the new Gemini 3400 to second place in the new Bermuda Cruising Rally from Norfolk, VA to Bermuda. This was the maiden voyage and “the first thorough ocean test” for the Gemini 3400.

A ban for motorboating on certain days (that would include sailboats with auxiliary engines or outboards) was proposed by local government officials as part of the Washington Metropolitan’s air pollution plan that would affect those using the Potomac, Anacostia, and Occoquan Rivers, as well as the Bay from North Beach to Solomons Island.

CCMA had another good year of racing and cruising with several interesting CCMA newsletter articles submitted by members on their travels or by legendary sailors providing expert sailing tips, but there were more photos providing stories in themselves then there were recorded “historical” events.

1994
Tom Donahue, this year’s CCMA Board Member and Cruising Coordinator, wrote an interesting article at the beginning of the year providing some thought provoking observations of the changes CCMA has seen and ways in which members can help improve the organization. Since the popularity of multihulls exploded since CCMA’s early days in 1977, there are bigger, better, and faster multihulls that seem to take more people to places they’ve never been before and provide less time for “club organizing things”. It was a reminder that any organization is only as good as its members make it. There may be less “firsts” in multihull sailing now, but there are still many great multihull stories to be told and monohull sailors to convert.

More racing/cruising articles for the CCMA newsletter found their way to the editor the next month!

A new CCMA racing class, the “Lin Kilmon Class Race Series” was proposed to the CCMA Board of Directors to increase member interest in racing multihulls.

1995
Thomas Firth Jones, with his wife Carol, were the guest speakers for January’s CCMA meeting. Tom Jones designs and builds multihulls (e.g., a 28′ trimaran, the Hummingbird and a 24′ open wing catamaran, the Dandy) at his boatyard in New Jersey. He has also authored several books and written articles for Multihulls magazine. He and Carol had also circumnavigated the North Atlantic twice and commented in their talk on the merits of some of the destinations from a cruiser’s point of view.

The CCMA rating system for racing was updated using past data from Bob Ware and a calculation adjustment (include + or – 3%) by Otto Scherer. The updated CCMA Rating was to be used for CBYRA Races. A PHRF Rating was also to be developed using a combination of data and PHRF ratings available from various multihull systems in use.

CCMA looses another valued member with the passing of Tom Donohue early in the year. Besides his many significant contributions to CCMA, he wrote an article entitled “Humor on the serious side…When a body…Meets a body…Comin’ Cross the Bay” that was just recently published in Multihulls magazine.

Kevin Costner’s “Waterworld” makes its film debut. Not many people know, however, that Randy Smyth sailed the trimaran by instruments from down below.

The CCMA Board of Directors agreed that the “Lin Kilmon Class Race Series” be a part of the 1995 racing program. The four designated race weekends were designed to increase the interest in multihull racing, but be of a less strenuous variety than provided by CBYRA series. In addition, two new perpetual racing trophies, as specified by Lin Kilmon in his bequest, were established: the Past Commodores Elapsed Time Trophy and the Past Commodores Long Distance Trophy.

Hunky LaMotte received the Lin Kilmon Memorial Service Award.

The AeroRig sailmast makes its debut.

1996
A survey of CCMA racing skippers provided some interesting info. When asked what their intentions were for racing in the 1996 season and what their preferences were for the racing program, some sample responses to “what would it take to get you to race more” included: “the fountain of youth, a bigger boat, money, a faster boat, more time, less work.” There were also some valuable responses, e.g., re-analyze the handicap ratings, better communication between skippers prior to each event, and more accurate and prompt posting of race results. A minimum of six boats is the CBYRA standard for competing.

A CCMA committee promptly reviewed the multihull ratings system and agreed to use the Time Correction Factors (TCF) rating system. This would be in addition to the “PHRF” rating system to develop test data for the 1996 season.

Speakers for 1996 included: Captain Randy Bourgeois, a 50-year veteran Chesapeake Bay pilot; RADM Eugene Fluckey, a USN Retired Officer and author of “Thunder Below” which catalogues his WWII adventures as a submarine captain wreaking havoc on the Japanese homeland; Tom Dettweiler, a sailor/oceanographer who was instrumental in the discovery of the Titanic and the Japanese sub with $30M in gold aboard; and Commodore Richard Tolson, speaking on his participation in the events of the summer sailing Olympics in Savannah, GA.

A re-evaluation of CCMA goals for 1996 was adopted by the Board of Directors and included a dedication to developing, promoting, improving, and increasing CCMA membership and participation in both the cruising and racing programs. At the end of the year, the new membership drive saw a record of 10 new members from just the CCMA table at the Annapolis Boat Show.

CCMA suffered another loss when Membership Coordinator Hunky LaMotte died as a result of a tragic fire in his home. Hunky’s many services to CCMA included Newsletter Editor and Cruising Coordinator.

CCMA hosts/organizes the 1996 Corsair Eastern Nationals in conjunction with the Chesapeake Appreciation Days.

1997
The year’s first CCMA guest speaker was Harold Pinney, who told his amazing tale of the demise of the 67-year old schooner “Alexandria” off Cape Hatteras in December 1996.

Past Commodore Ruth Sanchez-Way recounted to CCMA members at the March meeting of her exciting sailing training/vacation trip in New Zealand at the end of last year with instructors from Womanship.

CCMA celebrated its 20-year anniversary with a great Land/Sea Rendezvous and Gala Party in July, hosted by Performance Cruising at their new factory and docking facility off Edgewood Road and Back Creek in Annapolis, MD. Seventy-five CCMA members and guests attended and there were eight catamarans and trimarans. Also in attendance were fifteen of the original CCMA charter members of 1977: Don and Grace Durr of Severna Park, Jere and Doris Glover of Annapolis, Charles and Eleanor Greely (celebrating their 50th anniversary), Charles Proctor of Silver Springs, Ed Boyle and his new bride Karen of Towson, Ernest Linke of Baltimore, Barbara Beitscher and Brad Houghton of Edgewater, and Lloyd Glover of Great Oak, VA.

The 1997 Annual Boat Show Dinner welcomed Chris White and John Lombardi (designer and builder, respectively) as keynote speakers.

John and Mary Knight took delivery of their new 36′ PDQ, “Algoma”, from the factory in Whitby, Ontario to Annapolis. Ruth and Dave Way also acquired a Condor 30.

With all the news of outbreaks of Pfiesteria Piscicada, a tiny marine animal causing fish kills and even some human illnesses in the Bay area, October’s CCMA meeting included a presentation by John Paige Williams of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. John also writes for Chesapeake Bay magazine.

1998
The US Sailing Safety at Sea Committee now requires the wearing of Flotation Devices during Offshore Racing Council (ORC) regulated races.

Peter Karas spoke to the CCMA members at February’s meeting of sailing in the Greek Islands with his wife, Kim.

Several CCMA members reported getting a good view of the Whitbread racers as they started the leg from Annapolis, MD to France.

CCMA members John and Anne Lombardi, owners of Lombardi Yachts, received the “Best Cruising Multihull” award in the 1998 Boat of the Year contest sponsored by Cruising World magazine. The award was for their Atlantic 42 cruiser/racer, a catamaran designed by Chris White.

Charter CCMA member, Peter Abresch, published his first novel “Bloody Bonsai.”

Brad Houghton and Barbara Beitscher launched their 36′ trimaran “Seawings” from their home in Edgewater, MD.

Charter member, Stanley Lowney, passed away this year.

The first year of the Multihull Demo Days, sponsored by Multihulls magazine in conjunction with Performance Cruising, turned into a most successful event. Some 1,000 people showed up at the Performance Cruising docks immediately following the Annapolis Sailboat Show to avail themselves of the opportunity to sail on the catamarans and trimarans, many of which were shown in the boat show. The boats taking part in the demo event included the PDQ 32 and 36 from Canada; the MaineCat from Maine; the Victory from New York; the Seawind from Australia; the Trikala from Spain; the Privilege from France; the Aquilon from France; the Savannah 27 from England; the Elan from Maryland; the Contour from Canada; several models of Corsair tris from California; and the Gemini 105.

1999
Dan Dickerson, an Electronics Specialist for West Marine in Annapolis, spoke to CCMA on new electronics; Dave Flynn from Quantum Sails gave a talk on sails; Jack and Nikki Goodman recounted their cruises to Florida and the Bahamas after receiving the 1998 Cruising Award at the Way’s Sea/Land Rendezvous.

CCMA member, Kiyoshi Mizuuchi, had an excellent write-up on getting started in multihull racing on the Bay (Racing Basics 101) in the May newsletter.

Helen Angell passed away this year. Both she and her husband, Roy, were CCMA charter members and played a vital role in the success of CCMA.

Special guest speakers at the 1999 Boat Show Dinner were the Easton family from Australia. Lois, Owen, and their children, Tristan and Kiri, were at the Dave Way’s Sea/Land Rendezvous this summer with their 43′ aluminum catamaran “Atanua” that Owen built. Owen is a Master Welder of aluminum and provides his design, labor, and craftsmanship for boats he builds as the family travels around the world. Infact, CCMA members Carolyn and Ken Loving commissioned Owen to build them a 43′ aluminum catamaran.

2000
Bill Cronin, a Johns Hopkins University Oceanographer and author of “Vanishing Islands of the Chesapeake”, gave a slide lecture on Maryland lighthouses; John Farrow, owner of International Marine Services (which operates Chesapeake Catamaran Center) gave a multi-faceted presentation including the highlights of the Paris Boat Show and multihull market trends; and Tom Hubin, author of the tidal current predicting software “Currents Made Easy” explained to CCMA members how the sun, moon, and earth interact to create the earth’s tides.

CCMA gave a special award to Ken and Carolyn Loving for the rapid building of their aluminum catamaran (they’ve yet to finish the interior). A pictorial account of its main construction was documented in CCMA’s newsletters. The next stop for the Easton family is French Guiana, where Owen will build a sister catamaran for another client.

Cruising write-ups by John and Mary Knight and racing write-ups by Kiyoshi Mizuuchi added to the many great stories CCMA has produced over the years. Also, many more great pictures (CCMA has come into the wonderful new technology age of faster computers, digital cameras, flatbed scanners, and laser copying machines).

2001
An interesting variation of the many nautical stories that have been written, Eric Mills talked to CCMA members of his two books “Chesapeake Rumrunners of the Roaring Twenties” and “Chesapeake Bay in the Civil War”.

It’s rather lengthy, but there’s a great layout in April’s newsletter (thanks to Fleet Captain Kiyoshi Mizuuchi) of the CCMA Rating Formula for 2001.

The new Multi-Photo-Mat rendezvous, conceived by Board Member Denny White, for photographing participating boats at the various Bay lighthouses (i.e., from Thomas Point, Bloody Point, Sharpes Island, Cambridge, Oxford, Harris Creek, and then Knapps Narrows) was not quite as successful as hoped this season. Everyone thought it was a great idea, however, and CCMA will give it another go next year.

CCMA has joined another technology revolution…. the Internet! Thanks to charter member (and current year Secretary), Barbara Beitscher, for getting CCMA’s own web page up. CCMA members can check out the CCMA calendar and events at http://ccma.instantname.com.

At the November CCMA meeting, Tony Smith, owner of Performance Cruising, and his son Neil, recounted and showed a videotape of their North Atlantic crossing to deliver a Gemini 105MC from Annapolis, MD to Southampton, England. Tony’s account was also published in July/August Multihulls magazine and excerpts from Neil’s personal log and “wet” photos were displayed on CCMA’s web site.

2021
This year and the few years preceding it have been like no other… Presented with a global pandemic that early-on forced citizens into their homes to quarantine, then slowly opened back up with many restrictions.  One of them that boaters could not be out on their boats.  Once the restrictions eased this opened the door for many sailors to get out on their boats and social distance like multihullers have been doing for years.  Racing started back up as a Race Committee-less event that required sailors to annotate their finish times, or in some cases introduced the racing-RC.  Set the course and start with your fleet.  Who knows what the next few years will hold, but sailors will always find a way to get out and sail.

WHY CCMA BECAME CMA

by Phil Rappa

When the Chesapeake Cruising Multihull Association began multihulls were excluded from most races and there was no active multihull racing, other than possibly the beach cats, on the Chesapeake Bay.  Objections to multihulls competing in races ranged from claims that the boats were unsafe because of inherent structural weakness or the potential for capsize, to the boats had an unfair competitive advantage.  In addition, the “Cruising” part of our name was intended to highlight that CCMA focused on larger, cruising capable multihulls and not Beach Cats.

As time went on, multihulls were invited to race in sanctioned events on the Chesapeake and now form an active racing class.  CCMA now had members interested in racing, cruising or both!  Therefore, a number of club members suggested that the Board consider a name change for the club. This issue was raised because some members felt the current name, Chesapeake Cruising Multihull Association; 1) placed a great emphasis on cruising; 2) did not represent both the cruising and racing interests of the club; and 3) possibly had a negative effect on membership.

A proposal was made to change the club’s name from the Chesapeake Cruising Multihull Association (CCMA) to the Chesapeake Multihull Association (CMA).  Input from the membership was requested and the responses favored the name change.  At the December 2004 membership meeting the change was put to a vote and passed overwhelmingly.

It is important to stress that the club’s name change does not indicate a change in direction.  We still have a very active cruising component both on the bay and beyond – one club member is sailing the Caribbean, and another is circumnavigating!  Rather, our new name reflects a growing acceptance of multihulls as day-sailors, coastal and long-distance cruisers and dangerously competitive racers.  CMA reflects the varied interests and activities pursued by our entire membership.