Stand by for Info about the 2026 Bay Race
Email: Race Contact | Contact in Baltimore | Contact in Norfolk
Registration
2025 Registration Fees: Early registration $2.50/ft. After August 1, the registration fee is $3.00/ft. The registration fee is not refundable and you are not completely registered until you have paid in full.
Race Shirts: $25 per race shirts (required for everyone aboard as well as anyone joining in for the land-based events). Vessels carrying passengers pay an additional $10/passenger. Shirts may be purchased here.
Non-crew guests: Additional tickets for visitors may be purchased here for the party on either end of the race.
If you have any questions, please contact race@gcbsr.org.
N-Class vessels should register as early as possible. Registration applications will be reviewed by GCBSR and vessels will be notified of their status by August 18th. If invited to participate in this year’s race, N-Class vessels should continue to follow the instructions for all participating vessels.
There is no registration deadline, but docking is limited and will be determined on a first-paid, first-entered basis. Only complete entries will be considered. A waiting list will be maintained once the limit is reached. We will contact wait-listed vessels.
The registration fee is not refundable. If your plans change after registration, please contact race@gcbsr.org.
Forms & Publications
The Crew List: The race committee strongly prefers that you complete the jotform Crew List prior to the Skipper’s Meeting. If this is not possible, there is a crew list form in the Race Handbook (PDF) or you may download the form (PDF) and bring it to the meeting.
The Safety Statement and Waiver: The Statement and Waiver (PDF) must be signed by the captain and brought to the captain’s meeting in Baltimore before receiving your shirts and wrist bands.
The Race Log: Each vessel must keep a race log as outlined in the Race Handbook (PDF). The log must be turn it in to the race committee upon arrival in Norfolk. A copy of the Race Log (PDF) can be downloaded or found in the handbook.
The Fleet Book: includes picture, vessel names and captain’s name for all participants. See the fleet online or download the Fleet Book (PDF).
The Race Handbook: contains detailed information for participating vessels. Download the Race Handbook (PDF).
Shanty Songbook (PDF)
Logistics
Please fuel your vessel and pump your holding tank before docking. The morning of the race you really will not have time to do this.
We encourage you to take a turn around the Inner Harbor under sail before you tie up to promote the race to the public.
All participating schooners will be assigned a berth in Baltimore. We will send captains all of the docking information by email in advance of race week.
We will help you arrange transportation, provisioning, ice, etc.
Early arrivals are welcome and can receive free docking beginning on Tuesday. Hail “Schooner Race Dockmaster” on VHF 16 as you enter the harbor. You will likely then be asked to switch to VHF 68.
For information about mail, packages and faxes in Baltimore, contact race@gcbsr.org.
Expect to arrive in Freemason Harbor, Norfolk between Friday morning and Saturday morning, depending on the weather and your speed. Make sure your family knows how to communicate with the race organizers in event of personal emergencies.
For information about mail, packages and faxes in Norfolk, contact Virginia@gcbsr.org.
Schedule of Events
Tuesday, October 14, 2025
Open Docks · 1200-1900 Dockside viewing at Anchorage Marina.
Wednesday, October 15, 2025
TBA Expeditionary Learning Experience · Students from neighborhood schools will board a few, selected, vessels for a special learning opportunity. Students will be able to connect to past and present aboard a working vessel.
Open Docks · 1000-1400 See the vessels docked at Anchorage Marina.
At the Dock · 1200 All schooners to be docked in Baltimore by 1200 hours.
Captains’ Meeting 1400 In the Boater’s Lounge at Anchorage Marina. All participating vessels must have formal representation or risk disqualification. Please see the 2025 Race Handbook (PDF) (Check back for final edition before the race) for more information about this meeting. Due to space limits, please do not bring your whole crew.
Parade of Sail 1600 Cast off for the Parade of Sail.This is a chance for all the beautiful vessels in the race to show off from Canton to the Inner Harbor. The parade officially starts at 1700. The public is invited to view the vessels from the Canton, Fells Point, Harbor East and Inner Harbor shorelines. Spectator vessels are reminded to please allow ample room for the vessels to maneuver safely.
All Hands Party · 1900-2100 On the docks at the Anchorage marina. Wrist bands required. Please see the 2025 Race Handbook (PDF) for more information about this event.
Thursday, October 16, 2025
Skippers’ Meeting · 0630 In the Boater’s Lounge. All participating schooners MUST have formal representation or risk disqualification. Captains may not delegate attendance.
Cast-off for the Start · 0730 The distance from the Baltimore docking area to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge at Annapolis and the starting line area to its south is about 25 NM. Spectator vessels are reminded to please allow ample room for the vessels to maneuver safely.
Thursday, October 16, 2025
Race Start · 1200 The race begins just south of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge near Annapolis as a magnificent gathering of schooner-rigged and other invited vessels begin their adventure down the Chesapeake Bay. Spectator vessels are reminded to please allow ample room for the vessels to maneuver safely.
Saturday, October 18, 2025
Dockside Viewing · 0800-1300 Schooners and invited vessels may be viewed dockside at Freemason Harbor in Norfolk on Saturday. Some may be open for tours
Deadline for Calling in Finish Time · 1000 See Racing Rules and Sailing Instructions.
Pig and Oyster Roast Awards Ceremony · 1300-1700 This a private party, by invitation only, at Freemason Harbor, Norfolk, VA for captains, crew, sponsors, volunteers and supporters. The race results will be announced and awards will be presented.
Schooner Social · 1700-2000 We all like meeting other classic boat sailors and seeing each other’s boats. Captains and crew are encouraged to host those from other vessels and show them all the neat things that you love about your boat. All are encouraged to knock on the hull of a vessel you would like to get to know and wait to be asked aboard.
Sailors’ Evening and Sea Shanty Sing-along · 2000-2200 Sailors’ Evening and Sea Chantey Sing-along. The Norfolk Boat Club is hosting a Sea Chantey Sing-Along and we are all invited to come and lend our voices! Chanteys are about having fun, not perfect pitch, so come join in the festivities. Songbooks provided. Location is just 2 ½ blocks from Freemason harbor, 432 W Freemason St. Download our songbook.
Sunday, October 19, 2025
Captains’ Meeting · 0730-0900 under the tent at Freemason Harbor. All vessel captains meet to discuss the race results.
All Hands Breakfast · 0900-1100 Schooner captains and crews gather for breakfast to share some sea stories and say a fond farewell to volunteers, sponsors and fellow sailors. Wristbands required. This event is not open to the public.
Monday, October 20, 2025
Educational Sails • as scheduled with participating vessels. Details TBA.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to participate in the Parade of Sail?
Parade participation is optional, but encouraged, as it helps develop public awareness of the event, is good for race publicity and helps generate future financial support. If you have room on board for a guest or two, please consider embarking some race sponsors or volunteers.
What if I can't get away for the whole event?
If your schedule will not permit participation in all events, we still want you to come. Contact us to make arrangements.
Can I invite my family and friends to the land events?
The public may watch the Parade of Sail and view the schooners dockside in both ports. Other events are open only to captains, crew, sponsors and volunteers. (although some crew have been known to drive from one end of the Race to the other!
Why do I pay extra for my paying passengers?
Race expenses grow in direct proportion to the number of people on board participating schooners. We expect commercial vessels to pass some of this cost on to their customers.
Why do you request a donation from participants?
Fundamentally, this is a fundraiser. We are raising funds for non-profit organizations around the Bay area that support our mission of promoting education and public awareness of the Chesapeake Bay’s maritime heritage and encouraging the preservation and improvement of the Chesapeake’s natural resources. We keep the registration costs to the bare minimum, in fact they barely cover the cost of putting on the race, so as to encourage registration from all possible schooners and their captains. Many captains, even those not participating, enjoy making a contribution to assure the continued success of this event and support its mission. Some schooners have even held private fundraisers to support the GCBSR. We want the event to be affordable for all schooners so donations are strictly voluntary, but highly encouraged. Donations to the race are tax deductible under 501(c)3 and qualify for employer matches. We list each donation under the boat’s name on our promotional materials unless you instruct otherwise.
Net proceeds from the Great Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race support local non-profits in the two areas where we celebrate the race, Baltimore/Annapolis and Portsmouth/Norfolk. Local organizations are sought out whose mission aligns with ours. To date, donees have included the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Sail Baltimore, Oyster Recovery Project, Elizabeth River Project and the Mariners Museum in Yorktown, among others. If you have a needy organization in mind, we’d love to hear your suggestion! Please contact race@gcbsr.org.
What if my plans change after I send the entry forms?
Please let us know. Send a message to race@gcbsr.org
No. Your entry fee is not refundable. This race is a fundraiser for charitable giving, so your money will go to good use.
Why do you want so much information about my schooner?
We like to know about all of the schooners for publicity purposes. We’d like to know how long you’ve had her, where you have been sailing her, what you know about her history, and anything about her that makes you love her.
We feed you and your crew on Wednesday night, Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning. Other meals are on your own. There are great places to eat within an easy walk of our docks in both ports. Sixteen pound bags of ice will be available in Norfolk.
Safety Statement
This is meant to be a fun race; however, the safety of a vessel and her crew is the sole and inescapable responsibility of the captain, who must ensure that the vessel is sound, seaworthy, and manned by experienced crew who are physically fit. The captain must further ensure that all equipment is properly maintained and stowed, and that the crew knows its location and proper usage. It is recommended that all vessels have GPS, chartplotter, AIS, radar, EPIRB, life raft and any other equipment needed to maintain situational awareness and effect rescue in the event it is needed. It is also the sole and exclusive responsibility of the captain to decide whether or not to start or continue in the race. Vessels will be disqualified for unsafe operation or failure to have formal representation at the skipper’s meeting Thursday morning pre-race. The race involves sailing at night in an area busy with commercial traffic. All participating vessels must fly radar reflectors, maintain a radio watch, and keep a good lookout at all times. Captains unfamiliar with night sailing on the Chesapeake are encouraged to seek local knowledge and experienced crew before entering the event.