Many boaters find that joining a group of fellow boaters adds to their experiences on the water. Boating and yacht clubs organize outings, regattas, races, boating education courses, and social events. Follow this link for BayDreaming.com's listing of Chesapeake Bay yacht clubs and boating associations.
Chesapeake Bay Marinas
The Chesapeake Bay region has LOTS of marinas at which you can keep you boat, whether you need long a long term place to dock or you are cruising and need a place to stay for a night or two. View BayDreaming.com's Chesapeake Bay Marina Directory.
Fishing Charters
Charter fishing boats operate throughout the Chesapeake Bay region. If you want to be assured of a good day of Chesapeake Bay fishing, taking a charter is a great option. Charter captains know where the fish are and how to catch them. BayDreaming.com's Chesapeake Bay Charter Fishing Boat Directory will point you to the websites for fishing charters in the Chesapeake Bay area.
SellingMyBoat.net You sell your Boats, Motors, Trailers and Marine Miscellaneous Items. Pick your package. Place your ad with up to 10 pictures and come back at anytime to edit your ad or change your pictures. This is not a consignment or percentage sales. This is to bring a seller and buyer together. Visit SellingMyBoat.net
Use ProKnot Knot Cards for quick and easy boating and fishing knot reference
Always be prepared with these handy, inexpensive, waterproof, 2.5" x 3.5" plastic coated cards. The most useful rope knots and fishing knots are illustrated in clear detail. Just $5.95 delivered.
The large amount of shoreline and miles of tributaries within the Chesapeake Bay watershed provides many places to put your boat in the water. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources has published an online guide to boat ramps in the Maryland portion of the Chesapeake Bay. The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries has an online public access guide that includes boat ramps in the Chesapeake Bay region. The Chesapeake Bay Program has issued a public access guide listing sites for boating, fishing, wildlife observation, and beach use, which can be accessed online at their website.
Weather Conditions
BayDreaming.com's Chesapeake Bay Weather and Tides page offers weather forecasts and information on current condition. Current condition information includes wind strength and direction, valuable information for sailors.
Cruising boaters can select from many Chesapeake Bay boating destinations. From Annapolis to Urbanna, there is plenty to see and do. Each of our boating destination pages offers a visitor's guide, calendar of events, and links for additional information. The Chesapeake Bay Calendar of Events lists events taking place on and around the Chesapeake Bay that are water related or related to the Bay's cultural, ecological, or maritime culture.
Maptech Large Chart Kit for Chesapeake and Delaware Bays
These chart kits are full-color reproductions of U.S. Government and private charts spiral bound into easy to use compilations. Features include GPS datums, Latitude/Longitude, Loran grids, distances in nautical miles, and aerial photos of harbors and anchorages in popular destinations. The 22 x 17 inch books are large enough to allow for manual platting, yet small enough to sit on your nav-station or lap.
How to Read a Nautical Chart: A Complete Guide to the Symbols, Abbreviations, and Data Displayed on Nautical Charts. By Nigel Calder. In 2000, the U.S. government ceased publication of Chart No. 1 , the invaluable little book that generations of mariners have consulted to make sense of the complex system of signs, symbols, and graphic elements used in nautical charts. Now Chart No. 1 is not just reborn but expanded and improved in How to Read a Nautical Chart. Arranged and edited by Nigel Calder, one of today's most respected boating authors, and containing four-color illustrations throughout, How to Read a Nautical Chart presents a number of original features that help readers make optimum use of the data found in Chart No. 1 , including a more intuitive format, crucial background information, international chart symbol equivalents, electronic chart symbology, and thorough explanations of the practical aspects of nautical chart reading. Click here for more information. Buy from Amazon.com.
Atlantic Cruising Club's Guide to Chesapeake Bay Marinas. Cape May, New Jersey to Hampton, Virginia
The Guide to Chesapeake Bay Marinas includes full page marina reports, over 2,900 photographs. 253 marinas are reviewed and rated. A searchable CD ROM is included.
Beginning with the C&D Canal and working south, Waterway Guide's 2007 Mid-Atlantic Edition includes featuring detailed navigational information, spectacular aerial photographs with white-lined routes—and what to do ashore.
The Chesapeake Bay offers a wealth of sailing and motorboat racing opportunities. Many yacht clubs sponsor weekly racing series. The Chesapeake Bay Yacht Racing Association is an organization of over 75 member clubs that helps organize and manage races in more than 50 different classes of boats.
If you would like to learn how to operate a boat or want to increase your boat handling skills, there area plenty of good boating schools located in the Chesapeake Bay region. Courses are available to teach you basic boating skills, sailing, and navigation. Some schools specifically prepare you to handle a bareboat charter. Click here to see BayDreaming.com's listing of Chesapeake Bay boating schools.
Safe Boating Courses: A boating safety course is a great way to learn how to be safe in the water. Taking one of these courses is recommended for all boaters. They teach you about how to operate and maintain your boat, navigation, rules of the road, fire prevention, weather safety, and more. There are many courses offered around the Chesapeake Bay region and online course are being offered now, also. Follow the links below for more information.
The shallow, protected waters of the Chesapeake Bay and it's tributaries are excellent for canoeing and kayaking. These quite, shallow draft craft allow you to get up close to nature and explore areas inaccessible to larger boats. Paddling in these small boats has become an increasingly popular activity in the Chesapeake Bay region.
