129:. That led to the idea of an all-female crew as a way to draw attention to the historic Chesapeake Bay fleet of skipjacks. In an interview, Ennerfelt stated that “We wanted to do this to create some noise about the Skipjacks. There are not many remaining, and to restore the ones we have left is a major undertaking, both financially and physically.”
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finally took over as the crowds on shore gave a standing ovation. Captain
Katarina Ennerfelt said after the race, "When we started to get really, really close to the finish line and then it was like okay we're going to win now. We haven't won yet. And then, we were twenty-five yards out and started crying."
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is a 43.2' long two-sail bateau, or v-bottomed deadrise type of centerboard sloop, commonly referred to as a skipjack... She carries a typical skipjack rig of jib-headed mainsail and a single large jib with a club on its foot. Built in 1948 in
Crisfield, Maryland following traditional Bay design and
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has continued to race in skipjack events, including the 18th Annual
Choptank Heritage Skipjack Race in Cambridge, MD in 2014, placing fourth. She also represented the skipjacks of the Chesapeake Bay at the 2014 Annapolis Boat Show. She will be working dredging oysters off Deal Island during oyster
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had, by that time, been sitting on dry land for at least two years and had fallen into disrepair. She was patched up with boards covering the major leaks, placed in the water, and pumped out for three days until her wood had swollen enough to stay afloat while being towed from Ruark's
Boatyard in
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stayed at their stations the entire race, even sharing a water bottle between four of them when the heat became intense, rather than risking one of them leaving their post for more water. By about 30 yards from the finish line, it was clear that they would win, and the emotions of making history
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women, as opposed to assembling a crew of the most experienced female sailors. Five of the nine crew members had never sailed before. The crew that was selected to train and enter the race consisted of
Katarina Ennerfelt (Captain), Eileen Cross, Carrie Day, April Hall, April Benton, Josie Brown,
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Cambridge, MD to Deal Island for a restoration. Witnesses at the start of the trip said later that they doubted she would make it without sinking. During the trip, the pumps were running the entire distance and by the time they arrived, her sides were beginning to break apart.
57:. Designed by Caroll Bozman and built by Gus Forbush of Crisfield, MD, Helen Virginia sailed out of Deal Island, dredging oysters under Capt. Carroll Bozman and later, Capt. Jack Parkinson. She has a beam of 16 feet (4.9 m) and an overall length of 65 feet (20 m).
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The weather forecast for Deal Island on Labor Day, September 1, 2014 called for rain and scattered thunderstorms all day. However, the skies cleared during the race and the ten competing skipjacks sailed under blue skies and hot sun. Every crew member aboard
37:. The work was completed just in time to enter the 55th Annual Deal Island Skipjack Race, where maritime history was made on Sep 1, 2014 as the first-ever all-female skipjack crew, captained by Katarina Ennerfelt, sailed her to victory.
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She arrived after the 12-hour trip to Scott’s Cove Marina in Chance, MD, and full restoration work began in May 2013. The effort was completed on August 22, 2014.
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is significant as one of the 35 surviving traditional
Chesapeake Bay skipjacks and a member of the last commercial sailing fleet in the United States."
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to get her ready in time for the race. Since the restoration of the vessel was not completed until ten days before the race, the crew practiced on the
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Elizabeth
Weglein, Sarah Gleason, and Melissa Bailey. The crew trained for a total of 30 hours over five weeks, part of that time being spent painting
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and eventually sold to a consortium of four partners, Stoney
Whitelock, Katarina Ennerfelt, Richard Long & Frank Antes, in 2013.
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was returned to work dredging oysters. She was sold to Robert Wilson following the passing of
Captain Todd in 2006.
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was sunk at the time, but they wanted to save her. After a two-year restoration effort, including a new mast,
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in 1948. Having fallen into disrepair after decades of use, she underwent restoration beginning in 2013 in
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Captain
Ennerfelt donated the $ 1,000 prize back to the race sponsor, the Deal Island-Chance Lions Club.
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from Jack Parkinson. Todd had been a long-time captain and co-owner with his brother of the skipjack
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She underwent a refitting by Robert Wilson in 2006. By December 2008, she was listed for sale in
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402:"They are the Skipjack Divas - Ladies Traded High Heels for Deck Shoes and Sailed Into History"
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174:"When we crossed the finish line we were hugging and crying," said April Benton.
536:"Queenstown Man Collects, Restores Bay Workboats", "Star Democrat", Sep 17, 2006
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531:"First All-Female Crew Wins Deal Island Skipjack Race", Delmarva Public Radio
511:"Helen Virginia (skipjack), Wenona, Maryland", Maryland State Archives, 1987
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526:"Helen Virginia", "Crazy Chiquita's Eastern Shore Journals", May 4, 2013
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Swedish-born Katarina Ennerfelt, longtime sailor and part owner of
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has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1985.
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238:"18th Annual Chesapeake Heritage Skipjack Race program, pg. 17"
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harvesting season, and will resume racing in the off-season.
541:"55th Annual Skipjack Races", photo journal, "Delmarva Now"
376:"National Register of Historic Places, Somerset County, MD"
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In 1996 the family of Captain Charles Todd, Sr. purchased
516:"55th Annual Deal Island Skipjack Race Update", Tim Dyer
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A 1987 entry in the Maryland State Archives notes that "
421:"First All-Female Crew Wins Deal Island Skipjack Race"
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The decision was made to form a crew made up of local
521:"Deal Island Skipjack Preservation - Helen Virginia"
149:with Captain Wade Murphy, and with the crew aboard
16:Skipjack boat built in Crisfield, Maryland in 1948
307:"Queenstown Man Collects, Restores Bay Workboats"
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157:on the Friday before the Monday Labor day race.
125:in the 2013 Choptank Heritage Skipjack Race in
551:"The Skipjack and the Chesapeake", Bill Sailer
503:"Skipjack Brought Back to Winning Condition",
253:"55th Annual Deal Island Skipjack Race Update"
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339:"Skipjack Brought Back to Winning Condition"
495:"Hail to the crew of the Helen Virginia",
546:"55th Annual Deal Island Skipjack Race"
487:"Women Make History at Skipjack Race",
362:Crazy Chiquita's Eastern Shore Journals
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274:Maryland Historical Trust Survey S-235
462:"Rebecca T. Ruark Wins Skipjack Race"
443:"Women Make History at Skipjack Race"
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380:National Register of Historic Places
337:Moser, Julie (September 24, 2014).
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400:Brice Stump (September 3, 2014).
305:Jack Shaum (September 17, 2006).
460:Gail Dean (September 29, 2014).
441:L. Holland (September 3, 2014).
276:. Maryland State Archives. 1987.
121:, had previously captained the
419:Don Rush (September 2, 2014).
113:First all-female skipjack crew
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356:CrazyChiquita (May 4, 2013).
251:Dyer, Tim (August 31, 2014).
49:is a 43.2 feet (13.2 m)
586:History of women in Maryland
267:"Helen Virginia (Skipjack)"
80:. According to the family,
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214:"Boneyard Boats issue #58"
292:Star-Democrat Obituraries
571:Ships built in Maryland
65:construction methods,
556:Our Skipjack Heritage
425:Delmarva Public Radio
134:Deal Island, Maryland
294:. September 3, 2006.
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466:My Eastern Shore MD
288:"Stanley C. Bryant"
127:Cambridge, Maryland
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581:1948 ships
565:Categories
197:References
41:The vessel
576:Skipjacks
505:Spinsheet
343:Spinsheet
161:The race
51:Skipjack
27:Skipjack
185:events
181:Other
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