Choptank Heritage Skipjack Race

Watch iconic Chesapeake Bay skipjacks race on the Choptank River during the 30th annual Choptank Heritage Skipjack Race. Skipjacks are sail-powered oyster dredge boats that once plied Chesapeake Bay waters by the hundreds. Today fewer than 20 Skipjacks still sail, and skipjack races help keep tradition alive and the boats afloat. 

The race begins with a parade of boats at 10am heading out of Cambridge Creek. The race itself starts around 11am. starting and finishing right by Long Wharf, depending on weather conditions. The best views from Long Wharf Park in Cambridge, MD. The race takes between 1 and 2 hours to complete. On shore activities and food will be available. 

The Triple Crown of skipjack races starts with the Deal Island Labor Day race on September 7th which is held in out in Tangier Sound and best viewed by boat. The second jewel in the crown is the Skipjack Heritage Days Race, held off Sandy Point, just north of Annapolis and the Bay Bridge held on September 12-13 during the Maryland Seafood Festival. 

Our Cambridge race is the third jewel in the Triple Crown of skipjack races and provides an excellent opportunity to see most surviving traditional Skipjacks up close and under sail as they race on the Choptank River.  The Choptank Heritage Skipjack Race is sponsored by the Dorchester Skipjack Committee, and the host skipjack is the Nathan of Dorchester.