The Ida May won the Deal Island Skipjack Race for the Third Year in a Row!!!  Here is the full article from the Daily Times of Salisbury by journalist Julia Rentsch.  The article is entitled:

Deal Island Skipjack Race revives historical sailing tradition

"With a sharp cannon blast, they were off. 

A fleet of skipjacks — traditional sailboats used in the Chesapeake Bay for oyster fishing —…

The skipjack, Ida May, won the 2018 Choptank Heritage Race for the second year in a row.  Thanks again to Capt. Shawn Ridgley and his able first mate and brother, Wes Ridgley!  Congratulations also to owners Elbert and Gordon Gladden.

We wondered how we would fare in today's race with much heavier winds than there were in Deal Island a couple of weeks ago.  The experts said that the Ida May was just a small wind boat, but we proved them wrong after today's…

The skipjack, Ida May, won the 59th Annual Deal Island Skipjack Race.  This is the second year in a row for the Ida May to be the champion.  Congratulations to Capt. Shawn Ridgley and his able first mate, Mike Oh!!!  Congratulations as well to owners Elbert and Gordon Gladden.

There was very little wind for the race.  The Tangier Sound was glassy and the skipjacks' sails were slack, fluttery.  The Ida May's yawl boat was having engine problems, so we decided to let someone tow…

The Ida May's victory in the 2017 Choptank Heritage Skipjack Race in Cambridge MD was highlighted in the May 2018 edition of the Chesapeake Bay Magazine.  Here's the link to read the article.

https://www.chesapeakebaymagazine.com/features/2018/4/4/an-ida-may-day?rq=ida%20may

The Ida May has pulled off the double crown of Skipjack racing by winning the 2017 Choptank Heritage Skipjack Race today, having already won the Labor Day race off Deal Island.  Wow! We are ecstatic and so proud of the Captain, Shawn Ridgley, and his first mate, Michael Oh.  The race was tight from the start with boats jockeying for prime position.  We were sandwiched between the Rosie Parks on our starboard and the Lady Katie on our port.  These boats were so close to us that I could've…

The Ida May came in first place in the 2017 Deal Island Labor Day Skipjack Race!!!!

Thanks to Capt. Shawn Ridgley for sailing a great race!!! Amazing!!! What a great day.  Elbert and Gordon Gladden are very proud.  

We blew away the competition, stealing the other boats' wind and passing the fleet on the way to the first buoy.  We then kept our lead the entire race and put much distance in between us and our nearest competitor.  It was a perfect day to sail,…

The Ida May is back home to Deal Island Harbor.  Thanks Keith Whitelock for helping out!!!

Congratulations to the captain and crew of the Rosie Parks who won the 2015 Choptank Heritage Skipjack Race!!! It was a windy day and perfect for those big boats to fly.  The Ida May didn't have a chance.  The Rosie was faster with her jib down than the Ida May with full sail.  We had a wonderful time and Capt. Jimmy Murphy did an admirable job in the rough conditions of the Chotank River.  Thanks Jimmy!!!…

Thanks Jimmy Murphy, Frank Antes, and Keith Whitelock for bringing the boat up to Cambridge MD from her home harbor in Deal Island MD.  The Choptank Heritage Race will be on 9/26/15.  We didn't make it up last year, and the year before, well, let's not talk about the year before.

The Ida May remembers Capt. John Price, who died just one month ago.  We miss you John!!!

Dickie Webster stepped up in our time of need and took the helm of the Ida May in this year's Deal Island Races.  Thank you Dickie!  

There was no wind at all.  It reminded me of those years in the 70's and 80's when we'd bake under the sun and drift in the tide.  There was such little wind that the finish line became the first buoy, and only half the boats could even make…

Unfortunately the Ida May was unable to race at the 2014 Choptank Heritage Races in Cambridge MD.  Our yawl boat's engine died on us on the trip up and we were unable to make it in time for the race.  Congratulations to Captain Wadie Murphy of the Rebecca Ruark for winning the race two years in a row.  

Video about the Races. Really a comedy video:

http://www.delmarvanow.com/story/news/local/maryland/2014/09/02/skipjack-race-female-crew-deal-island/14981975/

Photos about the Races:…

The Ida May won 2nd Place at the Deal Island Skipjack Races.  Captain John Price did an outstanding job and we congratulate the Helen Virginia, Captain Katarina Ennerfelt, and her all woman crew for capturing the 1st place trophy!  I thought that the Ida May was the fastest boat on the Chesapeake Bay, but I think that distinction might belong to the Helen Virginia now.  We will see what happens in the Cambridge Race in a few weeks.  

I have heard that as many as twelve boats might participate in the annual skipjack races this year.  The list includes: Hilda M. Willing, Helen Virginia, Rosie Parks, H. M. Krentz, Ida May, Lady Helen, Lady Katie, Nathan of Dorchester,Rebecca T. Ruark, Dee of St. Marys, and Thomas Clyde.  Wish the Kathryn could be there too!

The Ida May has been hauled, painted, and caulked.  She is getting ready to race and defend her crown from last year's Deal Island Skipjack Races.  The Ida May just might be the fastest skipjack on the Chesapeake Bay and we look forward to sailing.  We have a new mast and boom from Cropper Brother's Lumber and we hope for fair wind on Labor Day!

Video on the Repair to the Ida May's yawl boat on Delmarva Now:

http://www.delmarvanow.com/videos/life/2014/05/04/8696861/

The Ida May has been raised up from being submerged in the Choptank River and she is all pumped out.  Got a rip in our mainsail and other small repairs to be made, but everyone is safe and the boat is in good shape.  Thanks to everyone who helped out in the rescue and recovery.  The Ida May certainly made things exciting this year and I daresay that we are the fastest boat in the Bay!!! 

Here's the link to the story in the Sun:

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/bs-md-skipjack-capsize-20130921,0,5622374.story

Mary Sue Gladden, Chesapeake Bay Skipjack Expert!!!

Captain John Price had sailed a brilliant race up to the point when we capsized.  He had maneuvered the Ida May from the back of the pack into first place with only one…

The Ida May won First Prize at the Deal Island Skipjack Races 2013!!!  Quite a turn of events for the Ida May, considering last week we weren't sure if we were even going to be in the race at all.  We discovered that our mast was rotten.  We were stunned because it was only two years old, but we had beetles bore into the mast and when we took the mast out of the boat it broke apart in three pieces.  Luckily, we borrowed a mast from Stoney Whitelock's Helen Virginia, who is at Scott's Cove…

 "The Ida May Project" exhibition will be at the Bethel Heritage Museum in Bethel DE starting 7/14/13.  Located on North Main Street is the Bethel Heritage Museum, exhibiting Nanticoke and Chesapeake Bay shipbuilding history and heritage. Free.  The hours are limited to every Sunday 2p-4p,  Call the museum at (302) 875-5425 or (302) 875-5871 for any questions concerning hours or directions.   The exhibit consists of "The Ida May Project" Documentary Movie being screened along with Skipjack…