Tag: Chantilly

Donate a Boat

Buy or Donate a Boat

Donate a boat to support educational programs. Donated, seaworthy boats of all shapes and sizes continue to help fund the many educational displays and programs at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum (CBMM) on the banks of the Miles River in St. Michaels, Maryland. The museum’s well-managed boat donation program offers buyers an opportunity to purchase well-priced vessels donated by former owners who can take advantage of a tax break. Volunteers, along with the three-person team of Todd Taylor, Josh Mills and Karen Walpole, make the process of donating and purchasing a boat as smooth as possible. In most cases, the museum can arrange transportation if you’re donating your boat. Photos of boats available for purchase are online and may be seen at the museum or at an offsite storage location. CBMM accepts and sells all types of craft year-round and also organizes an annual charity boat auction held the Saturday of each Labor Day weekend at the museum. cbmm.org

Chantilly’s the Place

The region’s indoor show season is winding down this month with the National Capital Boat Show at the Dulles Expo Center, March 9–11, in Chantilly, Virginia. The show covers nearly 150,000 square feet of indoor space and features dealers, services and merchants from throughout the Virginia and Maryland markets.

Boat types displayed include runabouts, saltwater fishing boats, bass boats, ski boats,
pontoon boats, deck boats, jet boats, PWCs, and motor yachts. Exhibits include boat lifts,
floating docks, marine electronics, water sports, and safety equipment. Many salty experts will be on hand to answer questions about marinas, financing, insurance, boat maintenance, and safety. Demo a paddle craft on the 26,000-gallon pool, and try your
luck catching a trophy-sized marlin on an offshore fishing simulator.
gsevents.com

By Chris Knauss, Southern Boating March 2018

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Cherry blossom time along the Potomac

Predicting the exact dates the cherry trees will blossom in Washington is a challenge for even professional prognosticators, but an early bloom seems likely this year. The last time we saw an El Niño with this much influence on temperatures was in 1997 and 1998 when the blooms peaked the last week of March. According to the National Park Service, on average the peak occurs on April 4th. A few things are certain: many, many pink blossoms will appear sometime, thousands of visitors will converge on the Tidal Basin to take in the magnificent sights, and the best way to see the show will be by boat.

In addition to the flowering showcase, the annual National Cherry Blossom Festival features giant balloons, an energy-packed parade, music, a fashion show, sake tasting, kite flying, and much more.

The festival runs March 20th to April 17th this year, and if you’re lucky enough to stay for a while, bring layers of clothing, pants, and shorts as there’s no telling what to expect weather-wise.

As for docking preferences, the channel hosts three marinas: Gangplank Marina (202-554-5000, gangplank.com), Capital Yacht Club (202-488-8110, capitalyachtclub.com), and Washington Marina (202-554-0222, washingtonmarina.com). Call ahead or fill out their online reservation forms. While they don’t have fuel, these marinas all offer fine services. Another option is to anchor just off East Potomac Park.

Boats, gear, and experts

Before the cherry trees bloom, boats of all shapes and sizes appear in the Dulles Expo Center for the annual National Capital Boat Show, in Chantilly, Virginia. Dealers throughout Virginia and Maryland display their runabouts, saltwater fishing boats, ski boats, pontoons, deck boats, jet boats, jon boats, and PWCs during the show, which runs from March 11-13. Exhibits include marinas, boatlifts, floating docks, outboard and inboard motors, marine electronics, and more. Some experts will be there to answer questions and provide information on maintenance, repair, financing, insurance, and safety for the upcoming season on the Mid-Atlantic.

Market tested

A good place to pick up some bargains this month is the Boating & Fishing Flea Market hosted by the Poquoson Kiwanis Club in Virginia with help from the Bull Island Anglers club. This year’s market is Saturday, March 12th from 8AM to 1PM, rain or shine. New and used boats, boating and fishing gear, nautical arts and crafts, and refreshments will be offered both inside and outside at the Poquoson High School. If you’re looking to find a fishing partner, the anglers club meets the fourth Monday each month at 7PM at Trinity United Methodist Church.

March fishing

Croaker and flounder typically begin biting this time of the year in Virginia’s salty waters. Croaker like to feast on peeler crab baits, bloodworms, squid, and shrimp and can be found in tributary rivers of the Chesapeake as well as the coastal ocean waters and inlets. Flounder will go after live bait (minnows and small fish), fresh strip baits (bluefish, flounder, shark belly, squid), and minnow/strip combinations as well as artificials such as bucktails and paddletail lures with spinners. Both species can be caught by drift fishing with natural baits fished on the bottom or by slow trolling baits on the bottom.

 

By Christopher Knauss, Southern Boating Magazine March 2016

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