One Woman’s Opinion


by Mary Wakefield Buxton

WFBYC Sails

Urbanna, Va.— Five years ago I went berserk, sold my 29-foot sailboat, and bought a trawler. I explained this madness to my friends by saying I was too old to hoist sails any longer. It was time to enjoy cruising on a more comfortable boat, I said; a boat where I could crawl out of the forward cabin in the middle of the night without hitting my head on a blasted mast.

Three years later I was missing my old sailboat so much that one day I found myself painting a picture of me sprouting wings and flying off to the sea. Sometimes art speaks to our deepest needs.

It was no accident we joined Fishing Bay Yacht Club (FBYC) at about this time, which became the first step to our returning to sail. I now own “Shameless,” a 26-foot Grampian day sailor that I take out for a sail as often as possible.

FBYC helped me return to sailing because it wasn’t long after I joined that I realized I wasn’t too old to be hoisting sails. I now plan to be sailing at age 100.

FBYC started in 1939 on Urbanna Creek when a small group of Richmonders formed the club at Hurley’s boat yard (which is now Dozier’s). Its number one goal was to bring people together from all walks in life and all ages who shared one common passion—the love of sailing.

Within 10 years the club had 100 members, mostly from Richmond, and it moved to Fishing Bay in Deltaville. The new location was perfect because it was convenient to the Chesapeake Bay and was also protected on three sides, with its fourth side the opposite shore of the Piankatank River.

By the 1950s the club had a fleet of 100 sailing “dinghies” and by the 1970s the members built a bathhouse and pool to accommodate its families. By the late 1980s the club had grown to 301 family members.

In 2002, FBYC officially opened its present clubhouse which overlooks one of the prettiest views in Middlesex. The membership is now at 335 families and 20 percent of the membership is full-time residents of the county. The fleet now consists of 34 club owned boats, 164 offshore sailboats, 116 one-design sailboats, 45 day sailors, 42 Optimists, and 79 power boats.

My favorite boat at FBYC is the venerable “Mr. Roberts,” a period deadrise committee boat. I have been invited on two races from FBYC to Urbanna as a crew member on Wayland Rennie’s sailboat “Trinity.” It is always a thrill when one finally sets eyes on “Mr. Roberts” waiting at the final mark.

Lud Kimbrough, this year’s very personable commodore, recently gave presentations to the DCA and Urbanna Town Council explaining the club’s background and goals. One goal for FBYC is planning for more community involvement beyond its own programs.

Lud likes to show a picture of a fancy yacht of yesteryear filled with people in spiffy commodore hats, navy sport jackets and white slacks. “We’re not this kind of yacht club,” Lud always says with a laugh. Then he flashes a picture of two dinghies filled with children in life jackets putting out markers in preparation for a junior regatta. ”We’re this kind of yacht club,” he says.

Besides teaching children to sail in various camps each summer, sponsoring the Leukemia Cup Regatta is the club’s greatest endeavor. This year’s race had 100 boats. Along with the Arts on Fishing Bay event auction at the Deltaville Firehouse and other events, the club is on its way to help raise $150,000 or more this year for charity.

FBYC has four sailing groups: The Junior Sailing Program, which includes learn- to-sail camps each summer; One Design, small sailboats that race; Off Shore, larger sailboats that race; and the Cruising Division, which takes trips. Each year the club sponsors at least 80 events to serve these four groups. There are few weekends when some sort of sailing isn’t happening at FBYC.

Last year FBYC hosted the Atlantic Coast Junior Championships with 120 boats participating in the event.

The club exists with just two full-time employees. This is because every member is required to volunteer for at least two events. It is very much a do-it-yourself yacht club and it works because all the members love to sail.

The club has a large fleet of Optimists used to teach children to sail through day camp and YMCA programs. “Learning to sail on a small boat teaches children ages 6-15 the basic skills that are easily transferred to larger sailboats,” Lud said. “For adult members we have learn-to-crew programs that prepare members to sail on larger boats in the fleet that require crews of 6 to 8 to race.”

FBYC first wants to be a good neighbor and citizen in the county. To accomplish this they plan to enter more local events (perhaps the Urbanna Oyster Festival and events sponsored by the Deltaville Community Association and Deltaville Maritime Museum) and reach more young people in learn-to-sail camps. They hope to expand the present YMCA programs and also establish a sailing club at Middlesex High School in order to plant the love of sailing in more people.

Few things beat the sensations of a sailboat at sea. When I am at sea on the “Shameless,” I am as close to nature as I can be; the sun, sea and wind on the back of my neck, with nothing to separate me from the full canopy of sky overhead, and the hull of my boat the only separation between me from the sea.

Sailing is such a primitive and simple pleasure. The first sailor was probably a caveman, surely an Englishman, who managed to rig a few logs tied together on a mast that held a bearskin for a sail.

There is something profound about man’s need to go to sea. Sailing is simply one of the greatest pleasures of life.

Hey! Wind’s up! Let’s go sailing!
©2006