Maritime Museum will be Free in February

Thanks to generous sponsor support, the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum will be offering free admission Monday through Friday during the month of February. Free admission covers access to the entire museum, including the working boatyard and 1879 Hooper Strait Lighthouse, as well as numerous permanent and changing exhibitions along CBMM’s waterfront campus in historic St. Michaels, Md.

The Free in February program includes President’s Day and is only made possible through the generous sponsor support of the Talbot Bank and Awful Arthur’s of St. Michaels, Md. February museum guests will also receive a discount card offer for 15% off all meals at Awful Arthur’s through March 15, 2016.

“Winter offers a great time to explore our 12 exhibition buildings and beautiful campus, especially while enjoying the town’s great restaurants, shops, hotels and inns,” said CBMM’s President Kristen Greenaway. “We have a great number of inside exhibitions for all ages to enjoy, the waterfowl are abundant along a quieter harbor and the Miles River, and you can see great things happening in our boatyard as education programs and the restoration of our historic fleet of Chesapeake vessels ramp up in the colder months.”

Guests can also take in CBMM 50th anniversary exhibition, A Broad Reach: 50 Years of Collecting, which features 50 significant objects that have been accessioned into the museum’s collection over the past 50 years, and is presented on both floors of the Steamboat Building. The exhibition will be closing to the public in 2016.

Admission will be free weekdays in February for all museum guests. General admission is otherwise good for two consecutive days and is $15 for adults, $12 for seniors and students with ID, $6 for children 6-17, and free for museum members and children five and under. The museum is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. seven days a week, except for Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day. Inclement weather closings are announced on the museum’s website at www.cbmm.org.

Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2015, CBMM is the only museum in the world preserving and exploring the history, environment, and people of the entire Chesapeake Bay. For more information, call 410-745-2916 or visit www.cbmm.org.

Jordan to speak about computerized jet propulsion

ARLINGTON, Va. -- Jeff Jordan of IntelliJet Marine will present a paper on propulsion and computer simulation for sustainable high speed boats and ships at the American Society of Naval Engineers’ ASNE Day 2015 on March 5 in Arlington, Virginia.

By incorporating similar technology that has vastly improved modern aircraft and cars, marine jet craft can optimize fuel efficiency at low and mid-range speeds without sacrificing high-speed capability.

IntelliJet now has working relationships with a motor supplier and a recreational boat builder and is looking for strategic, manufacturing and financial partners for military, commercial, unmanned watercraft and high speed boats.

Find out more at www.power.iiJet.com.

Maryland NRP Enforcing New Boat Noise Regulations

Natural Resources Police to Offer Courtesy Noise Checks

     Annapolis, Md. -- Boaters traveling in Deep Creek Lake, the Bohemia River, the Elk and Northeast Rivers and tributaries, and the Maryland portion of the Chesapeake & Delaware (C&D) Canal must adhere to recently updated boat noise regulations. The state is providing citizens with free tests to determine if their boat is within the legal limit.

     The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) established the regulations, which went into effect November 28, 2011, because of increasing citizen concern in these areas. These locations feature high banks and bluffs that magnify noise and carry it over long distances, accounting for more than 50 percent of boat noise complaints statewide.

     New for this summer, the regulations prohibit boats with mufflers and muffler cut-out systems from exceeding the following noise levels.
For engines manufactured before January 1, 1993, the noise level may not exceed 90 decibels.
Those manufactured on or after January 1, 1993, the noise level may not exceed 88 decibels.

     Boats manufactured after January 1990 must operate with a continuous muffler system and and may not operate a device that bypasses, reduces or eliminates the effectiveness of a muffler or noise suppression device or system.

     The full regulation is located in COMAR 08.18.03 and may be accessed from the Maryland Division of State Documents website: Vessel Noise Regulations.

     The Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) will be conducting courtesy tests so boaters may determine if their vessel meets regulation guidelines. The test is done at idle, with all engines running and at the loudest level with any bypass device engaged, and is not a law enforcement action. Participants with boats that are over the noise limit will only be advised of the decibel output. Testing dates, times and locations are being scheduled and will be listed at dnr.state.md.us/boating/ and dnr.state.md.us/nrp/.

Museum Sets Date for Antique Boat Festival in St. Michaels

     St. Michaels, Md. -- A collection of antique Silver Arrow Chris-Craft boats headlines the 25th anniversary celebration of the Antique & Classic Boat Festival, to be held at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum (CBMM) in St. Michaels, Maryland over Father’s Day weekend. The event takes place June 15-17 and is hosted by the Chesapeake Bay Chapter of the Antique & Classic Boat Society (ACBS).

     Made in limited production in the late ‘50s, the 19′ Silver Arrow runabout is considered a collectable treasure today. Powered by a big V-8 Detroit engine, its unique design combines a wood hull with a sleek and sophisticated fiberglass exterior, distinguished by the Silver Arrow’s ‘50s-style tail fins.

     The festival also features more than 100 antique and classic boats, as well as building demonstrations, maritime artists and craftsmen, craft vendors, and a nautical flea market featuring classic old boats, motors, and more. A selection of regional and grilled foods, beer and music will be provided throughout the festival.

     As an ACBS-judged boat show, the festival brings visitors the opportunity to enjoy some of the finest antique and classic boats from across the country, which will be displayed in the water and on land at CBMM. Wood and early fiberglass-classics are featured— from runabouts to yachts, including race boats, work boats, launches, hydroplanes, and utilities.

     Several boat models depicting unique, Chesapeake watercraft will also be on display, including Sea Skiffs, Owens cabin cruisers, and Whirlwind sport boats. The competition culminates in a Father’s Day award ceremony, where boat owners will be recognized for their commitment to antique and classic boat preservation and restoration.

     The festival also features “The Arts at Navy Point,” where national artists and craftsmen offer maritime-themed items for boat and home. Children’s activities include boat-building craft projects, and a youth judging event that educates young girls and boys about the award-winning qualities of preserved and restored classic boats. Along the Fogg’s Landing side of CBMM’s campus, the festival’s “Field of Dreams” features an array of restorable classic boats and motors, along with other items for sale in a nautical flea market.

     Festival hours are Friday, June 15, from 11am to 5pm; Saturday, June 16, from 10am to 5pm; and Father’s Day, Sunday, June 17, from 10am to 2pm. The festival includes admission to the museum’s twelve exhibit buildings, where authentic Chesapeake boats and traditions are highlighted. The event is free for CBMM members and children under six, or $13 for adults; $10 for seniors; and $6 for children 6-17. For more information, call 410-745-2916 or visit www.cbmm.org.