Andy Merrill built Farewell in his backyard and launched her in 1972. Her second owner started racing the schooner in the Great Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race in the early years, and often won her class. Captain Linda Gunn has owned the schooner since 1998, and has continued the tradition. An environmental educator herself, Linda is racing on behalf of the Maryland Science Center. 

As Maryland’s largest institution dedicated to informal STEM learning, the Maryland Science Center provides valuable educational experiences both at their location in Baltimore and through outreach programming across the mid-Atlantic region.  Whether they’re providing free field trip admission for every student in Maryland, offering teacher’s professional development opportunities, or expanding their outreach programs in every county, the Maryland Science Center relies on generous donors to help further their mission to inspire, empower, and engage through science education. With your help, the Maryland Science Center will be able to continue to spark excitement for STEM in the next generation. 

Welcome to the 2021 Virtual Great Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race!

While normal sailboat racing happens on the water, this race is completely online. Each participating schooner has teamed up with a nonprofit partner, and is racing to raise as much money as possible for their charity. YOU can participate in the race by choosing a schooner, making a contribution, and sharing this webpage with your family and friends! 90% of gifts will go directly to the charity of your choice. The other 10% will help the Great Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race achieve its mission to promote awareness of the Chesapeake Bay’s heritage; to encourage preservation of the Bay’s resources; to support Chesapeake Bay education and clean-up efforts; to bring historic schooners to the Bay; and to encourage schooner sailing and preservation. 

Please take a moment to learn more about our schooners and the organizations they support. At the start of the race, please come back here to make a donation and support your team!

Donation links will be available from 12:00 noon on Wednesday, August 25 through 3:00 PM on Saturday, August 28. 

Thank you for supporting our schooner community!

Please note: The Chesapeake Bay schooner community could not exist without people like you, and we're eager to keep in touch. If you opt in to email communications when you donate, GCBSR will share your contact information with the schooner you support, as well as the partner nonprofit that will receive your donation. If you do not wish to be contacted, please opt out of communications on the form.