Grace is... not a schooner! Metaphorically speaking, think of us as a push(yawl) boat, if you will - the small but mighty craft that supports a large engineless sailing vessel. We're behind the schooners and their mission, giving them an extra push! Grace is a Columbia 31 sloop built in Portsmouth, VA in 1966. She's sailed thousands of miles, instrumental in creating happy memories and adventurous tales for many. For the last 12 years, we've been her stewards. We sail Grace to share the wonder of sailing with others, to spread kindness and understanding, to encourage learning, and to live a simple life. We've restored and maintained her as a reminder that beauty and functionality can go hand-in-hand, and that hands-on work is incredibly rewarding.  If you'd like to learn more about our journey, visit Suzanne's blog sailinggracefully.com.  

The mission of the GCBSR is so all-encompassing and the hands at the helm so capable, this organization feels like the perfect vessel for sharing our community's collective wealth. Schooners, in their modern-day ambassador roles, represent hard work, skill, artisanry, equality, leadership, and goodwill - what better qualities to promote? Dobbs and I see those giant sails going up, hear the young ones chanting through the work, watch them take the helm and feel the ship respond, and know that good shall continue in this world.

Welcome to the 2025 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 13 through 3:00 PM on Saturday, August 16. 

Thank you for supporting our schooner community!

Please note:  GCBSR will only share your contact information with the charity you donated to.