Sailboat racing demands physical agility, smarts and often a double ration of courage. When a “cranky” back forced John from the helm, they immediately went into race management. These days, the McCarthys are key to the Hampton Yacht Club’s Southern Bay Race Week, one of the area’s biggest regattas attracting 100 boats or more. Here, John talks about the allure of racing and this most unusual of racing seasons.
Raising sails on a vision from another time
The schooner Virginia, Nauticus’s 122-foot-long historic sailboat, offers students and tourists the chance to experience a vital piece of maritime history.