The Salty Dawg Rally is a grassroots, non-profit organization, comprised of blue water sailors who have completed at least one blue water passage. There is no formal inspection of each boat, since it is the responsibility of each skipper to have proper safety equipment and to ensure that the vessel is prepared for the passage. Information including weather, Gulf Stream analysis, location of eddies, and daily weather forecasts during the passage is provided to each skipper by well‐known weather router Chris Parker, courtesy of Blue Water Sailing magazine. Volunteer Dick Giddings manages float plans for all of the boats in the fleet and maintains a daily SSB radio schedule, as well as daily positions for everyone (via HF radio and SatPhone). It is each skipper’s responsibility to decide the course and whether or not to set out for the passage. The Rally, with an emphasis on safety, communication, camaraderie and fun, opens the door to new friends and experiences while cruising various areas in the Caribbean.
Benefits of Joining the Salty Dawg Rally:
1. Free to join
2. Free weather routing from Chris Parker provided by Blue Water Sailing Magazine
3. Free one year digital subscription to BWS for owners and crew
4. Discount rate for SPOT GPS tracking with annual subscription
5. Free crew from Offshore Passage Opportunities (OPO)
6. Free chart of your choice from NV-Charts, up to a $100 value
7. Discounted diving services by Don the Diver while in Hampton, VA
8. Port Supply prices at West Marine in Hampton, VA
9. Daily weather briefings prior to departure by Chris Parker
10. Free delivery of provisions to your boat in Tortola or Virgin Gorda,
8% discount, in-store purchases, 10% discount in-store purchases to seniors,
all season at Rite Way Food Markets, provided by Roadtown Wholesale Trading, Ltd.
11. Free official Salty Dawg Mug by Bamboushay Pottery / BVI Painters, $25 value
12. Discounted prices at Golden Hind Chandlery
13. Discounted prices from Yacht Shots Photography
Benefits of Becoming a Dawg
MARINE FORECASTING
MARINE FORECASTING | CHRIS PARKER • When we began actively Cruising during the winter of 1999-2000, we didn’t think much about weather. Sailing in Miami in the 1990s, we thought nothing of crossing the Gulf Stream to Bimini or Lucaya for the weekend or a week’s vacation. If it was rough (I get seasick easily), it was only for a day, and it was part of the experience. I probably crossed the Gulf Stream 50 times, and when we were “weekend sailors”, we never waited for a “Weather Window”, or changed plans based on weather. But in January, 2000 we were caught several times by nasty Cold Fronts which arrived with no warning. Nasty weather surprises were not supposed to be part of retirement in Read More
PRESS RELEASE: West Marine, Beneteau America, and Earle Yachts Sign on as Salty Dawg Rally Sponsors
Bristol, Rhode Island, USA – Three well-known names in the recreational boating world have signed on as sponsors of the Salty Dawg Rally, according to Bill Knowles, rally co-founder. West Marine, the nation’s largest boating supply retailer, premium yacht builder BENETEAU America, and Florida’s Earle Yachts, a major brokerage firm, have all joined in support of the Salty Dawg Rally (SDR), the U.S. East Coast’s most popular annual cruising rally for sailing yachts heading south to the Caribbean in the winter. “We’re delighted to have our new sponsors aboard,” Knowles said, “Our valued sponsors bring a great deal of benefit and support to our cruising members who make the passage south, and then back north again every year. Now there’s no reason not to be Read More
Video: Salty Dawg Rally 2012 on Goldilocks
Colleen Korona and Michael Briggs sailing from Hampton, VA to Tortola, BVI on a Shannon 38 sv Goldilocks with The Salty Dawg Rally 2012. 1500 Miles, 15 Days. Last of the rally to arrive. Check out our blog at www.svgoldilocks.com
PRESS: Captains Log by George Day (Blue Water Sailing)
Experience Matters • With this, our 198th edition of BWS, we are happy to bring you a new logo on the cover and a new layout inside. By renewing the look of the magazine, we are setting our sights on the future with confidence. We know that offshore sailing and cruising will always have an enthusiastic following that wants and needs a high quality magazine that speaks their language. This was never more evident than at the start of this year’s Salty Dawg Rally, which sails from Hampton, VA to the Bitter End Yacht Club in the BVI—a distance of some 1,300 blue water miles. A total of 59 boats showed up for the early November start of this free, all-volunteer event. More than 250 Read More
PRESS: Ocean Cruising Club announces 2012 OCC Awards
OCC Award of Merit – To a member or non-member for performing some outstanding voyage or achievement (may award more than one per year). Dick Giddings – is one of the unsung heroes of the cruising community. “Disabled, living on the smell of an oilrag.” For many years he has given selflessly and unstintingly of his time and effort to create a safe passage for cruisers by contributing to a radio network that covers N. Atlantic and the Caribbean waters (which is where a huge number of OCC members land up!). It’s a check-in service that distributes NOAA weather information but even more importantly provides contact between cruisers and shore as well. He keeps a watchful eye on cruisers and if they don’t log in, Read More
Salty Dawg Rally Fall 2012 Round Up
From Blue Water Sailing By Capt. Mike Martel • Following departure activities in Hampton, Virginia, and a few days of weather delays before departure, all 58 cruising boats of the Salty Dawg Rally arrived safely at their various destinations, with the majority going to the B.V.I., according to Bill and Linda Knowles, co-founders of the rally. “The weather on the trip down was generally pretty good, with a few days of lots of wind and some without any wind, but all in all, it was a very successful passage by all oats,” Bill related. “There were no injuries, no damage, and no serious issues. It really was fun for all,” he added. The passage can take anywhere from a week to 14 days, and even Read More
CRUISING DISPATCHES: Who Let The (Salty) Dawgs Out?
From Blue Water Sailing by Joy Smith – Boat captains and their crews were smiling at the southbound Salty Dawg Rally party held at Bluewater Yachting Center in Hampton, Virginia on November 2, 2012. And why wouldn’t they be? The tent was warm, the food plentiful and delicious, and the atmosphere warm and welcoming, thanks to founders Bill and Linda Knowles (and their mascot, Brie). Due to Hurricane Sandy, the Knowles opted to delay the Rally start by two days to allow the 59 boats signed up to safely reach Hampton and prepare for departure for the warm waters of the Bahamas, the BVI and Saint Martin. The no-charge passage includes professional weather routing by Chris Parker, as well as SSB daily position checking and Read More
PRESS RELEASE: Salty Dawg Rally Arrives Safely in BVIs after Successful Passage
Bristol, Rhode Island, USA – Following departure activities in Hampton, Virginia, and a few days of weather delays before departure, all 58 cruising boats of the Salty Dawg Rally have arrived safely at their various destinations, with the majority going to the BVI, according to Bill and Linda Knowles, co-founders of the rally. “The weather on the trip down was generally pretty good, with a few days of lots of wind and some without any wind, but all in all, it was a very successful passage by all boats,” Bill relates. “There were no injuries, no damage, and no serious issues. It really was fun for all,” he adds. The passage can take anywhere from a week to fourteen days, and even longer, depending on Read More
Video: Salty Dawg Rally 2012 on Rum Runner
Filmed by John Kiedrowski aboard Rum Runner on the 2012 Salty Dawg Fall Rally. Catch this fun video , good for a laugh… To see an extended version on YouTube, go to Rum Runner Extended Version.
PRESS: Salty Dawg Rally for the Experienced
From All at Sea Caribbean by Gary Bown. As the November edition of All At Sea hit the stands, excitement was building at the Blue Water Yachting Center in Hampton, Virginia, where crews in the Salty Dawg Rally were just hours from the start of their sailing adventure! The Salty Dawg thundered onto the rally scene in 2011 and was an instant success. Why? All At Sea set out to investigate. The Salty Dawg Rally was founded by cruising enthusiasts Bill and Linda Knowles of Bristol, Rhode Island, with their Jeanneau 54DS, Sapphire, and their Jack Russell terrier, Brie, the original ‘Salty Dawg’. When Bill and Linda talk about the rally their enthusiasm is contagious. “The Salty Rally became a registered non-profit organization in the Read More
PRESS: Salty Dawg Rally & Ocean Cruising Club
Salty Dawg Rally, Ocean Cruising Club Agree to Work Together, Promote Common Goals Bristol, Rhode Island, USA – The Salty Dawg Rally, a ‘grassroots’ free cruising rally for blue-water sailors, and the Ocean Cruising Club (OCC), a distinguished international club for cruisers, announce an agreement to work together to promote common goals, following a meeting at the recent U.S. Sailboat Show in Annapolis, MD. Salty Dawg Rally (SDR) co-founders Bill and Linda Knowles and the OCC agreed to find ways to collaborate to promote safe, competent, enjoyable cruising of the world’s oceans and ports of call. The Knowles met with Sid and Rebecca Shaw of the OCC in Annapolis; Sid and Rebecca are USA Southeast Regional Rear Commodores of the OCC. “We’re excited by the Read More
PRESS: New, Free ‘Salty Dawg Rally’ Going ‘Viral’ in the Cruising World
The new grassroots, Salty Dawg Rally, has literally ‘gone viral’ in the cruising world. Or so it seems to co-founders Bill and Linda Knowles, whose workload in organizing this year’s cruising rally to the Caribbean has become almost overwhelming. Boats are joining, and at the time of this writing, there are approximately 35 boats signed up and more are expected before the Rally’s departure from Hampton, Virginia in early November. On top of that, more than 25 sponsors have thrown their generous support behind the rally, providing goods and services to the participants, familiar names including Quantum, Hylas, Jeanneau, Winslow Life Raft, nv-charts, Blue Water Sailing, and others. Why all the fuss? The Knowles are long-time sailors familiar with Caribbean haunts, and they and their Read More
PRESS RELEASE: Salty Dawg Rally Sponsorship List Growing Fast
Bristol, Rhode Island, USA – The Salty Dawg Rally’s list of sponsors providing goods and services to the rally and its participants has grown remarkably, according to Rally founders Bill & Linda Knowles. The list has grown to more than 25 sponsors including such well-known names in the marine world as Quantum, Hylas Yachts, Jeanneau North America, and more, all of whom are prominently listed on the Salty Dawg Rally web site, www.saltydawgrally.org. “We appreciate all of our sponsors, from the large yacht manufacturers to the smaller providers, Bill Knowles, Co-founder of the Rally, states. “Each sponsor brings something unique and of real value to our participating Rally members.” “For example, nv-charts provides up-to-date chart sets in paper and digital format to all of our Read More
PRESS RELEASE: Salty Dawg Rally Participates in Newport International Boat Show
Bristol, Rhode Island, USA – The Salty Dawg Rally will be ‘sharing a booth’ courtesy of a rally sponsor at the Newport International Boat Show, September, 13-16, in Newport, Rhode Island. Information about the Salty Dawg Rally will be available in Tent A, Booth 25, which is Offshore Passage Opportunities’ official booth. Offshore Passage Opportunities, headed by well-known sailor, skipper, and entrepreneur Hank Schmitt, is a Salty Dawg Rally sponsor who provides free crew to any of the Salty Dawg Rally participants. For more information, visit www.sailopo.com. The Salty Dawg Rally is a ‘grass-roots’ rally, free for all participants, founded by cruising enthusiasts Bill & Linda Knowles of Bristol, Rhode Island, with their Jeanneau 54DS, Sapphire, and their Jack Russell terrier, Brie, the original ‘Salty Dawg’. The rally Read More
PRESS RELEASE: Salty Dawg Rally Launches New Web Site
Salty Dawg Rally Launches New Web Site, www.saltydawgrally.org • Bristol, Rhode Island, USA – The Salty Dawg Rally announces the launch of their new interactive web resource, www.saltydawgrally.org, designed to be the central informational portal for cruisers wishing to join the rally, attend events, obtain float plans, and keep abreast of the upcoming fall 2012 Rally. The URLs and domains for the Rally were secured courtesy of sponsor Blue Water Sailing Magazine and Editor and Publisher George Day. In making the announcement, Bill Knowles, Co‐founder of the Rally, said, “Our new website also gives our many generous sponsors the opportunity to showcase their multi‐faceted support for the Salty Dawg Rally. Their outreach is a boon for our members, and we thank all of them for Read More
The SALTY DAWG RALLY
SALTY DAWG RALLY 2012 by George Day • Little did Bill and Linda Knowles of Bristol, RI know what they were getting into when, in the summer of 2011, they contacted a few friends who would be sailing from the northeast to the BVI in the fall to see if they wanted to sail in company. From that small conversation, the Salty Dawg Rally was born. Now, in 2012, it promises to be one of the largest offshore rallies anywhere. The original rally left Hampton, Virginia in the fall of 2011 and saw 33 boats in attendance. Unlike other rallies, the Salty Dawg Rally (SDR) is free and run by a dedicated group of volunteers and supporters. BWS stepped up to be the rally’s first Read More
PRESS: Salty Dawg Rally – From Grass Roots and Growing
From Sailworld.com by Lee Mylchreest - The Salty Dawg Rally, a new cruising rally, kicked off its 2012 season with more boats, more sponsors, new web domains, and a joyful pre-departure barbecue party in Nanny Cay, Tortola that drew accolades from the Government of the Virgin Islands. The Salty Dawg Rally is a ‘grass-roots’ rally, free for all participants, founded by cruising enthusiasts Bill & Linda Knowles of Bristol, Rhode Island, with their Jeanneau 54DS, Sapphire, and their Jack Russell terrier, Brie, the original ‘Salty Dawg’. The rally leaves Hampton, Virginia in the fall, headed for the British Virgin Islands (BVI) and other ports in the Caribbean, and returns to the participants’ various home ports in the spring. As the Rally has grown in popularity, Read More
PRESS RELEASE: Rally Honored by Virgin Islands Government
PRESS RELEASE: Rally Honored by Virgin Islands Government Bristol, Rhode Island, USA – The Salty Dawg Rally, a new cruising rally, kicked off its 2012 season with more boats, more sponsors, new web domains, and a joyful pre‐departure barbecue party in Nanny Cay, Tortola that drew accolades from the Government of the Virgin Islands. The Salty Dawg Rally is a ‘grass‐roots’ rally, free for all participants, founded by cruising enthusiasts Bill & Linda Knowles of Bristol, Rhode Island, with their Jeanneau 54DS, Sapphire, and their Jack Russell terrier, Brie, the original ‘Salty Dawg’. The rally leaves Hampton, Virginia in the fall, headed for the British Virgin Islands (BVI) and other ports in the Caribbean, and returns to the participants’ various home ports in the spring. Read More
PRESS: A Funny Thing Happened On the way to Tortola
A Funny Thing Happened On the way to Tortola By George Day, Blue Water Sailing - Last fall, a group of boats that had in years past sailed in the Caribbean 1500 (now owned by the World Cruising Club) decided to skip the rally and sail on their own in company. It was supposed to be buddy boating in the best sense, just the way boats making passages worldwide join up with friends to make safe offshore passages together while staying in touch via HF radio. But then something happened. The news of this non-rally cruise in company spread among the cruising community and one after another couples and crews signed on to join the crowd. Bill and Linda Knowles aboard their Jeanneau 54 Sapphire became Read More
PRESS: Cruising with Pets in the Caribbean
Cruising with Pets in the Caribbean by by Carol_Bareuther ALL AT SEA CARIBBEAN Magazine – Pets – dogs, cats and even birds – can make wonderful cruising or charter crew. But before you cast off with a furred or feathered friend on board, there are key points to consider. Here’s good advice from a few pet-loving sailors. First, pick the right pet for your sailing situation. “Size is a major consideration,” says Joan Conover, cruising station coordinator for the Seven Seas Cruising Association (SSCA) who sails aboard the Morgan OI 511, Growltiger, with her family. “While we have had Labradors for years, we enjoy a smaller dog and the smaller ‘environmental footprint’, meaning the food plus the pee and poo.” Linda Knowles, who cruises aboard Read More
PRESS: NEW Salty Dawg Rally Departs for the Caribbean
NEW Salty Dog Cruising Rally Departs for the Caribbean by Carol_Bareuther ALL AT SEA CARIBBEAN Magazine – If you’ve sailed offshore to the Caribbean at least once, then you’re invited to join a brand new cruising rally. The first annual Salty Dog Rally is being organized by Bill and Linda Knowles, who cruise from New England to the Caribbean each year aboard their Jeanneau 54, Sapphire, with 10-year-old Jack Russell terrier, Brie. “We’ve done the Caribbean 1500 Cruising Rally a number of times, but this year’s departure date of November 7th is one reason why we decided to start our own rally,” explains Bill Knowles. “In my opinion, this is too late. A three or four day delay could set departure back to November 11th Read More
