HSA-1 was founded in 1978. We are a group of Hunter sailors over 100 strong, concentrated in the middle Chesapeake Bay, from Deltaville, VA in the south to Havre de Grace, MD in the north. Boat lengths range from 27 feet to 50 feet. The club has an active year-round racing, cruising, and social activity schedule. Activities provide many opportunities to share information, experiences and maintenance tips as well as socializing with like-minded sailors. Boat U.S. offers HSA-1 a discount on towing.
Frequent weekend raft-ups from May through November give members the opportunity to sail to beautiful Chesapeake Bay gunk holes and visit fellow members. Raft-ups frequently have themes, such as the "Flag Day" raft and the "Great Chili Raft" and the Rock Hall Pirates weekend! See the Activities page for the current schedule. An annual night sail scheduled near a full moon is a popular event that allows members to extend their sailing experience.
There is usually at least one longer cruise of one to two weeks duration during the season. In the past, we have cruised as a flotilla to the northern Bay, throughout the middle Bay, and down to Norfolk. Cruises are not limited to the Bay. In the past we have organized cruises to Long Island and Block Island, and Maine as well as circumnavigations of the Delmarva Peninsula. The club has also organized charter cruises from the BVI to Croatia and beyond. In 2012 we organized a club cruise to Southern France via Canal boats. In 2016, we chartered in the Pacific Northwest to do a little whale watching while cruising the San Juan islands.
"Come by land" or "come by sea" events during the season extend destinations to sites that, though convenient for some of our sailing members, may be too far from home port for others. Past events have been located at the DNR facility on the Wye River, The Maryland Yacht Club, and Quiet Waters Park off the South River as well as at some of our members’ waterfront properties.
Although most members are cruisers and not racers, we have had active cruiser/racer agendas. Some club members who would like to try racing join together in local charity races to get a taste of racing at a more 'fun' level. In the past we have entered boats in the Hospice Cup and Leukemia Cup races.
Off-season brunches and seminars provide an opportunity to learn about sailing and keep in touch during the cold months.