WOODWIND

WOODWIND & WOODWIND II are sistership wood/wpoxy schooners, built in 1993 & 1995 of Port Orford cedar, with laminated frames and strip planks, Alaskan cedar beams, and Douglas fir deck and sole. They are the boats where Andy started his sailing career on back in 2006 in Annapolis and have a very cool family history. As of October 2025, the WOODWIND's are now owned by 59º North Sailing, and a few times per year we'll be using the WOODWIND on special 59º North passages.

​

The boats look traditional but they are FAST. Above the waterline they are Marconi-rigged staysail schooners, with 1,800 square feet of sail area broken up between the main, staysail, jib & fisherman sail, the unique four-sided sail that fills the gap aloft between the fore and mainmasts. Below the waterline though, the boats are modern - fin-keels, aft-mounted huge rudders and a slippery hull shape. The WOODWIND's are almost the exact same waterline length as FALKEN, our Farr 65, yet they're a whopping 10,000-pounds lighter. They were specifically designed to sail well in the light winds of the Chesapeake Bay summer, and unless there's absolutely no breeze at all, they'll be sailing. And when the wind picks up, the WOODWIND's take off, easily making 9-10 knots in flat water and outpacing almost every other boat on the Bay.

​

The Kaye family had the boats purpose-built for daysail charters out of Annapolis, which after 30 years continues as the bread-and-butter of the WOODWIND business. Andy became friends with Jen, the daughter of Ken & Ellen who founded the business, and now 20 years after starting his sailing career on the WOODWIND's, Andy & a group of friends, with 59º North, bought the business from the retiring Kayes.

​

We'll be using WOODWIND, which has belowdecks accommodation for 12 people in two separate crew compartments (forward & aft), on a few special 59º North passages per year, including the annual Great Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race, and can't wait to share the joy of sailing these special boats with 59º North crew!

​

​