07/22/2026
Log canoe racing is a Chesapeake Bay tradition centered on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. These boats are super unique and unlike any other type of vessel you’ll see elsewhere. They’re evolved from Native American dugout canoes that 19th-century watermen adapted for oystering, joining several hollowed logs into narrow hulls.
Racing versions (pictured here) carry huge, top-heavy sails, so crews hike out on long “springboards” extending over the water to keep the boats from capsizing. Some boats are over a century old and still race today. They’re privately owned, and I learned that some families have been racing the same boat for generations.
These springboards are used to balance the hugely heavy sails. It’s amazing how quickly the crews slide the boards from port to starboard and scramble up them as the boat comes about
They’re beautifully maintained - each one a little different from the other.
There’s a ton going on within such a small space to operate. If you look closely, you can see two people who are tasked with constantly bailing.
Once racing is done, crews still need to keep the boats balanced, but it looks a little more relaxed now!
