FLEET 21

Fleet #21 started racing at the Tred Avon Yacht Club in 2002 with three boats, numbers 243,149, and 73. Number 243 was our first boat, purchased locally. Number 149 came from New England and # 73 from Texas. Next came #35 from Annapolis, which underwent a total re-do. Anxious to increase our fleet, we then purchased the five Shields from the Maine Maritime Academy, three of which made it to our fleet (numbers 31,133, and 180), bringing the total to seven yachts.

We asked the National Association for recognition in 2004 and they designated the Tred Avon Yacht Club Fleet as #21. Our next boat was #255, built in 2003. Over this past winter, we added #71 from Newport, #86 from Illinois, and #98 from Michigan, bringing our total to eleven. There is no doubt that our being awarded the 2008 National Championship Regatta achieved the National Association's goal of promoting excitement and increased interest in our new Fleet. Many thanks to the National Board of Governors.

Fleet #21 is very proud to be the host for the 2008 National Championship Regatta, and we hope we can interest as many Shields as possible to make the major effort it requires to attend. We are confident that you will love the Oxford area and enjoy sailing on one of the Chesapeake's major rivers, the Choptank, named after the Choptank Indians, and featured in James Michner's "Chesapeake".