Doug Kolb, Chesapeake 20 Pioneer

On April 25, 2005, Douglas A. Kolb Jr., a charter boat captain who spent a career with the Department of Defense's mapmaking branch, died of cancer Friday at Anne Arundel Medical Center. The lifelong resident of Deale was 81.  Joan Mary Kolb, his wife died on April 16, 2011 and her family donated his trophies to WRSC and Chesapeake 20 Class.

Born in Washington, he graduated from a local high school and served in the Army during World War II. He was stationed on Guam with the 949th Engineer Aviation Topographical Company.

After the war, he joined the Department of Defense, where he worked for 33 years at the Army Map Service and Navy Hydrographic and Oceanographic Office in Washington, where he was an arts and information specialist. He retired in 1975.

For 46 years he was a licensed charter boat captain and ran trips out of his home dock on Rockhold Creek, most recently aboard the Fannie K. He also held several posts (Commodore 1953) in the West River Sailing Club in Galesville, where he was racer and member in the late 1940s. 

In a front page article on September 12, 1953, Jade was featured in an article with Doug Kolb and three crew members hiking out.  In an accompanying picture and article, the wedding of Senator John F. Kennedy to Jacqueline Bouvier was announced.  Doug Kolb finished second out of 13 Chesapeake 20s.  

From 1946 until 1956, he owned and raced Jade #37, restored as an original 20 and now owned by Rob MacAdam.  Doug Kolb had an impressive race record in Chesapeake 20s and participated in several regattas and events that were recently uncovered when his trophies were donated to WRSC.  Included are regattas by Fair Haven Sailing Club and two Tercentary Regattas (three centuries) at Annapolis (1649-1949) and West River (1652-1952).

His race record is below:

1946    1^st Place, Oxford Race Week, 20 Footer Class

1946-1953  Raced in President’s Cup Regattas, Sponsored by Evening Star, Washington D.C.

1947    1^st Place, Fair Haven Sailing Club, “Race Down”

1947 (est) 1^st Place, Miles River Yacht Club, 20 ft Knockabouts, Round Bottoms

1948    2^nd Place, Miles River Yacht Club, 20 foot Knockabouts, Round Bottom, Sanctioned

1949    2^nd Place, Tercentary, May 22-27, 1949, Annapolis, Maryland 1649-1949, Small Craft       Races

1949    3^rd place, West River Sailing Club, Summer Series

1950    1^st Place, Annapolis Yacht Club Spring Series

1950    3^rd Place, Indian Landing Boat Club

1950    1^st Place, West River Summer Series (Presented by Ruth Smith)

1950    Contestant, Miles River Yacht Club

1951    1^st Place, Annapolis Yacht Club, Spring Series

1951    1st Place, Annapolis Yacht Club, West River to Annapolis

1951    3^rd Place, West River Sailing Club Regatta

1952    2^nd Place, Annapolis Yacht Club Annual Regatta

1952    1^st Place, Fair Haven Sailing Club Regatta, West River to Fairhaven

1952    1^st Place, Galesville Tercentenary – 1652 to 1952

1952    1^st Place, Fair Haven Sailing Club, West River to Fairhaven

1952    3^rd, Fair Haven Sailing  Club Regatta

1953    2^nd Place, Annapolis Yacht Club, Spring Series

1953    2^nd Place, President’s Cup Regatta, Evening Star Trophy

1954    2^nd Place, Fair Haven Sailing Club