east coast

[chergui]

I'm going to be in philadelphia over christmas this year for ten days. I was wondering where I could go to check out wooden boats or any sailing scene at all. I'm thinking of driving up to Newport. Not sure if I'll make it to Maine or not. If there are any interesting places to see in the area, I'd like to check them out. I've never been in the area before.

[elf]

Suggest you ask in the Bilge, too.

[Hwyl]

Not wood, but an impressive restaurant site, in Philly

http://www.moshulu.com/site/img/view_10.jpg

[KAIROS]

I've been here. Worth going if you're near it.

http://www.phillyseaport.org/

Don't miss Mystic Seaport on your way to Newport. Outstanding! The library there has quite an archive.....besides the boats.

http://www.mysticseaport.org/

[Steve Lansdowne]

http://www.maritimemuseums.net/

This has some leads for all states.

[SMARTINSEN]

The Chesapeake is closer than Newport, and lots of boats, too. Check out the Chesapeake Maritime Museum in St. Michaels. CLC is in Annapolis, lots of plastic boats there, too.

[Mrleft8]

South street seaport in NYC, but Mystic is Mecca in my humble opinion. Give a ring if you head up this way, and well see if we can host ya.

[Bruce Hooke]

I agree with Mrleft8...I would head to Mystic any day over Newport. Mystic is without doubt one of the world's great maritime museums. If you are into mansions go to Newport*. If you are into (wooden) boats go to Mystic. Things are certainly lower key in Newport in the winter than they are in the summer but it is still largely a tourist town these days, at least from the perspective of a visitor. In the summer there are some nice boats in the harbor but they are hidden in amongst a sea of expensive, uninspiring plastic boats. In December most boats will likely be out of the water.

That said, if you do get to Newport make sure you get out to Brenton Point. It is a state park with a lovely rocky shoreline and expansive views out over the ocean.

If you get beyond Newport there is always the Herreshoff Museum in Bristol, which is worth a visit if you are in the area. Among other things, the Herreshoff Museum has lots of stuff from the glory days of yachting off Newport...stuff that you can no longer find in Newport...

*but I am not sure how many of the mansions are open in the winter

[KAIROS]

....If you are into (wooden) boats go to Mystic....

You've got to devote at least a day to Mystic (several days over years). It is largely outdoors, so weather is an issue.

There is a 'yacht restoration' organization in Newport. You can observe their daily work and talk to them. But, unless you like to see big yachts layed up for the winter, there's not much else to see, wood boat wise, in Newport RI. The original Armchair Sailor bookstore is there, but hardly worth the drive beyond Mystic. Here's the org:

http://www.iyrs.org/

[johngsandusky]

Philly Seaport, Hampton Maritime, St. Michael's Chesapeake Are all great museums, within a few hours drive.

[scudder]

Mariners Museum Newport News, Va.

[Woxbox]

All excellent suggestions. But if you drive south down I-95 from Philly, stop by the Kalmar Nyckel shipyard in Wilmington and you'll see real work being done on a replica of a 17th Century Dutch ship. Call ahead and we'll give you a tour - or I will myself if I'm there that day. There's quite a contrast between the museums and what we do, which makes us much more a working shipyard than a museum.
www.kalmarnyckel.org (http://www.kalmarnyckel.org)
Heck, while I"m at it I'll take this opportunity to reprise my video (http://s45.photobucket.com/albums/f92/Woxbox/?action=view&current=Saturdayattheshipyard.flv) from last winter.

[coelacanth2]

I'd second the drive to the Kalmar Nyckel, with an extension to St. Michaels, Md for the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum. Benign climate, too.

[Roger Long]

If you get a chance, I'd appreciate your visiting the Wooden Boat Factory

http://www.woodenboatfactory.org/

and letting me know what, if any, progress they have made on the restoration of the 17 foot Quoddy boat I designed.

http://www.rogerlongboats.com/Boats.htm#17Pinky
http://www.woodenboatfactory.org/MediaNews/photogalleries/PinkySloop.html

Should be some other interesting boats to see as well.

[Russ Manheimer]

Chergui,

Your welcome to come to Beaton's and go for a sail on Sjogin. I'm about an hour and a half from Philadelphia on the Jersy coast. No match for some of the other suggestions but interesting enough. Details here (http://www.sjogin.com/).

Russ

[frank pedersen]

If you go as far as St. Michaels, Md., you should go to Oxford, Md. to see the Cutts and Case boatyard. It is almost as good as the museum in St. Michaels and its free. Better check to see if the ferry is running that time of the year; it is a short-cut between Oxford and St. Michaels.

[chergui]

Thanks for all the great suggestions. Looks like I won't run out of things to see. I'll definitely try to get out to Mystic and Kalmar Nyckel being so close should be easy to get to. Would love to go for a sail too. I'll try to be in touch with you all soon when I get my plans more organized.

[SMARTINSEN]

If you go as far as St. Michaels, Md., you should go to Oxford, Md. to see the Cutts and Case boatyard. It is almost as good as the museum in St. Michaels and its free. Better check to see if the ferry is running that time of the year; it is a short-cut between Oxford and St. Michaels.

I do not think that the ferry is running. Oxford is worth the visit, though, regardless. One of my favorite towns on the Eastern Shore.

[andrewdarius]

Hi there, I live in center city, and can say the first stop should be the Independence Seaport Museum. They have a working workshop and this offseason you'll find Silent Maid (b-cat) and Torch (a-cat) being touched up. There will most likely be a few other craft tucked inside the shop too. The Philly seaport website has a link to the boatshop webcam to show you what's going on.

St Michaels and Oxford are great towns on the eastern shore. Jenny and I hit St Mike's twice this past season. Many of these communities slow down in the offseason and you'll find some of the businesses closed during winter, definitely call ahead.

I'm heading up to Portland, ME for Christmas, but I won't be there for 10 days. When your schedule firms up, send me a PM.

Andy

[Ned Asplundh]

If you get a chance, I'd appreciate your visiting the Wooden Boat Factory

http://www.woodenboatfactory.org/

and letting me know what, if any, progress they have made on the restoration of the 17 foot Quoddy boat I designed.

http://www.rogerlongboats.com/Boats.htm#17Pinky
http://www.woodenboatfactory.org/MediaNews/photogalleries/PinkySloop.html

Should be some other interesting boats to see as well.

From the WBF website:

"We have moved!

"For the past twelve years, Philadelphia Wooden Boat Factory was based in South Philadelphia. Our new shop is located in the Globe Dye Works in the Frankford section of Philadelphia. We were convinced to undertake the grueling process of moving our shop for several reasons. We have been in the process of refocusing the organization over the last year and now are only serving youth. We were searched for a smaller and more comfortable shop that would be more economical and comfortable to work in. The majority of our kids come from North Philadelphia, so moving closer to our population was a natural decision. We will be spending the summer getting the new shop ready for fall classes. Information will be posted on our site as things develop."

Roger, I've e-mailed Geoff about your piqued curiosity and will pass along any answer, if he's not on the board.

[gmckonly]

Give us a call at Wooden Boat Factory, we'd love to show you around. You can talk to our new Executive Director Brett Hart, who has taken over the helm. The Pinky Sloop is in storage, wintering at the Corinthian Yacht Club in Essington, getting spruced up in the spring.

Geoff

[Soundbounder]

These are not wood, but Tugster just spent the Thanksgiving weekend in Philadelphia. It might give you some ideas:

http://tugster.wordpress.com/

[chergui]

These are not wood, but Tugster just spent the Thanksgiving weekend in Philadelphia. It might give you some ideas:

http://tugster.wordpress.com/

Those tugs are pretty wild. Never seen one with such high towers on them. Much different than the ones we have around here.