Indiginous to South Carolina

[Chris Rogers]

What type or design of boats would be indigenous to the South Carolina low country?

Thanks,

Chris

[Bob Smalser]

Depends on the era.

During the late 1700's we know little of the precursor boat designs that eventually evolved into the classic designs of the late 1800's recorded in detail by Chapelle and others. Then, South Carolina had a closer trade relationship with The West Indies than with other colonies, and I suspect the precursor boats to the Bahamian Sharpshooter and Jamaican (later Bermudan) Sloop may have been used.

From the late 1800's, Chappelle records nothing from South Carolina, but dozens of North Carolina and Florida boats that were probably also used in South Carolina.

I'd recommend:

The National Watercraft Collection, Howard Chapelle, 1960

Bound Away: Virginia and the Westward Movement , David Hackett Fischer, 2000 Traces the migration south and west after Virginia's original plantations depleted their soil commencing mid-1700's.

[rbgarr]

Also "TIDECRAFT - The Boats of Lower South Carolina and Georgia" by Rusty Fleetwood. Excellent bibliography, drawings, lithos, lines and photographs.

[Bob Smalser]

Also "TIDECRAFT - The Boats of Lower South Carolina and Georgia" by Rusty Fleetwood. Excellent bibliography, drawings, lithos, lines and photographs.

Looks like he filled in all Chapelle's holes with almost 400 pages.

But 98 bucks?

http://www.amazon.com/Tidecraft-Carolina-Northeastern-Florida-1550-1950/dp/0964251906/sr=8-1/qid=1162507020/ref=sr_1_1/103-0315769-8875034?ie=UTF8&s=books

[Chris Rogers]

We are looking for a boat type that could be considered iconic in the low country. Great info guys. Thank you for the help.

[rbgarr]

But 98 bucks?http://www.amazon.com/Tidecraft-Carolina-Northeastern-Florida-1550-1950/dp/0964251906/sr=8-1/qid=1162507020/ref=sr_1_1/103-0315769-8875034?ie=UTF8&s=books

Yeah. AFAIK it's out of print, but original hb copies of Hank Taft's "A Cruising Guide to The Coast of Maine" and Bray/Pinheiro's "Herreshoff of Bristol" go for $150 plus (sometimes).

[George Ray]

Skiff, cross planked with cypress (I think) or yellow pine with a saw blade back edge used to space the planks when dry.

***************

Good source of info if one wanted to follow up on this topic would be Mark Bayne of Sea Island Boat Works, Mt. Pleasant, SC.
http://www.seaislandboatworks.com/who.htm

Mark Bayne, owner of Sea Island Boat Works in Charleston, South Carolina, is the Master Shipwright in charge of building the Spirit of South Carolina. She is being constructed from several types of woods traditionally used in shipbuilding, including: live oak, Angelique, long-leaf yellow pine, Sapele, Purple Heart and Douglas fir. Every element of this ship will be constructed on site, including both masts and all the necessary rigging.
http://www.scmaritime.org/images/9-29-163-spirit.jpg
http://www.scmaritime.org/index.php

[rbgarr]

Wow, she's much further along than when I last saw her (a few frames set up on the keel out in a field).

Chris- When you say 'iconic' boat type what size are you contemplating?

[shark_ef]

(some of the rigging is being made offsite)

BUT...there is a book i found at our library boats of the low country, or local boats of the lowcountry, check it out

[Chris Rogers]

Size isn't a consideration so much. We are doing some graphic design work to design a logo for a development and want to capture the true spirit of the place in the design. I didn't want to just pick any generic boat for the logo. I hoped there was a native local craft tradition similar to the Chesapeake Skipjack or Maine lobster boats further north.

I do appreciate the assistance, and I hope to teach the others involved in the project a little about the rich history of the area wea re working in.

Chris

[Tom Lathrop]

Like most other coastal areas of the early period, South Carolina had its share of local boats, both work and pleasure. Many were used for transport of cotton or rice from plantations near rivers inland to ports for transfer to ocean going ships. Rivers in the low country were pretty placid so these work boats tended to be unsophisticated flat bottom scow types. Some had pointy bows and adequate keels and rudders to allow navigation under sail and some were operated with sweeps or paddles. The flat bottom oyster sloop would be annother example.

Organized racing came to the southeast coast very early. Some of the earliest clubs in the country were at Savannah, GA, Charleston, SC and Wilmington, NC.

The Spirit of South Carolina is based on the 1850 pilot schooner Frances Elizabeth which can be seen on page 256 of Tidecraft. My copy listed at $47.50 and is certainly worth it for one really interested in the history of southeaster coastal boating. The Spirit is scheduled for launch next spring. I have been a volunteer since the beginning, although I rarely get to help much due to distance.

[Gary Bergman]

We're docked at the MAritime Center in Charleston, about 300 yards from the 'Spirit....Nice ship, interesting folks onsite. I'm going to check into some of the 'leftover' wood onsite, as it seems as tho' I'm always replacing something...ASTA convention here tomorrow, not sure how long we'll be here as there doesn't seem to be much room for larger than 40' boats around here. Kathy and I can't figure where they'll ever dock her when finished!

[ishmael]

The historical references make sense to look at. For small boats, deadrise boats, boats with V in the bottom, unlike some of the flat bottomed skiffs from more protected areas. Those sounds are shallow, and rough and exposed.

[bob goeckel]

Go Auburn!!!!!!!!

[bob goeckel]

Oops Did I Say That?