Muscongus Bay sloop

[windfall]

Hey folks, I am thinking very seriously about building a 25-27' version of the Muscongus Bay sloop. These were the centerboarder predescesor to the Friendship Sloop. Any one out there ever sail in one and have any comments they would like to share?

[Thaddeus J. Van Gilder]

I went to a frame bending party for a muscongous bay sloop at the south cove boat shop a few years ago. I assume she's floating now.

she was really pretty!

[Ben Fuller]

Nicest Muscongus is the one preserved at Maine Maritime Museum called Ranger. When the Apprenticshop was at Bath they built some. There used to be one around Mystic which I sailed with the owner. Found it a bit dicy tacking in a two reef, single reefed jib day, as the boat would get slapped by waves just as it was losing way and get pushed back. I suspect that like most sailing problems it was our lack of skill and experience... the tiller nut problem. As the lobster fishery expanded both in demand and in season, these boats grew larger into the big keel Friendships which were more powerful boats, at the expense of losing the ablity to get intimate with ledges which the centerboards allow.

Have fun.

[Sailing-Randy]

Okay, I feel ignorant! Can anybody point me to a picture of a "Muscongus Bay sloop" or
"the big keel Friendships which were more powerful boats, at the expense of losing the ablity to get intimate with ledges which the centerboards allow." I am familiar with the friendship sloop -- I think -- by way of the weekender. Or am I wrong?

Anyway, since we are talking about designs I am thinking about for the next boat, I would really appreciate a couple of leads.

Thanks!

[Bruce Hooke]

Randy:

Here is a picture of a classic Friendship Sloop:



It is from the Friendship Sloop Society webpage on 'What is a Friendship Sloop': http://www.fss.org/slphist.htm

The Muscongus Bay sloop is Very similar but the keel is shallower and closer to parallel to the waterline, and as a result the rudder is shallower and wider.

[Ben Fuller]

Dig out a copy of American Small Sailing Craft by Howard Chapelle. The Muscongus sloop was about a 23' centerboarder, with enough V to the hull so she drew 3' or so cb up. A similar sized keel sloop drew 4' with a good bit of drag to the keel. Larger sloop boats ran to 33 feet and drew 6' in the stern.

[almeyer]

I'm a greenhorn at this, so can someone help out my confusion on the Friendship sloop? I thought a sloop had a single headsail, where a cutter had multiple headsails. Thanks,
Al

[Thaddeus J. Van Gilder]

specifically, a cutter has 2 or more headsails , as long as the forestay attaches to the stem or inboard. A sloop has as many headsails as you want, as long as the forestay is attached to the bow sprit. If there is no bowsprit, the forestay can attach to the stem, provited there is only one headsail.

I would cite a source for this, but it is kind of hazy where I read it.

[Tom Shephard]

Just logged on,so excuse any mistakes. Concerning South Cove Boatshops Muscongus bay sloop, it isn't launched yet. It is fully framed and planked and hull is painted.Our Del. River TSCA group were up there last month for a tour.Nice shop. T.Shephard

[Thaddeus J. Van Gilder]

I haven't seen Rob in a long time...

how's he doing?

[Rob Barker]

Well, I'm still here. Thanks for the kind words, Tom, and Hi again, Thad.

The Muscongus Bay Sloop is still under construction. Every time I get some time to work on it some pesky customer comes along with a paying job. So progress has been slow.

If anyone's intersted in Muscongus Bay Sloops I recommend the one that Ben Fuller mentioned, called "Ranger" at the Maine Maritime Museum in Bath. I think she's still on exhibit. Dave Dillion took the lines of her and drew up a set of construction plans, copies of which can be opbtained from the museum store. I'm building her pretty much as she was except I'm using a conventional floor system rather than the array of grown oak crooks in the original. And I took Dave Dillions suggestion to not use the original wide plank "lock strakes" around the sheer under the deck -- he said it was a rot trap -- and used a conventional sheer stringer system.

[Don Olney]

Muscongus Bay Sloop

There's a fine MBS (the Annabelle) in Freeport, LI at the seaport museum down on the "Nautical Mile".