32 Pickerell Tong Boat

[lexsea]

Hi everyone.

My boyfriend and I recently purchased a 1976 - 32’ Pickerell tong boat. It’s had a long life working in different waters around Long Island. It was used by towns for seeding, privately owned for oystering, tonging, and scalloping. It was built in Water Mill, NY then moved to Patchogue (the owner was arrested for pirating clams at night), moved to East Hampton for seeding, South Hampton where Pickerell told a story of having 200 bushels of hard clams on the deck, Southold (owner loved the thought of oystering until he realized the work involved), Shelter Island (same type of owner story), back to the north fork where it sat high and dry shrink wrapped for a few years. The next owner purchased and brought it to West Islip. We bought it from that person in West Islip.

I had the opportunity to talk to Howard Pickerell recently on the phone and he enlightened me on the boats rich history. He owned the boat four times in-between the previous seven owners. He always kept an eye it. It was funny, when I first got him on the phone I said I’d like to ask him about a 32 Pickerell he built. He said you’re going to have to give me some more information on the boat, I built 9 of them. So I said tong boat, and the phone went almost quite before you could sense the nostalgic excitement. I forgot to ask him how many of them he made, but I didn’t have to describe it, he knew the boat I was talking about. Countless times over the course of our conversation saying how he’d love to have the boat now.


All of my excitement aside. I’m reaching out to see if anyone out there may have pictures or stories of our boat at any point in its life. I’ll post some pictures below. Originally, the boat was just a deck. Pickerell sold it and purchased it back from the first owner where he then put a motor and house on it. At this point it was gray with a boom and shell fishing equipment. The owner before us painted it teal. As you can see in the pictures, it has a proud squared bow. If you live on South Bay, you’ll probably see us around.
131384A7-95FC-44FD-89C7-99C635FBAE2D.jpg3803B7B4-3DB4-4D0A-A758-9AB9826B011B.jpg2C36C1D6-2C3E-43BB-B889-857C2045F9A9.jpg

[Garret]

Welcome to the forum & what a cool boat! There are some long islanders here, so you may well hear from them. I grew up on that other side of the sound, so I wouldn't know nuthin'...

[lexsea]

Thank you for the welcome and compliment

[Hugh MacD]

Great boat! Looking forward to hearing more in her history!

[Jim Ledger]

That's a nice-looking garvey, you should be proud. There are a lot of pictures of tong boats on this thread.


http://forum.woodenboat.com/showthre...nd)&highlight=



Jim

[lexsea]

I appreciate it Jim. We've watched the Life of a Clam Digger video a few times. The red barns featured in it are actually part of my uncles marina. I've gone through that thread a few times and seen a bunch of local boats =) Heres a couple pictures from the previous owner of our boat with some other local boats.
clam 2.jpgclam 1.jpg

[amish rob]

I can add nothing except the echoed sentiments that that is a LOVELY boat.

[johngsandusky]

Welcome aboard!
I grew up on LI, still here. I sail out of Mount Sinai, but lived and sailed on the South Shore in the 80s-90s. My Dad clammed for a while, but I don't remember the years or the boat.

[Hugh MacD]

Lex, is yours the boat on the right in the pics on post #6?

[lexsea]

yes. those are pictures taken by previous owner.

[Breakaway]

I've seen that boat before, over the years, in the Peconics and in Gardiners. There's a lot of Pickerells around in those bays. Unfortunately, I don't have anything specific to add for you.

May I ask what she is powered with?


Kevin

[lexsea]

That’s cool that you’ve seen it around. Thank you for letting me know. It has a 115 Isuzu