Chesapeake Brogan Photo

[Hughman]

This is a rare photo of a Chesapeake Bay Brogan, taken about WWI. These vessels were thought to be the prototype for the Bugeye, with unstayed masts and a log hull. IIRC, Chapelle has one in one of his books.
Does anyone have any more information on this type? Thanks, -Hugh

[DutchRub]

Check the National Watercraft Collection- held by the Smithsonian- lots of boats from that period documented by the Alphabet corp of the depression

[Tom Galyen]

Also check the Maritime Museum in I believe St. Michaels, MD. If they don't have any info, I think they would love to get their hands on the photo or a good copy.

Tom G.

[bugeye]

Hi Hugh,
Nice picture. I don't think I'll be stepping my masts in quite such a slanty manner. For info on brogans, there is a little bit of mention of the type in Brewingtons Log Canoes and Bugeyes. In my research, it seems that the biggest difference is that a bugeye is fully decked, wheras a brogan is only partially decked over. At the museum in St Michaels, behind the maintenance shed, there is the old brogan Mustang. She ran out of Annapolis in her last years as a charter boat and everyone says she was really, really fast. She's carvel built and not log built. There's another one in someones back yard in Havre de Grace, Md also, but I don't know anything about it. I'm sure that the museum will break up the Mustang soon. They're doing alot of expanding and she really has no future. It's kind of sad. If you'd like to borrow the Brewington book, let me know, and you can come down to the shipyard and pick it up

[Hughman]

Mike,
I knew the Mustang (ex Kate D, built 1907 in Saxis, VA), and sailed on her many times- she is (or was) a 5-log hull below the waterline, with half frames and carvel planking to the sheer.

I think you're right about the Museum's treatment of the hull (It's been stripped, according to the Curator.) The rig had been converted to a hacked-up bermuda ketch, with rat-boards and all.

Brogans were smaller than bugeyes, about 30' keels, not surprising considering workboat evolution/economy of the time of development (about 1840)
Log hulls were preferred for oyster harvesting, even after sawmills were available- imagine having to constantly unload a cargo of loose "rocks" in the bottom of a framed hull.

This photo is from the family album. My G-G father had a farm near Churchton on the Western shore, and my father told me fishing stories involving this boat. Wish I knew more.

[Thad]

Looks sweet, Hugh, all pulling.