by: Lloyd McCaffery

Chesapeake Bay Skipjack of 1899; Full-hull model built in 1987;  Glazed case of English ash burl veneer

This well-balanced and straight forward replica corresponds rightfully with the broad and stable Chesapeake Bay. Such hard chine 40’ to 50’ sloops with V-shaped hulls and square sterns represented the best form for the oyster fisheries of this locale. The model’s pristine brilliant white hull color scheme, red bottom, decorative stem paintwork combine to provide a delightful image of what these ‘racy’ looking fishing craft were hull design of the original vessel developed during the early 19th century for the shallow waters of like. The non-pretentious craftsmanship purports a simplistic construction, yet with segments of planking removed about the hull or deck one can aptly discern its relevant complexity and purpose-built nature.

This full-hull model portrays this small sloop with a starboard side being fully planked-in and painted with a red bottom and white topsides. Deck gear and houses are white and the model contains all the required fishing gear per this oystering configuration, e.g., push-boat and davits, trunk cabin, dredge winder engine, dredges, side rollers, bumpers, rudder and wheel arrangement, railings, cargo hatch, companionway, anchor winch, running lights, etc. The model's port side deck planks are left off, exposing interior hull arrangements, and port side hull planks are removed, revealing frames and additional construction elements. Two work-action figures are shown on deck and lend a sense of scale to this model. The model is appropriately rigged according to tradition.

Model type: Extreme Miniature, Cut-away
Scale: 32' = 1"
Size: 14 7/8” L x 10 7/8” H x 7 1/8” W
Class: A/Special
Code: IYRS 3810