22' Muscongus Bay Sloop (1970) - SWAN'S ISLE

Built as a replica of the Muscongus Bay Lobster Smack, lobstering with bowhead traps between 1860 and 1890 in mid-coast Maine. Based on all dimensions lifted she corresponds with the Howard Chapelle drawing as obtained from the Smithsonian. And as well published in Chapelle’s book, “American Small Sailing Craft” pages 262 thru 276 including the evolution after 1890, the deeper heavier Friendship Sloops became the dominant work boat. She was found on Swan’s Island apparently having sat on the hard for 10+ years.
Having been the predecessor to the Friendship Sloop she has been readily accepted into the Friendship Sloop Society and this boat is Registry no. 285.
During a 3 and a half month interval spring of 2019 she received a freshening up, new gaff and jib tending spars. Mast and main boom were sanded and varnished. The hull above the water line was sanded and long boarded. Plank seams were scraped out, vee’d out manually with a 1″ chisel, sanded, primed and resealed with a swipe of Sudbury elastomeric/ flexible sealant (similar to 5200) As received she had never been fitted with stays, based on finding a few small checks in the Douglas Fir mast while doing the refinishing work, I opted to add chain plates. I went with steel, galvanized fasteners and stay wire and turn buckles, in keeping with a workboat typical outfitting. During Pre-season One I was fortunate to have some talented volunteer labor. Both my sons gave short intervals of assist and along with “special mention”, Alan Cole and Blad (Wm.) Hansen (pictured with Greg)
The paint colors as selected from the George Kirby Paints color chart, hull topsides Kirby “Pea Green” and white, rub strakes, Kirby “Sea Red” and the deck Kirby “Taupe”. She presently sails without centreboard while we plan fitment of external ballast and new deadwood to deepen the balance of the full keel. Her only amenity at this time is the fitting of thruhulls to service a marine head. Propulsion is via a stbd. side mounted electric kicker of some 3 hp making way at 3.5 kts in and out of her slip. Twenty-four volts comes from several hundred pounds of 12V wet cell marine batteries, placed low in the bilge along with 1400 lbs approximately of lead ingots.
Blocks were acquired to outfit the mast, main sheet service and self tending jib. Sails were supplied by Harold Burnham, Essex, Ma. constructed of Oceanis Cream Cotton complete with 3 reefs. Thus far we have not managed to determine the name of the builder, we’ve intended to get out to Swans Island to meet the principals of the Marine and Fisheries Museum, the 2nd next previous owners who opted not to restore her for lack of resources. COVID precluded that trip last year, we’ll try again in 2021 if the Friendship Sloop Society Annual Homecoming comes off in 2021. Another boat builder as it would turn out found her there on the Island and moved her back to Kittery where portions of the deck were replaced along with new rails and companionway hatch were also fitted. I took over her care from George Patten, moved her home to Prince Edward Island fall of 2018 and spent the next two springs finishing and fitting her out. She sails and tracks very nicely and has the feel of a larger displacement craft.
I had never set foot on a gaff rigged sloop let alone rigged one from scratch, a marvelous education and I’m hooked.