Watercraft
“Ada”
North America
To make Ada, Frank Fuegeman restored an 1889 hull and added the boiler and small engine.
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Watercraft
“April Fool”
North America
Hugo Vihlen sailed from Casablanca to Florida in 1968, aboard this 6-foot sailboat.
Watercraft
“Dilemma”
North America
“Dilemma” won every race she entered, and yacht designers quickly began emulating Nathaneal G. Herreshoff’s design.
Watercraft
“Jasyto #1”
Hampton One-design
North America
Vincent Serio and Harry Bulifant built hull #1 on speculation and it became an instant success after members saw its sailing capabilities.
Watercraft
“La Nube”
North America
A 37′ sloop, La Nube (‘The Cloud’ in Spanish), ca 1972, sits outside the ISCC.
Watercraft
“Minnow”
Optimist Class
Europe
The Optimist is a one-design class and one of the largest in the world designed specifically for children.
Watercraft
“Miss Belle Isle”
North America
“Miss Belle Isle”, 1925, is one of the oldest known Chris-Craft boats in existence.
Watercraft
“Monitor”
Sailing Hydrofoil
North America
The world’s first sailing hydrofoil.
Watercraft
“Much Quicker”
Decked Sailing Canoe
Often referred to as “the poor man’s yacht,” the decked sailing canoe was hugely popular in the United States and Great Britain during the latter part of the 19th century.
Watercraft
“Okole Maluna”
Hollow Surfboard
North America
Wisconsin native Tom Blake patented the hollow surf/paddle board in 1930, using ribs to create hollow chambers and covering the craft with a thin wood veneer.
Watercraft
“Quest”
Herreshoff 12 1/2
North America
The 12 1/2 class is still a sought-after sailboat—not only because of its famous designer, but because it is easy to sail and seaworthy in even the worst conditions.
Watercraft
“Question Mark”
Salish Racing Canoe
North America
Salish racing canoes are derived from traditional Northwest coast canoes, but their proportions are based on Euro-American rowing shells.
Watercraft
“Sassy”
Stock Outboard Hydroplane
North America
Racing small, lightweight boats with powerful outboard engines became a popular sport in the United States after the Second World War.
Watercraft
“Sea Fever”
Dugout Canoe (Casco)
Central & South America
In 1947, John Schultz purchased this dugout for $16 at the headwaters of the Amazon River, equipping it with a deck and crossing the Caribbean over more than 5,000 miles.
Watercraft
“Sea Flash”
North America
Aristocraft produced several inexpensive yet spirited powerboats for a growing middle class eager to enjoy
the inland lakes and waterways.
Watercraft
“Silver Spray”
Moth Class Sailboat
North America
The inexpensive but exciting Moth debuted in Australia in 1929 and in the United States one year later, and the class has since grown into one of the largest in the world.
Watercraft
“Simokon”
North America
At 38 feet long, Simokon is large for a “small craft.”
Watercraft
“Sperwer”
Europe
Tjotters were originally workboats used to transport cargo through canals and across the shallow Ijsselmeer (Inland Sea).
Watercraft
“Sue”
19-foot runabout
North America
Those fortunate enough to own a Chris-Craft runabout never seem to lack for friends to take a spin along the shore or out to sea.
Watercraft
“Tatara”
Fishing Canoe
Asia & the Pacific
Subsistence fishing is a prime economic activity for the Yami people who made this canoe.
Watercraft
“Teal”
Catboat
North America
Catboats are generally wide with a single large sail, where there is ample interior space for cooking, eating, and sleeping on extended voyages.
Watercraft
“Turtle”
Bathysphere
North America
The spherical pressure hull for the bathysphere “Turtle”, one of three used in the ALVIN submersible program, the first program to use manned underwater exploration vessels.
Watercraft
“Wet Night”
Sailing Canoe (Gommier)
Central & South America
These boats began to be used for racing on days when they were not needed for fishing, and gradually they evolved into racing craft.
Watercraft
Agai-ni-waiau
Ceremonial Canoe
Asia & the Pacific
The agai-ni-waiau is an integral part of the rite marking a boy’s transition to manhood in the traditional culture on San Cristobal.
Watercraft
Ahima
Dugout sailing canoe
Africa
Ahimas are used for drift net fishing off the coast of Ghana.
Watercraft
Baidarka
Double-hole Kayak
North America
Two-person kayaks like this one were probably developed during the period when Russians recruited native Alaskans to hunt sea otters and carry passengers.
Watercraft
Banca
Double Outrigger Canoe
Central & South America
Two outriggers balance the canoe under sail, but they limit the vessel to the coastal zone, for the system does not work well in open ocean.
Watercraft
Beetle
North America
This whaleboat was built expressly for The Mariners’ Museum’s small craft collection.
Watercraft
Bull Boat
Bull Boat
North America
The Round bull boat is so named because the hide that covers the frame comes from the bison bull.
Watercraft
Caçadeira
Caçadeira
Europe
In addition to fishing in the coastal lagoons around Aveiro, the caçadeira is used for hunting waterfowl and for transportation.
Watercraft
Chatti Raft
Africa
A raft could be constructed fairly quickly from the plentiful papyrus reeds found along the Nile River.
Watercraft
Coracle
Europe
The coracle has been in use in Wales since the 7th century, and today is used along the Towy River by fishermen angling for salmon and sea trout.
Watercraft
Cori
Dugout Canoe
Asia & the Pacific
During the Second World War, coast watchers were stationed throughout the Solomons to secretly report Japanese troop and ship; they often used dugouts for transportation.
Watercraft
Crooked
Birch Bark Canoe
North America
The bark of the birch tree is the perfect material for building canoes; it is strong and flexible, and it does not stretch or shrink.
Watercraft
DN Iceboat
North America
Sailboat racing is not just for sunny summer days, as iceboats compete at great speeds on “hard water” during the winter.
Watercraft
Dugout Canoe
Dugout
Africa
This dugout log is so narrow that the user must stand in order to pole it.
Watercraft
Dugout Pirogue
Dugout Pirogue
North America
Pirogues made of cypress last a long time under normal usage because the wood repels water and resists decay.
Watercraft
Færing
Europe
The færing (four-oared boat) was a common form of transportation along the rocky coast and fjords of Norway.
Watercraft
Ghe Bè
Sampan
Asia & the Pacific
Flat-bottomed sampans are used in the shallow, protected riverine areas of Vietnam to carry passengers or food and other products to markets.
Watercraft
Gondola
Europe
Gondolas are still used to carry visitors and native Venetians on the narrow canals of Venice.
Watercraft
Grand Banks Dory
North America
One of the most recognizable American fishing craft, the dory was lightweight, inexpensive, and extremely seaworthy.
Watercraft
Guideboat
North America
In the late 19th century, the Adirondack guideboat evolved from a hunting and
trapping boat into a graceful craft enjoyed by vacationers and sportsmen alike.
Person
Hugo Vihlen
North America
He set world records by crossing the Atlantic Ocean in two tiny sailboats in 1968 and 1993; the “April Fool” is on display.
Watercraft
Jangada
Central & South America
Though it is hardly more than a raft of logs with a sail, the jangada is relatively stable and maneuverable on the open ocean and can pass over coastal reefs with ease.
Watercraft
Kayak
North America
Two men used this large flat bottom boat to gather kelp and seaweed from Aveiro lagoon.
Watercraft
Lifecar
North America
In 1845, Joseph Francis patented the galvanized iron lifecar for rescuing shipwreck victims.
Watercraft
Maldon Double-Punt
Double-Punt
Europe
Between September and February, hunters use double punts in the Blackwater River near Britain’s North Sea coast.
Watercraft
Marder
One-man Torpedo-carrying Submarine (Marder)
Europe
Marders were primarily intended for use in the coastal waters to potentially disrupt Allied shipping and invasions.
Watercraft
McKenzie River Drift Boat
North America
The fast, turbulent McKenzie River requires a light, maneuverable boat.
Watercraft
Moliceiro
Weed Boat
Europe
Two men used this large flat bottom boat to gather kelp and seaweed from Aveiro lagoon.
Person
Nathanael Greene Herreshoff
North America
“Captain Nat” Herreshoff is considered one of America’s most famous yacht designers, having designed the “Dilemma” on display.
Watercraft
Ness Yoal
Europe
Yoals are a type of fishing boat native to the Shetland Islands.
Place
New Bedford, Massachusetts, USA
North America
In the 19th century, New Bedford was one of the most important whaling ports in the world, earning it the nickname “The Whaling City”.
Watercraft
Ngalawa
Double Outrigger Canoe
Africa
The same outriggers that effectively extend the fishing range of the canoe also limit it, as double outrigger canoes can be unmanageable in heavy seas.
Watercraft
Sampan
Asia & the Pacific
The sampan serves two important purposes: it is a place where a family lives, sleeps, and eats; and it is a source of income as a water taxi.
Watercraft
Seahorse (caballito de totora)
Central & South America
Peruvians have been using caballitos for thousands of years as surfboards and fishing boats.
Watercraft
Sinepuxent Skiff
North America
They were used in both deep and shallow waters to gather crabs, oysters, and fish, and they also made fine recreational sailboats.
Watercraft
Sunfish Sailboat
North America
Since the end of the Second World War, fiberglass has been the most widely used material for building boats.
Person
Thor Heyerdahl
Europe
He became notable for his Kon-Tiki expedition in 1947, in which he sailed 8,000 km (5,000 mi) across the Pacific Ocean in a self-built raft.
Watercraft
Umiak
North America
Umiaks are highly versatile watercraft; used for transportation, hunting big game, and for battle.
Watercraft
Va’a
Outrigger Canoe
Asia & the Pacific
Narrow canoes with a round bottom like this one need an outrigger for stability and balance.
Person
Vincent J. Serio, Sr.
North America
Local Hampton builder, Vincent Serio designed the “Hampton One Design” sloop; the first hull and prototype is on display.
Watercraft
Windsurfer
North America
The capabilities of a simple surfboard are greatly increased when the basic components of a sailboat—sail, hull, daggerboard, and fin—are added.
Watercraft
Yankee Skiff
North America
The Yankee skiff was transplanted from around New York to the Chesapeake Bay and the James and York Rivers because it was a good boat for tonging oysters.
