Skiff, St. Lawrence

Object/Artifact

-

Antique Boat Museum

Name/Title

Skiff, St. Lawrence

Entry/Object ID

1964.006

Description

Boat Type: St. Lawrence Skiff Builder: Spalding St. Lawrence Boat Company Model: Unknown Length: 18' Beam: 45" Date Built: 1888-1895 In the deck cap of the bow deck of this boat is a void where a shield-shaped nameplate was let into the wood. That distinctively-shaped nameplate was undoubtedly from the St. Lawrence River Skiff, Canoe and Steam Launch Company (NO - SEE BELOW, DJM). The St. L. R. S. C. & S. L. Co. was formed by Dr. Alexander Bain (1843 -1926) and others in 1888, and was the shop where many local builders including Lucian E. Fry, Joseph Leyare, Charles Wilbur, and Jay Wheelock first became involved in the trade. As a company, it tried to take propriety of the St. Lawrence Skiff, using the tagline "None genuine without this trade mark." At the time, the St. Lawrence Skiff was becoming a known and sought-after craft locally and nationally. The shape of this boat is that of a typical St. Lawrence Skiff, but there are several variations from the standard in its construction. Most obviously, it is planked entirely in mahogany, rather than cedar. The hull is all riveted rather than clinch-nailed. The stems are sawn out of natural spruce knees, and (straight-grained) oak knees join the stems to the keel. It has both an inner and an outer keel, both oak, riveted together at regular intervals. There are no seats present; oarlock sockets are there but no oars. The condition is fair; the hull is sound enough but all the ribs are bad at the keel. The outside has a coat of varnish, but there is no finish on the inside or on the decks. EVS 2/08 NOTE: The original Spalding St. Lawrence tag for this boat is in the Haxall Building Third Floor Artifact Room. 10/2008 DJM

Collection

Boats

Acquisition

Accession

1964.006

Source or Donor

Gaffney, Miller

Made/Created

Manufacturer

Spalding St. Lawrence Boat Company

Date made

1888

Place

Location

Ogdensburg, NY USA

Notes

Early Date: 1888 Propulsion: Oar Engine: 0.000

Other Names and Numbers

Other Numbers

Number Type

Old Number

Other Number

218

Dimensions

Width

45 ft

Length

18 ft

Location

Gallery

*Miller S. and Adelaide S. Gaffney Gallery

Building

*Small Craft Building
Bartlett Point Barn 3
Doebler Rack U, West side, 2nd from top

Shelf

2nd from top, 2nd from top

Wall

Rack S

Building

*Don Doebler Collections Storage Facility