more about 1900-1920 cats

[1913Cat31]

I was just reading the thread about the Vangard and thought I would take a stab here.

I have rescued a 1913  31' Catboat which I am interested in restoring. I know very little about this boat. I do have a 1976 17' Catboat which I love and sail yet this boat is quite something else. I will be attending the Annual Meeting in Mystic CT to see if I can network with others familiar with boat identification and restoration. For more information I have some pictures on a website in progress at www.catboat1913.com.

I appreciate any and all ideas! john@catboat1913.com

John C. Scott Jr.

[DaveHub]

Great website!  The only Catboat designer I know of in that period is Gil Smith of Long Island.  He designed many for the Great South Bay on Long Island which is rather shallow.  No idea if it is his design, but he was known for those.

Good luck!
Dave

[1913Cat31]

Thanks Dave.
I appreciate the feedback on the website. It is still a work in progress.

The information about Gil Smith is interesting. I am looking forward to touring the Maritime Museum and see if I can find info from that period and having his name as a start is helpful.

Thanks again,
John

[rbgarr]

Donn Costanzo may know as much about Gil Smith catboats as anyone alive now: http://www.woodenboatworks.com/

[1913Cat31]

RBGabb
Thank you so much for the lead. I will contact him right away and post here if I discover anything of use. I appreciate your response.

Patty Scott (Tradewinds support team)

[DaveHub]

rbgarr, good thought about Donn.  He has restored and maintained a number of them.

Also, the Long Island Maritime Museum folks may know a bit:  https://www.limaritime.org/

They have an active boat restoration club there, and I've seen a Smith boat.

Dave

[1913Cat31]

Thanks for the follow-up. I have already emailed them and again will let you know if I find anything, Just as a matter of potential interest, I have posted a pic of the ID engraved on the top stair.
Patty (Tradewinds support team)

[Adam]

Gill Smith catboats are known for his almost extreme shear - which this big girl doesn't have (almost straight). Its worth noting that the Beetle Cat is actually influenced more on the Gill Smith designs than the Cape Cod cats most people refer to them as - and NGH was not only enamored with Smiths designs but went out of his way to discuss yacht design with him - something he isn't particularly known for.

If I had a guess its a NJ or Western Long Island boat...They always seemed to me to have straighter shear than the Great South Bay boats and the Cape/Vineyard boats.  Probably one of the big cruising cats used along the NJ coast.

What makes you think the 1115672 is a builders number? I'd think its an old CC Documentation number.

[1913Cat31]

Adam,
Thanks for your observations. We attended the Catboat Assn meeting in Groton CT last month. We have some good leads and the most supported was this may be a Phinney Boat. Phinney had a boatyard in Monument Beach off Buzzards bay in the early 1900s.  Unfortunately, we are unable to find any source for factual or even anecdotal information about Phinney boats. We have been in touch with the Maritime Museum on Long Island and they were unable to find anything helpful.

I also appreciate the suggestion the carved # may be an old CC Documentation #. That may be helpful. Do you have any suggestions on how to research the NJ  builders?

I will also be posting to see if anyone knows of sources to find about Phinney boats.
Thanks for your observations.
Patty (Tradewinds support team)

[Almanzar]

Are there no records of Pinney boat company at all?

[1913Cat31]

Almanzar,
I am searching for Phinney records. There are certainly reports of Phinney boats. I have to think there is a knowledgable source or record somewhere. The Catboat community is too informed to not have some record.
Last known owner is a deceased Charles Daunt. He and his wife lived on the boat in South Carolina. It was rescued near Hilton Head. The local Catboat Assn. has a meeting on May 9th and that is our next destination. If you, or anyone else on this forum has any suggestions. It is much appreciated.
Patty (Tradewinds support team)