Preview: The World Duckboat Championships, A Classic Fleet Sails Again
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June 27, 2018
Email this Video to a FriendBefore there were Optimist Prams, at least on the Jersey Shore, there were Duck Boats. And now, thanks to an ingenious Duck Boat revival program, they’re back again, fighting it out in their very own World Championships.
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Comments, Thoughts or Suggestions?You can leave a comment or question for OCH and members below. Here are the comments so far…
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7 Responses So Far to “The World Duckboat Championships, A Classic Fleet Sails Again”
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John Uhden says:
Hey, it wasn’t just Barnegat Bay. We had a pretty good sized fleet at the Manasquan River Yacht Club (Brielle, NJ) where the juniors would race often and the ladies’ Powder Puff series was very popular. I had an old leaker made by some ancient mariner in lower Ocean County, but we bought a used Beaton for my daughter. I named it Duck L’Orange for its vibrant deck color. After years of use we actually sold it for a profit to someone at Mantoloking. Haven’t seen it since, but its sail number was 234.
Terry Smith says:
OMG! Talk about a blast from the past. Another unexpected gift from OCH. It’s been more than six decades since I’ve seen a fleet of Duckboats under sail.
I skippered my “Duck Soup” in the mid-1950s. She had sail number six and was one of a fleet of 12 Duckboats purchased by Mantoloking Yacht Club families from the Island Heights Yacht Club.
Mantoloking’s junior sailing program immediately increased in size. We had well-conceived, well-run competitions with over half of our Duckboat fleet generally participating in several races per week. There was a July series and an August series (a number of our sailors being vacationing, monthly house-renters’ offspring). Inter-club competition came a few years later, and Mantoloking did well among the Duckboat sailors from other clubs.
Duck Soup was my vehicle to learn how to sail, to learn the thrill of competition, and to discover how the pleasure of winning once or twice would help offset the hours spent sanding bottoms and putting up with the occasional “drifter” under a very hot sun.
Hats off to Peter Kellogg once again for another great idea that brings sailing enthusiasts of all ages and skills together.
Benjamin Courant says:
Back in the 60s I remember building the Barnegat Bay sneak box at the Lippincott’s in Riverton NJ. There should be some glass units around somewhere
Calvin Hinz says:
Hey ,
Where do I get a Duck Boat , or plans to build one ?
Kaci Cronkhite says:
What a great way to start the morning! You’ve done it again, OCH. Built and sailed a story right into my heart. These boats are SO much cuter than Optis! Fun to see them in action and GO Paige O’brien! And, all those other sailors, too. <3
Question: Do you know if anyone has a Duckboat they would be willing to "show" in our USA exhibit in Hobart, Tasmania for the Australian Wooden Boat Festival? Pretty sure I've got room in one of the 3 climate controlled shipping containers of boats we're sending around the first of October…for the Feb 2019 show down there. What a FABULOUS boat this would be to include in our USA contingent! The shape, from what I can tell, would fit in the space we've got left. If anyone knows of a Duckboat that could get to Port Townsend where we'll stage the packing of boats, let me know! Ideally, someone from this race would "come on down under" for the AWBF, too!!
Charles Jackson says:
Bravo
Philip Myer says:
Great story- serious ‘open competition’ !