by Henry Clapp
Member 14-Apr-2006 to 21-Nov-2019
Build Type: Scratch
Country: United States
Model Material: Wood
Model Type: Static
Propulsion Type: Impeller→ Sail
Scale: 1:24 (1/2″ = 1′)
Subject Type: Vessel→ Working→ Fishing
About the Vessel
The log canoe is a type of dugout sailboat. It was used in the Chesapeake Bay region to fish and tong for oysters. It was inexpensive and did not require the expertise of a professional shipbuilder. Dredging for oysters required more power than the log canoes possessed, and once this began the log canoe gave way to larger boats. One of these, the bugeye, was also log-built in its early days. Later, as suitable timber disappeared, they transitioned to frame construction.
However, the racing of log canoes evolved into a sport that continues to this day. Boats built for racing have been constructed as recently as 1974.
