Catboat Sold

We have learned that this cat is probably a Cape Cod Junior Cat built by the Cape Cod Shipbuilding company in the 30's or 40's. There is very little information available on the net or in print about these fine boats. I received pictures from another owner who is restoring one, who has the original catalog information on his boat, and the photos he sent me show points that are nearly identical to specific items on my boat. There may be only two of these boats remaining, but further research would be required to verify this. My boats history on Salt Pond in Rhode Island could have led to the comparison with the Edson Schock name, but I suspect there is no real way of knowing, as it appears that participants are no longer alive. My boat has been sold to a new owner in Eureka Springs Arkansas, who plans to sail her on Bull Shoals and other lakes in the area. This little cat has indeed traveled around a bit. If you need any additional information, or would like to follow up on these early cats, please let me know... The second owner purchased the boat at a Succotash Rd. boat yard on the Salt Pond in June of 1957. He sailed the boat on Narragansett Bay, and out to Cape Cod and the Vineyards. The boat was later sailed on Lake George in New York. Originally the boat had red Egyptian cotton sails and the cuddy cabin was smaller with no portholes and a rounded front. A builder's plate was on the boat at that time but was lost during cabin overhaul in the 60's. I am the third owner, and I purchased the boat in 1980 and sailed her out of Wickford Harbor in Rhode Island until a refit was required and a complete overhaul was performed in 1994. We moved to mid Missouri in 1994, and I have been sailing the boat on the Lake of the Ozarks. She is cedar on oak, with a new keel, centerboard trunk, lower transom, deadwood, sister frames, and was re-fastening in 1994. She has a Thurston sail, oak mast hoops, red bronze and brass fittings, cuddy cabin with oval ports, varnished decks cabin and cockpit sides, cedar on oak carvel hull, barn door rudder and a British seagull motor and trailer.

She has been named Nipmuck after a New England tribe of Native Americans for as long as I have owned her.

The cabin originally had a round coaming, but a termite insident suffered by the previous owner on Lake George in Upstate New York resulted in the present shape. The mahogany foredeck was put on at that time. The oval ports and front port were put in by me. The deck from the cabin aft is original.

The Nipmuck chief is varnished cedar and was added this year.

Standing and running rigging is in good shape. The boat comes with a thirsty mate builge pump, a paddle that fits under the rear port deck, sail cover, boom crutch and a few small items.

The sail is Dacron, made by the Thurston company. The sail was originally red Egyptian Cotton, and all the roaps were manila or hemp. The natural fiber ropes were changed out for spun nylon in 1960.

The galf jaws are oak and were built last year. For many years there was a copper tubing set of jaws. The mast hoops are oak and in good shape. There is some slight rust staining on the sail due to the rusting of the metal serving on the original reef points, but new reef points were added this year.

She has always been a seaworthy boat capable of trips that would seem to exceed her deminuitive size. I have sailed her all over Narraganset Bay and out to Block Island, and of course on Lake of the Ozarks here in Missouri. The previous owner once sailed her from Edgewood in Rhode Island to Cuddy Hunk in 11 or 12 hours, and then to Wianno in 7 hours. Not bad for a beautiful and fun little boat.