Please join us at the Sayville Library on May 26, 2022 from 7 – 8:30 pm for a special book signing and discussion with Long Island Traditions’ Executive Director, Nancy Solomon, about her new book “Boat Building and Boat Yards of Long Island: A Tribute to Tradition” published by the History Press. In this book […]
Please join us on Saturday, May 14th at 5 pm at the Bellport-Brookhaven Historical Society for a book signing and discussion! Folklorist Nancy Solomon, the executive director of Long Island Traditions, has written a new book “Boat Building and Boat Yards of Long Island: A Tribute to Tradition” published by The History Press. In this […]
Our “From Shore to Shore” exhibit, focusing on boat builders and boatyards of Long Island, will be on display at the Sayville Library starting January 2021 and will remain at the library until May 30, 2021. The exhibit features boat builders, both professional and amateur, dedicated to preserving the craft of earlier generations. Some of […]
Fishermen and baymen, duck hunters and decoy carvers, clamshell artists and lifeguards are just some of the tradition bearers featured here. Through oral histories, Long Island Traditions has documented dozens of those committed to preserving a life on the water. Most are participants in our maritime education programs or festivals and museum programs. If you […]
The 1920s was an interesting time on Long Island, with the passage of the Volstead Act that prohibited the importing and consuming of alcoholic beverages, ushering in the prohibition era. Many residents turned to local baymen and other boat owners to help satisfy their demand for wine and liquor through illegal smuggling and homegrown moonshine. […]
Throughout the 19th and 20th century Long Island has been the home of many boat builders, ranging from traditional boat builders such as Gil Smith of Patchogue, who constructed garveys and skiffs for local baymen, to the Scopinich & Maresca boat yards that outfitted coast guard vessels and commercial fishing boats. Numerous industries supported this […]
Chris Hale: Boat Builder and Model Maker Chris Hale has worked at many boat yards on Long Island, including Coecles Harbor Marina on Shelter Island, at Hampton Shipyard in East Quogue, and currently at Weeks Boatyard in Patchogue where he has worked since the 1990s. He works on traditional wooden boats ranging from skiffs and […]
Fred Scopinich comes from a long line of boat builders. In the early 1900s they built traditional fishing boats for Freeport residents. During the 1920s they built vessels for both rum runners and law enforcement. Like other builders during the two world wars they built military craft for the navy and other defense agencies. After […]
Boatyards There have been many boatyards throughout the estuary that provided commercial fishermen with draggers or trawlers, garveys, skiffs, dories, and other watercraft used in both the bay and the ocean. In addition there have been boatyards, mostly in the 20th century, who specialize in recreational boats ranging from luxurious yachts to simple skiffs able […]
Newsday reviews the opening of the Freeport Waters exhibit. Read the full article. Article courtesy of Newsday
