I was ten years old when my father took me sailing on his friend Lou Perretti's gaff-rigged cutter. Known as a Friendship sloop, its stability appealed to me. And its beautiful woodwork. The kind of boat known as a Friendship Sloop was first documented by historian Howard Chappelle. It is a style of boat first referred to as a Muscongus Bay sloop, but renamed by its Friendship-based builder Wilbur Morse.
My second experience was in 1994 when we first came to Maine and sailed with Andy Zuber on the 1902-built 32 foot sloop Gladiator. The boat was long owned and maintained by Bill Zuber who passed last month. His son Andy - who owns it now - was taking day sailors out from Friendship. My daughter Taisy - like her Dad - welcomed its stability.
The stable, gaff-rigged cutters were lobster fishing boats but as engines replaced sail Morse and others built them as pleasure boats. The Friendship Sloop Society keeps the heritage alive. There are two Friendships in the town's harbor. Last week in the annual "homecoming" races - now held in Rockland harbor - the two sloops based in Friendship did well. Gladiator took 4th and the NEA-recognized master builder Ralph Stanley-built 36 foot Noel took fifth last week.
Here they are:
