Minnie V. Facts
Skipjack A Chesapeake Bay sailing craft designed and
built to dredge for oysters. Skipjacks typically have a flat or v-shaped bottom and a shallow draft.
They have a centerboard instead of a keel. The centerboard can be raised to allow passage in shallow
water, or lowered for increased stability. The one self-tending jib and large triangular
mainsail make these vessels easy to sail with a small crew.
Today, skipjacks represent the last remaining commercial sailing fleet in the nation.
Minnie V.'s History The Minnie V. was built in 1906 in
Wenonah, which is on Deal Island, located on Maryland's Eastern Shore. The builder
was John B. Vetra and he named the boat after his wife, Minnie. The "V" stands
for her last name, Vetra. The Minnie V. has had many different owners and
has spent 87 years in the oyster dredging business. In 1981 the boat was rebuilt
by Lebourne Smith. Today Minnie V. sails as a part of the Living Classrooms
Foundation's educational fleet serving thousands of students per year.
- OVERALL LENGTH: 69 feet
- LENGTH ON DECK: 45 feet
- BEAM (width): 16 feet
- DRAFT (the distance between the waterline and the lowest part of the keel): 3 feet with the centerboard raised, 9 feet with the centerboard lowered
- WEIGHT: 10 gross tons
- POWER: V8 Cummins Diesel engine (in a push boat)