These records are found in the online catalog of The Mariners’ Museum and Park in Newport News, Virginia. Uncurated search results are presented to give researchers and interested readers an idea of whether the museum’s archives contain information about this vessel and whether it may be worthwhile to visit the museum’s catalog search page for further investigation. Uncurated results may be inaccurate or incomplete.
Mariners Museum online catalog search, July 12, 2026. Search phrase: "Silver Spray". Catalog returned 16 records; this selection table includes 16 records fetched through catalog result pages.
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WRITTEN ON VERSO: SILVER SPRAY (RUM BOAT) BUILT IN 1914 A T MARSHALLBERG, NC. 20T, 52.4 X 13.4 X 3.8
CURATOR NOTES: A crowd gathers at the dock to watch as four men aboard the rum boat, SILVER SPRAY pour confiscated rum overboard. Crowd gathers in the background to watch. See page 68 Chesapeake Rumrunners of the Roaring Twenties.
WRITTEN ON VERSO: SILVER SPRAY (RUM BOAT) BUILT IN 1914 A T MARSHALLBERG, NC. 20T, 52.4 X 13.4 X 3.8
CURATOR NOTES: Close view of Norfolk dry agents dump out liquid contraband from glass jugs of the captured rumrunner SILVER SPRAY. See page 67 Chesapeake Rumrunners of the Roaring Twenties.
SHORT DESCRIPTION: "Silver Spray" is a Moth Class Racing Sailboat. She was designed and built by Emery Cox of Norfolk, VA in 1933. NOTES: Moths (named for the way they seem to flit across the water) were a development class with few design restrictions, the first of the class being designed by Captain Joel Van Sant of Elizabeth City NC in 1929. This being the year of the beginning of the Great Depression, this inexpensive design quickly gained widespread popularity. Some of the principal design constraints were: Not more than 11 feet over all; not more than one rudder and one center board; a single sail with an area of approximately 72 sq.ft. There were no restrictions on design or construction. "Silver Spray" is scow-shaped, hard chined, with a bubble deck, daggerboard and a cat rigged mainsail. She is constructed of juniper. "Silver Spray" won the world’s championship "Antonia" trophy in 1938. NOTES: The original designer and founder of the Moth Class was Captain Joel Van Sant of Elizabeth City, North Carolina, on the Pasquotank River. The original moth was a scow-like craft, much like this one, that was built of Juniper-wood, so he called her "JUMPING JUNIPER". Before she was tuned up she seemed to flit back and forth, so he called her a moth. That was in 1929 and the popularity of the boat has spread. The National Moth Boat Association became international in 1935 and ther are about 3000 of the craft throughout the world. The Moths are a development class. With a few restricitons almost anything goes. The boats must be not more than 11 feet over-all, can have only one rudder, one centerboard, one mast, one boom, and one sail; the spars must be straight; the mast must be not more than 16.5 feet above the deck, the boom not more than 9 feet long, and the angle between them not more than 90 degrees. On the mast there are to be markings: the top of the lower marking 12 inches above the deck, the bottom of the upper marking 15 feet above this; between these markings is the sail, which cannot extend more than 9 feet along the boom. These are the principal limitations. Width can be anything and have been from 3 fee to 5. Hulls can be of any shape, which the designer can conceive, made of any material and of any weight. INVENTORY: Sail; sail cover; sail; daggerboard; rudder; tiller; one lot (3) pieces blocks; 3 pieces turnbuckles; 4 pieces thimbles; one pair metal cleats; mast; boon; these items are associated with this boat. Please see component parts supplemental record for additional information. VESSEL INFORMATION: BOAT NAME: SILVER SPRAY BOAT TYPE: MOTH CLASS SAILBOAT BOAT BUILT: 1933
BUILT 1890, AT WYANDOTTE, MICH., BY THE DETROIT DRY DOCK CO. SIDE-WHEEL. 533T. 195.5 X 30.1 X 10.2. LATER CALLED SILVER SPRAY AND DOVER
CURATOR NOTES: Starboard stern quarter view in construction built at Wyandotte, Michigan . Detrroit Dry Dock Company. Photo collection no. 71Photo collection no. 71.
BUILT 1890, AT WYANDOTTE, MICH., BY THE DETROIT DRY DOCK CO. SIDE-WHEEL. 533T. 195.5 X 30.1 X 10.2. LATER CALLED SILVER SPRAY AND DOVER
CURATOR NOTES:Starboard side of ship in dry dock under construction built at Wyandotte, Michigan . Detroit Dry Dock Company. Workers in doorway and seen in pilot house. Photo collection no. 71Photo collection no. 71.
BUILT 1890, AT WYANDOTTE, MICH., BY THE DETROIT DRY DOCK CO. SIDE-WHEEL. 533T. 195.5 X 30.1 X 10.2. LATER CALLED SILVER SPRAY AND DOVER
Steamboats.; Construction
CURATOR NOTES:Looking up showing hull and ship in dry dock under construction built at Wyandotte, Michigan . Detroit Dry Dock Company. Workers in foreground. Photo collection no. 71.
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MS0091-03-01-52-112
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MS0091-03-01-21-093
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