Sweepstakes – Chapelle’s own Crabbing Bateau

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The Edward R. Thieler III Collection at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum

Material for this article is sourced primarily from the Edward R. Thieler III collection of Chesapeake Bay workboat models, research notes, and scaling and lofting plans found at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum (CBMM).  I've added notes from my correspondence with Ed Thieler, and related historic photos and plans found at CBMM.

My purpose is not to interpret Thieler's art or the artifacts in the CBMM collection.  It is to report what I've discovered in the collections and through my correspondence with Ed, and to make these discoveries available to a wider audience.

Thieler's research and planning notes contain many details about the history and use of the specific vessel and others of its type.  He interviewed many watermen who used these boats themselves, or whose fathers did.  He asked them about rigging, sailing, tools, and color schemes.  Thieler's models are historically accurate in the smallest detail - the result of his careful research.  I've provided links to dozens of large format images if his models, their construction and completed forms, and his lofting and scaling plans.  A closeup look at these photos reveals construction methods and materials for building the model or a full-size version of this historic sailing workboat design.

Text and photos are published here with permission from CBMM and Ed Thieler.

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The Crabbing Bateaux

In my compendium of Chesapeake Bay crabbing bateaux, I introduced the bateau cruiser Blue Crab, which was designed by Howard Chapelle on commission and built in 1952.  Blue Crab's lines were adapted from the sailing crab scrapes that were numerous between Tilghman and Tangier Islands until WWII.  Chapelle further modified the Blue Crab design for his own bateau yacht, Sweepstakes, and commissioned James B. "Mr. Jim" Richardson to build it for him in 1964. 

Sweepstakes - The Ed Thieler Model

Large format images of the finished model are here.

Sweepstakes Model Under Construction

Chapelle and Thieler Plans

The collection includes Chapelle's drawings for Blue Crab and Sweepstakes, and Ed Thieler's annotations about construction details and differences between plans and photos of the boats as built.

Historic Photos of Sweepstakes

Large format images of the finished model are here.

Ed Thieler's Research Notes on the Vessel and the Model

History of the Vessel

SWEEPSTAKES 

Howard I. Chapelle’s cruising skipjack. 

LBP = 22’ 1”                BEAM = 7' 10"                     LOA = 29' 3"              DRAFT = 1' 10 ½"     

In 1952 Howard I. Chapelle designed a 22’ skipjack for a client.  A note written on the plans by HIC states that BLUE CRAB was built by “Hartge, in Galesville, Maryland, in 1952.”  The Hartge Yacht Yard was established in 1865 and continues to be well thought of today. 

Later in 1952 HIC wrote some changes on the plans and redrew them for his own cruising skipjack that he named SWEEPSTAKES.  [For an 1853 clipper ship he had studied and admired.] 

In 1964 James B. "Mr. Jim" Richardson, in Lloyds, (outside of Cambridge) Maryland built SWEEPSTAKES.

Reference and Misc. Notes

1- Howard I. Chapelle plans – Ship Plan List, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution, Maritime Collection.  Washington, DC.  2004 Edition.  Pg. 114: 

      HIC - 306 – Blue Crab - 22’ Bateau Cruiser – lines, offsets, construction at ¾”.  Sail plan at ⅜”. 

      HIC - 307 – Sweepstakes – 22’ Bateau Cruiser based on Blue Crab – at ¾” – with HIC hand written        notes on modifications from Blue Crab. 

Blue Crab was built by Hartge, Galesville, Maryland, in 1952.   

In 1952 HIC modified the plans slightly for his own cruising skipjack, Sweepstakes, built in 1964 by James B. Richardson (1906-1991) in Dorchester County.  

2- Keith, Robert C., ed.  The Jim Richardson Boat Book.  From interviews with James B. Richardson, Master Shipwright of the Chesapeake.  Baltimore, Maryland.  Ocean World Publishing Co., Inc.  1985. 

Keith first visited JBR in 1964 when he was building Sweepstakes for HIC.  Keith returned and interviewed JBR between 1980 and 1984, transcribing and organizing their conversations into this delightful, informative, book.  During some interviews Richardson commented on his friend and neighbor, HIC, and on building Sweepstakes for him. 

3- Miscellaneous comments. 

John Swain – had sailed in boat with HIC – it did not sail well – was a dog. 

James D. Brighton Sr  [ son-in-law of JBR], and Jane Richardson Brighton [daughter of JBR] – 2-8-2016 - JDB worked in the yard with JBR – took care of Sweepstakes and had sailed it – did not sail well.  Both agreed HIC was a person of good humor, pleasant to be around.  Knew of no on-going animosity between the men or their wives.  HIC was considered a bit eccentric in Dorchester County as he drove around in a Karmann-Ghia. 

4- The Meredith family of Dorchester County bought Blue Crab from the Deltaville Museum in early 2016.  They plan to deliver it to Cambridge and use it there.    2524 Key Wallace Dr. Cambridge Md. --  Matt Meredith.  [6-6-2016]  https://blackwateradventuresmd.com

History of the Model

Started lofting 4-7-2015. 

HIC had not completed final drawings – I followed his handwritten changes as best as possible. 

Molds cut 4-17-2015 

Spanish cedar stem and keelson 

Topsides (fir) on and chines and rabbets sanded.  4-29-2015 

Skeg (Sitka spruce from Bruce Beglin) on and bottom (cypress) started 4-30-2015 

Bottom finished 5-6-2015, nailed with Lill pins. 

Wales - Aspen fitted 5-15-2015. 

Deck beams – (Sitka spruce) and carlings (fir) installed 6-2015. 

Covering boards – cypress 6-2015. 

Deck planking, topsides – (fir) 7-4-2015 

Cockpit/cabin floor – flat-sawn white pine.  7-14-2015 

Bulkhead/seats/coaming – white pine.  7-20-2015 

Rudder, Longhead – Sitka spruce. 

Bowsprit, mast, boom – white pine.  7-29-2015   - Stained with Minwax - Early American #230 - 12-15-2015. 

Glues – Titebond II 

Mast hoops – black ash basket making splints. 

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12-7-2015 - have been making small parts, painting, adjusting, etc. 

12-19-2015 - serving on wire is nylon upholstery thread, stained with Minwax - Dark Walnut #2716. 

2-12-2016 – plodding along – lots of tiny details – standing and running rigging, blocks, cleats, trailboards, etc., take a lot of time. 

2-19-2016 - base – white pine frame/1/2"ply platform. 

3-10-2016 - blocking done – black walnut.  

3-26-2016 - tin bucket, anchor, bronze boathook, sledge hammers. 

4-10-2016 - acrylic case done. 

4-16-2016 - Disston saw – maple handle, x-acto saw blade. 

4-17-2016 - chisel – from flat nail and sweetgum handle. 

4-24-2016 - plane – sweetgum body, maple handle and wedge, x-acto blade. 

Bevel gage – sweetgum and x-acto blade. 

4-28-2016 - trailboards (holly) mounted with double-faced tape and three brass pins.  [Original is said to have dice and cards motif – I was unable to satisfactorily create that.] 

5-2-2016 - hammer – flat welding rod. 

5-5-2016 – glasses and hat (tissue paper/Titebond II mache).  Jim Richardson is sitting on a box labeled ISLA and QUINN.  Richardson was fabricated from a Fisher-Price/Mattel doll. 

5-25-2016 – adzes – flat welding rod, sweetgum handles – modeled from CBMM boat shop tools. 

6-6-2016 - case on. 

7-28-2016 – plaque from Full House $15.  [No set up fee - shelly] 

7-2016 - Quinn made tools-toothpick handles in bushel basket. 

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More about CBMM Collections

Items that are not exhibited around the CBMM campus are kept in the Norman & Ellen Plummer Center for Museum Collections.  This is a climate-controlled facility that was expanded and modernized in 2023.

You can search all the collections online here.  Look for the links at lower left to search these collections separately:

• Objects, Photographs, Manuscripts, Ships Plans
• Regional Oral History Database
• Books and Periodicals

See my CBMM Collections Search Tips.

The collections and library are accessible only by appointment.  Email collections@cbmm.org or visit the Library and Research page.

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More about Small Boats

I also write about volunteer work in small boat conservation at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum:  Small Boat Shed Volunteers

And about sail-and-oar cruising in small open boats on the Chesapeake and its tributaries:  Sail+Oar – Chesapeake Log.