Traditional Small Craft
of New Jersey and the Delaware River Basin

Click here to visit the Traditional Small Craft Association's website: TSCA.net
TraditionalSmallCraft.com is not associated with TSCA.net

Tuckup Wildwood NJ Postcard 1800's
1800's Postcard: Tuckup in Wildwood NJ

New Jersey, better known for its high taxes, corrupt politicians and scenic views of oil refineries along the turnpike, gets no respect. The professional football teams still call themselves New York and even the state university shuns the New Jersey name. While it may be the butt of late night comics' jokes, those of us who live here and are into boating know that it and the Delaware River Basin have a rich heritage of beautiful and unique small sailing and rowing craft.

What other area can claim designs as diverse as the racy and challenging Delaware River Tuckup, the graceful Melonseed, the sleek, double ended Rail Bird Skiff and Delaware Ducker, Garveys and the numerous variations of Sneakboxes and Jersey Beach Skiffs to name a few? The skinny local waters, combined with the hunting and fishing needs and some skilled and imaginative boat builders have left us with a wonderful legacy of small boats to sail, to build, and to dream about.

Photo: Andy Slavinskas

MASCF 2009
Photo: Barry Long

The purpose of this website is primarily to provide a resource for those interested in building these boats. It can serve as a "Wikipedia" for boats of this region, with inputs from those that have built and sailed them. Under the Design tab each design or model will have its own page and then link to pages contributed by builders of that particular model. The Melonseed page has a growing list of boats both built and being built. Under Articles, there will be, well, articles related to building and sailing them. Realizing that all neat old boats aren't from here there is a From Away tab that will take you to building sites of boats that don't have this local heritage but potential builders might find useful.

If you have built or sailed any of these boats and would like to contribute, send your material to . If you have your own website or blog provide the linking information or if not we can add a page for you to describe your project. Please edit your text, to include building experience and techniques, materials, time and if you dare kept track, dollars invested. Also include any of your or copyright free photos and text with credits if applicable.

This project is, and will always be, a work in progress. You can help it evolve by submitting material. Suggestions, inputs, thoughts and edits are encouraged and should be sent to us at . The TraditionalSmallCraft.com site was developed, and is supported, entirely by volunteers who are more than slightly smitten by these great little boats.


Contributors

Steve Brookman - Webmaster
Mike Wick - Delaware River TSCA
Paul Gartside - Paul Gartside Ltd.
Reuel Parker - Parker Marine
Dave Lucas - Lucas Boatworks and Happy Hour Club