An Oyster Dredging Boat Still Sails the Delaware

Skipjacks worked the Chesapeake oyster beds under sail, with shallow hulls and wide booms built for dragging dredges across the bottom. Sigsbee is one of the survivors, kept in sailing condition by the Independence Seaport Museum rather than parked as a static display. The October 22 outing puts members aboard for a working afternoon on the water. Few vessels of this type still leave a dock, and fewer carry passengers.

Crew usually invite guests to help haul lines and set sail rather than sit as spectators. Expect to move around a working deck, duck under a swinging boom, and hold a rail while the hull heels. River traffic on the Delaware keeps the view busy, with tugs, bridges, and the Camden shoreline passing close. Wind decides the route more than any printed itinerary does.

This sail is open to museum members only, and general ticket buyers cannot board. Membership can be bought ahead through the Independence Seaport Museum, which also sets the boarding time and dock location at Penn's Landing. Wear flat shoes with grip and one layer more than the forecast suggests. The river runs colder than the street, and hard weather cancels a sailing without much notice. People who like working boats will get the most from the afternoon.