Lewes was a shipbuilding town. From the 1600s until the mid 1800s, hundreds of vessels of all sizes were built on Lewes Creek. Join The Lewes Historical Society as we rekindle this art in Lewes as part of Family Boat Building Weekend over Fathers’ Day Weekend June 19-21.
Come support participating groups and families as they build shallow draft wooden boats called Bevin’s Skiffs, with help from The Lewes Historical Society’s Volunteer Wooden Boat Crew in front of the Lewes Life-Saving Station on the Lewes-Rehoboth Canal. At roughly 12ft long, these wooden boats are great for fishing and recreation on calm waters. The Bevin’s Skiff was created to be a teaching vessel, designed to be constructed by beginning builders, and is a perfect introductory boat for families.
After construction, the groups will launch their new handmade Bevin’s Skiffs at the Lewes Canalfront Park on Sunday around 1:00pm. Come cheer them on as they watch their boats stay afloat!
All weekend, raffle tickets will be sold for a chance at a Bevin’s Skiff, currently under construction by The Lewes Historical Society’s Wooden Boat Crew. The final drawing, for the completed boat, will be held at noon after the Historic Lewes Farmers Market on Saturday, September 26- also Smithsonian Museum Day Live.
The Lewes Historical Society would like to thank the following sponsors: Delaware Bay and Pilot's Association, Wooden Boat Crew Oarsmen, Old World Breads, Surf Bagel, and West Marine. Special thanks to all the wonderful volunteers that are a part of The Lewes Historical Society’s Wooden Boat Crew.
Stay tuned to www.HistoricLewes.org for information on how to register your group to participate in the 2016; space is limited. For more information on The Lewes Historical Society, contact 302-645-7670 or www.HistoricLewes.org.