Explorer

Explorer is a full scale replica of the boat Captain John Smith used to explore and map Chesapeake Bay 1607-1608. The boat was built by the Deltaville Maritime Museum as a community project to help Jamestown celebrate her 400th birthday in 2007. There were no plans or pictures of this boat, just a thumbnail sketch on John Smith's map of the Chesapeake Bay. Research from writing of the day indicated that the shallop.

· Was a knocked-down boat shipped disassembled in the hold of the Susan Constant and reassembled at destination.
· Was 30 feet long and carried about 15 people. From Smith's account, "an open barge of near three tons burden".
· Had a flat bottom open hull, carvel sides, low freeboard, small transom, external rudder.
· Had one, and possibly two, free standing masts with lug rigged sails.
· Had 12 rowing positions (6 per side).

Explorer Statistics
Length 31'
Beam 8'
Draft 22"
Displacement: 2.5 tons
Sail Area: 300 sq. ft.
Hull Material: Eastern white cedar over oak frames.
Mast: Fir
Oars: Pine, 14"
Man hours to build: 1000
Approximate cost to build: $65,000.00.

Project Chairman: Raynell Smith
Designer: Jim Thimsen
Builder: Stefan Auer
Project Manager: Kaptain Krunch
God Mother: Jinks Holton

Explorer
has traveled throughout Chesapeake Bay telling the story of Captain John Smith and what befell his men during their many months of exploration. Our re-enactors make particular note of Captain Smith's near death encounter with a stingray at Stingray Point here in Deltaville.

In addition to relating the history of the first English men to settle in our area, Explorer is an interactive display. Visitors are encouraged to come out and row and sail the Shallop on designated days each month. How can we best know that these early explorer endured except by navigating in their wakes?

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Show me all markers in:  Deltaville, VA  |  Middlesex County  |  23043  |  Virginia  |  United States of America

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