Interspersed among the gold-plated yachts of the Gilded Age were many humble catboats serving as fishing boats, livery craft, and pleasure boats. Here their story is told in well-researched detail with a fine collection of period photographs.

Interest in the catboat is on the increase these days, probably because people have finally discovered just how versatile the craft is. The cat has been around for a long time; its history dates from before 1850, and possibly as far back as the colonial era. At various times the cat has been a workboat, cruising boat, daysailer, and racing boat. Even though its origins are unclear, the catboat has been recognized as one of the true American boats, since it reached the peak of its development on the shores of the northeast United States. Information and references to the catboat are scattered throughout nautical literature--a quick glance at the bibliography of this book will bear that out. But surprisingly enough, this is the first serious attempt to bring together the story of the cat in one book. Many knowledgeable people have contributed to this book. The information and illustrations are primarily the result of the efforts of the members of The Catboat Association, an organization of people who have banded together to preserve the tradition of the catboat. Under the overall editorship of John Leavens, co-secretary and one of the founders of the Association, these writers have analyzed the catboat from its beginnings to the present. Here, then is the story of this distinctive American boat--its development, its career as a racer, its design elements and construction details, including new materials; its restoration, maintenance, and auxiliary power. "There must be a book reviewer somewhere who could perhaps find fault with some aspect of this very fine book, but he'd have to be a landlocked individual who had not the slightest idea what a boat was, and how small craftplayed such an enormous part in the developing traditions of this country, for this is the kind of book that we ought to see more of, for its depth and clarity inspire nonstop reading."--"WoodenBoat Catboat buffs will welcome and enjoy this book, and so will any sailor having a taste for the romantic lines of a classic ship."--"SEA Magazine "A must for fans, and your reviewer could easily become one."--"The Ensign "International Marine and The Catboat Association have combined efforts under John Leavens' guidance to present what will probably stand as the most definitive work on this distinctive craft in our American marine heritage."--"SAIL "The contributions themselves stand individually, much as magazine articles do--one or two on restoring old cats, on powering cats, on catboat racing over the years, on fiberglass, and even on ferro-cement cats. The book is rounded out with a 53-page "album" of catboat photos and plans, including a number of brilliant examples by the great New England photographer, Nathaniel L. Stebbins. A loving and skillful tribute to a class of boat which inspires love in all who encounter it."--"Motorboating & Sailing "

Each boat has a story to tell and this book features nearly forty profiles of classic/uniqu e boats, drawn from articles written for the Westerly Sun newspaper during the summers of 2014 and 2015. Explore not only the histories of the individual vessels, but of their classes and designers, as well as their relationships to the environs in which they sailed, raced, cruised and, in some case, still operate as working vessels. These stories include the fabled history of the cat boat; the first fiberglass sailing yacht; a NY ferry boat repurposed as a houseboat; the oldest working fishing boat in Stonington, CT; racing rivalries in the Sound; the French love affair with American boat designs; and the Jazz Age era of luxury yachting, among others.

Although there were hundreds of catboats on Barnegat Bay in the early 20th century, none were quite like Silent Maid. She was built in 1924 at Bay Head, New Jersey, for Philadelphia businessman Edwin J. Schoettle. Silent Maid's sailing life stretches across eight decades. This book is as much about the people who sailed her and where they came from as it is about the wood, iron, bronze, cordage, and canvas that fleshed out her frames. It was through their lives she moved. With over 470 illustrations, this book recounts how Silent Maid's owners came to shape, nurture, and, ultimately, preserve her . . . and in return, how she influenced their lives.