Helena Frye
Oyster buy-boats, also known as deck boats, are wooden vessels that were used to collect oysters from tongers and dredgers. They were around 40-90 feet long and had a large open deck. Buy-boats circulated among harvesters, collecting their catches and delivering them to wholesalers or oyster processing houses. They were also used to buy seed oysters, or spat, for planting in oyster beds. Most buy-boats were built for power but retained a single sail into the 1930s. By 2013, only one buy-boat was still buying oysters on the Chesapeake Bay, but many of these sturdy but largely obsolete wooden vessels remain afloat.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Length | 40-90 feet |
| Material | Wood |
| Features | Large open deck, rear-mounted deck house over the engine, wheel house with three to five windows, galley, head, bunks for the crew |
| Function | Circulated among harvesters collecting their catches, then delivered loads to a wholesaler or oyster processing house |
| History | Saw their heyday in the first half of the 20th century, most retained a single sail into the 1930s, some were converted for power when internal combustion engines became available |
| Current Status | Many are now obsolete, some remain afloat as floating museums or private pleasure craft |
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What You'll Learn
Oyster buy-boats are also known as deck boats
Oyster buy-boats, also known as deck boats, are 40-90 foot long wooden boats with a large open deck. They were used to service oyster tongers and dredgers, collecting their catches and delivering them to wholesalers or oyster processing houses. This allowed the fishermen to spend more time catching oysters.
Buy-boats also bought seed oysters, or spat, for planting in oyster beds. They saw their heyday in the first half of the 20th century, when most oysters from the Chesapeake Bay were harvested by tongers in small flat-bottomed row boats or dredged by sail-powered skipjacks.
Most buy-boats, including those built for power, retained a single sail into the 1930s when engines became more powerful and reliable. Some Chesapeake Bay buy-boats began their lives as sailing vessels that were converted for power when internal combustion engines became available.
By 2013, only one buy-boat, the Delvin K, was still buying oysters on the Chesapeake Bay, but many of these sturdy but largely obsolete wooden vessels remain afloat. Some have been restored and are now used as floating museums or private pleasure craft.
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They are 40-90 feet long
Oyster buy-boats, also known as deck boats, are 40-90 feet long. They are wooden boats with a large open deck that services oyster tongers and dredgers. They circulate among harvesters, collecting their catches and delivering them to wholesalers or oyster processing houses. This allows the fishermen to spend more time catching oysters.
Buy-boats are similar in function to sardine carriers. They have a rear-mounted deck house over the engine that contains the wheelhouse, typically with a rounded front and three to five windows. They also have a galley, a head, and bunks for the crew. Some boats have additional bunks up in the fore-peak for crew members.
Buy-boats saw their heyday in the first half of the 20th century when most oysters from the Chesapeake Bay were harvested by tongers in small flat-bottomed rowboats or dredged by sail-powered skipjacks. Most buyboats, including those built for power, retained a single sail into the 1930s when engines became more powerful and reliable.
Many of these sturdy but largely obsolete wooden vessels remain afloat. Some were adapted for use in the Chesapeake Bay Menhaden fishery during the 1970s and 80s, but they have since been retired. A few are now used as floating museums or private pleasure craft.
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They have a large open deck
A buy-boat, also known as a deck boat, is a 40-90 foot long wooden boat with a large open deck. They are used to service oyster tongers and dredgers, collecting their catches and delivering them to wholesalers or oyster processing houses. This saves the fishermen time and allows them to catch more oysters. Buy-boats also buy seed oysters, or spat, for planting in oyster beds.
Buy-boats have a rear-mounted deck house over the engine that contains the wheelhouse, which typically has a rounded front with three to five windows. They also have a galley, a head, and bunks for the crew. Some boats have additional bunks up in the fore-peak for crew members.
Buy-boats saw their heyday in the first half of the 20th century when most oysters from the Chesapeake Bay were harvested by tongers in small flat-bottomed rowboats or dredged by sail-powered skipjacks. Most buy-boats retained a single sail into the 1930s when engines became more powerful and reliable.
Today, only one buy-boat, the Delvin K, is still buying oysters on the Chesapeake Bay, but many of these sturdy but largely obsolete wooden vessels remain afloat. Some have been adapted for other uses, such as dredging crabs or hauling seed oysters to replenish oyster reefs. Others have been restored and are used as floating museums or private pleasure craft.
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They are similar in function to sardine carriers
Oyster buy-boats, also known as deck boats, are 40-90 foot long wooden boats with a large open deck. They are similar in function to sardine carriers. Oyster buy-boats circulate among oyster harvesters, collecting their catches and delivering them to wholesalers or oyster processing houses. This spares the fishermen the task and its downtime, allowing them to catch more oysters.
Buy-boats also bought seed oysters, or spat, for planting in oyster beds. They saw their heyday in the first half of the 20th century when most oysters from the Chesapeake Bay were harvested by tongers in small flat-bottomed row boats or dredged by sail-powered skipjacks.
Most buy-boats, including those built for power, retained a single sail into the 1930s when engines became more powerful and reliable. By 2013, only one buy-boat, the Delvin K, was still buying oysters on the Chesapeake Bay, but many of these sturdy but largely obsolete wooden vessels remain afloat. Some were used to dredge crabs into the 1980s, but have since been replaced by smaller Chesapeake Bay deadrise workboats.
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They are used to buy and transport oysters
Oyster buy-boats, also known as deck boats, are wooden vessels that are approximately 40-90 feet long and have a large open deck. They are used to buy and transport oysters. They circulate among oyster harvesters, collecting their catches and delivering them to wholesalers or oyster processing houses. This saves the fishermen time and allows them to catch more oysters. Buy-boats also buy seed oysters, or spat, for planting in oyster beds.
Buy-boats saw their heyday in the first half of the 20th century when most oysters from the Chesapeake Bay were harvested by tongers in small flat-bottomed row boats or dredged by sail-powered skipjacks. By 2013, only one buy-boat, the Delvin K, was still buying oysters on the Chesapeake Bay, but many of these sturdy but largely obsolete wooden vessels remain afloat.
Most buy-boats, including those built for power, retained a single sail into the 1930s when engines became more powerful and reliable. Some Chesapeake Bay buy-boats began their lives as sailing vessels that were converted for power when internal combustion engines became available. They typically have a rear-mounted deck house over the engine that contains the wheelhouse, galley, head, and bunks for the crew.
There are annual gatherings in Chesapeake Bay communities such as Urbanna, Virginia, and St. Michaels, Maryland, of restored or partially restored boats currently in use as floating museums and private pleasure craft.
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Frequently asked questions
A buy boat is a wooden boat with a large open deck that circulates among harvesters collecting their catches, then delivers their loads to a wholesaler or oyster processing house.
A buy boat is approximately 40-90 feet long.
A buy boat is larger than a workboat. Buy boats are also known as deck boats.
A buy boat collects oysters, crabs, and seed oysters.
Buy boats are found in the Chesapeake Bay.
