Friendship Sloops were mostly built around Muscongus Bay on the Maine coast in the late 1800’s. They are a very heavy boat with a wide beam. This is because they were originally designed for lobstering and fishing. Imagine hauling lobster traps with a sailboat!

It is a sailboat that needs a lot of wind and a lot of sail. Many of the old boats have been restored and some were built new. A Friendship Sloop Society has been formed. Although it would not be my choice for a sailboat, on a windy day it is one of the prettiest boats on the water.

This was taken during one of the races on Friendship Sloop Days in Rockland Harbor in 2011. I put the pair together last evening. Sorry I did not get all of the sails, but as with most of my oc ean shots, I was sailing too….just not on a Friendship Sloop.

For more information: http://www.fss.org/slphist.htm