Biloxi Schooners Will Sail Again! by Terese Peresich Collins and Val Hosley, PhD. For a time they seemed an extinct type, but a new Biloxi schooner is to be launched in November, and a race of two of Biloxi's "White Winged Queens" is now scheduled for 1988-the first such race in over fifty years . The schooners reflect the heritage and the unique coastal environment found along the north-central shore of the Gulf of Mexico--Mississippi 's south coast. This is one of the most fertile estuarine areas in the world, and the wealth of marine life in the shallow waters of the Mississippi Sound attracted settlers to the region from the late seventeenth century onward. Here they developed unique watercraft capable of harvesting the bounty of shrimp, oysters and crab from the shoals. By the late 1800s, the most popular vessel in use was the Biloxi schooner, in which local fishermen plied the waters of the Mississippi Sound and adjacent Louisiana marshes south and east of New Orleans. With its shallow draft, broad beam and great sail area, the peculiar design of the Biloxi schooner allowed it to dredge oysters in less than six feet of water and to virtually fly back to Biloxi factories with tremendous loads. During the summer off-season these sc~ooners had another job--they raced. Weekends found the factory-owned vessels engaged in fierce competition as they vied for a coveted trophy and whatever side-bets the crews could muster. These races were equal in excitement to and as competitive as America's Cup races today. Thousands lined the shore to watch these events. Each vessel carried from thirty to forty crew members during a race, the majority as human ballast. But man's passion for progress, specifically the coming of the gasoline engine, brought an end to the schooners . When oyster harvesting laws were changed in the early 1930s to allow harvesting by motor-powered vessels , the final gun was fired for the schooners. The last race was held in 1933 . The fond memories that coast residents had of these beautiful vessels persisted, however. A popular coffee-shop topic for years centered on reviving the construction and racing of the schooners. The Biloxi Schooners Project was launched by Gerald Blessey, Mayor of Biloxi, at the grand opening of the Seafood Industry Museum in March 1986, when he announced the construction of two vessels to revive the great tradition of Biloxi schooner racing. A few months later, the dreams of many approached reality , as the Museum signed a contract for the construction of a Biloxi schooner featuring traditional design and rigging, including sawn SEA HISTORY, AUTUMN 1987
The Julia Delacruz in light
airs.
cypress frames, pine keel, carved bowsprit and clipper bow. This schooner , the first of the two, is nearing completion and is scheduled to be launched in November by master boatbuilder William Holland. Construction of the second hull will then begin at the hands of Neillious Covacevich, with completion scheduled in time for the schooners to race each other in the fall of 1988 . Money for constructing and outfitting the two vessels comes from donations from citizens , businesses , civic groups , and a variety of Museum-sponsored fundraising events. Heading the fundraising effort is Mayor Blessey assisted by a number of local schooner enthusiasts , Museum board members and volunteers. Several fundraising events have been held , and are planned. The tall ship Elissa is expected to visit Biloxi on the launch of the first of the two schooners, and the National Maritime Historical Society will sponsor a reception for the historic occasion . Two local world-class yachtsmen, G.
Shelby "Buddy" Friedrichs and Gene Walet, will sail the vessels in their initial drive next year , and each is active in helping to raise interest in and funding for the project. Once launched and operational, the Seafood Industry Museum's schooners will be available for charters, educational field trips, sai l training and civic activities. The newly opened 300-slip Point Cadet Marina located on Biloxi's eastern tip will be home port forthe schooners. While many people in the United States think that wooden boatbuilding exists primarily on the East and West coasts, the construction of the two Biloxi schooners bears witness that the nation's third coast, the Gulf Coast, also has a great maritime heritage and that it is very much alive in Biloxi, Mississippi, a community which traces its maritime heritage back to 1699. .t Terese Collins is a research and development specialist for the Point Cadet Development Corporation . Val Hulsey is Director of Museums for the City of Biloxi.
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