We were at Reed's Creek just off the Chester River when this skipjack came in for the night. There was barely enough wind to fill her sails. We do not know much about her other than she is the sailing vessel Barbara Batchelder out of Delaware. If you know of this boat, please leave a brief description of the boat in our comment section.
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BARBARA BATCHELDER
The mystery skipjack, noted in your blog of 7-6-10, was built in 1956 as a pleasure boat for a 36 year-old engineer, by Bronza M. Parks in Wingate Maryland. The winter of 1955-56 Mr. Parks built 10 gasoline boats and four skipjacks. Three were 50 ft. working oyster dredges, “Rosie Parks”, “Martha Lewis”, “Lady Katie”, the fourth was 40 ft. ”Barbara Batchelder”. Rosie and Martha were named for the mothers; Katie and Barbara were named for wives. All four skipjacks are still extant.
Mr. Parks died in 1958. His son-in-law, Ralph Ruark, was carpenter foreman and maintained the Barbara Batchelder until his death in 2002. Sometimes Ralph took his family on her for a week’s cruise. In fact, on the occasion of Ralph’s second marriage, the Barbara Batchelder provided a chapel and honeymoon for the happy couple and their children.
Barbara Batchelder was built for a workingman’s weekends and limited vacation. She was designed to sleep twelve young people. Amenities include four double lower bunks, four single upper bunks, two heads and a primitive galley. The only comfortable seating is in lawn chairs on deck. She is easy to sail in good weather, but has absolutely no business in blue water.
Over the past fifty-five years the Barbara Batchelder’s log has filled nineteen volumes. . She has been an effective magnet for attracting children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Now that the owners have reached the ages of 90 and 86, the Barbara Batchelder prefers geriatric sailing in the brown waters of the Chester River.
Thanks anonymous for the insight into the history of the sailing vessel Barbara Batchelder.
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