Elf, racing yacht
Elf is a sailing yacht built in 1888 and now housed at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in Maryland, listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The boat was constructed by the renowned George Lawley & Son shipyard in Boston and features a high-gaff topsail cutter design with an impressive main sail covering over 1,400 square feet and a hull length of about 35 feet.
The vessel was built in 1888 for yacht enthusiast William H. Wilkinson and was originally designed for racing. Restoration work began in 1991 under the Classic Yacht Restoration Guild and was completed in 2008 with a test sail, proving the ship's ability to perform under historic sailing conditions.
The name Elf reflects the playful tradition of yacht naming among wealthy sailors of the late 1800s. The boat embodies the leisure culture of an era when sailing represented both wealth and a deep connection to the water.
The boat can be viewed at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, where it is carefully maintained and displayed for visitors. Visit during clear weather to fully appreciate the wooden construction and sailing features.
Sixteen different types of wood were used during restoration, including black locust and mahogany for strength and cedar and spruce for lightness. This careful selection of materials shows how 19th-century craftspeople created durable boats by combining different wood properties.
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