S.s.s. Lotus
Encyclopedia
The S.S.S. Lotus is a historic gaff rigged schooner
located at Sodus Point
in Wayne County, New York
and is operated and maintained by Sea Scout
Ship 303 of Webster, New York
.
. Designed by the naval architect William Hand Jr.
in 1916, and christened with the name of Miss Gloucester, she was designed as a pleasure yacht
for sailing on the Great Lakes
.
As Miss Gloucester, she was commissioned by Thomas B. Van Dorn, to be the Van Dorn family yacht. The Van Dorn family sailed her on Lake Erie
and perhaps Lake Huron
.
In 1922, the ship was sold to Steven Comstock of Newark, NY. He moved the ship to Sodus Bay
, on Lake Ontario
, and renamed her Lotus, after the wild that grew in the bay.
Lotus was sold again in 1938, to Dick Todd and Ken Cooley. They renamed her again, this time to Dickens, a combination of their first names.
In 1943, Ezra Hale and his partners bought the ship and changed her name back to Lotus. Ezra Hale and John Trahey donated Lotus to the Otetiana Council of the Boy Scouts of America
in 1971, specifying that Sea Explorer Ship (now Sea Scout Ship) 303 be the ones to use it. The Sea Explorer Ship 303 had begun in 1965, and used a variety of power cruisers before the Lotus was donated.
Unfortunately, it was difficult to keep up with the required maintenance and by 1991 Lotus needed serious restoration. With the support of sponsors the Webster Kiwanis
, the money was raised for a restoration, soliciting donations from individuals and corporations. A matching funds grant was also received from New York state, which brought the total amount of money raised to $150,000.
Lotus was trucked to Rivendell Marine, in Rhode Island
, in 1991. The refit was complete in 1993, and should see Lotus well into her 100th year.
Ship 303 around all of Lake Ontario
. Lotus visits many harbor festivals, and reenactments each year including Alexandria Bay Pirate Week, Oswego
Harborfest, and reenactments in Sacketts Harbor.
Lotus has also participated several times in Operation Sail
.
Schooner
A schooner is a type of sailing vessel characterized by the use of fore-and-aft sails on two or more masts with the forward mast being no taller than the rear masts....
located at Sodus Point
Sodus Point, New York
Sodus Point is a village in Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 1,160 at the 2000 census. The name is derived from a nearby body of water, Sodus Bay. It is considered within the larger Rochester metropolitan area....
in Wayne County, New York
Wayne County, New York
Wayne County is a county located in the US state of New York. It is part of the Rochester, New York Metropolitan Statistical Area and lies on the south shore of Lake Ontario, forming part of the northern border of the United States with Canada. The name honors General Anthony Wayne, an American...
and is operated and maintained by Sea Scout
Sea Scout
Sea Scouts are members of the international Scouting movement, with a particular emphasis on water-based activities, such as kayaking, canoeing, sailing, and rowing. Depending on the country and the available water these activities are on lakes, rivers or sea in small or large ships. Sea Scouting...
Ship 303 of Webster, New York
Webster, New York
Webster may refer to two municipalities in Monroe County, New York in the United States:*Webster , New York*Webster , New York, located entirely within the town...
.
History of the Lotus
The keel on Lotus was laid down in 1917 and the boat was completed in 1918, in Rocky River, OhioRocky River, Ohio
Rocky River is an affluent western suburb of Cleveland, Ohio, United States located in Cuyahoga County approximately nine miles west of Public Square in downtown Cleveland. The city is named for the river that forms its eastern border...
. Designed by the naval architect William Hand Jr.
William Hand
William H. Hand, Jr. has been described as one of the most prolific yacht designers of the 20th century with an exceptionally good eye for handsome boats. Hand’s career began around 1900 with small sailboats, but soon shifted to V-bottomed powerboats...
in 1916, and christened with the name of Miss Gloucester, she was designed as a pleasure yacht
Yacht
A yacht is a recreational boat or ship. The term originated from the Dutch Jacht meaning "hunt". It was originally defined as a light fast sailing vessel used by the Dutch navy to pursue pirates and other transgressors around and into the shallow waters of the Low Countries...
for sailing on the Great Lakes
Great Lakes
The Great Lakes are a collection of freshwater lakes located in northeastern North America, on the Canada – United States border. Consisting of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total surface, coming in second by volume...
.
As Miss Gloucester, she was commissioned by Thomas B. Van Dorn, to be the Van Dorn family yacht. The Van Dorn family sailed her on Lake Erie
Lake Erie
Lake Erie is the fourth largest lake of the five Great Lakes in North America, and the tenth largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has the shortest average water residence time. It is bounded on the north by the...
and perhaps Lake Huron
Lake Huron
Lake Huron is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. Hydrologically, it comprises the larger portion of Lake Michigan-Huron. It is bounded on the east by the Canadian province of Ontario and on the west by the state of Michigan in the United States...
.
In 1922, the ship was sold to Steven Comstock of Newark, NY. He moved the ship to Sodus Bay
Sodus Bay
Sodus Bay is a bay on the south shore of Lake Ontario, one of the Great Lakes. Sodus Bay is located in Wayne County, New York, USA. Most of the bay is in the Town of Huron, but the western part is in the Town of Sodus....
, on Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario, and on the south by the American state of New York. Ontario, Canada's most populous province, was named for the lake. In the Wyandot language, ontarío means...
, and renamed her Lotus, after the wild that grew in the bay.
Lotus was sold again in 1938, to Dick Todd and Ken Cooley. They renamed her again, this time to Dickens, a combination of their first names.
In 1943, Ezra Hale and his partners bought the ship and changed her name back to Lotus. Ezra Hale and John Trahey donated Lotus to the Otetiana Council of the Boy Scouts of America
Boy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with over 4.5 million youth members in its age-related divisions...
in 1971, specifying that Sea Explorer Ship (now Sea Scout Ship) 303 be the ones to use it. The Sea Explorer Ship 303 had begun in 1965, and used a variety of power cruisers before the Lotus was donated.
Unfortunately, it was difficult to keep up with the required maintenance and by 1991 Lotus needed serious restoration. With the support of sponsors the Webster Kiwanis
Kiwanis
Kiwanis International is an international, coeducational service club founded in 1915. It is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. Current membership is 240,000 members in 7,700 clubs in 80 nations...
, the money was raised for a restoration, soliciting donations from individuals and corporations. A matching funds grant was also received from New York state, which brought the total amount of money raised to $150,000.
Lotus was trucked to Rivendell Marine, in Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
, in 1991. The refit was complete in 1993, and should see Lotus well into her 100th year.
Present
Lotus is sailed each summer by members of Sea ScoutSea Scout
Sea Scouts are members of the international Scouting movement, with a particular emphasis on water-based activities, such as kayaking, canoeing, sailing, and rowing. Depending on the country and the available water these activities are on lakes, rivers or sea in small or large ships. Sea Scouting...
Ship 303 around all of Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario, and on the south by the American state of New York. Ontario, Canada's most populous province, was named for the lake. In the Wyandot language, ontarío means...
. Lotus visits many harbor festivals, and reenactments each year including Alexandria Bay Pirate Week, Oswego
Oswego
Oswego is a word from the Iroquois language, meaning "The Outpouring". The word may refer to:-Place names:In the United States:*Oswego, Illinois, a village in Kendall County*Oswego, Indiana, an unincorporated place in Kosciusko County...
Harborfest, and reenactments in Sacketts Harbor.
Lotus has also participated several times in Operation Sail
Operation Sail
Operation Sail refers to a series of sailing events held to celebrate special occasions and features sailing vessels from around the world. Each event is coordinated by Operation Sail, Inc., a non-profit organization established in 1961 by President John F. Kennedy and must be approved by the...
.
Dimensions
- Length : 48 feet (14.6 m) on deck, 60 feet (18.3 m) from the tip of the bowsprit to the end of the main boom
- Beam : 12 feet (3.7 m), 3 inches
- Draft : 4 feet (1.2 m), 9 inches
- Weight : 16 tons (approximate)
- Total Sail Area : 950 square feet (88.3 m²)
Engine
- YanmarYanmaris a Japanese diesel engine manufacturer with more than 90 years of history. The engines are used in a wide range of applications, including seagoing vessels, construction equipment, agricultural equipment and generator sets.-Company description:...
88 hp four cylinder, turbo-charged diesel with sealed heat exchange
Materials
- Masts : Sitka SpruceSitka SprucePicea sitchensis, the Sitka Spruce, is a large coniferous evergreen tree growing to 50–70 m tall, exceptionally to 95 m tall, and with a trunk diameter of up to 5 m, exceptionally to 6–7 m diameter...
- Frames : OakOakAn oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
- Original Hull Planking: Long-leaf Yellow PinePinePines are trees in the genus Pinus ,in the family Pinaceae. They make up the monotypic subfamily Pinoideae. There are about 115 species of pine, although different authorities accept between 105 and 125 species.-Etymology:...
- Replacement Hull Planking: MahoganyMahoganyThe name mahogany is used when referring to numerous varieties of dark-colored hardwood. It is a native American word originally used for the wood of the species Swietenia mahagoni, known as West Indian or Cuban mahogany....
- Main Deck : Vertical-grain Douglas Fir
- Cockpit Deck : Long-leaf Yellow PinePinePines are trees in the genus Pinus ,in the family Pinaceae. They make up the monotypic subfamily Pinoideae. There are about 115 species of pine, although different authorities accept between 105 and 125 species.-Etymology:...
- Original Cabin tops : Canvas
