Building a Virgin Islands (BVI & USVI) Sloop: The Story of Sea Moon

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Anegada Necker Island Moskito Island

Guana Island

Jost Van Dyke

Little Jost Van Dyke

Great Tobago

Virgin Gorda

Scrub Island

Sandy Spit Sandy Cay

Little Tobago

Beef Island

Great Thatch Little Thatch

Frenchmans Cay

Pelican Island

Fallen Jerusalem

Ginger Island Dead Chest Salt Island Peter Island

Norman Island

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The Dogs

Great Camanoe

Tortola

Eustasia Island

Cooper Island

Keel Point Walkover Set Bay

Where Sea Moon was built

Jack Bay Point

Loblolly Bay

Westend Point

Table Bay

The

Pomato Point

Setting Point

Where Sea Moon was Launched

Settlement Lower Bay

White Bay

East Point

Story and photos by

Geoffrey Brooks

Paintings by

Lutia “Tai” Durante

Published by

www.alookingglass.com

I am grateful for the assistance of two of my history honour students, Ms.Tiffany George and Ms.Claire Demming, for their help in preparation of the original Powerpoint presentation which formed the basis of this book.

I would like to thank Master Shipwright, Mr. Watson White, whose shared knowledge, instruction, patience and friendship made this book possible.

—Geoffrey Brooks

Building a Virgin Islands Sloop: The Story of Sea Moon

First Edition First Printing 2013

ISBN: 978-0-9569697-3-6

Catalog-in-Publication Data

aLookingGlass © 2013. All Rights Reserved

Written by Geoffrey H. Brooks

No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system without written permission.

Edited by Traci O’Dea and Dan O’Connor

Inquiries should be addressed to aLookingGlass Ltd. PO Box 3895 Sea Cows Bay, Tortola British Virgin Islands VG1110 www.alookingglass.com

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Photography by Geoffrey H. Brooks and Dan O’ Connor (p.37).

Paintings by Lutia “Tai” Durante Cover design by Scott Taylor, aLookingGlass Cover painting by Lutia “Tai” Durante Graphic design by Scott Taylor, aLookingGlass Art Direction by Nick Cunha, aLookingGlass Published by aLG Books, aLookingGlass.

Printed in China

Building a Virgin Islands Sloop: The Story of Sea Moon brings back memories.

It is a tale that reflects the legacy of boat building in the territory and how our forefathers used the resources available to build boats that once played an important part in our transportation system.

Traditionally, a sloop was used to transport goods between the British Virgin Islands, United States Virgin Islands and other Caribbean islands. However, with the introduction of steel barges, the use of sloops declined.

I am pleased that every year, during the festivities, the memory of sloop sailing is relived through the Great Festival Sloop Shoot Out competition. Three sloops would compete: The Sea Moon sailed by the Premier of the British Virgin Islands; Moonbeam by His Excellency the Governor and Youth Instructor by personnel from the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College.

The reader will enjoy the story as written by Geoffrey Brooks, a curator, with illustrations by Lutia Durante, an artist. It captures a moment in history as a sloop was being built and is an exceptional educational tool to help the youth of the territory better understand and appreciate their maritime heritage.

As you read, I trust that you would be inspired and that discussions are generated about sloop building so that together we can keep the tradition alive in these modern times and for generations to come.

Do enjoy.

D. Orlando Smith, OBE Premier of the British Virgin Islands

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It is with utmost delight that I pen these words

to congratulate Mr. Geoffrey Brooks for writing the children’s book entitled, Building a Virgin Islands Sloop: The Story of Sea Moon.

Through its pages, we learn of Mr. Watson White, a local Virgin Islands boat builder, who constructs a traditional Virgin Islands sloop, using skill and knowledge gained from generations past. The colourful illustrations, with clear, concise prose make it an informative, interesting read for young and old alike.

The rich Virgin Islands boatbuilding legacy is a tradition deeply encapsulated in our history and culture. It is heartwarming to know that through this book, cultural aspects that are uniquely ours will be preserved and transmitted to generations present and those yet to come.

I commend Mr. Brooks, for keeping elements of the Virgin Islands cultural past alive and strong. In various capacities, he serves as a beacon of our maritime culture as he is the organiser of the annual Great Festival Sloop Shoot-Out race, the curator of the Virgin Islands Maritime Museum and now, a local author.

I implore readers to plunge into this book and access some of our history, culture and heritage.

Myron V. Walwyn Minister of Education and Culture

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I am pleased to write this message in support of the book, Building

a Virgin Islands Sloop: The Story of Sea Moon. Through Mr. Watson White’s narrative, this book is written for children on how to build a Virgin Islands sloop.

Craftily authored by Geoffrey Brooks and fantastically illustrated by Lutia Durante,

this book is a must read. Congratulations are warmly extended to Mr. Brooks for a job well done.

The Virgin Islands Sloop or the Tortola Boat is the pride and joy of the Virgin Islands.

It is the only boat design of its kind in the world. The onus is therefore on this generation and the one before to ensure that this traditional boat building history is safeguarded, preserved and passed on to the next generation and the generations to come.

I take the liberty of encouraging every household in the territory to obtain a copy.

Luce Hodge Director of Department of Culture

Seamanship and innovative boat-building are enshrined in the history and culture of the Virgin Islands.

The efforts by Geoffrey Brooks, curator of the BVI Maritime Museum and lecturer at H. Lavity Stoutt Community College, to keep this aspect of Virgin Islands life alive, epitomized by this excellent, user-friendly publication, should be applauded and enjoyed for to come.

This work is consistent with the work of our institution to capture the essence of Virgin Islanders and the contributions they have made to the world.

Karl Dawson President, H. L. Stoutt Community College

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Before the Virgin Islands was the modern territory it is today, people traveled on horseback and donkey but mainly by boat. There were hardly any roads and very few cars.

Boats and boat building were the mainstay of the economy. Cattle, ground provisions and charcoal were produced and traded with other islands all over the Caribbean and transported by boat. People were transported to school, to the doctor or to work by boat. Boats were built all over the Virgin Islands and the types of boats built were unique in their design and different from any others. These boats were known far and wide as the “Tortola Boat” or the “Virgin Islands Sloop.”

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PARTS OF THE SLOOP

2

4 5 8

9 7 12

6 3

10 1

MAST

RUDDER 2: 3:TILLER 4:MAINSAIL 5:FORESTAY 7:KEEL 6: 9: BOW 8:SHROUDS 1:

BOOM

STERN

10:

13

JIB SHEET

1: 2:PARTNERS

MAST STEP 4:FORESTAY 3:

MAST

FLOORS 6: 7:KEEL 8:TRANSOM

5:

14

1

4 2 3

5

6 8

7 15

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This is Mr. Watson White.

He’s building a boat but not just any boat, it’s a Tortola Boat or Virgin Islands Sloop— the traditional boat of the Virgin Islands.

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