Here is a fascinating and unique look at the history of the “scow schooners” of the San Francisco Bay. These were specially modified sail boats that provided a necessary lifeline in the Bay area from the last half of the nineteenth century into the opening decades of the twentieth. Olmsted combines an interesting text with a wealth of rare photographs. He acquaints his reader with their design, their commerce, the waters on which they sailed, and the lifestyle of the men who manned them. Olmsted’s research included first-hand interviews with surviving members of the crews who sailed in these ships, creating an intriguing history of a time now gone.

In describing the history of the “scow schooner”…an ugly barge-like craft with the aesthetically appealing lines of the much more graceful sailing vessel…it’s a work that will find a warm place in the hearts of anyone who loves tales of sailing vessels and their hardy crews. — Scale Ship Modeler

Roger M. Olmsted established himself as a maritime scholar in the 1950s, becoming curator of the San Francisco Maritime Museum in 1957. Under his direction the historic ships were restored at Hyde Street Pier.

pp. x, 102 #030822