Ida May replica takes to harbor

The Ida May will soon be trawling the waters of Oyster Bay for the first time in decades. After 12 years of painstaking fundraising, design work and construction, a recreation of one of history’s first engine-powered oyster dredges has finally been completed, and was launched on Wednesday morning.

The original Ida May was built in 1925 by the Bayville company Frank M. Flower & Sons, and worked in the area for 75 years before being decommissioned because of its advanced age. The rotting ship was donated to Oyster Bay’s WaterFront Center by Flower & Sons in 2003, with the goal of fixing it so it could be used for educational purposes, but as it turned out, it was beyond repair.

In 2009, the Christeen Oyster Sloop Preservation Corporation, which had previously restored another historic oyster boat called the Christeen, began working with local elected leaders to raise money to reconstruct the Ida May as well. Working with a group of roughly 70 volunteers and several professional shipwrights, the group used schematics of the Ida May to painstakingly recreate the ship, relying mostly on traditional boat-building practices.

Roughly 100 people of all ages — volunteers, shipwrights and their families, local elected leaders and representatives of civic and environmental organizations — crowded the docks in Oyster Bay to see the Ida May re-enter the water. Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino commended the work of the volunteers and shipwrights, and noted the historic significance of the vessel.

“She was the first engine-powered oyster dredge of her time, so she was the first, a trailblazer, breaking ground — and water — and showing the rest of the country how to do it,” Saladino said. “Isn’t that what Oyster Bay is all about?” 

George Lindsay, president of the Christeen Corporation, thanked the community for supporting the project. Lindsay explained that when the state, county and town rallied to save the western waterfront 25 years ago, when it was in a state of disrepair, one of the goals was to highlight and preserve the area’s history. Now, with the completion of the Ida May project, they have taken another step toward fulfilling that goal. 

Lindsay also highlighted how the work was done locally, at Building J in the WaterFront Center, showcasing traditional boatbuilding. 

“This is a great day for us, this is a great day for the town, and it’s a great day for the Ida May,” Lindsay proclaimed. “Over 70 people have put in nearly 35,000 hours to help build this boat. It’s been a real learning process for many of us, a lot of hard work, but a wonderful fellowship, and we look forward to continuing the boat-building tradition right over here in Building J.”

Before the Ida May took to the water, Lindsey Echausse, a granddaughter of volunteer Bill Gyves, read a poem. Then the Rev. Mary Beth Mills-Curran, the curate of St. John’s Church in Cold Spring Harbor, performed the traditional blessing of the vessel.

Most important was the breaking of a bottle of champagne — or in this case, whiskey — on the boat’s hull for good luck. Ann Smith and Jennifer Laughlin, the widow and daughter, respectively, of the late Christeen Corporation founder Clint Smith, smashed the bottle with two firm swings.

The vessel was then slowly pushed into the water on the back of a trailer, while “My Mother Told Me,” a popular shanty song from the show “Vikings,” played. Waiting for its sister ship in the harbor, the Christeen fired blanks from a small cannon to celebrate the momentous event.

Although the Ida May moved only partway down the dock — in the interest of making sure there are no leaks or other issues — it will soon carry visitors, educating them on the maritime history and ecology of Oyster Bay. Its operations will be managed by the WaterFront Center. Lindsay and the other members of the corporation said they looked forward to the next restoration project, whatever it may be.