BARBASHELA 21 Foot Mississippi River Skiff by Captain Thomas P. Leathers

17 Dec 20:

We restored an 1880s Mississippi River Skiff named BARBASHELA back in 2016, her name has come up a lot recently, especially with our friend Webb. Webb knows a thing or two about boats, he's seen a few and spent some time in them, having circumnavigated 6 times. He suggested we post some more on BARBASHELA, a boat that he would like to row. BARBASHELA was designed and built by famous stemaboat Captain Thomas P. Leathers and given to Miss Winnie Davis in Biloxi, Mississippi. She has battled 38 Gulf Coast hurricanes and finally met her match with Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and she lay damaged for 10 years before we wandered by to chat with her in 2016.

A volunteer at the Beauvoir Museum contacted us in the Summer of 2015, he followed our blog and wondered if we had any suggestions on how to preserve BARBASHELA. He sent these photos.

We saw a lot of spirit in that chaos, planks, a few seats, transom bits, risers, most of her bottom. We advised the volunteer to check with a couple of bigger businesses and museums we knew that handled wooden boats, and went back to our projects. 

January 2016 rolled around and we were down to one project, the Penobscot build, and we usually like to have 2. Skipper asked me "what ever happened to that little boat" so I called to check on her. We were told that most folks they talked to had said she couldn't be repaired, but maybe a replica could be made if she was taken apart to get her lines. We offered to swing by and look at her and see for ourselves. Skipper held down the fort and I went to Biloxi with Capn Jack and Skipper's Mom, who immediately offered up that "They can fix her." Very nice of her to have that confidence in us :)

I took some photos and showed them to Skipper, who also believed that she could be repaired. I believed as well, but wasn't sure who they thought would do the work! Turns out we all did the work, with generous telephone assistance from seasoned veterans of the wooden boat restoration world, Ross Gannon, Nat Benjamin, Graham McKay and Maynard Bray. Another invaluable resource was Gulf Coast maritime historian Russell Barnes, he had actually seen BARBASHELA many times in Biloxi and taken some measurements circa 2000, which we were able to reference.

Capn Jack, the Commodore and Skipper ready for Sea Trials. Oct 2016

Skipper's first look, she told the Museum Staff that we would row her again. 

First few pieces.

Back Home.

A few of BARBASHELA's friends, WINNIE and ST. JACQUES.

1921.

Leathers 21 River Skiff BARBASHELA 08 Jul 19 Air Conditioned

08 Jul 19:

The folks at Beauvoir posted some nice pictures of BARBASHELA in her new air climate controlled home. Built in 1880, she was the pride and joy of Miss Winnie Davis and has since been a centerpiece of the Museum's collection. She is one of only a few personal belongings of the Davis family that survived post war ravages, and then Hurricane Katrina. She is also one of the oldest surviving small boats in America, predated by only a few craft. Once again she is available to entertain the visitors to the Museum, take a visit and ring the bell.

We'd like to thank everyone again who helped with technical advice and lended a hand for lifting, and to those who kindly donated funds to the cause. We are honored to have been entrusted with her care and restoration, and are excited as she turns the page to her newest chapter.

Ship Plans Smithsonian 17 Oct 17

17 Oct 17:

Sent off a copy of Barbashela's Restoration Report to the Smithsonian Ship Plans department. They are housed in the National Museum of American History and maintain an archive of ship plans. They will add the report, which includes line drawings and a Table of Offsets, to the archive.

Copies of Barbashela's Restoration Report may be purchased on Amazon.