Chesapeake Bay Pungy

Chesapeake Bay Builders Pre-War 1840-1920 $50,000-$200,000 (rare survivors)

Why it matters

The pungy was the thoroughbred of the Chesapeake oystering fleet. Faster than skipjacks, they were built to get the catch to market first. The distinctive clipper bow and raked stern made them recognizable across the bay. They worked the deep-water oyster bars that skipjacks couldn't reach.

Specifications

Hull Material White oak frames, cedar or pine planking
Length 55-75 ft
Beam 16-20 ft
Draft 6-8 ft
Weight 40,000-80,000 lbs
Engine Originally sail only, survivors may have auxiliary
Engine Type sail
Horsepower N/A
Passengers 10
Production Several hundred built, fewer than 10 survive

Notable Features

  • Sharp clipper bow
  • Pink stern (narrow, raked)
  • Deep draft for bay vessel
  • Oyster dredging under sail

Patina notes

The handful of surviving pungies carry a century and a half of Chesapeake history in their timbers. The Lady Maryland is the most famous — a reproduction that serves as a floating classroom. Original pungies in private hands are national treasures, each plank a story.

Preservation reality

Pungies are effectively extinct as working vessels. The few survivors are museum pieces or heavily restored replicas. The Lady Maryland, built in 1986 in the traditional manner, sails as an educational vessel. Buying an original pungy means buying a major restoration project.

Clubs

  • Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum
  • Living Classrooms Foundation

Events

  • Great Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race
  • Downrigging Weekend

Sources