Researching Raritan River Watercraft

A group of volunteers who live in towns along the Raritan River in New Jersey is creating a hub for wooden boat building, local maritime history, and environmental stewardship. They have made exciting progress by partnering with the town of Highland Park to secure a building to work in, right down the street from the river, in a mechanic's shop that has been vacant for years.

While I am living hundreds of miles away from them in Maine, I am helping how I can by doing some research on the types of watercraft historically used on the Raritan River and the Delaware and Raritan Canal. This will help us determine what types of small boats to build that will best raise awareness about local maritime history, as well as show how local conditions and uses influence the design of small boats.