Man-O-War Cay Boat Building

Coordinates: 26°35′15″N 77°00′25″W / 26.58750°N 77.00694°W / 26.58750; -77.00694

Boat building on Man-O-War Cay in the Bahamas dates back to the 1880s. During the middle of the last century, numerous boat yards – large and small – lined the harbor.

William H. Albury (“Uncle Will”) built some of the largest in his yard where the hardware store and Edwins #2 now stand. When a big boat was under construction, he might employ 15 or 20 men to work on her. Many of these men also had small yards where they built smaller boats – "Abaco Dinghies" which became the backbone of the fishing and commercial industry of the Bahamas.

In 1960, Edwin Albury started Edwin's Boat Yard. He, Keith Albury and Darvin Sands built boats of varying sizes during the 60s and were joined by Blake Albury in 1969. Edwin expanded in 1976 when he bought out legendary boat builder William H. Albury.

Joe Albury still builds Abaco Dinghies in his yard. And Willard's sons, Don and Jamie, of Albury Brothers Boats build modern center-console and runabout boats in their facility next to the water - thus continuing the tradition.

This page is intended to archive the names of the boat builders and boats built on Man-O-War Cay from the 1800s into the late 1900s.


Boats built on Man-O-War Cay in the 1900s[1]

Boat Name Length (LOD) Date Launched Boat Yard Additional information
Teepee (re Double Eagle) 85 ft. 1947 Delbert Albury 2-masted Schooner, 110' LOA, 33' Beam, 15' Draft, 75' Main Mast
Spinner   1956 Edwin's Boat Yard
Malolo 40 ft. 1965 Edwin's Boat Yard Ketch, 13' Beam, 4'6" Draft, 20 ton Disp.
Barbara W. 40 ft. 1965 Edwin's Boat Yard
Abaco I     Edwin's Boat Yard
Wynne I 30 ft. Between 1918 and 1935 William H Albury Ship Yard
Wynne II 30 ft. Between 1918 and 1935 William H Albury Ship Yard
Man O'War 60 ft. Between 1935 and 1947 William H Albury Ship Yard
Joyce Roberts 85 ft. Between 1935 and 1947 William H Albury Ship Yard
Donald Roberts 60 ft. Between 1935 and 1947 William H Albury Ship Yard
Sweet Heart 48 ft. Between 1935 and 1947 William H Albury Ship Yard
Langasta 47 ft. Between 1935 and 1947 William H Albury Ship Yard
Barge 130 ft. Between 1935 and 1947 William H Albury Ship Yard
Lucaya 50 ft. Between 1935 and 1947 William H Albury Ship Yard
Abaco Queen 35 ft. Between 1935 and 1947 William H Albury Ship Yard
Several unnamed hulls 35 ft. Between 1935 and 1947 William H Albury Ship Yard
Mary Eleanor 35 ft. Between 1935 and 1947 William H Albury Ship Yard
Obeah 30 ft. Between 1935 and 1947 William H Albury Ship Yard
Frigate Bird I 30 ft. Between 1935 and 1947 William H Albury Ship Yard
Frigate Bird II 42 ft. Between 1935 and 1947 William H Albury Ship Yard
Boat for Leach 42 ft. Between 1935 and 1947 William H Albury Ship Yard
Safari (now Tribute) 40 ft. 1948 William H Albury Ship Yard Ketch, 48' LOA
Lugger 35 ft. 1951 William H Albury Ship Yard
McCoy 35 ft. 1952 William H Albury Ship Yard
Bagatelle 35 ft. 1955 William H Albury Ship Yard
Romaire (re Jaunty Jess, now Flying Circus)   1956 William H Albury Ship Yard
Challenge B. (now Tamar II) 35 ft. 1957 William H Albury Ship Yard
Arawak 31 ft. 1959 William H Albury Ship Yard
Dolphin 30 ft. 1963 William H Albury Ship Yard
Esperanto (now William H Albury) 56 ft. 1963 William H Albury Ship Yard 2-masted schooner, 70' LOA, 25 ton Disp.
Baracuda 41 ft. 1964 William H Albury Ship Yard
Chubbins 44 ft. 1967 William H Albury Ship Yard
Frigata   1960's William H Albury Ship Yard
Sea Fever 29 ft. 1969 William H Albury Ship Yard
Rough Waters 30 ft. 1975 William H Albury Ship Yard LOA is same as LOD
Abaco Rage   1980  


Man-O-War Cay Boat Builders during the 1800s[2]

Edwin Albury Richard ‘Uncle Dick’ Albury Benjamin Thompson
Henry Albury Thomas Albury Napoleon Thompson
Jeremiah Albury William Albury William "Billy Bo" Thompson
Joe Albury Winer Albury


Man-O-War Cay Boat Builders during the 1900s[3]

Name Boat Yard Role
Alma Albury Maurice Albury  
Benny Albury Albury Brothers Boats, also Maurice Albury Founder
Blake Albury Edwin's Boat Yard Partner
Cyril Albury William H Albury Ship Yard  
Dalbert Albury Dalbert Albury his yard
Dalphone Albury Dalphone Albury his yard
Eddie Albury Jr. William H Albury Ship Yard  
Captain Eddie Albury Sr. Captain Eddie Albury Sr. his yard
Don Albury Albury Brothers Boats  
Edwin S. Albury Edwin's Boat Yard Founder
Emanuel "Manny" Albury Emanuel "Manny" Albury his yard
Emerson Albury Emerson Albury his yard
Floyd Albury Dalphone Albury  
George Albury Emerson Albury  
Glenn Albury Albury Brothers Boats  
Harold Albury Harold Albury his yard
Hartley Albury Lewis Albury  
Haziel Albury William H Albury Ship Yard  
Jamie Albury Albury Brothers Boats  
Joe U. Albury Lewis Albury, also his yard  
Keith Albury Edwin's Boat Yard Partner
Lewis Albury Lewis Albury his yard
Marcel Albury Edwin's Boat Yard  
Maurice Albury Maurice Albury his yard
Mauricio Albury Albury Brothers Boats  
Nelson Albury William H Albury Ship Yard  
Norman Albury Norman Albury his yard
Paul Albury Albury Brothers Boats  
Redith Albury William H Albury Ship Yard  
Richard Albury William H Albury Ship Yard  
Richie Albury Richie Albury (with Edwin Albury) his yard
Roland Albury Lewis Albury  
Samuel "Sammie" Albury Samuel "Sammie" Albury his yard
Victor Albury Captain Eddie Albury Sr.  
Walter Albury Maurice Albury  
Warren Albury Maurice Albury  
Willard Albury Albury Brothers Boats, also Maurice Albury Founder
William H. Albury William H Albury Ship Yard, also Maurice Albury Founder
Wilton Albury William H Albury Ship Yard  
Henry Fisher Dalbert Albury  
Derek Lee William H Albury Ship Yard  
Basil Sands Basil Sands his yard
Charles Sands Charles Sands his yard
Darvin Sands Edwin's Boat Yard Partner
Harry Sands Treason Sands  
Lavern Sands Treason Sands  
Robbie Sands William H Albury Ship Yard  
Treason Sands Treason Sands his yard
Wilson Sands Wilson Sands his yard
Junior Sweeting William H Albury Ship Yard  
Pat Sweeting William H Albury Ship Yard  
Roger Sweeting William H Albury Ship Yard  
Tweedie Sweeting William H Albury Ship Yard  
Kenneth Thompson Kenneth Thompson his yard
Lanard Thompson Thompsons (with Percy Thompson) his yard
Percy Thompson Thompsons (with Lanard Thompson) his yard
Scott Weatherford William H Albury Ship Yard  
Stanley Weatherford William H Albury Ship Yard  


Man-O-War Cay Boatbuilding slide show video[4]
The following table is an index of the video, Boatbuilding on Abaco Thesis Collection (M.A.). The video was made by Sister Patricia Ann Finnerty in 1973. She presents 35mm slides and recorded interviews from her project on boat building in the Abacos at that time. Several of the Man-O-War Cay boat builders are included.

Time
(into the video) 		Topic
0:00 Introduction to the Bahama Islands
1:06 Introduction to Man-O-War Cay - The boats in the harbour are almost all fiberglass now. The shoreline is a bit more built up. Golf carts now ply the narrow streets. Otherwise much is the same.
9:35 Mr. Basil Sands
10:00 Mr. Maurice Albury
12:27 Mr. James Jenkins Roberts (of Hope Town)
15:33 Mr. William H Albury
17:35 Mr. Clarence Sands, Mr. Norman Albury
18:10 Mr. Basil Sands
19:32 Mr. Maurice Albury
19:48 Mr. Charles Sands
20:10 Mr. Norman Albury and his Sail Loft
23:09 Abaco Dinghy
24:10 Abaco Fishing "Ketch"
24:43 Sponge Schooner
27:15 Woods used in boat building
28:03 Abaco Dinghy Construction (w/ Mr. Maurice Albury, Charles Sands & Willard Albury)
50:53 Charles Sands completed dinghy
51:07 Basil Sands completed 21 1/2' deep-well boat
52:32 Maurice Albury completed Abaco Sailing Dinghy
55:33 Leaving MOW
56:11 The End

References

  1. ↑ Primarily from research done by the students of Mary E. Albury High School, Man-O-War Cay, 2/2014. Also from information provided by Nevile Albury, Jay & Jan Manni, Rosie and Lon Munsey, Howard and Donna Ray, David Wright, et al.
  2. ↑ Interview with Ms Patricia Albury by Jeremy Sweeting, 2013
  3. ↑ Mainly from interviews with Ms Patricia Albury and Roland Albury, 2013–2014. With edits from the students of Mary E. Albury High School, Bill Albury, Hartley Albury, Jeremy Sweeting, Peter Sweeting, et al.
  4. ↑ Boatbuilding on Abaco Thesis Collection (M.A.), Sister Patricia Ann Finnerty, Ball State, 1973

External links

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