Michael Danesi is retiring in his own special way — by building a Chebacco in his New Jersey barn. Danesi, a retired engineer and boatbuilder, has been working on the 40-foot fishing boat since 2012. While there is no end in sight for the project, for Danesi, a lover of boats and woodworking, the project is a natural fit.
This video by NJTV has more:
The Essex Shipbuilding Museum reports that these boats were initially built and named after Chebacco — a parish in Ipswich, Massachusetts that later became part of Essex. The vessels were cheap and easy to build and became popular replacements for the schooners of the colonial fishing fleet that were decimated during the American Revolution.
To see a working Chebacco, click here.
