Figurehead
Posted on by Marty Luster
Published by Marty Luster
I'm Marty Luster, a retired attorney and politician. In 2010 my wife, mother-in-law, dog and I relocated from Central NY to Gloucester. I hope my photographs and poetry(?) reflect my love for this place and her people. My picture-poem posts can be seen at http://matchedpairs.wordpress.com and selected black and white images can be found at http://slicesoflifeimages.wordpress.com View all posts by Marty Luster
Good Morning Gloucester 
Marty – let us know when you publish a book of your beautiful work! Thank you for it.
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Friendship sloop, no doubt
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Friendship sloop no doubt
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That looks like the billethead on a Friendship Sloop — the much-replicated descendant of the 19th century “Gloucester Sloop Boat.” The ivy leaves are traditional on the Friendship.
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I remember, many years ago, they had Friendship sloop races off of Friendship, Maine.
Wonder if that still goes on. The Maine coast is Magical.
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The races are held these days in Rockland each July (Friendship stopped hosting them back in the ’70s when the local citizens decided the evening parties were too rowdy). I raced in them (navigator aboard the wooden Friendship “Freedom” out of Islesford, ME) from 1978-2006. Great fun, serious but not too serious.
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Could that possibly be the bowsprit of the Friendship Sloop, “Windward”?
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It’s not the bowsprit, Gloria, which would project out above it. A billethead is the decorative piece that is attached to the stem below the bowsprit. It has no function other than to look good. Friendship sloops typically have a billethead with an eagle figurehead and a strand of ivy leaves along the trailboards behind it. So it could be on the “Windward” or any of more than a hundred others now in commission. Actually, less than a hundred, since the billethead depicted is hand-carved from wood, and not molded fiberglass. There are a lot of wooden Friendships out there, and they’re still being built. Someone will know which one this is. Marty, no doubt.
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Sorry Tom. The eagle on this billet head is cast bronze and it is on Windward. I haven’t pin-striped the ivy leaves for a couple of seasons. Hope to get her going again soon. Doug Parsons.
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Why be sorry, Doug? Anyone who has a Friendship Sloop has a gem, whether the eagle is bronze or carved wood.
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