Maggie Lee (skipjack)

A Maggie Lee is a type of Chesapeake Bay skipjack distinguished by a particular hull design. While all skipjacks are traditionally built wooden sailboats used for oyster dredging, the Maggie Lee designation refers to skipjacks with a wider beam relative to their length compared to other skipjack variants. This wider beam offered greater stability and cargo capacity. The Maggie Lee design is generally associated with the builder Charles "Charley" Price, who constructed several skipjacks with this characteristic. These vessels were popular amongst watermen due to their enhanced working platform and seaworthiness. The wider hull can also slightly reduce sailing speed compared to narrower skipjacks, but the trade-off was considered worthwhile for many bay watermen engaged in the demanding work of oyster harvesting. Maggie Lee skipjacks, like other skipjacks, are significant examples of maritime history and are considered crucial to the cultural heritage of the Chesapeake Bay region. Many have been preserved and are used for educational and recreational purposes.