''Esperanto'' was a fishing

schooner A schooner ( ) is a type of sailing ship, sailing vessel defined by its Rig (sailing), rig: fore-and-aft rigged on all of two or more Mast (sailing), masts and, in the case of a two-masted schooner, the foremast generally being shorter than t ...

based in

Gloucester, Massachusetts Gloucester ( ) is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. It sits on Cape Ann and is a part of North Shore (Massachusetts), Massachusetts's North Shore. The population was 29,729 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. Census. ...

. ''Esperanto'' was designed by Thomas F. McManus of

Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

and built by James and Tarr Shipbuilders of

Essex, Massachusetts Essex is a coastal town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, 26 miles (42 km) north of Boston and 13 miles (21 km) southeast of Newburyport. It is known for its former role as a center of shipbuilding. The population was 3,675 ...

. She was launched on June 27, 1906, and measured in length, in beam, and a draft of with gross register tonnage of 140. The ''Esperanto'' was used in several races and is one of only two undefeated champions at the International Fisherman's Cup.

International Fisherman's Cup, 1920

Under command of Captain Martin Leander Welch, ''Esperanto'' became the first winner of the International Fisherman's Cup on November 1, 1920, when she beat the

Canadian Canadians () are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of their being ''C ...

fishing schooner ''Delawana'' of Riverport under command of Capt. Thomas Himmelman. In the next race, in 1921, the Canadian sailing ship ''

Bluenose ''Bluenose'' was a fishing and racing gaff rig schooner built in 1921 in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, Canada. A celebrated racing ship and fishing vessel, ''Bluenose'' under the command of Angus Walters, became a provincial icon for Nova Scotia and ...

'', built in Lunenburg after the model of ''Esperanto'', won against the schooner '' Elsie'' from Gloucester, Massachusetts. Her crew for the 1920 race included: * Captain Martin Leander Welch * R. Russell Smith, Gorton-Pew Fisheries Co. * Isaiah Gosbee, Cook * George E. Roberts * Harry P. Christianson * George Young * Benjamin W. Stanley * Roy P. Patten * Raymond "Rusty" McKenzie * James McDonald * Wallace Bruce * John Batt * John F. Barrett * Thomas Smith * Michael J. Hall, Masthead man * Stephen F. Whitney * Hugh Young * Benjamin H. Colby * James B. Connolly, Writer * John J. Matheson, Mate * Thomas S. Benham * Leon G. Murray * Lawrence F. Percival * Ernest Hendrie * Robert W. Sawtell * Morril Wiggins

Sinking

On May 30, 1921, ''Esperanto'' struck a submerged wreck near

Sable Island Sable Island (, literally "island of sand") is a small, remote island off the coast of Nova Scotia, Canada. Sable Island is located in the North Atlantic Ocean, about southeast of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Halifax, and about southeast of the clo ...

and sank. The crew was rescued.

References

External links

Schooner Esperanto

Esperanto Photo"The Fisherman's Race", October 1930, Popular Mechanics
{{DEFAULTSORT:Esperanto Schooners of the United States Ships built in Essex, Massachusetts Shipwrecks of the Nova Scotia coast Maritime incidents in 1921 1906 ships Tall ships of the United States