Understanding Friendship Sloop Classifications: Families of Boats

Ever wonder why some Friendship Sloops look so similar? It’s because they’re “sister ships” – boats built from the same plans or molds. Understanding these classifications helps us appreciate the rich history and variety within our fleet of 286 registered sloops.

Sloop Family Tree

From Working Boats to Production Sloops

In the early days, every Friendship Sloop was unique – hand-built by local craftsmen like the Morses, Carters, and McLains in Muscongus Bay. No two were exactly alike. But as the Society grew in the 1960s-70s, boatbuilders began producing sloops from standardized designs, creating distinct “families” of boats.

The Classification System

The Society organizes sloops into several categories:

• Original Working Sloops (Pre-1921) – Hand-built for fishing and lobstering in Muscongus Bay
• Semi-Production Groups – Boats from the same mold or plans (wood and fiberglass)
• Custom Builds – One-of-a-kind designs

This classification system helps with racing handicaps and lets owners connect with others who have similar boats.

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The Major Classification Groups

Original Sloops (Pre-1921)

These are the boats that started it all – hand-built working sloops from before 1921. Every one is unique, crafted for lobstering and fishing in Muscongus Bay. Some are over 120 years old and still sailing!

Existing Originals (24 boats registered):

The oldest is #23 Alice E (1899), and the most famous is #2 Dictator (1902) – the boat that inspired the entire Dictator II production line of 19 fiberglass sister ships.

Pemaquid I Group (25′ Wood Construction)

Based on the 1914 sloop Florida by Abdon Carter, the Pemaquid design became one of the most popular modern Friendships. Pemaquid I boats are custom wood builds starting in 1961.

Currently registered: 29 boats

Note: #57 Old Baldy is the Commodore’s boat!

Pemaquid II Group (25′ Fiberglass)

Pemaquid II represents the fiberglass production boats built by Jarvis Newman, Inc. from 1969-1983. These sister ships share the same molds and sailing characteristics.

Complete Pemaquid II fleet (17 hulls registered):

Note: #180 Banshee is owned by John & Carole Wojcik, our Membership Secretary

Medomak I Group (22′ Wood Construction)

McKie Roth’s 1965 design created a smaller, nimble Friendship perfect for day sailing and single-handing.

Currently registered: 11 boats

Medomak II Group (22′ Fiberglass)

Fiberglass hull and deck assemblies by Passamaquoddy Yachts and later by N.E. Yachts (Ahern) brought the Medomak design to a wider audience in the 1970s-90s.

Complete Medomak II fleet (15 boats registered + 1 unregistered):

Muscongus Bay Group (22′)

The predecessors and cousins to Friendship Sloops, these 22-footers share the working boat heritage of Muscongus Bay.

Complete Muscongus Bay fleet (4 registered + 4 unregistered):

Dictator II Group (31′ Fiberglass)

Based on the 1902 original Dictator (FSS #2), these are the larger fiberglass sloops built from Jarvis Newman molds (1974-1984). Nineteen hulls were produced, making this one of the most successful production runs.

Complete Dictator II fleet (19 hulls registered):

Bruno & Stillman Group (30′ Fiberglass)

Nineteen fiberglass sloops built 1969-1987 by Bruno & Stillman, and later by owners from their molds. These 30-footers have a distinctive profile and were popular for cruising.

Complete Bruno & Stillman fleet (19 hulls registered):

Ahern 19 Group (19′ Fiberglass)

The smallest registered Friendships! Only 6 built, all fiberglass hulls by New England Yachts in the 1970s-80s. Perfect for single-handed sailing or small crews.

Complete Ahern 19 fleet (3 boats registered, 2 unregistered):

Custom Build Group

One-of-a-kind designs that don’t fit into production groups. These unique sloops showcase the creativity and craftsmanship of individual builders.

Notable custom builds (4 boats listed):

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Why Classifications Matter

Racing: Division I (25′ and under) and Division II (over 25′) ensure fair competition. Within divisions, similar boats often race against each other with comparable performance characteristics.

Community: Owners of sister ships share maintenance tips, spare parts sources, and sailing characteristics. The Dictator II and Pemaquid II groups have particularly strong networks where owners can troubleshoot problems and share solutions.

History: Understanding which group your sloop belongs to connects you to the designers, builders, and evolution of the type. Each production run represents a specific era in Friendship Sloop history.

Summary Statistics

Classification Group	Boats	Era
Originals (Pre-1921)	24	1899-1920
Pemaquid I (25′ Wood)	29	1961+
Pemaquid II (25′ FG)	17	1969-1983
Medomak I (22′ Wood)	11	1965+
Medomak II (22′ FG)	14	1970-1992
Muscongus Bay (22′)	4	Various
Ahern 19 (19′ FG)	5	1974-1983
Dictator II (31′ FG)	19	1974-1984
Bruno & Stillman (30′ FG)	19	1969-1987
Custom Builds	4+	Various
TOTAL CLASSIFIED	146

Out of 286 registered sloops in the FSS fleet

Find Your Sloop’s Family

If you’re a sloop owner, knowing your classification connects you to a broader family. Check your sloop’s detail page on this website, review the FSS Handbook, or ask fellow owners – chances are there’s a sister ship out there with an owner who’s solved that rigging problem you’ve been puzzling over!

And if you see a sloop that looks familiar at the next Homecoming, you might be looking at your boat’s sibling. That’s the beauty of production groups – shared DNA means shared solutions.

— Information compiled from the FSS Handbook (2022 edition) • Data current as of 2025