Bequia’s Double-Ender Legacy: Preserving Boatbuilding Heritage at the Bequia Heritage Museum

The Bequia Heritage Museum, perched on a hillside overlooking Friendship Bay, is a doubly good place to learn about the island’s famous dinghy – the Bequia double-ender. First, the Boat Museum, one of two buildings with exhibits, highlights the island’s famed maritime history, including boat-building and whaling, with a traditional double-ended Bequia Whaler model on display. Outside, on the Museum’s terrace, is a clear view of Friendship Bay. Stand here or go down to the beach. History comes to life as spectators can watch the Double-Ender Big Boat Challenge finish. The Challenge race is part of the Bequia Easter Regatta and new this year, St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sailing Week.

A North-to-South Start

The Bequia double-ender’s form derives from the New England’ two-bow’ 26’ whale boat, says Nicola Redway, Bequia Heritage Foundation’s trustee. “Two such whaleboats, ‘The Iron Duke’ and the ‘Nancy Dawson’ were brought to Bequia by William’ Old Bill’ Wallace in the 1870s, and it was with these two imported, second-hand boats that Wallace started Bequia’s first whaling operation.”

This Yankee double-ended form became the template for all Bequia-built whaleboats, seine boats, and smaller inshore fishing boats. With sizes ranging from 12’ to 27’, these locally built sprit-rigged vessels provided the engines of the island’s local economy. Wallace’s whaling operation in Friendship was quickly joined by Joseph Ollivierre from the community of Paget Farm to the west of Friendship Bay. These two operations drove Bequia’s booming whaling industry from the late 19th century onwards.

Frames of the earliest double-enders on Bequia were built from local indigenous White Cedar, which was abundant on the island. The hull was planked from hand-hewn imported Canadian spruce. As the 20th century went on, the Bequia whaleboats became beamier and longer, 27’ rather than the traditional 26’. Today’s largest racing double-enders are nearer 28’ in length and beamier still.

“The ‘Iron Duke’ still survives today. Repaired, restored, and re-formed multiple times over the last 150-plus years, she is now undergoing her latest restoration. This time, the aim is to return her to the original New England form. 

Form & Figure

The structure of the double-ender is very strong, with the bow and stern almost identical by definition. These vessels are locally built in backyards or on the beach. Building one takes about two to three months, but that would be working on it every day. Double-enders used to be built not only for the builder’s personal use but also to be sold back when they were used for fishing. Today, the boats are raced by the owners, and most owners are also the builders. Until now, the last double-ender to be built was the 28’ ‘Sew Long,’ launched in 2018 and owned by sailmaker Allick Daniel.

This year, two new 14-footers, now with centerboards, are under construction. They are being built by Andre Dewer, grandson of the legendary Bequia boatbuilder Lauren Dewer, and Orbin Ollivierre, a renowned boatbuilder carrying on a generations-old family tradition. Dewer’s boat, built in Delaware, has the frame and ribs constructed of marine ply, while Ollivierre’s boat, built in Bequia in his backyard, has the more traditional local white cedar frame. Both these new vessels are using a new material for the hull, fiberglass board, replacing the plywood (itself a relatively recent innovation), which in turn replaced the traditional spruce planking of old. Dewer’s boat is named ‘Alcolado’ and Ollivierre’s the ‘Last One,’ because it might be the last one Orbin builds. Both new boats will be racing in this year’s Bequia Easter Regatta alongside older boats, all lovingly kept in good shape by their owners.

Racing Boats

Bequia’s double-enders today are primarily used for racing, although at least two 28’ double-ender whaleboats are still in operation. The use of the smaller double-enders for fishing has been superseded by motorized vessels, although one or two boats are still used for seine fishing.

“Apart from the Easter Regatta, Bequia’s Veterans Sailing Club has been sailing and racing for Independence Day in October and around Christmas and New Year,” says Dewer, who will serve as principal race officer for the double-ender class at this month’s Bequia Easter Regatta. “Some of the Bequia boats compete in Carriacou, Mayreau, and Petite Martinique when these other Grenadine islands have their own events. The men are always ready to race whenever they can get together.” 

Bequia has a one-of-a-kind scenic layout for boat racing, where the roads are mainly along the coastline, so spectators can walk the roads or hop in a van to look at the race from start to finish. Starts are also sometimes from the beach, which provides a perfect spectator opportunity.

“To get a ride on a double-ender boat, you just come on the beach on race day and go by any of the boats and ask for a ride!” says Dewer. “It might be a tough one to get on board, given that competition is going to be really fierce, and it’s very different from yacht racing! If not some other day, someone will definitely take you out.” www.bequiatourism.com, svgsailingweek.com 

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