Untitled Document

The pettiauger, or periauger, of the Hudson River has long been an enigma to historians despite its clearly commonplace status throughout the Colonial Period and early 19th Century.

The Hudson River Pettiaugers are unique in that they have no keel compared to other styles of periaugers from other regions. Instead, the Hudson Valley Dutch influence is often cited in that the Hudson style pettiaugers have leeboards, as would commonly be found on Dutch shallops, sloeps and jachts - perfectly suited for the shallows of Holland's waters, and a natural progression for their use here. These leeboards take the place of a keel to prevent side winds from blowing the craft to the lee so the bow retains the forward position of movement.

Variations abound likely for their form to follow their function. Some of them were described as scow shaped, or blunt ended while others as sharp ended; some with a rudder, or others with a steering oar; some fully or half-decked, some with no deck; and/or some open or even with forecastle cabins.

The sail rig was unusual for the time. Described as a two masted rig, the foremast stepped so far at the bow, it was an odd duck. This foremast often raked forward, in some cases its top sticking over the bow. Conversely the mainmast raked backward towards the stern. Quite often they had no bowsprit which allowed easier manouevering in crowded Hudson River ports. Like the Dutch before, some captains cobbed in a sprit and/or re-rigged them as conventional schooners.

Now, as the Hudson River was the superhighway of its day, and with no bridges to connect cross-river towns, the ferry became the vital link. Many a Hudson River town developed because of a ferry and many even got their name from it. Dobbs Ferry, Sneden’s Landing (a part of Palisades, NY) , Elting’s Landing (today’s Highland, NY) – all were serviced by pettiauger ferries. Verplank to Stony Point, Kipsbergen (Rhinecliff today) to Rondout (Kingston today) , Hoffman’s Ferry (Tivoli) to Saugerties, and as far North as Lake George and Lake Champlain all had pettiauger ferries in the 18^th century.

The Kip family as early as 1715 was informally running goods across the river to Kingston although Abraham did not officially get a charter for the ferry until 1751. About 1760, Abraham’s will reflects that he wishes to pass the periauger ferry to his young son Jacob and provides for someone to operate it until he comes of age.

Pettiaugers were also used to supply West Point during the American Revolution. Quartermaster Timothy Pickering wrote, "I am informed that about 60 barrels of shad come down yesterday from Esopus. As this article of provisions is for an immediate supply, I beg leave to suggest the expediency of bringing down daily all that are caught. Two or three pettiaugers may be employed in the service, and with the wind as it is today, they may run from Esopus to West point in five or six hours; and if the Wind be adverse, they can get down in two tides."

During the War in Southern Ulster County, Militia Lt. Wolfert Acker owned a ferry which ran River service from Marlborough. After the War in 1790, Noah Elting began a periauger ferry service from his Elting's Landing across the Hudson to Poughkeepsie

As the 19^th century began, new innovations in technology such as horse, chain and then steam ferries began to surpass the pettiauger as a Hudson River and Lake Champlain ferry.

In spite of advances in maritime technology, the economics of a small boat, simply built and easily handled by two men kept the pettiaugers alive as a small merchant or fishing vessel until the Civil War, however individual owners re-rigged many of them to their own liking and some were used for pleasure craft that later in the century would have lost all of their visual uniqueness to really call them periaugers anymore.

Dean Barnes 2008