Four Chesapeake Bay wooden buyboats, also referred to as deck boats, turned 100 years old this year and birthday celebrations were held throughout the bay region.
The arrival of gasoline-powered deck boats was part of a nationwide maritime switch from wind and sail power to gasoline and diesel engines. As early as 1905, marine railways around the bay began servicing these new motor-powered wooden boats.
On first arrival, the news often made the local newspaper:…