The Queen Bee

One of the earliest Moth Boats still in race-worthy condition is Herb Fithian's Queen Bee.  Herb, now in his late 80s told me that his mother bought the boat used when he was a teenager.  Little is known about the boat beyond that she has a builder's tag from the old Skaneateles Boat Company.  The Skaneateles Boat Co., located in Skaneateles, New York, was better known for early involvement in the Comet and Lightning classes.  Herb's boat may be the only known example of a Moth built by that builder.  It is assumed that the Queen Bee dates to the early 1930s when the new owners of the company started to emphasize small sailboat construction.  Like many Moths of this era, Herb's boat sports a canvas bow deck in an attempt to reduce weight.  I'm not convinced that this trick saved much as it still takes two men and a boy to launch the boat!

Herb Fithian sailing the Queen Bee at a Brigantine YC Moth Boat regatta during the mid-1990s.