Q: "Ok, I read you built model boats.  ...I have a challenge for you....
    Any in the USA named after ferrets?"
 
A: OooOOOOOooooo!  I love a challenge.  Wadddo I win?
 
I know of at least three (there may be more, but researching naval records
is slow and I don't have much time).
 
1.  Prior to the Revolutionary War, the British sailed the sloop "Ferrett"
(ca. 1711), spelled with two 't's.  This was a British ship, but since it
ported in the Americas before the Revolution, it qualifies.  I haven't been
able to find out if it was named after a person or a ferret.  There are
wonderful plans of this boat, including all rigging available for study.  I
have plans to build a model of this boat in a couple of years.
 
2.  With the refitting of the Continental Navy the decade following the
Revolutionary War, there was a 12-gun American schooner named "Ferret"
(ca. 1804) built in Philadelphia by a Quaker named Fox.  Similar to the
Vixen and Enterprise, the Ferret was rerigged (with added mast) as a brig
and renamed the Viper in 1810, but sailed poorly in the new configuration.
There is little doubt the schooner was named after a ferret.  Plans for the
Ferret (or Viper) do not exist, but some marginal plans for the Vixen and
Enterprise are available.  However, that is no guarantee they would be all
that similar to the Ferret.  I am currently building a converted model of
the Enterprise to represent the Ferret prior to refitting and renaming.
 
3. To combat piracy, between 1823 and 1835, the US bought 8 Baltimore-model
schooners, naming them the Ferret, Jackall, Fox, Beagle, Weasel, Grayhound,
Terrier and Wild Cat.  All the names of these ships were after quick
carnivores known for catching rats and other pests, so I guess you have
some idea of what the early navy thought of the pirates sailing Cuban,
Puerto Rico, Haiti, West Indies and Bahaman waters.  The Ferret was lost
off Cuba in 1830 or 1831.  The Ferret was a privately purchased schooner,
which really means it was probably either built on speculation in the hopes
that it would be bought, or it was converted from some other use.  After
several years of serious investigation, I haven't been able for find a
single plan, drawing or notable description of the Ferret.  I do plan on
building a copy, so I will use what little information is available to
build a "best guess." Baltimore schooners were beautiful boats, about 50
to 65 feet in length, and ultimately evolved into the Clipper ship designs
seen later in century.  They were fast and responsive, which is probably
why they got the names of small, fast carnivores assigned to them.  Some
of these ships (I don't know if the Ferret was one of them) had versions
of the newest sailing technology, the drop down centerboard.
 
In all likelihood, the name Ferret was probably used relatively frequently
on private boats or ships, but few records exist.  It's hard enough to find
complete records of registered naval vessels of the period.  I believe
there were a number of British ships named Ferret as well, but I haven't
researched the possibility.  For those who have old copies of the sailing
newspapers, or even copies of major city papers (NY, Philadelphia, etc.),
there are mentions of the Ferret (#3) doing their duty capturing pirates.
I've seen at least one old newspaper report of the Ferret capturing a
pirate ship before it was lost.  In the records of the court-martial of
Commodore David Porter, there are a number of old letters sent from the
Ferret when it was captained by Charles Bell.
 
Bada bing, bada boom. Next question?
 
Bob C and 15 Mo' Slinky Sloops
[Posted in FML issue 3186]