By KIM LEDOUX

Standard-Times correspondent

June 27, 2007 6:00 AM

WESTPORT — The Westport Fishermen's Association has taken a major step toward preserving Westport's Lifesaving Station by providing a home for a 25-foot Lawley surfboat once used to rescue people from shipwrecks off Cuttyhunk Island.

"Volunteers from these lifesaving stations would go out in these long rowboats and save people's lives. It was very dangerous, but they weren't concerned about coming back themselves, just saving others," said project director Jeanne Girard.

Before the advent of the Coast Guard and modern technology, often the only thing keeping a shipwreck victim from drowning or freezing to death was a courageous crew willing to row out into the surf, often during winter storms in the middle of the night. Many crew members lost their lives trying to rescue passengers, such as during the February 1893 wreck of the brig Aquatic on Sow and Pigs reef off the west end of Cuttyhunk. During that attempt, five of the six rescuers were lost.

"This surfboat is a good representation of what most stations had," said Ms. Girard. "We weren't able to track down the one that was in the Westport Lifesaving Station. Mystic was looking to give this one back to Cuttyhunk, but they don't have the room right now. We were happy to take it because it will add significantly to our Horseneck Beach station restoration project."

The boat, which was built by Lawley and Sons Shipyard in Boston, was delivered by trailer to Tripp's Boatyard on Tuesday morning. Members of the Westport Fishermen's Association were impressed by the condition of the antique vessel.

"It is in amazingly good condition considering that she dates back to the 1800s," said Cukie Macomber.

The early history of this particular surfboat is uncertain, but it is known that the boat was used by the U.S. Life-Saving Service, a predecessor of the Coast Guard, on Cuttyhunk. During the 1800s, the waters off Cuttyhunk saw a significant amount of traffic.

"In 1851 alone, for example, 6,676 ships passed Cuttyhunk," said Shelly Merriam, associate curator of exhibits for the Cuttyhunk Historical Society.

The area was referred to as the "graveyard of ships" because of the number of wrecks, she said.

As the years passed, rescue technology advanced and there was no longer a need for surfboats.

"In 1905, the boat was sold for $7 to a guy who wanted to use the boat for fishing," said the WFA's Chip Gillespie, who has done significant research on the boat.

In 1924, Major William Smyth, superintendent of the New England Oil Company in Fall River, acquired the boat and named her Dawn. Moored in Westport, Dawn was fitted with a cabin and a sailing rig for pleasure fishing. Mr. Smyth took her to Essex, Conn., when he relocated to manage the Dauntless Shipyard. She was transferred to Mr. Smyth's brother in 1935, then bought by Thomas Willets Jr., who donated her to Mystic Seaport in 1941.

Through the efforts of Coast Guard personnel in Groton, Conn., the boat was restored to her original appearance and remained in Mystic until this week.

"We would like to have the boat returned to Cuttyhunk once we have the boathouse ready. We don't know how long that will take," said Sandy Earle, director of the Cuttyhunk Historical Society.

The Westport Fishermen's Association has been working to restore the Westport Lifesaving Station to use it as a museum and educational center. After presenting the boat in the Fourth of July parade, the plan is to keep her at Tripp's Boatyard until the station is rebuilt.

"It is good to have this boat here now, because we may use it as a model to build our own for the lifesaving station," said Mr. Gillespie.

Mystic Seaport delivered a 25ft surf boat to Tripp's Boatyard that was used by Cuttyhunk life saving station. Chad Endres of Tripp's boatyard puts a sling around the front of the surf boat to be lifted off of the truck that delivered it. JOHN SLADEWSKI/The Standard-Times

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