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Recently moved from the riverfront, Skipjack Nautical Wares new showroom is larger and features a more visible storefront. R eferred to by our customers as Skipjack 4.0, this is the fourth store location in Coastal Virginia and is  now located at 620 High Street in historic downtown (Olde Towne) Portsmouth, Virginia.  Skipjack Nautical Wares previous riverfront store located at 1 High Street adjacent to the High Street basin and the Hog Island Lighthouse Lens Pavilion in historic Olde Towne Portsmouth, Virginia. The number one question asked today by visitors and customers alike is "Why did you move from your riverfront location?" For those that are knowledgeable of our history, it does make sense to wonder why. The simple answer is, the building was sold and the new owners are renovating the building and converting into luxury apartments. Our lease was until the end of September 2015 which gave us 6 months from time of notice to find a new location and move. With numerous tr...

The Schooner Virginia Races the Pride of Baltimore II past Thimble Shoals Lighthouse. Created by marine artist Heather Gabrielle Rogers. The first known ship inside a bottle was created during the early years of the 19th century. Like other sailor-made art forms, these were created aboard old sailing ships in an era when sea voyages lasted months and sometimes years. Whalemen, during their idle hours, produced scrimshaw for family members, sweethearts, and friends. Decorative and utilitarian objects were carved from bone, ivory teeth, and baleen, and designs were engraved on the same materials. But other materials such as wood, rope and yarn were also used, and many interesting and decorative objects were created from these. Two tall ships pass each other in this early 20th century ship in a bottle diorama. It is not surprising then that an empty spirit or a medicine bottle lying around aboard ship might have spurred the imagination of a 19th century seaman into devising a way to displ...

For sale in the showroom and online  starting Friday, May 10th, Skipjack is pleased to present the  Rebman Maritime Collection. Some of the many nautical items available for sale from the Rebman Maritime Collection. The Arthur A. Rebman Maritime Collection represents three decades of collecting authentic nautical related items during Mr. Rebman's years working in Hampton Roads shipyards. The collection comprises of a number of ship nameboards, a rare rope driven ship's wheel circa 1840, US Navy and US Coast Guard items, life rings and preservers, wood blocks of varying types and sizes, cleats and bollards, navigational ship lights, a group of Fresnel lantern lenses, wood and metal fids and marlinspikes, country flags, signal flags and pennants including a complete cased signal flag collection, oak lifeboat water keg, anchors, a WWII era boxed compass, Lionel taffrail log in original box, ship's bell, half hulls, vintage lobster trap and wood net floats, boxed fog horn (work...

Nautical themed dog collars at Skipjack Nautical Wares Dress up your salty dog with Skipjack's nautical pet products featuring a great selection of colorful nautical themed ribbon collars & leashes on durable nylon webbing for comfort and easy care. Collars feature Delrin Acetal side release buckles for ease of fastening and separating and solid nickel plated “D” rings for strength, are available in three widths and are all easily adjusted for length. Our matching leashes feature strong nickel-plated swivel snaps. Produced in Massachusetts, USA. Want one? Follow the link here to our NAUTICAL PET section on our web store. or stop by our Olde Towne Portsmouth, Virginia riverfront showroom. Our dog Chance models a nautical code flag ribbon collar. Select your favorite ribbon design and webbing color for the perfect nautical dog collar. Easy to clean, just soak in dish detergent and warm water, rinse clean and air dry for years of like-new look and to eliminate odor. Make it just ...

ONCE-A-DECADE SALE! Skipjack Nautical Wares turns 10 this year! We have packed a lot into the last decade including three showroom locations, miscellaneous hurricanes, lightning strikes, earthquakes and floods, not to mention one famous fire. To celebrate our first decade we are having a STORE-WIDE once-in-a-decade sale starting this Saturday and running through the end of February. If you are new to Skipjack, take note, sales here are very rare (we can't remember the last one)! EVERYTHING* in the store is at least 20% off ! Check out our Anniversary Sale category online (top of the category column on the left) or stop by the showroom for additional items on special markdowns up to 50% ! Items will be added to this sale over the next week, so stop by the showroom or webstore often! Check out some of our impressive deals: Stainless or brass marlinspikes 30% off ! Skipjack long-sleeve T's , hoodies and crew sweatshirts 30% off ! Mariner Rope Brac...

America 2.0 at the beginning of the Great Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race, 2011. Photo by Joe Elder aboard the Schooner Spirit of Independence.      Olde Towne Portsmouth once again hosted the finale of the 23rd Annual Great Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race  from Baltimore Mayland with 37 participating schooners. Here is a photographic study of these exceptional sailing vessels docked along Olde Towne's waterside. Enjoy! An 18th century cannon stands sentinal  in front of the schooner "Mystic Whaler" docked along side the High Street basin. Photo by Joe Elder. HISTORY Schooner "Adventurer" figurehead. Photo by Joe Elder. Schooner racing on the Chesapeake Bay is rooted in the trade rivalry between Baltimore, Maryland, at the northern end of the Bay, and Portsmouth/Norfolk, Virginia, at the southern end. The fastest sailing vessels delivered goods and people to their destinations and often garnered the best price for their cargo by beating slower schooners into port. Ov...

Hampton Roads is featuring an extraordinary event for the United States of America and the Commonwealth of Virginia, the Bicentennial of the War of 1812, the writing of the Star Spangled Banner, planned together with the spectacle of OpSail 2012. OpSail 2012 Virginia is collaboration between Operation Sail Inc. (OpSail) national, the United States Navy, Norfolk Festevents, Portsmouth PortsEvents, and th e 36th Annual AT&T Harborfest events, and hundreds of national, state and local organizations June 8-10, 2012, the Port of Virginia will once again host an impressive fleet of tall ships, navy and military war ships representing the world. OpSail 2012 Virginia and Harborfest is planned to illuminate the community with spectacle and festivity, and will place our Commonwealth front and center on the world stage. Tall ship 'KALMAR NYCKEL' will be participating in OpSail 2012 and along the Portsmouth, Virginia waterfront. Photo by Joe Elder. This will truly be a ...

Brass sloop sailboat bookends is a great nautical gift, perfect for all gift giving needs. The number one question that we are asked here at Skipjack is I'm looking for a gift... something for a birthday, house warming, retirement, Christmas and of course as a token for other numerous occasions. And of course when they're visiting our gallery we know that they are looking for something nautical. So here's our 2011 top ten nautical gift giving ideas for all occasions. Number One:   Our new brass sloop sailboat bookends is a great nautical gift for all occasions- perfect as a house warming gift to help dress up their bookshelf. Featured in November 2011 Coastal Living Magazine! (pictured above). Here's a link to the brass sloop sailboat bookends . Number Two: The Mariner nautical rope bracelet with stainless steel shackle is a great gift for both men and women. Hand-made here in Portsmouth, Virginia, this attractive nautical bracelet featu...