Click HERE to DONATE and help bring the Schooner Lotus back for everyone!

LOTUS NOW!

On December 14th, 2020The Friends Of The Schooner Lotus (FOTSL) purchased the boat from the Seneca Waterways Council. On December 21st, the LOTUS was transported to Beacon Bay Marina in Cayuga for indoor winter storage and assessment. Cayuga Wooden Boat Works at the same location has begun work to restore the severely damaged stem, keelson and horn timber.

Follow these links to the Youtube clips of the move:
Leaving Katlynn
At Beacon Bay Marina

DONORS TO THE LOTUS

We thank everyone for their support

Environmental Protection Fund
Grant #220031 2022

Historic Preservation Fund 2023
Historic Preservation Fund 2025

ASA Educational Grant Fund 2024

Lotus Restoration Support

CAREY LAKE CONSTRUCTION

Thomas Lightfoot
Harriett Eilber
Rosa Fox
Andrew Smith
Bruce Ammons
Bonnie Ellis
Ira Goldman
Deborah Lyon
Edward St.George
Jon Haug
Laurie Verbridge
Richard Kearney
Carol Whittaker
Barbara deChateauvieux
James Hayslip
Connie Parimico
Laurie Hayden
Mary Shoeneman

The Schooner LOTUS

MISSION:

The mission of the Friends of the Schooner LOTUS is the preservation and restoration of the vessel, providing for the proper maintenance and care in the ship’s future, and assuring that the public and non-profit organizations are granted use of the vessel in the best interest of the upkeep and longevity of the LOTUS.

VISION:

The vision of the Friends of the Schooner Lotus is to promote and operate the LOTUS with activities for all ages to be engaged and inspired by the maritime heritage of the Great Lakes

Donate Your Boat – Support Maritime Heritage on Sodus Bay!

**Help Preserve the Legacy of Schooner Lotus with a Donation**

Do you have a boat you’re no longer using? Consider donating it to The Friends of the Schooner Lotus, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to local maritime education and preserving Sodus Bay's Schooner Lotus.

Why Donate?

• Tax-Deductible: Your donation may qualify as a charitable contribution.

• Free & Simple Process: We handle paperwork and coordination.

• Support a Good Cause: Proceeds from the sale of donated boats fund our charity's restoration work, educational programs, and community outreach.

• Any Condition Considered: Sailboats, powerboats, dinghies—even projects! We’ll evaluate all donations.

How It Works

1. Contact us with details about your boat.

2. We’ll review and check eligibility.

3. We'll coordinate a transfer of ownership.

4. You’ll receive a receipt for your donation.

Your boat finds a new life while supporting a great mission!

Your Boat Can Make a Difference!

Help us maintain our local heritage and keep maritime traditions alive on Sodus Bay and Lake Ontario.

Contact Us Today:

Schooner Lotus Restoration

The Schooner Lotus restoration is in process. The managing organization called "The Friends of the Schooner Lotus" or FOTSL raised funds to match the generous grant approved in December of 2022 and finalized in December 2023. The New York State Department of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation awarded a grant in the amount of $266, 687 through the Environmental Protection Fund (EPF220031) for the Schooner Lotus restoration. This is a matching grant which will reimburse 75% of the restoration expenses. FOTSL needed to raise a total of $98,896 to complete the $365,583 estimated restoration budget.
The restoration contract has been awarded to Cayuga Wooden Boat Works in Cayuga, NY near her home of Sodus Point.
Work is in process to make repairs to the historic 1918 wooden schooner. The original keel plank (being the keelson after a new keel board was added below it in 1996)was found to be rotted down the center of the boat. In order to replace it, the @ 8,000lb iron ballast keel needed to be dropped. The lower section of the stem also needs replacing.
Here is a SUMMARY of the Schooner Lotus restoration through October 2025.
Check here to view postings of progress pictures and videos.

Please have a look at our video clips and see if you would like to join in on being a part of this awesome process.

Thank you for watching!

A brief history of the LOTUS

The LOTUS is a two-masted, wooden schooner designed by William Hand Jr. in 1916. The vessel was launched in 1917 and has been sailed on the Great Lakes and near East coast with few interruptions. A full history is attached. The LOTUS is, at this time, one of seven remaining Hand designed boats, and the most unique schooner of the group.
Since 1971, the LOTUS was sailed by Sea Scout Ship 303 out of Webster, Rochester and Sodus Bay. The LOTUS made port along the south shores of Lake Ontario, the St. Lawrence river and New York City. The LOTUS served as a main attraction at the annual “Pirate Days” in Alexandria Bay for decades. Sadly, the loss of her long-time captain Bob Ellis in 2015 interrupted the continuity of use and maintenance, and caused the boat to fall behind in repairs. The LOTUS was pulled from the water in 2016 to reveal a large hole in the hornbeam above the rudder. Subsequent surveys determined the boat in need of extensive repairs, and has been sitting on the hard ever since. Sea Scout Ship 303 dissolved briefly.
In 2017, a group of scouting adults rallied the community and made the call to formulate a way to re-charter Ship 303 and save the LOTUS. This committee paved the way to forming the current effort of The Friends of the Schooner LOTUS. Sea Scout Ship 303 continues to train scouts in sailing and boat maintenance at Newport Yacht Club on Irondequoit Bay. The Friends of the Schooner LOTUS formed in the Spring of 2019, and are now organized to affect the restoration and future use of this precious and historical vessel which made it’s home in Sodus Bay for so many decades.

Specifications of the LOTUS

Specifications

Dimensions
Length : 48 feet (15 m) on deck, 60 feet (18 m) from the tip of the bowsprit to the end of the main boom
Beam : 12 feet (3.7 m), 3 inches
Draft : 4 feet (1.2 m), 9 inches
Weight : 16 tons (approximate)
Total Sail Area : 950 square feet (88 m²)

Engine
Yanmar 88 hp (66 kW) four cylinder, turbo-charged diesel with sealed heat exchange

Materials
Masts : Sitka Spruce
Frames : Oak
Original Hull Planking: Long-leaf Yellow Pine
Replacement Hull Planking: Mahogany
Main Deck : Vertical-grain Douglas Fir
Cockpit Deck : Long-leaf Yellow Pine
Original Cabin tops : Canvas

We thank everyone for their support Environmental Protection Fund Grant #220031 2022

We thank everyone for their support

Environmental Protection Fund
Grant #220031 2022