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Godspeed and its 13-member crew sails along the Chesapeake Bay stopping at ports of call, and this year’s ports include: Richmond in October and the Urbanna Oyster Festival in November.
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Replica ships of the original vessels that brought English settlers in 1607 to Virginia.
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Godspeed midway through the painting process.
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Tiffany Yachts has been family-run since 1934.
How Tiffany Yachts prepared Godspeed for its next 18 months of duty.
The original ships shoved off from London, England, on December 20, 1606 carrying a total of 105 passengers and 39 crew members. Fifty-two of those 105 passengers sailed on the Godspeed, which arrived in Virginia in late April 1607, four months after setting sail. On May 13, 1607, the passengers and crew reached the settlement.
A new replica of Godspeed based on the latest scholarly research was built in 2006 as an operational ship capable of taking ocean voyages.
“We designed and built the ship as accurately as we could according to 17th century design and construction practices,” said Eric Speth, Maritime Program Manager, Museum Operations and Education Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation.
After its 2006 commissioning, Godspeed took a six-city tour to promote the 400th anniversary of the founding of Virginia and the United States. “We sailed to Alexandria, Virginia; Baltimore, Maryland; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; New York City; Boston, Massachusetts; and Newport, Rhode Island. It was about 90 days,” said Speth.
Today, its 13-member crew sails along the Chesapeake Bay stopping at ports of call, and this year’s ports include: Richmond in October and the Urbanna Oyster Festival in November. “At each one of those port stops Godspeed is an educational outreach vessel representing the Jamestown Settlement Museum,” Speth said. “We’re open to the public and do special tours where people can learn about life aboard ships and early Virginia history.”
Part of having floating educational vessels is the need for maintenance. In 2019, they chose Tiffany Yachts in Burgess, Virginia, to maintain the ship. “Every other year, Godspeed goes to a local boatyard for repairs,” said Speth. “Tiffany Yachts is a very experienced, full-service boatyard.”
Tiffany Yachts: A Proven History of Boatbuilding & Repair
Taylor Cockrell is a fourth generation boatbuilder. His grandfather, Tiffany, started building boats in the 1930s.
An oyster fisherman with his father, Odis, Tiffany spent summers under the cover of trees constructing Chesapeake Bay deadrise work boats from pine, mahogany, cedar and oak for oystering. It didn’t take long for Tiffany to realize he had found a new love.
“My grandfather got more interested in the boat building part of it, so he quit oystering and started building,” recalled Taylor Cockrell, production manager of Tiffany Yachts.
They continued to build work boats into the 1940s, pausing during World War II when Tiffany served in the United States Navy. Once Tiffany returned from active duty, the pair resumed building in the summer and oystering during the winter. In 1949, Odis turned over the business to Tiffany, and not long after he formed Glebe Point Boat Company. With wife, Betty Lee, they added a line of pleasure boats to the budding business.
Shifts in building and construction technology ushered in fresh materials for boatbuilding during the 1960s and 1970s. The company rebranded as Tiffany Yachts and joined the upscale boat building market, replacing all-wood construction in favor of mixed construction using classic and modern materials.
“It evolved into [using] cold-molded construction for hulls. Cold molding was easier; it was lighter. Boats were constructed with laminated plywood and fiberglass on the outside, and that kept them strong. It was a good combination,” said Cockrell. “But now, we use all fiberglass. It lasts a long time if it’s built right.” During this decade, Tiffany’s children, Randy Cockrell and Rebecca Jones, became part of the business.
In the 1980s Tiffany Yachts began crafting bigger yachts ranging from 36 to 62 feet featuring designed interiors. By the time the 1990s hit, the popularity of yachts amongst those with expendable incomes led to even bigger, flashier watercraft. “Everything then was bigger and better, and everybody wanted bigger. In the ‘80s and ‘90s a 50-foot boat was a big boat,” he said. “Now, a big boat is 90 feet.”
By the 1990s, they were overseeing day-to-day operations and in the early 2000s Randy’s son, Taylor Cockrell, and Rebecca’s daughter, Laura Shackleford, joined the business as the fourth generation. Laura runs the Interior Design and Marine Canvas division of the business.
“Tiffany Yachts is truly a family-run business and we hope to continue with another generation. My daughters have already started to become part of the operation, filling in where needed,” said Shackleford.
Taking on the Godspeed Project
Tiffany Yachts’ expertise in working with large vessels and its reputation for high-end repairs landed the company a winning bid in 2019 with the Jamestown Settlement to work on the Godspeed, where it was dry docked for repairs and refurbishing.
Dry docking describes the process of removing a ship from the water to perform maintenance on the hull. This process ensures that Godspeed is shipshape and seaworthy for the next 24 months.
“Tiffany Yachts had a building where we could move Godspeed inside for caulking, painting and other maintenance. We removed the rigging and repainted part of the mast as well. We carefully inspected all the joints between the planks (seams) and re-caulked the seams to make sure the vessel doesn’t leak,” said Speth.
After five weeks, Godspeed made her way back to Jamestown Settlement after a successful dry dock at Tiffany Yachts. “We had an excellent experience with Tiffany Yachts,” said Speth. “I found the staff there to be very experienced in all aspects of marine maintenance. They were completely capable of accomplishing all we needed for Godspeed at a high level of quality.”
For Cockrell and his crew at Tiffany Yachts, it’s a project they took great pride in and one they won’t soon forget. “We had 30 days to do it and we got it done in less than 30,” he said. “The crew really got into it. They did a fantastic job on it. And Eric and Todd and everyone at Jamestown Settlement were good to work with. They appreciated the work.”
Chris Jones and his family enjoy visiting Jamestown Settlement. While he loves the outdoor Native American exhibit, his sons love playing on the ships at the dock.
For more information you can reach Eric Speth, Maritime Program Manager/Museum Operations and Education at Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation by calling 757-253-7312. historyisfun.org | tiffanyyachtsinc.com • 804-453-3464
