The Original Beetle Cat Boat was designed and built in 1921, and immediately began to appear along the shores of New England. Over 4,000 of these boats have been built to date. The design of the Original Beetle Cat was taken from the old 20–30 foot catboats that were used for fishing in shallow waters along Cape Cod. Notable owners of Beetle Cats include John Kerry, Jacqueline Onassis (who had one shipped to Greece in 1969 for John F. Kennedy Jr. and Caroline Kennedy to learn to sail), Steven Spielberg, and Calvin Klein.

In the years since the first boat was built, the design has remained essentially unchanged. The Original Beetle Cat Boat is 12 feet, 4 inches long and is a design adaptation of the great Cape Cod Cats. The wide beam, with the rudder not extending below the bottom of the keel, and centerboard that lifts up, are features that lend this boat to shallow waters. It is a boat that can be beached. The six-foot wide beam makes it unusually stable and gives it a large carrying capacity. This is hull #1853, built in 1981 by the Concordia Company.

All proceeds from this sweepstakes support the museum's Discovery Boatbuilding program, a hands-on, comprehensive wooden boatbuilding and woodworking program for local students. Be sure to stop by the Boatshop to see students building this year's fleet!