Sunday Boat Stories: FRANCES ⛵️ Meet FRANCES—a traditional Cape Cod cat boat with a wide beam, shallow draft, and a single sail set far forward. Perfectly designed for the shallow waters around the Cape, cat boats like this were originally working vessels before evolving into beloved pleasure craft. Built in the style pioneered by the Crosby family in the mid-1800s, FRANCES represents a lineage of craftsmanship still alive today. In fact, the Crosby family has been building boats since the late