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Water transport was the backbone of New England’s economy. By the early 19th century, vessels made frequent trips between South Shore towns and Boston. Generally they carried cargo to trade from one port to another. Many also carried passengers.

Small sloops (around 60 tons) carried cargo from coastal towns like Plymouth to Boston, Salem and Portsmouth, NH. In the 1830s Plymouth had six 60-ton sloops which brought raw materials like iron and cotton to Plymouth’s growing factories. Many sloops sailed to Boston on a weekly basis.  Plymouth had a thriving waterfront with many wharfs.
		1832 map of Plymouth

Two 90-ton schooners were used for longer trips to ports like New Bedford, New York or Nantucket. Special lumber ships were dispatched to Maine to bring back timber.

Topsail schooners and brigs were used for the coastal trade. Local vessels sailed along the Atlantic coast to Hartford, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Richmond and Charleston. Often coasters carried ship from one port, like fish from New England, to trade for goods at another port, and then trade that cargo at a port further south for goods like cotton to bring back to New England factories. Some traveled to the West Indies to trade for bananas and other fruit.

The fact that many New England railroads connected with port towns reflects the continuing significance of coastal transport.