Craft built to navigate a bay.
1789. [The other side of the land lies] within a Quarter of a Mile of Bear-Creek, which is navigable for Bay-craft to its head, where there is a Ship-Yard.—Advt., Maryland Journal, Jan. 2.
1789. I will exchange a small Bay Vessel for a large one, and give the difference.—Id., Feb. 24.
1835. In their spirit of adventure and speculation many a settler loads his small bay-craft with planks and shingles in the spring of the year, and with two or three hands on board, bears away from the coast and runs down to seek a profitable market to the Bahama islands, or even to the Indies, with no aid but a compass.—C. J. Latrobe, ‘The Rambler in North America,’ ii. 80 (N.Y.).
