About 20 years ago, I took the melody Gordon used for "Lower the Yawlboat Down" and adapted it to Sojourner Truth, a ferry sloop lost in 2002 due to a chafed bowline. The song has been printed in brief form since the 20's, when Colcord posted one verse in her book. Hugill and others have also shown it.

There's only one thing that grieves me,
    Oh, lower the boat down,
It's leaving my loving family,
    Lower the Yawlboat down.

Seven old Hookers was riding the bay,
And lovely Sojourner was leading the way.

We rigged her up, we rigged her down,
And then sent her off to Croton Town.

We hoisted the main and then set the jib,
And sailed her right out of Hastings slip.

It's 300 miles to the sea,
Sailing the Hudson Valley.

There are a couple of other messages which I shall look up and post.
By the way, although a yawl boat originally was rowed, it is now a generic term, referring to any small boat carried on the stern of a larger vessel. The origin is probably Dutch and comes from the same root as "Jolly" boat. It was usually the smallest boat in normal use on a vessel and, in the Royal Navy, was under the command of the junior officer or midshipman.