HMCo #559s Little Robin

S00559_Little_Robin.jpg

Particulars

Construction_Record_Title.jpgName: Little Robin
Type: Buzzards Bay 15 Footer (Deep Draft Cruiser)
Designed by: NGH
Contract: 1901-6-11
Launch: 1901-7-25
Construction: Wood
LOA: 26' (7.92m)
LWL: 16' 4" (4.98m)
Beam: 6' 9" (2.06m)
Draft: 4' 2.75" (1.29m)
Rig: Sloop
Sail Area: 345sq ft (32.1sq m)
Displ.: 3,655 lbs (1,658 kg)
Keel: yes
Ballast: Lead outside
Built for: Eaton, Charles S.
Amount: $985.00
Note(s) in HMCo Construction Record: Moulds #503 flush d[ec]k w[ater] t[ight] cockpit. Sheer raise 4"
Last reported: 1916 (aged 15)

Note: Particulars are primarily but not exclusively from the HMCo Construction Record. Supplementary information not from the Construction Record appears elsewhere in this record with a complete citation.


Model

Model #711Model number: 711
Model location: H.M.M. Model Room North Wall Right

Vessels from this model:
92 built, modeled by NGH
#503s Vim [First BB15] (1899)
#504s Flickamaroo [Flickerman, Flickermaroo, Flickermaru] (1899)
#505s Peacock (1899, Extant)
#506s Eaglet (1899, Extant)
#507s Compress (1899)
#508s Teaser (1899)
#509s Go Bye (1899)
#511s Uarda (1899)
#513s Hope (1899, Extant)
#516s Budda [Budha] (1899)
#518s Sis (1899)
#519s Next (1899)
#521s Kirstie (1899)
#525s Breeze (1899)
#526s Kingfisher [King Fisher] (1899)
#527s Nora [Nova? Nena?] (1899)
#528s [Newport 15 for W. C. Whitney] (1899)
#535s Moya (1900)
#540s Sand Piper [Sandpiper] (1900)
#543s Hawk [Scud?] (1900)
#544s Eaglet (1900)
#550s Toby (1901, Extant)
#554s Nora (1901, Extant)
#556s Mystral [Mistral] (1901)
#557s Twinkle (1901)
#558s Ginty (1901)
#559s Little Robin (1901)
#577s Catspaw [Cats Paw] (1902)
#584s Minnow [Minvou, Minvon] (1902)
#585s Waturus [Waterus] (1902)
#587s Whisper (1902)
#588s Echo (1902, Extant)
#589s Yacona [Yacuna, Wacona] (1902)
#609s Avalon? [BB15 for R. W. Emmons] (1903)
#645s Seeps (1905, Extant)
#649s Tobey [Toby] (1905)
#650s Tinker (1905)
#651s Yalu (1905)
#652s Snipe (1905, Extant)
#653s Jack (1905)
#654s Jill (1905)
#655s White Cap [Whitecap] (1905)
#656s Muriel (1906)
#661s Mongoose (1906)
#662s [BB15 for E. D. Thayer] (1906)
#671s Murmur (1907)
#672s Anita (1907)
#673s Rebekah (1907, Extant)
#674s Flicker [BB15 for St. Y. Columbia] (1907, Extant)
#677s Dad [BB15 for St. Y Iolanda] (1908)
#680s Polly (1908)
#682s Marjorie [BB15 for St. Y. Atalanta ex-Lorena?] (1908)
#683s Snail (1908)
#686s Try (1909)
#693s Endeavor (1909, Extant)
#700s Mecoh [Micoh] (1910)
#704s Pheasant (1910)
#726s Hyassa (1913)
#730s Scoot (1914, Extant)
#731s Maribee (1914, Extant)
#735s Noanet (1914, Extant)
#739s Natella (1914)
#740s Ann [Anne] (1914)
#763s Buzzard (1915)
#784s Tricoon (1916)
#785s Flickamaroo [Flickermaru II] (1916, Extant)
#786s Ptiloris [Pitloris] (1916, Extant)
#787s Elf (1916, Extant)
#809s Splash (1916)
#810s Venture (1916)
#822s Buccaneer (1917, Extant)
#823s Poilu (1917)
#880s Josephine (1923, Extant)
#881s Miss Q. (1923, Extant)
#882s Shanendowa (1923, Extant)
#883s Thistle (1923, Extant)
#884s Fantasy (1923, Extant)
#885s Viking I (1923, Extant)
#886s Alert (1923, Extant)
#887s Pixie (1923, Extant)
#888s How Come (1923)
#889s Althea (1923)
#890s Tobasco [Tabasco, Tobasca] (1923, Extant)
#919s Sea Hawk [Seahawk] (1925, Extant)
#920s Mayfly (1925)
#968s Maureen (1925)
#981s Louanna (1925)
#997s Nabob II (1926)
#998s Nancy (1926)
#1016s [Newport 15 for Ogden Mills] (1928)
#1017s [Newport 15 for Lanier] (1928)
#1079s Monsoon (1927, Extant)

Original text on model:
"Buzzards Bay 15 footers No. 503 class December 4, 1898 scale 1/12
No. 559 LITTLE ROBIN with keel for 4' draft shear raised 4" 16' 3" w.l. 1903 by keel 22" deep" (Source: Original handwritten annotation on model. Undated.)

Model Description:
"15' lwl Buzzards Bay 15-class keel/centerboard sloops of 1898 and later. Also slightly deeper Newport 15-class, Marconi-rigged Watch Hill 15-class, the 16'4" lwl keel sloop Little Robin with freeboard added of 1901, the 15' lwl Flicker of 1907, etc. #513s Hope and #880s Josephine are in the collection of the Herreshoff Marine Museum." (Source: Bray, Maynard. 2004.)

Note: Vessels that appear in the records as not built, a cancelled contract, a study model, or as a model sailboat are listed but not counted in the list of vessels built from a model.


Offsets

Offset booklet number(s): HH.4.113

Offset booklet contents:
#503 - #509, #511, #513, #516, #518 - #519, #521, #525 - #528, #535, #540, #543 - #544, #550, #554, #556 - #559, #577, #584 - #585, #609, #645, #674 (changes), #880-class [15' w.l. Buzzards Bay 15'-class sloops et. al].


Offset Booklet(s) in Haffenreffer-Herreshoff Collection. Francis Russell Hart Nautical Collections, MIT Museum, Cambridge, Mass. (Restricted access --- see curator.)

Drawings

Main drawing Dwg 076-031 (HH.5.05490) Explore all drawings relating to this boat.

List of drawings:
   Drawings believed to have been first drawn for, or being first referenced to
   HMCo #559s Little Robin are listed in bold.
   Click on Dwg number for preview, on HH number to see at M.I.T. Museum.
  1. Dwg 064-034 (HH.5.04510); Rudder, etc. for Nos. 503-509, 513, 516, 704, Buzzard's Bay 15 Footers (1898-12-31)
  2. Dwg 080-065 (N/A): Spars for 15 Footers Buzzard's Bay (1899-01-11 ?)
  3. Dwg 078-049 (HH.5.05765): Spreaders for 15 ft. Special Class # 503 (1899-03-27)
  4. Dwg 076-031 (HH.5.05490); Construction Dwg > Jib & Mainsail Cruising Boat 16'-4" W.L. (1901-06-21)
  5. Dwg 081-001 (HH.5.06089): Spars for 15 Fter with Sheer Raised (1901-06-24)
  6. Dwg 127-115 (HH.5.09983): Sails > # 559 (1901-06-24)
  7. Dwg 064-051 (HH.5.04526): Rudder Stock, Deck Flange and Tiller Socket (1901-07-23)
Source: Francis Russell Hart Nautical Collections, MIT Museum, Cambridge, Mass. Haffenreffer-Herreshoff Collection. Together with: Hasselbalch, Kurt with Frances Overcash and Angela Reddin. Guide to The Haffenreffer-Herreshoff Collection. Francis Russell Hart Nautical Collections, MIT Museum, Cambridge, Mass., 1997. Together with: Numerous additions and corrections by Claas van der Linde.
Note: The Haffenreffer-Herreshoff Collection is copyrighted by the Francis Russell Hart Nautical Collections of the MIT Museum in Cambridge, Mass. Permission to incorporate information from it in the Herreshoff Catalogue Raisonné is gratefully acknowledged. The use of this information is permitted solely for research purposes. No part of it is to be published in any form whatsoever.

Documents

Nathanael G. Herreshoff

"No. 559. Keel, see figures under [frame stations] # 17 - 26.
Timbers moulded 7/8"
Planking 11/16
Deck 11/16
Keel 1 5/8"." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. [Penciled note in Offset Booklet HH.4.113.] No date [June 1901]. Haffenreffer-Herreshoff Collection, MIT Museum, Cambridge, MA.)

Other Contemporary Text Source(s)

"The 21 foot knockabout 'Little Robin' built at Herrreshoffs for C. S. Eaton of Boston was launched at 6 o'clock last evening from the Herreshoff boat shops. Mr. Eaton formerly owned the 'Cock Robin.' [#461s]" (Source: Anon. "Bristol and Vicinity." Bristol Phoenix, July 26, 1901, p. 2.)

"Thompson's Spa. Boston.
C. S. Eaton, Pres. & Treas.
249 & 225 Washington St.
Aug, 7th, 1901
Mr. Nat. Herreshoff,
Herreshoff Mfg. Co., Bristol, R. I.
My Dear Mr. Herreshoff:-
I have not had a good opportunity to try out the 'Little Robin' [#559s] until this morning. It blew quite hard and was quite puffy. We put one reef in the mainsail and used number two jib.
I found her to be a most excellent sea boat, very dry and exceedingly well balanced, even better than the 'Cock Robin' [#461s], which seems hardly possible. With the wind a beam or close hauled when puffs struck her, although she has a tendency to come into the wind, yet she can be thrown broad off very easily. She is under perfect control at all times. I could not ask for a better boat for my boys, and I want to thank you again for the interest you took in making for me such a good boat for them.
Yours most sincerely, C. S. Eaton." (Source: Eaton, C. S. [Letter to N. G. Herreshoff.] Herreshoff Marine Museum Correspondence, Folder 1_14 (new), August 7, 1901.)

"No. 31 --- For Sale --- Herreshoff 16-foot water line keel knock about; a perfect little craft in every way; just the boat for the boys, or for afternoon sailing; able and fast; very complete inventory for small boat. Dimensions are: 26 feet over all; 16 feet 4 inches water line; 6 feet 9 inches beam; 4 feet 6 inches draught; 1,500 lbs. of lead on keel; built by Herreshoff in 1901. Impossible to find a better boat of the kind, and anybody wishing a small knockabout, could not do better than look into this one. One of the few Herreshoff boats ever placed on the market. Apply to E. A. Boardman, Naval Architect and Yacht Broker, 20 Central St., Boston, Mass. [Although Little Robin was not explicitly identified in the accompanying advertisement text, it is clear that only she could have been meant, as she was the only 16' 4' LWL keel boat that had been contracted for in the 1900-1901 time period.]" (Source: Rudder, March 1904, p. 162.)

"The Hollis-Burgess Yacht Agency, of Boston, has sold the Herreshoff knock-about Little Robin, owned by Mr. Charles S. Eaton, of Boston, to Mr. Phillip M. Reynolds , of the same city, who will use her at North Haven, Me.; ..." (Source: Anon. "Yachts Change Hands." New York Herald, June 13, 1911, p. 13.)

"BOSTON, Mass., Friday. --- Mr. John Philip Reynolds has bought Mr. Charles S. Eaton's Herreshoff knockabout Little Robin and will use it at North Haven, his summer home." (Source: Anon. "Yacht Movements." New York Herald, June 24, 1911, p. 12.)

"No. 10937 --- For Sale --- A dandy little Herreshoff knockabout; 26 ft o. a., 16 ft. 4 in. w. l., 6 ft. 9 in. beam, 4 ft. 6 in. draught, 1,500 lb outside lead ballast. Small cabin with enough headroom to sit up in with full length transoms. Built in the usual high grade Herreshoff manner with cedar planking and brass screw fastenings. Watertight cockpit. Canvas deck. This smart little craft was built in 1901 and has always had the finest care. Ideal boat for a boy or girl to learn to sail in as she is absolutely uncapsizable and unsinkable. Handles to perfection. Price $500. Can be seen in Boston by applying to Hollis Burgess Yacht Agency, 15 Exchange Street, Boston, Mass. [Although Little Robin was not explicitly identified in the accompanying advertisement text, it is clear that only she could have been meant, as she was the only 16' 4' LWL keel boat that had been contracted for in the 1900-1901 time period.]" (Source: Anon. "For Sale." Rudder, March 1914, p. 153.)

"H. Wilmer Hanan has purchased the Herreshoff 17 foot knockabout Little Robin, which was owned formerly by Philip Reynolds of Boston. The knock-about will be used on the Sound. The transfer was made through the office of John G. Alden..." (Source: Anon. "Hanan Buys Little Robin." Brooklyn Daily Eagle, May 31, 1914, p. 7.)

"... In the mixed class, Addison G. Hanan sailed with his family aboard the Little Robin, but all the sailing was done by his two small sons, Leonard and Richard, while Mrs Hanan helped to trim sheet, and Mr. Hanan merely looked on and coached his young hopefuls. ..." (Source: Anon. "Close Finishes the Rule in Indian Harbor Y.C.'s Annual Regatta, in Which Fifty Craft Are Started." New York Herald, July 26, 1914, p. 2.)

"... The 17-foot waterline Herreshoff knockabout Little Robin has been sold by H. W. Hanan to John W. Christiansen of New York ... through the agency of John G. Alden. ..." (Source: Anon. "Notes From The Week's Log." Boston Globe, November 26, 1916, p. 57.)

Archival Documents

"[Item Description:] Two sets of penciled pantograph hull sections titled '# 503 to 509 inclusive [Buzzards Bay 15 class: #503s, #504s, #505s, #506s, #507s, #508s, #509s]. 15ft one design class. Dec[ember] 4, [19]98'. One set simply marked '1st Trial' with no further notes or calculations. The other marked '2nd [trial]' and with calculations arriving at a displacement of 2438lbs with 'Note, for finishing model have deducted 2% of disp[lacement] ...'. Also with rating-related calculations marked 'Dec[ember] 1901. Hyslop rule'. Also special displacement calculations for #559 [LITTLE ROBIN] (50cuft = 3200lbs body part) and specially marked waterline for this boat and a note 'sheer raised 4in in #559'." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Pantograph Hull Sections. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE04_04770. Folder [no #]. 1898-12-04.)


"[Item Description:] Penciled pantograph lead sections titled 'Lead Keel for # s 503 to 509 inclusive [Buzzards Bay 15 class: #503s, #504s, #505s, #506s, #507s, #508s, #509s]. Dec[ember] 25, [18]98. Scale 1/4in'. With calculations requiring two trials to arrive at a final result of 995lbs lead at 8.6ft aft of w.l. (unclear if this includes the centerboard slot which is subsequently calculated). With separate calculations for '#559 [LITTLE ROBIN (deep draft cruiser)]. June 22, 1901'" (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Pantograph Lead Sections. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE04_09160. Folder [no #]. 1898-12-25.)


"N/A"

"[Item Transcription:] I have not had a good opportunity to try out the 'LITTLE ROBIN' [#559s] until this morning. It blew quite hard and was quite puffy. We put one reef in the mainsail and used number two jib.
I found her to be a most excellent sea boat, very dry and exceedingly well balanced, even better than the 'COCK ROBIN' [#461s], which seems hardly possible. With the wind a beam or close hauled when puffs struck her, although she has a tendency to come into the wind, yet she can be thrown broad off very easily. She is under perfect control at all times. I could not ask for a better boat for my boys, and I want to thank you again for the interest you took in making for me such a good boat for them." (Source: Eaton, C.S. Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_00200. Correspondence, Folder 1_14, formerly (84). 1901-08-07.)


"[Item Transcription:] [Penciled table:]
EDITH [#456s] 456 - 1150,- 1400
VIERO [#459s] 459 - 1050,- 1300
L[ITTLE] R[OBIN] [#559s] 559 - 985,- 1150
[The first numbers show hull numbers, the second numbers dollar prices as recorded in the Construction Record, the third numbers may be adjusted prices to reflect higher costs at some later time.] [Undated, 1901 or later given mention of LITTLE ROBIN. Given that this paper was filed together with other R.W. Emmons correspondence leading to the new Buzzards Bay 21 class, particularly the first letter which is believed to be from September 21, 1903 and specifically mentions EDITH as a possible role model, one might be inclined to believe that NGH wrote these notes in response to Emmons' inquiry as to the possible cost of the new BB21 boats.] " (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Note. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_39160. Correspondence, Folder 79, formerly 71. No date (1903-09-23 or later ?).)


Note: This list of archival documents contains in an unedited form any and all which mention #559s Little Robin even if just in a cursory way. Permission to digitize, transcribe and display is gratefully acknowledged.

Further Reading
  • Cheever, David. "The Herreshoff Fifteens." The Log of Mystic Seaport, v. 24, No. 2., Summer 1972, p. 38-44. (106 kB)
    Document is copyrighted: Yes. Short class history, detailed vessel description and appreciation and a thrilling account of a typical race of Buzzards Bay 15 at the Beverly Yacht Club. Special focus on #554s Fiddler ex-Nora, now in the collection of Mystic Seaport Museum.
  • Brainerd, Alec with Bernard H. Gustin and Steven K. Nagy. "The Herreshoff 15 is Alive and Well." In: Herreshoff Marine Museum (Publisher). Proceedings. The Classic Yacht Symposium 2010. Bristol, R.I. 2010. (5,834 kB)
    Document is copyrighted: Yes. Copyright holder: Alec Brainerd, Bernard H. Gustin, Steven K. Nagy / Herreshoff Marine Museum. Class history, construction and restoration comments, building and sailing a replica, detailed class register (including replicas). Photos, drawings.
  • van der Linde, Claas. "Herreshoff 15-Footers: Building Dates and Model Variations." December 7, 2021. (380 kB)
    Document is copyrighted: Yes, used with permission. Copyright holder: Claas van der Linde. Tabular summary of Herreshoff 15-footer construction dates and model variations. Together with information of BB15 sail numbers, boat names and boat owners from various year books of the Beverly Yacht Club.

Images

Registers

1906 Lloyd's Register of American Yachts (#1670)
Name: Little Robin
Owner: Charles E. Hodges; Port: Marblehead, Mass.
Building Material Wood; Type & Rig K[eel], TC [Trunk Cabin], Slp
LOA 27-0; LWL 16-6; Extr. Beam 6-6; Draught 4-9
Sailmaker H.M.Co.; Sails made in [19]02; Sail Area 350
Builder Her. M. Co.; Designer N. G. Herreshoff; Built where Bristol, R.I.; Built when 1902

Source: Various Yacht Lists and Registers. For complete biographical information see the Herreshoff Catalogue Raisonné under Data Sources. Note that this section shows only snapshots in time and should not be considered a provenance, although it can help creating one.

Supplement

From the 1920 and earlier HMCo Index Cards at the MIT Museum
  • Note: The vessel index cards comprise two sets of a total of some 3200 cards about vessels built by HMCo, with dimensions and information regarding drawings, later or former vessel names, and owners. They were compiled from HMCo's early days until 1920 and added to in later decades, apparently by Hart Nautical curator William A. Baker and his successors. While HMCo seems to have used only one set of index cards, all sorted by name and, where no name was available, by number, later users at MIT apparently divided them into two sets of cards, one sorted by vessel name, the other by vessel number and greatly expanded the number of cards. Original HMCo cards are usually lined and almost always punched with a hole at bottom center while later cards usually have no hole, are unlined, and often carry substantially less information. All cards are held by the Francis Russell Hart Nautical Collections of the MIT Museum in Cambridge, Mass.
From the 1931 HMCo-published Owner's List

Name: Little Robin
Type: J & M
Length: 16'4"
Owner: Eaton, C. S.

Source: Herreshoff Manufacturing Company. "A Partial List of Herreshoff Clients." In: Herreshoff Manufacturing Company. Herreshoff Yachts. Bristol, Rhode Island, ca. 1931.

From the 1930s L. Francis Herreshoff Index Cards at the Herreshoff Marine Museum
  • Note: The L. Francis Herreshoff index cards comprise a set of some 1200 cards about vessels built by HMCo, with dimensions and / or ownership information. Apparently compiled in the early 1930s, for later HMCo-built boats like the Fishers Island 23s or the Northeast Harbor 30s are not included. Added to in later decades, apparently by L. F. Herreshoff as well as his long-time secretary Muriel Vaughn and others. Also 46 cards of L. F. Herreshoff-designed vessels. The original set of index cards is held by the Herreshoff Marine Museum and permission to display is gratefully acknowledged.
From the 1953 HMCo Owner's List by L. Francis Herreshoff

Name: Little Robin
Type: 16' sloop
Owner: C. S. Eaton
Year: 1902
Row No.: 375

Source: Herreshoff, L. Francis. "Partial List of Herreshoff-Built Boats." In: Herreshoff, L. Francis. Capt. Nat Herreshoff. The Wizard of Bristol. New York, 1953, p. 325-343.

From the 2000 (ca.) Transcription of the HMCo Construction Record by Vermilya/Bray

Month: Apr [sic, i.e. Jun]
Day: 5 [sic, i.e. 11]
Year: 1901
E/P/S: S
No.: 0559
Name: Little Robin
LW: 16' 4"
B: 6' 9"
D: 4' 2 3/4" ?
Rig: J & M
K: y
Ballast: Lead O.
Amount: 985.00
Notes Constr. Record: Moulds 503. Sheer raised 4" flush deck W.T. cockpit
Notes Bray: PTV: Not sure of 3/4" in depth
Last Name: Eaton
First Name: C. S.

Source: Vermilya, Peter and Maynard Bray. "Transcription of the HMCo. Construction Record." Unpublished database, ca. 2000.

Note: The transcription of the HMCo Construction Record by Peter Vermilya and Maynard Bray was performed independently (and earlier) than that by Claas van der Linde. A comparison of the two transcriptions can be particularly useful in those many cases where the handwriting in the Construction Record is difficult to decipher.

Research Note(s)

"Regular Buzzards Bay 15s had a 15-foot waterline, 6' 9" beam, 2' 3" draft plus a centerboard, gaff rig, and a coaming that curves around the front of the cockpit." (Source: Nagy, Steve. June 1, 2008.)

"Little Robin was a modified Buzzards Bay 15 with a small deckhouse, no centerboard and a deeper draft of 4' 3" and a raised sheer of 4" as per the Construction Record and her special construction plan HH.5.05490 (076-031): Construction Plans - Sail Boats: Jib & Mainsail cruising boat 16ft-4in." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. April 19, 2014.)

"Built in 44 days (contract to launch; equivalent to $22/day, 83 lbs displacement/day)." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. January 16, 2024.)

"Sail area (jib 77 1/2, mainsail 268sq ft) from sail plan 130 062_HH.5.10365." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. April 19, 2014.)

Note: Research notes contain information about a vessel that is often random and unedited but has been deemed useful for future research.

Note

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Citation: HMCo #559s Little Robin. Herreshoff Catalogue Raisonné. https://herreshoff.info/Docs/S00559_Little_Robin.htm.