HMCo #987s Bull Finch

S00987_Bull_Finch_Levick_a.jpg

Particulars

Construction_Record_Title.jpgName: Bull Finch
Type: Larchmont 12 1/2 Footer
Designed by: NGH
Contract: 1925-12-14
Delivered: 1926-6-13
Construction: Wood
LOA: 15' 6" (4.72m)
LWL: 12' 6" (3.81m)
Beam: 6' 0" (1.83m)
Draft: 2' 6" (0.76m)
Construction Class and Number: #961-7
Rig: Marconi Sloop
Sail Area: 140sq ft (13.0sq m)
Keel: yes
Built for: Ford, James B.
Amount: $1,000.00
Note(s) in HMCo Construction Record: Larchmont Class #961-7

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 #716Model number: 716
Model location: H.M.M. Model Room North Wall Right

Vessels from this model:
409 built, modeled by NGH

Original text on model:
"12 1/2' Buzzards Bay boy class 24 boats 1915 scale 1/10 size three [sic, i.e. four? #806, #813, #815, #817?] boats 1916
16' w.l. Oyster Bay "Fish Class" 23 boats 1916 scale 1/12 size sections 1/13 lengths 3 1/2 added at bow on deck" (Source: Original handwritten annotation on model. Undated.)

Model Description:
"12'-1/2' lwl Buzzards Bay 12 1/2-class of 1915, HMCo's most popular creation with some 360 boats produced. Also, with change in scale and proportionally longer bow, the Fish class sloops of 1916 and beyond." (Source: Bray, Maynard. 2004.)

Related model(s):
Model XA2-1_01 by NGH (1914?); sail
Buzzards Bay 12 1/2
Model XA2-1_02 by NGH (1914?); sail
Fish Class


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.6.146-6

Offset booklet contents:
12 1/2-footer class, Fish class (Cape Cod Shipbuilding Embargoed)


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

Drawings

Main drawing Dwg 076-118 (HH.5.05569) Explore all drawings relating to this boat.

List of drawings:
   Drawings believed to have been first drawn for, or being first referenced to
   HMCo #987s Bull Finch are listed in bold.
   Click on Dwg number for preview, on HH number to see at M.I.T. Museum.
  1. Dwg 079-091 (HH.5.05900): Chain Plates & Mast-Band for Port Boat on "Roamer" (1902-05-03)
  2. Dwg 079-091 (HH.5.05901): Fittings for Port Boat on # 215 (1902-05-03)
  3. Dwg 130-124 (HH.5.10432); Sails > # 744 Design for Buzzard's Bay Boy's Boat (1914-10-11)
  4. Dwg 128-142 (HH.5.10269): Sails > Sails for No. 744 Class (1914-11-20)
  5. Dwg 081-111 (HH.5.06203): Spars for # 744 and Class (11 Boats), 12 1/2 Footer (1914-11-21)
  6. Dwg 081-111 (HH.5.06203.1): Spars for # 744 and Class (11 Boats), 12 1/2 Footer (1914-11-21)
  7. Dwg 065-064 (HH.5.04659); Rudder Hanging for # 743, Rudder and Hanging for # 744 Class (1915-02-15)
  8. Dwg 074-060 (HH.5.05348); Anchor for # 744 Class Made of Manganese Bronze (1915-03-30)
  9. Dwg 130-147 (HH.5.10459); Sails > 12 1/2 Footer with Leg O' Mutton Rig (1925-10-21)
  10. Dwg 128-095 (HH.5.10220): Sails > Sail Cutting Larchmont 12 1/2'-Class (1926-01-11)
  11. Dwg 025-159 (HH.5.01916); List for # 744 Class, 12 1/2 Footers (1926-03-22)
  12. Dwg 148-000 (HH.5.12238); Construction Dwg > Herreshoff 12 1/2 Footer (ca. 1931)
  13. Dwg 076-118 (HH.5.05569); Construction Dwg > Herreshoff 12 1/2 Footer, 15'-8" O.A. x 12'-5" W.L. x 5'-10" Beam x 2'-5" Draft (1931-07-06)
  14. Dwg 076-118 (HH.5.05569.1); Construction Dwg > Herreshoff 12 1/2 Footer, 15'-8" O.A. x 12'-5" W.L. x 5'-10" Beam x 2'-5" Draft (1931-07-06)
  15. Dwg 128-142 [057-001] (HH.5.10270): Sails > Sails Plan 12 1/2 Footer Class (1934-06-04)
  16. Dwg 142-090 (HH.5.11837): Compartment Details for 12 1/2 Footers (1934-07-18)
  17. Dwg 076-000 (HH.5.06088): 12 1/2 Footer Class Marconi Spar Details (1938-02-25)
  18. Dwg 076-118 D (HH.5.06087): 12 1/2 Footer Class Marconi Spar Details (1938-02-25)
  19. Dwg 076-118 D (HH.5.06087.1): 12 1/2 Footer Class Marconi Spar Details (1938-02-25)
  20. Dwg 130-124 B (HH.5.10434); Sails > 12 1/2 Footer Class Marconi Sail Plan [2 Plans] (1938-03-01)
  21. Dwg 130-124 B (HH.5.10434.1): Sails > 12 1/2 Footer Class Marconi Sail Plan (1938-03-01)
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

"[1926-06-13] Sun 13: Fair. Mod[erate] SSW. Fog in evening. Around home all day. E. Le Clair towed away 6 - 12 1/2 footers to go to Larchmont [#987s, #988s, #989s, #990s, #991s, and #992s]." (Source: Herreshoff, Nathanael G. Diary, 1926. Manuscript (excerpts). Diary access courtesy of Halsey C. Herreshoff.)

Other Contemporary Text Source(s)

"... About every space in the shop not occupied by something bigger, has a 12 1/2 foot water-line boat in some stage of completion, filling it up.
Of the fleet of 12 1/2 footers, the boats for Louis S.[sic] Bishop [#989s Bull Head], J. H. Brown [#991s Bull Dog] and James B. Ford [#987s Bull Finch and #988s Bull Frog] will be rigged with the jib headed mainsail, and sent around to Larchmont. Those for H. C. Osborne [#994s Black Jack], Harriet T. Verry [#995s Swish], M. P. Whitall [#993s Sampan], Miles W. Weeks [#?s], Prescott Bigelow [#?s] and Dr. Thomas D Bennett [#1000s Perro] will be gaff rigged to fit into the class at Buzzards Bay where they will be used this summer. Another [#1003s] is for Col. Charles Tillinghast to replace the 15-footer Little Rhody Jr." (Source: Davis, Jeff. "Yachting Gossip." Providence Journal, April 25, 1926, p. ?.)

"LARCHMONT MANOR, N. Y., June 20 [1926]. --- Despite the poor sailing conditions on Long Island Sound this afternoon, several special events were held by members of the Larchmont Yacht Club off this port. The Victory sloops, the R class and the newly-launched Larchmont Bull's Eyes that were designed by Herreshoff for the junior members of the club, all had an interesting session. ...
Betty Anderson, and Ned Anderson Jr. were the leaders in the Bull's Eyes. Little Betty, who is only 10 years old, sailed a brilliant race against her brother and was the winner by 21 seconds.
The summaries: ...
LARCHMONT BULL'S EYES.
Course 7 1/2 Miles. Start 3:40.
[#989s] Bull Head, Betty Anderson 4:48:42
[#987s] Bull Finch, Ned Anderson Jr 4:49:03
[#988s] Bull Frog, Robert Carrick 4:51:23" (Source: Anon. "Betty Anderson, 10, First In Yacht Race. Captures Honors in the Newly Launched Bull's Eyes Class at Larchmont Y. C. Races." New York Times, June 21, 1926, p. 25.)

"LARCHMONT BULLSEYES.
Start, 2:35 P. M. Course, 2 1/2 Miles.
[#990s] Bull Pup, Larry Reybine, 3:13:55
Baby Fish, Peter Jaffe, 3:14:06
[#987s] Bull Finch, S. Stevens, 3:18:55
[#991s] Bull Dog, A. Kuehnle, 3:22:34
[#992s] Bull Terrier, E. Anderson, 3:24:08
[#989s] Bull Head, L. Kuehnle, 3:25:01" (Source: Lawrence, Seabury. "Girl Skipper Wins Junior Star Race." New York Times, July 21, 1926, p. 15.)

"LARCHMONT BULLSEYES.
Start. 3:20 P.M. Course, 2 1/4 Miles.
[#990s] No. 4, Larry Reybine, 3:59:05
[#988s] No. 2, Robert Carrick, 4:00:15
[#987s] No. 1, Sherman Stevens, 4:03:30
[#991s] No. 6, D. Adamson, 4:05:30
[#991s] No. 5, Ned Anderson Jr., 4:08:00" (Source: Lawrence, Seabury. "Minx Shows Way To The 30-Footers." New York Times, June 19, 1927, p. S5.)

"BULL'S EYE CLASS.
Start, 3:10. Course. 2 1/4 Miles.
[#988s] Bullfrog, Ned Anderson Jr., 3:50:00
[#990s] Bull Pup, A. Reybine, 3:59:59
[#991s] Bull Terrier, J. H. Adams, 4:00:05
[#989s] Bullhead, C. A. Kuehnle, 4:02:59
[#987s] Bullfinch, Larchmont Y. C., 4:03:00 " (Source: Lawrence, Seabury. "193 Yachts, Record, Race At Larchmont." New York Times, July 17, 1927, p. 4.)

"Larchmont Bulls Eye Class.
[#987s] 1, Bull Finch, Larchmont Yacht Club
[#988s] 2, Bull Frog, Larchmont Yacht Club
[#989s] 3, Bull Head, H. L. Maxwell
[#990s] 4, Bull Pup, Alpheus Reybine
[#991s] 5, Bull Dog, Louis F. Bishop
[#1005s] 7 Bull Fish, Peter Jaffee" (Source: Anon. "Racing Numbers Long Island Sound Yacht Racing Association." Rudder, August 1928, p. 103.)

Other Modern Text Source(s)

... The Junior program [of the Larchmont Yacht Club] was expanded in 1926 to include a new class of boat, the Herreshoff 12 1/2, or Bullseyes. More than 40 Juniors signed up, and a paid instructor was hired for the summer. The Bullseye Class survives to this very day in several East Coast locations. Built now of fiberglass ...
In 1926 a daring new program was announced under the joint auspices of the Larchmont Yacht Club and the Junior Yacht Racing Association of Long Island Sound. Ladies' Day would be no more. Tuesday of Race Week would be Junior Day. ...
Half of the report of the race committee for 1927 was devoted to the Junior program: 'The 1927 season was the third year of the Junior Instruction in sailing and this class had grown until reached the number of 45 Juniors. Most of the sailing in this class was done in the five Larchmont Bullseyes, two of which were owned by the Club [#987s and #988s], and we had the use of boats of the same class owned by Messrs. A. Reybine [#990s], C. A. Kuehnle [apparently #989s], and Dr. L. Bishop [#989s]. We again secured the services of Howard H. Keller of Chicago for sailing instructor ... (Source: Ogilvy, C. Stanley. The Larchmont Yacht Club. A History, 1880-1990. Larchmont, NY, 1993, p. 172.)

Further Reading
  • Bray, Maynard. "Restoration of 12 1/2 Footers. Part I." Wooden Boat #56, January/February 1984, p. 93-101. (1,293 kB)
    Document is copyrighted: Yes, used with permission. Copyright holder: Maynard Bray (text). Detailed Buzzards Bay 12 1/2 restoration step by step as performed by the Ballentine shop. Part I. Stem restoration, transom and frame replacement.
  • Bray, Maynard. "Restoration of 12 1/2 Footers. Part II." Wooden Boat #57, March/April 1984, p. 93-100. (1,036 kB)
    Document is copyrighted: Yes, used with permission. Copyright holder: Maynard Bray (text). Detailed Buzzards Bay 12 1/2 restoration step by step as performed by the Ballentine shop. Part II. Keel timber and coamings replacement.
  • Bray, Maynard (with photos by Benjamin Mendlowitz). "12 1/2 Footers." Nautical Quarterly, no. 37, Spring 1987, p. 47. (608 kB)
    Document is copyrighted: Yes, used with permission. Copyright holder: Maynard Bray (text), Benjamin Mendlowitz (photos). Short class portrait. Part of the larger article "Herreshoff Legacies."
  • Nagy, Steve. "The Herreshoff 12 1/2 Footer. Evolution Of The Class." In: Herreshoff Marine Museum (publ.). Proceedings. The 6th Classic Yacht Symposium. May 2-3, 2014. Bristol, RI, 2014, p. 1-23. (4,425 kB)
    Document is copyrighted: Yes. Copyright holder: Steve Nagy / Herreshoff Marine Museum. Short class history of the 12 1/2 as built by HMCo, Quincy Adams, Cape Cod Shipbuilding and others. Different models: Gaff, marconi, wishboom, Fishers Island. Detailed description of changes in configuration and equipment as boats were built over time. Identification guide for 12 1/2s missing their builder's plate. Photos. Original promotional material.

Images

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

Type: Leg-O-Mutton
Length: 12'6"
Owner: Ford, James B.

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

From the 1953 HMCo Owner's List by L. Francis Herreshoff

Name: No name
Type: 12 1/2-footer
Owner: James B. Ford
Row No.: 998

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: Dec.
Day: 14
Year: 1925
E/P/S: S
No.: 0987
OA: 15' 6"
LW: 12' 6"
B: 6' 0"
D: 2' 6"
Rig: J & M Leg-o-mutton
K: y
Amount: 1000.00
Notes Constr. Record: Larchmont Class
Last Name: Ford
First Name: James B.

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.

From the 2007 12 1/2 Registry by Steve Nagy

Hull No.: 987
Contract Date: 1925-12-14
Org. Owner: James B. Ford
Org. Rig: Leg O' Mutton

Source: Nagy, Steve. "The Herreshoff 12 1/2 Footer Registry." Version 2.0. August 2007. (http://h12.orrsford.com/H12_Registry_Ver_2-0.pdf, last visit May 23, 2008.)

Research Note(s)

"This boat was ordered for the club by legendary Larchmont Yacht Club commodore James B. Ford." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. November 16, 2014.)

"Sail number 1 as indicated by Rudder, vol. 44, 1928 (p. 103?)." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. February 2, 2015.)

"Built in 181 days (contract to delivered; equivalent to $6/day)." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. January 16, 2024.)

"Sail area approximately 140 square feet by rule." (Source: Herreshoff Manufacturing Company. Yachts by Herreshoff. The Herreshoff Manufacturing Company: Designers and Builders of Sailing and Power Craft since 1861. Bristol, Rhode Island, 1937.)

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 #987s Bull Finch. Herreshoff Catalogue Raisonné. https://herreshoff.info/Docs/S00987_12_1_2_for_James_B_Ford.htm.