Herreshoff #191301ep [Owner Launch for #722s Katoura]

"[1913-08-26] Tue 26: Strong SW [wind] & fine. Began setting up 26' launch [#191301ep] for #722 [Katoura]." (Source: Herreshoff, Nathanael G. Diary, 1913. Manuscript (excerpts). Diary access courtesy of Halsey C. Herreshoff.)

"April 25, 1915
Katoura's Starboard Launch.
Trial with open exhaust and pitch of propeller about 21in?
Engine with new valve gear.
[Followed by tabulated trial run data with best mean speed being 19.8mph per hour]
Weight of [job] # 7125 Tender for Katoura
Complete 1827.3[lbs]
Engine 778.8[lbs]
Diff[erence] for hull & installation 1048.5[lbs]." (Source: Herreshoff, N. G. Handwritten note in Experiments Booklet '1911 Trial Trips and Experiments' under date of April 25, 1915. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum.)

"Gasolene Tanks Explode Just After They Leave Craft.
Greenwich, Conn., June 13 [1916]. --- Fire in the tender of their yacht, the Katoura, last evening, endangered the lives of Mr. and Mrs. Robert E. Tod, of New York and Sound Beach. Members of the Indian Harbor Yacht Club pulled them from the flaming craft just two minutes before the tender's two gasolene tanks exploded and sent it to the bottom.
The Tods had dined at the club and were on their way to the Katoura, anchored a mile off shore. The tender, a $10,000 gasolene launch, had gone only 200 feet from the dock, when men who sat on the club veranda saw it burst into flames. Four went to the rescue in the club launch.
Mr. Tod is a nephew of the late James S. Kennedy and inherited part of his large fortune. He is in the stock brokerage business at 998 Fifth Avenue, New York, with his brother, J. Kennedy Tod. He was once commodore of the Atlantic Yacht Club. The Katoura, built less than two years ago, was designed by Nat Herreshoff." (Source: Anon. "Tod and Wife Rescued from Burning Launch." New York Tribune, June 14, 1916, p. 2.)

"[Item Description:] Penciled sketch with profiles for 'Port Launch 722 [#287p for #722s KATOURA] ([Drawing] 2-72)' and 'Owner's Launch 722 [#191301ep for #722s KATOURA] ([Drawing] 2-83)'." (Source: MIT Museum, Hart Nautical Collections, Haffenreffer-Herreshoff Collection Item HH.6.124. Detail Sketch. Box HAFH.6.4B, Folder Detail Sketches. No date (1913 or later).)
①

"[Item Transcription:] [Typewritten letter on '30 East 42nd Street, New York' stationery:]
My dear Mr. Herreshoff:
Many thanks for your kind letter of the 21st instant received on my return from Bermuda.
You must have been very much disappointed if you happened to see the account in yesterday's World of the poor showing made by the KATOURA [#722s], hut fortunately the account is entirely wrong.
I enclose the Log of the trip down and also of the return trip. We had very light weather all tie way down and and the VAGRANT [#719s] finished about an hour ahead of us, but Mr. Vanderbilt informed me that he had used his motor for about 36 miles in the flat calm, so we could get no line on the speed. When we started from New York she started about half an hour ahead of us, and we overhauled and passed her a little South of Long Branch.
Coming home the weather was very light for the first 36 [corrected to 32] hours, and the VAGRANT held us pretty well. After that we got a good breeze and made excellent time. We anchored off the Ambrose Channel Lightship Saturday evening at 7:19. The VAGRANT went to New London, and I believe they sighted Montauk Point Saturday at 11:45 p.m. They did not arrive in New London until Sunday about noon. 0f course, sailing entirely different courses [p. 2] makes it pretty hard to get an accurate line on the speed.
I am more than delighted with the sea qualities of the KATOURA. she is the driest boat I have ever sailed on.
She is very comfortable in a sea way, [inserted in pen: not one creak except the swinging table which we fixed with brass bearings], and of course the only criticism is with her lofty rig, in a dead calm with a heavy swell she slaps around at a great rate.
I expect to come to Bristol by Saturday of this week and I trust that the starboard launch [#191301ep] will be ready to take away. I will explain to you the little troubles that we have had with the [Herreshoff 4in x 5in Gasolene] engine, but I think that we are gradually overcoming them.
With kindest regards, I remain,
Very truly yours,... [With two enclosed sheets with image of 'KATOURA 1914' letterheads and voyage progress reports from Ambrose Light to Bermuda and back in 3d 19h 50m and 3d 0h 34m, respectively.]" (Source: Tod, Robert E. Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE04_07290. Folder [no #]. 1915-05-25.)
① ② ③ ④ ⑤

"[Item Transcription:] Handwritten (in ink) trials booklet titled '1911. Trial Trips and Experiments'. Relevant contents:
§20: #191301ep [OWNER LAUNCH FOR #722s KATOURA] Trial Run best mean speed 19.8mph (1915-04-25)." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator) and Herreshoff, A. Sidney deW. (creator). Trials Booklet. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE07_04280. Folder [no #]. 1911-06 to 1926-05.)
① ② ③ ④ ⑤ ⑥ ⑦ ⑧ ⑨ ⑩ ⑪ ⑫ ⑬ ⑭ ⑮ ⑯ ⑰ ⑱ ⑲ ⑳ ㉑ ㉒ ㉓ ㉔ ㉕ ㉖ ㉗ ㉘ ㉙ ㉚ ㉛ ㉜ ㉝ ㉞ ㉟ ㊱ ㊲ ㊳ ㊴ ㊵ ㊶ ㊷ ㊸ ㊹ ㊺ ㊻ ㊼ ㊽ ㊾ ㊿
① ② ③ ④ ⑤ ⑥ ⑦ ⑧ ⑨

"[Item Description:] Hulls, anchors and pipe berth cut-out models and diagrams. Among others deckline cut-outs for BETTY ANN, #300p SHADOW III, NOMAD, Fishers Island 31-footer, Fishers Island 23-footer, Sub Chaser 110ft x 18ft, 11ft-6in Boat [built from Plan] 76-17 [now named Plan 28-21] (76-33 [now named Plan 28-23]) for Mr Tiffany's #934 [HARLEQUIN] [this may be a reference to #191901es], 18ft-9in Launch [#191002ep] used on #692 [WESTWARD], 14ft Rowboat [#190912es] [built from Plan] 76-14 698 [#698s WESTWARD], 19ft-4 1/2in x 5ft-4in Launch [#191304ep] for #719 [VAGRANT II], 14ft-8in Gasoline Launch [#190307ep] for 590 [#590s INGOMAR], 10ft-3in Boat [# ?] for 376 [#376p ESLOMA], 18ft Dories [#191729es] for #323 [SP-2840], #293 [Power Launch for #215p ROAMER], Vosper [Torpedo Boats built from 1943 - 1944), AMC Minesweeper [#411p, #412p, #413p, #414p], 16ft-10in x 5ft-1in [#191307es Colonia Sailing Cutter] for #719 [VAGRANT II], 711 Class [New York 50s], [dinghies #191308es and #191309es] for #722 [KATOURA], 12ft [dinghy #191106es ?] for 698 [#698s WESTWARD], 25ft-10in x 6ft-1in [built from Plan] 2-83 [#191301ep Owner Launch for #722s Katoura], 11ft-0in Rowboat [# ?] between davits on #251 [LANG SYNE] Feb [19]06, 23ft-4in x 6ft-4in [#287p Stock launch later Crew Launch for #722s KATOURA]. Generally undated, the last vessels referred to appear to date from 1944." (Source: MIT Museum, Hart Nautical Collections, Haffenreffer-Herreshoff Collection Item HH.6.130. Cut-out Models and Diagrams. Box HAFH.6.4B, Folder Models and Diagrams. No date (1944 and earlier).)
① ② ③ ④ ⑤ ⑥ ⑦ ⑧ ⑨ ⑩ ⑪ ⑫ ⑬ ⑭ ⑮ ⑯ ⑰ ⑱ ⑲ ⑳ ㉑ ㉒ ㉓ ㉔ ㉕

Note: This list of archival documents contains in an unedited form any and all which mention #191301ep [Owner Launch for #722s Katoura] even if just in a cursory way. Permission to digitize, transcribe and display is gratefully acknowledged.

"Reference was added due to existence of construction plan 002-083 (25'-10" x 6'-1" Owners launch for 722) and note by NGH on the back of model no. 411. This launch burned on June 13, 1916, necessitating the building of a replacement, #302p (and, apparently, yet another replacement, #304). It is assumed that this launch was built from model 411." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. February 9, 2009.)

"Note that the construction plan 2-83 mentions a 'Herreshoff 4in x 5in Gasolene engine'." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. June 22, 2015.)

"This vessel's contract date was estimated from the approximate date of its job number. The vessel's job number 7125 was assigned ca. 1913-06-03. Plan 2-83 from which this boat was built was drawn 1913-09-29. #722s Katoura (for which this vessel was built) was contracted for 1913-03-31. This boat's contract or building date is 64 days after #722s Katoura was contracted for." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. October 26, 2009.)

"Weight without equipment and fuel 2103bs." (Source: Herreshoff Manufacturing Company. [Note.] # 7125 Construction Plan 2-83 (HH.5.00099). September 29, 1913.)

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