Herreshoff #183401es Julia I

"My first recollection of sailing is in my father's boat JULIA. This "Newport rigged" or cat rigged, as now called, craft was built by my father in 1834 (now one hundred years ago), and was of the prevailing type at that time with a full rounding bow and with quite fair lines underneath, much drag to the keel line, a rather raking stern that was somewhat submerged. Her sail was quite high and narrow, and she carried considerable ballast, most[ly] in iron pigs and kentledge [Ballast along the keelson in the form of pigs] with grape shot to fill in between. It was carefully painted each year with red and white lead. This boat was considered a fast sailer probably much due to the fine condition which she was kept in and my father's care in sailing her. Her great fault in form, as I now see it, was a very full run. Had this been cleaner and fair lines carried out to a stern a little smaller and a foot farther aft, she would have been a really fast sailer.
My vivid impression, when quite small, was the fine spray wetting everyone on board when she met "the three great waves" while [sailing] down the bay to Greene's Dale [Home of Nathanael Greene, Charles F. Herreshoffs lifelong friend at Middletown, RI]. These major waves would bring the boat almost to a standstill, but soon to gather way to meet the next oncoming major waves.
After a delightful day for the family with the Greenes, the sail home before the wind was most interesting to us small boys, for as the JULIA was open right aft to the transom, it gave a fine opportunity to tow our little boats. There was room enough for three or four at once and when we got tired, we only had to pull them close in to the dead water following, and they would stay there indefinitely.
I cannot recollect if my father's "shifting ballast box" was first fitted to this JULIA or the second JULIA, but I have the impression it was the first JULIA. JULIA No. 1 was sold to John R. Gardner of Ferry Hill, Bristol, in 1854-5." (Source: Herreshoff, N. G. "Some of the Boats I Have Sailed In." Written 1934. In: Pinheiro, Carlton J. (ed.). Recollections and Other Writings by Nathanael G. Herreshoff. Bristol, 1998, p. 35-36.)

"Charles Frederick had built and owned sailboats while still living on the Point Pleasant Farm and one of them was the first 'Julia.' She was probably built about 1833, was about twentythree feet long, and was quite similar in model and rig to other boats of the bay at that time and even before. This first 'Julia' was a roomy boat with large cockpit, and besides taking many of the family sailing all over the bay, she was used to take the family visiting at other country estates around the bay where friends and relations lived." (Source: Herreshoff, L. Francis. The Wizard of Bristol. The Life and Achievements of Nathanael Greene Herreshoff, together with An Account of Some of the Yachts he Designed. New York, 1953, p. 38-40.)

"During the thunder storm on Sunday [June 9, 1844] afternoon last, a boat belonging Mr. Harrishoff [sic], lying at Poppasquash, was struck by lightning, and her mast shivered to pieces. [Was this a reference to #183401es Julia I?]" (Source: Anon. "Lightning." Bristol Phenix, June 15, 1844, p. 2.)

"[Item Description:] Penciled half-breadth plan and profile titled 'Taken off Model of JULIA [#183401es] built by Chas. F. Herreshoff Esq. in 1834 in a barn near 'Store House', Point Pleasant Farm. This model was in the front hall at Greensdale for many years. Nathl. G. Herreshoff. Jany 2, 1916. scale 1in per ft'." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Half-Breadth Plan. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE02_06230. Folder [no #]. 1916-01-02.)
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"[Item Description:] Penciled pantograph hull sections titled 'Sections taken off Model of JULIA [#183401es] built by Chas. F. Herreshoff Esq. in 1834. Nathl. G. Herreshoff. Jan[uar]y 2, 1916. Scale 1/12in'. No further notes or calculations." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Pantograph Hull Sections. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE04_06420. Folder [no #]. 1916-01-02.)
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"[Item Description:] Penciled pantograph hull sections with pinpricks titled 'Duplicate. Sections taken off Model of JULIA [#183401es] built by Chas. F. Herreshoff Esq. in 1834. Nathl. G. Herreshoff. Jan[uar]y 2, 1916. Scale 1/12in. Spaces 10 in 18ft 6in. See drawing'. No further notes or calculations." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Pantograph Hull Sections. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE04_06440. Folder [no #]. 1916-01-02.)
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Note: This list of archival documents contains in an unedited form any and all which mention #183401es Julia I even if just in a cursory way. Permission to digitize, transcribe and display is gratefully acknowledged.

• Grayson, Stan. Herreshoff Catboats. The Roots of a Boatbuilding Dynasty." Wooden Boat #289, November/December 2022, p. 58-67. (1,855 kB)
  Document is copyrighted: Yes. Detailed, well-written story about Herreshoff catboats, from early boats such as Sprite and the four Julias which were all built before the founding off the Herreshoff Manufacturing Company to the numerous small catboats like Dandelion and Bluebell, many of which were delivered to Boston yachtsmen and most of which were also built before the founding of HMCo to the later, often very extreme and rule-beating catboats such as Wanda. With some minor errors, not all Julias were keelboats, Dexter Stone was from Philadelphia and not just a local yachtsman, Peri was not built for W. Starling Burgess, and Bluebell was built for Ed. Burgess with no proof that this was Edward Burgess.