Herreshoff #186407es Qui Vive

"Qui Vive [#186407es]: 40ft 3in Length on deck. 38ft Length on water. 14ft Breadth extreme. 4ft 4in Depth. 3 1/8in Deadrise per foot. 9ft Width of stern. 1ft 7 1/2in Sheer. 4ft 10in Freeboard [at] bow. 2ft 4in Freeboard [at] stern. 1ft 8in Freeboard [at] lowest place. 14ft Centreboard length. 14ft Centreboard from woodends. 9ft 6in Centre of mast from woodends. 46ft 3in Mainsail foot. 30ft Mainsail hoist. 21ft 6in Mainsail head. 69ft 9in Mainsail leech. 1151sqft Mainsail area. 25ft 9in Jib foot. 42ft Jib hoist. 33ft Jib leech. 426sqft Jib area. 24ft Gafftopsail foot. 24ft Gafftopsail luff. 16ft 6in Gafftopsail leech. 180sqft Gafftopsail area. 29ft Jibtopsail foot. 50ft Jibtopsail hoist. 26ft Jibtopsail leech. 284sqft Jibtopsail area." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. and/or other Herreshoff family members. Handwritten table listing early Herreshoff-built boats and their dimensions up to 1870. No date (1870 or later). Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum, MRDE03.)

"[On a cruise with Kelpie I in the summer of 1863] we fell in with Tom Clapham and his associates of the first QUI VIVE [sic, i.e. Jerry Bryant according to Thomas Clapham?]. They were very cocky and claimed they could beat any sloop yacht about. So a race was agreed upon for the next afternoon. We accordingly appeared in Holmes Hole (Vineyard Haven) the next afternoon, and saw the sloop yacht WHITE WING at anchor. We consulted the owner and he agreed to act as umpire and time the boats. The race was to leeward [with a] beat back in a moderate southerly wind and KELPIE beat QUE VIVE [which] was four or five feet longer. Clapham was so much taken aback that he desired to sail the race over, thinking something was holding his boat. The result was the same. The sailing to Newport, in which the two yachts were in company, induced Mr. Clapham to give John an order for a new yacht. This was the beginning of John's business as builder of yachts and boats. In [the] fall of 1863, John began organizing the construction of yachts and boats and after making a model of QUE VIVE II by John and my father, John was given the privilege of using the "Old Tannery". He hired Edward Thompson and, as they could be used, eight or ten other ship-boatbuilders. For the work of building large boats, the building had to be changed by cutting out the west end and placing large doors so [that] craft could be launched directly into the water. A gap was made in the floor about fifteen feet wide and ways laid of rather liberal incline reaching to below high water. During construction, craft were built above the original floor level with [a] temporary floor laid over the gap, and when ready for launching, the temporary floor was removed and the vessel lowered to the cradle, set on ways. During the following winter (1863-64), John built QUI VIVE II, [and] four menhaden fishing boats for my father, who then had my brother James as partner in the fish oil business." (Source: Herreshoff, N. G. "The Old Tannery and My Brother John." Written July 28, 1933. In: Pinheiro, Carlton J. (ed.). Recollections and Other Writings by Nathanael G. Herreshoff. Bristol, 1998, p. 19-20.)

"August 31 1935
Dear Mr. Stephens -
... Turning again to your last letter mentioning "Tom" Clapham. We met him first in 1863 at Vineyard Haven Camp-meeting. He and his college chums were cruising in his first QUI VIVE [sic, i.e. Jerry Bryant according to Thomas Clapham?], and we in John's KELPIE. Tom Clapham and his chums claimed their QUI VIVE would beat any yacht of her size - to which we took exception! and so an agreement was made to have it out next day. The 55 ft. sloop yacht WHITE WINGS was in the harbor and her owner very graciously offered to lay the course, start us, and be umpire. KELPIE handsomely beat QUI VIVE, very much to Clapham's & his chums' chagrin, and they wanted to try it over, but the result was the same. This lead to Tom Clapham giving John an order for a larger yacht and starting him in the boat-building business then at 22 years and without sight. And so QUI VIVE 2nd came out in 1864 42 1/2' o.a., 38' w.l., rather light draft cb as their home was then up the Housatonic River. Tom owned her for several years until the family fortune dwindled. In the meantime he married his mother's companion a young woman of fine ability, and they became a most united couple. ...
Very truly yours,
Nathanael Greene Herreshoff
Sept. 15 1935." (Source: Letter 13. From N. G. Herreshoff to W. P. Stephens, dated August 31, 1935 to September 15, 1935. In: Herreshoff, Nathanael Greene and William Picard Stephens. "Their Last Letters 1930-1938." Annotated by John W. Streeter. Bristol, R. I., ca. 1999, p. 67-80.)

"April 22 1936
Dear Mr. Stephens -
... I had known [Tom Clapham] since 1863 when he was cruising in the first QUI VIVE [sic, i.e. Jerry Bryant according to Thomas Clapham?] with his college friends; meeting him at Vineyard Haven camp meeting. John built him the 2nd QUI VIVE in 1864, and it was either that year or the following he was in a cruise in her having his mother and her maid - or companion - who soon afterward he married. They were always a very loving pair, and after Tom's death kept his memory sacred. We were in the habit of calling on her when passing in our yachting trips and she passed only a year or two ago. ...
Yours sincerely,
Nathl. G. Herreshoff" (Source: Letter 21. From N. G. Herreshoff to W. P. Stephens, dated April 22, 1936. In: Herreshoff, Nathanael Greene and William Picard Stephens. "Their Last Letters 1930-1938." Annotated by John W. Streeter. Bristol, R. I., ca. 1999, p. 137-138.)

"April 16, 1937
Dear Mr. Stephens-
... The success of KELPIE, as a cruiser & racer gave John his first order, (QUI VIVE [II] from Tom Clapham) and he started business. ...
With kind regards,
Yours truly,
Nathl. G. Herreshoff" (Source: Letter 29. From N. G. Herreshoff to W. P. Stephens, dated April 16, 1937. In: Herreshoff, Nathanael Greene and William Picard Stephens. "Their Last Letters 1930-1938." Annotated by John W. Streeter. Bristol, R. I., ca. 1999, p. 177-180.)

"'Qui Vive II,' 42' O.A.
'Prudence,' 36' O.A.
'Patience,' 36' O.A.
'Hope,' 28' O.A.
'Faith,' 28' O.A.
'Henrietta,' 16' O.A.
'Haidi,' 25' O.A.
'Ariel.'
'Violet.'
'Psyche.'
'Fannie.'
So far as I can make out, these later yachts were designed or modeled by J. B., C. F. Herreshoff (the father), and Nat all working together, but C. F. and J. B. were depending on Nat more and more each year. After about 1870, when Captain Nat designed 'Shadow,' thirty-six feet O.A. sixteen feet three inches beam, all later Herreshoff yachts were designed by Captain Nat alone. (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. 58-59.)

"A finely modeled and well built yacht, of about twenty-five tons burthen, measuring forty-one feet and ten inches over all, and built for Thomas Clapham, Esq. , of Derby, Conn., was launched, on Friday [July 1, 1864] evening of last week, from Mr. John B. Herreshoff's yard. At the appointed time, after the usual preparations necessary on such occasions, the yacht glided with perfect ease and grace down the ways, and as she entered the water, Miss Herreshoff, sister of the builder, dashed a bottle of wine against her bow nnd christened her 'Qui Vive.' A large number of our citizens were present to witness the launch.
The 'Qui Vive' is fastened throughout with galvanized iron. Her standing rigging is of galvanized steel wire rope, and was imported expressly for this yacht. The cabin which is large for a vessel of her size, is elaborately and expensively finished inside with black walnut and chestnut. She will, no doubt, prove to be, what she was designed for, a fast sailer " (Source: Anon. "Launch." Bristol Phenix, July 9, 1864, p. 2.)

"We have repeatedly had occasion to appeal of the good sailing qualities of the handsomely modeled and well built boats constructed at the yard of Mr. John Herreshoff, (now Herreshoff & Stone) in this town. We take pleasure in presenting to our readers the following extract from a letter to Mr. Herreshoff from a gentleman of Birmingham, Connecticut:
'Dear Sir: I have learned of your success in sailing with the Bridgeport boats [the Birstol Phoenix had recently reported about #186404es Magic winning the regatta in Bridgeport on August 18, 1864] and I hear that you beat the Lama of Brooklyn. Permit me to congratulate you, and hope that you may continue your good works. In relation to the Qui Vive. I would say that she has beat the entire New York Yacht Club, in three different days sailing, and that a Mr. Waldo of New York, belonging to the Club, bet $1,000 and Mr. Clapham (owner of the Qui Vive) another $1,000 a on her, against any other yacht of here length now afloat in the world. She can't be beat! You need never be ashamed to say you built the Qui Vive.' " (Source: Anon. "The Qui Vive." Bristol Phoenix, September 10, 1864, p. 2.)

"The splendid fast sailing yacht Qui Vive, that was built last year by Messrs. Herreshoff & Stone, for the last few days has been anchored off Herreshoff's wharf. We understand her owner has accepted a challenge of $1000 for a trial of speed and is soon to sail her with another 'crack' yacht ." (Source: Anon. "Local Affairs." Bristol Phoenix, July 22, 1865, p. 2.)

"The yacht race tor $3000, between the Haswell of Pawtuxet and the Qui Vive, of Derby, Conn., came off on Tuesday last [October 31, 1865]. The course was ten miles out to sea from a point near Brenton's Reef and return. The Haswell won the race beating the Qui Vive five minutes and seven seconds." (Source: Anon. "The Qui Vive." Bristol Phoenix, November 4, 1865, p. 2.)

"... Mr. Clapham has not yet put the Qui Vive in the water; but he is too much a yachtsman to dry her up in the sun during the summer days. She will be seen before long in our [New York] bay. ..." (Source: Anon. "Yachting. The Season of 1869." New York Herald, May 9, 1869, p. 4.)

"YACHT 'QUI VIVE' FOR SALE, very cheap; built by Herreshoff; elegantly finished.
Apply to. C. W. OWENS & CO.
No. 88 South Charles street." (Source: Anon. [Sale Advertisement] Baltimore Sun, August 11, 1888, p. 2.)

"Among the speedy ones that sailed the Sound in the days of the skimming-dish, was the forty-footer, Qui-Vive, owned by Mr Thomas Clapham, of Roslyn, L. I. She was a centre-board sloop, built by J. B. Herreshoff, in 1865, at Bristol, R. I. Her dimensions were: length overall 44 feet 11 inches, water line 39 ft. 8 in., depth 4 ft. 5 in., draft 3 ft., 3 in. ... It is interesting to compare these dimensions with those of the racing yacht of to-day." (Source: Anon. "Skimming Dishes." Rudder, November 1891, n. p. [11].)

"THE Philadelphia Y C. is determined to give to this city an organizathon second to none in this country, and ... has arranged for a series of addresses by the most prominent yachtsmen, yacht designers and builders. ...
The second talk of the series was given on March 16 [1892] by Mr. Thomas Clapham, of Roslyn, Long Island, before a large and enthusiastic audience of members and friends ...
It was for Mr. Clapham that John Herreshoff, who was the founder of the firm of Herreshoff Bros., built his first boat the Qui Vive. Mr. Clapham gave the sketch of this boat, her record, and pleased the club's Commodore, Francis Shunk Brown, by informing his audience that this boat, with an unbeaten record of twelve years, was finally defeated by the Commodore's yacht the Schemer, and that it so disappointed him that he immediately sold the yacht. ..." (Source: Anon. "A New Era In Philadelphia." Forest and Stream, March 24, 1892, p. 283.)

"In the summer of 1862 [sic, i.e. 1863 according to N. G. Herreshoff?], when on a cruise in my little sloop yacht Jerry Bryant, a jolly crew consisting of four Derby, Conn., boys and the writer found themselves flying high and dry on a sand bar in the lagoon at Holmes Hole --- since then renamed Vinyard Haven. We had run on the bar for the purpose of scrubbing our boat. While so occupied a trim yacht somewhat smaller than ours sailed up the harbor and anchored a few hundred feet distant. Her sails were no sooner furled than a yawl containing two men put off from her and ran up under our stern, and one of the men hailed us with the query, 'Is that the fast sloop from New York?'
We told them it was, then invited them aboard. The man who had hailed introduced himself as Dexter Stone and presented his companion as John B. Herreshoff, from Bristol, R. I. After talking boat for awhile with Herreshoff, who was wearing dark blue spectacles, I was informed that he was totally blind. He told me that his yacht was named Kelpie [#186301es], that he had designed and built her, and having heard that my boat was very fast had come all the way from New Bedford to ask if I would sail a race with him just to test the speed of his Kelpie. I said we would be happy to do so, but thought we could easily win, because our boat was much larger than his and had been built by David Kirby. He then very coolly informed me he would 'let me know as to that after he had looked at the shape of my boat.' Naturally, we boys wondered how a blind man proposed to see anything. But he soon settled matters by taking off his boots, climbing down to the sand bar and feeling along and around and under Jerry Bryant from stem to rudder.
After again coming aboard he quietly remarked that Kelpie could beat us to windward, though possibly our greater length might enable us to run a trifle faster sailing free. Well, the next day the race was sailed, and Kelpie won handsomely, much to our astonishment, for up to that time we had found nothing of our size that could sail with us.
Just before bidding us good-by, Herreshoff remarked to me. 'I'm intending to commence a yacht building business.' 'All right,' I replied; 'make me a model for a 40ft. sloop yacht and if it suits I will let you build from it.' The model did suit. Johnnie, as we had learned to call him, built the yacht, and during the twelve years that I owned and sailed Qui Vive [#186407es] we never met a boat of any size or kind that could sail as close to the wind, while very few were able to hold her with the wind from any direction.
Most of Qui Vive's racing was done in New York and Connecticut waters, and to her remarkable speed was due the first fame of the Herreshoffs.
John Herreshoff, I believe, can to-day take a block of wood and with a jackknife whittle out a model that would equal in speed the best boat yet produced by any of the merely 'scientific designers,' so called, with their eyes wide open. The photograph of Qui Vive, shown herewith, illustrates what a Herreshoff yacht of nearly forty years ago looked like. Her dimensions were: Length, over all, 42ft.; length waterline, 37ft. 6in.; beam, 15ft. 2in.; draft with centerboard up. 3ft.; length of mast. 50ft.; length of boom, 50ft.; foot of jib, 26ft. Her cabin contained four full-sized berths with cushioned transoms in front of them. She had a stateroom with double size berth, two berths in forecastle, a large butler's pantry, and every convenience for comfortable cruising.
Thomas Clapham.
Roslyn, N. Y., Feb. 21 [1901]." (Source: Clapham, Thomas. "Qui Vive" Forest and Stream, May 11, 1901, p. 375.)

"[Item Description:] Handwritten (in ink and pencil) table providing what amounts to be the earliest Herreshoff construction record with detailed dimensional data (Name, Owner, Length on deck, Length on water, Breadth extreme, Depth, Deadrise per foot, Width of stern, Sheer, Freeboard at bow, stern and lowest place, Centreboard length, Centreboard from woodends, Centre of mast from woodends, Bowsprit out board, Mainsail foot, hoist, head, leech, and area, Foresail foot, hoist, head, leech, and area, Jib foot, hoist, leech, and area, Gafftopsail foot, luff, leech, and area, Fore-gafftopsail foot, luff, leech, and area, Jibtopsail foot, hoist, leech, and area and Notes ) for Julia [#185602es], Sprite [#186001es], Kelpie 1st [#186301es], Magic [#186404es], Toad [#186411es], Prudence [#186406es], Patience [#186405es], Hope [#186402es], Faith [#186401es], Qui Vive [#186407es], Kelpie 2nd [#186403es], Teazer [#186410es], Secret [#186408es], Fish Boats [#186505es, #186506es, #186507es, #186508es, #186509es, #186510es, #186511es, #186512es], Fish Boats [#186513es, #186514es, #186515es, #186516es, #186517es, #186518es], Fanchon [#186501es], Angie [#186503es], Haidee [#186604es], Ariel [#186601es], Psyche [#186605es], Fannie 1st [#186603es], Violet [#186606es], Fish Boats [#186607es, #186608es], Fish Boats [#186609es, #186610es, #186611es, #186612es, #186613es, #186614es], Lively Whale [later Daisy ???] [#186707es ???], Fannie 2nd [#186702es], Hartford [later Polly ???] [#186703es ???], Sadie [#186704es], Clytie [#186701es], Waterfall [N/A], Bristol [#186801es], Ione [#187003es], Poppasquash [#186502es], Etta [N/A], Oysterboats [#186710es, #186711es], Spring Green [#186709es], Pellican [#186708es], Henrietta [N/A], Meteor [N/A], Fatter[?] [N/A], Annie Moies [#1p], Charlotte [#186803es], Annie [#186905es], Hildegard [#186808es], Thetis [#186705es], Clio [#187101es], Fleetwing [N/A], White Straw[?] [N/A], [Mignone] [#186904es], Fish Boats [square stern, 1868] [N/A], Sadie [#N/A (dupl. listing)], Fannie [N/A], Bunsby [#186802es], Orion [#186903es], Breeze [N/A], Nimbus [#186805es], Alice [crossed out, this MIGHT be Bessie] [#187001es], Viking [#187008es], [Ianthe] [#187002es], [Surf] [#187007es], [Georgie Miller] [#187011es], and [Pink] [#187010es]. Undated, the latest vessel on the list was built in 1870." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (?) (creator) or other Herreshoff family members (?) (creator). Construction Record. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE03_01410. Folder [no #]. No date (ca 1870).)
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"[Item Description:] letter from Switzerland, about to move away from Geneva, 'what a crowd of business you have had since you began with the [#6p] OSPREY', 'your new enterprise on the coast of Maine', 'at the time Johnny [JBH] built the [#186407es] QUI VIVE ...', cost of living in U.S., life at Conservatoire, Schuloff's 'Tarantella', music, children, Charlie sent two pictures home and keeps sketching" (Source: Brownell, Henriette. Letter to (Herreshoff), Lewis. Herreshoff Marine Museum Collection Item LIB_6390. HMM Library Rare Books Room (Various), Folder [no #]. 1873-03-19.)
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"[Item Description:] Newspaper clipping from 'The Evening Post' titled 'John B. Herreshoff Dead. Head of the Yacht-Building Company of Bristol'. Part of the clipping contains a fragment of an obituary for Thomas Clapham [first owner of #186407es QUI VIVE] who had also just died." (Source: Evening Post (creator). Obituary. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE03_00510. Folder [no #]. 1915-07-20.)
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Note: This list of archival documents contains in an unedited form any and all which mention #186407es Qui Vive even if just in a cursory way. Permission to digitize, transcribe and display is gratefully acknowledged.

• Qui Vive
• 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.

Name: Qui Vive II
Type: 39' 8" sloop
Owner: Thomas Clapham
Year: 1863
Row No.: 557

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.

"Launched 1864-07-01." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. November 24, 2010.)

"In the absence of better available data displacement was estimated by using the figure for Old Measurement Tons (26) from the 1872 Fox Yachting Annual and converting to lbs by dividing through 2000 (short tons). Note that this figure can only be a rough estimate because register tons as reported in Yacht Registers correlate only loosely with actual displacement figures. In this particular case it seems much too heavy." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. March 17, 2015.)

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