Herreshoff #186601es Ariel [Arial]

"Haidee [#186601es]: 35ft Length on deck. 13ft Breadth extreme. 4ft 5in Depth. 7ft Width of stern. 37ft 8in Mainsail foot. 25ft Mainsail hoist. 21ft Mainsail head. 32ft 5in Mainsail leech. 24ft 4in Jib foot. 38ft Jib hoist. 29ft Jib leech. 25ft 6in Gafftopsail foot. 28ft 6in Gafftopsail luff. 19ft 6in Gafftopsail leech. 29ft Jibtopsail foot. 50ft Jibtopsail hoist. 26ft 3in Jibtopsail leech. 300sqft 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.)

"HAIDEE 2nd, ARIAL, VIOLET, PSYCHE, and FANNIE were built the following winter [1865/1866] by Herreshoff and Stone. Neither of these boats made a brilliant record the first year, but were very [well] liked and approved [of] when in the hands of later owners." (Source: Herreshoff, N. G. "Boats and Yachts that I have been Especially Interested in by Sailing and Some of Which I Have Owned." Bristol, April 1932. In: Pinheiro, Carlton J. (ed.). Recollections and Other Writings by Nathanael G. Herreshoff. Bristol, 1998, p. 103.)

"Late that summer [1865], I made the model for boats that Herreshoff and Stone had orders for the next spring [1866], and were for first, [the] catboat FANNIE I, [a] twenty-one foot waterline catboat, then for HAIDEE II, ARIEL, and VIOLET, all thirty-five feet on deck and thirty-two feet waterline." (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. 22.)

"For the following year [1866], I made models for three thirty-six foot overall sloops, HAIDEE 2nd, ARIAL, and FALCON, the last for one of my father's fishing gangs, and also for a twenty-three foot overall, twenty-one foot waterline catboat for Captain Benjamin Gibbs. Those craft were very satisfactory and with fair speed, but not quite unexcelled. It is funny, but they appeared to improve as they grew older. ... The following summer, 1866, John had an order from Mr. Edward Dexter for a thirty-five foot sloop [VIOLET], and she was built on the same molds as the three sloops just mentioned, except the bilges were made a little fuller, giving more breadth at the waterline and was, without doubt, an improvement. However, on trial, it was found KELPIE 2nd was a little faster than VIOLET to windward, although smaller. To prevent John and Dexter Stone (they were in partnership then) [from] using this model any more, I took an axe and cut it up, then went to work and made a new model for a same sized sloop yacht." (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. 47.)

"'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.)

"The same year he made a model from which the twenty-five-foot sloop 'Haidee' (later named 'Fanchon') was built. 'Violet' was also built from this model as well as 'Ariel.' These boats were modeled in 1864 when Nat was only sixteen years old, although 'Violet' was not built until 1866." (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. 80.)

"The New York Tribune says: --- 'We recently visited the establishment of Messrs. Herreshoff & Stone, of Bristol, R. I, the builders of the sloop Kelpie [#186403es], which attracted so much attention at the time of the regattas last spring, and was subsequently purchased by Mr. Taylor, of the Brooklyn Club, where we found no less than six boats of their build on the stocks or already launched, from 30 to 45 feet in length. These gentlemen carry on the business of yacht and boat building on a scale probably unequalled in this country, conducting on their own premises, nearly every operation necessary to convert the raw materials --- wood and iron --- into boats. They buy their timber in the log, sawing it to suit in their own steam mill, and, in fact, for many purposes, as knees, &c, send their own men into the woods to cut it In their blacksmith shop, block shop, spar-yard, and rigging loft, the various adjuncts of the vessels are turned out, so that their establishment is almost a miniature navy yard. At present the sails for their boats, are made under their supervision, at Newport; but they hope soon to make arrangements for adding a sail-loft to their other departments. Among the boats launched this spring, and now building in their yard, are the Psyche [#186605es], for Mr. Taylor of the Brooklyn Club; Ariel [#186601es], for C. Anthony, Esq., of Providence, and Haidee [#186501es], for S. C. Powell, Esq., of New York. ..." (Source: Anon. "Yachts and Yachting." Bristol Phoenix, April 28, 1865, p. 2.)

"Providence, RI, November 4 [1872]. --- Yachts Storm King and Ariel, the former of New York build, the latter of Herreshoff's make, raced to-day for five hundred a side from Silver Spring around Beaver Tail light, the latter arriving first home. The judges have not at this hour returned a decision, owning to the becalming of the boats near Sabin's Point." (Source: Anon. "Yacht Race." Boston Globe, November 5, 1872, p. 8.)

"[Ariel (Sail, C. B.) owned by W. D. Hodgkins, Port: Boston; LOA 35.5ft; LWL 33.5ft; Beam 13ft [sic]; Draft 4ft; designed by J. B. Herreshoff and built by J. B. Herreshoff in 1867.]" (Source: Stebbins 1888 Yachtsmen's Souvenir, p. 30.)

"[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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Note: This list of archival documents contains in an unedited form any and all which mention #186601es Ariel [Arial] even if just in a cursory way. Permission to digitize, transcribe and display is gratefully acknowledged.

• Ariel
• Ariel
• 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: Ariel
Type: 33' 5" sloop
Owner: C. A. Locke [sic, Locke was listed as owner of 1866 Ariel in 1885 American Yacht List]
Year: 1886 [sic, i.e. 1866]
Row No.: 47

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.

"In the absence of better available data displacement was estimated by using the figure for New Measurement Tons (10.76) from the 1881 Olsen's American Yacht List (Old Measurement Tons were reported as 10 by 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." (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.