Herreshoff #186603es Fannie I [Fanny]

"Fannie 1st [#186603es]: 23ft 2in Length on deck. 21ft 6in Length on water. 9ft 2in Breadth extreme. 2ft 8 1/2in Depth. 8 3/8in Deadrise per foot. 5ft 6in Width of stern. 1ft Sheer. 2ft 11in Freeboard [at] bow. 1ft 10in Freeboard [at] stern. 1ft 3 1/2in Freeboard [at] lowest place. No bowsprit. 28ft Mainsail foot. 22ft Mainsail hoist. 12ft 3in Mainsail head. 34ft Mainsail leech. 504sqft Mainsail 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." (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.)

"February 13, 1937
Dear Mr. Stephens -
... I saw quite a bit of the Burgess family by my brother John building all the boats for the Burgess boys. ...
With kindest regards,
Sincerely,
Nathanael G. Herreshoff" (Source: Letter 25. From N. G. Herreshoff to W. P. Stephens, dated February 13, 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. 155-159.)

"'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.)

"In the regatta at Stonington, on the 'Fourth,' [July 4, 1870] the Orion [#186903es], owned by Mr Thayer, of New York, and built by Mr John B Herreshoff, of this town, was the successful competitor gaining the prize of one hundred dollars. ... The first prize to centre-board boats in the first class, at the regatta in Boston on the 4th inst. [July 4, 1870], was given to the Sadie [#186704es], late ot this town. The first prize to keel boats was won by the Psyche [#186605es]. The first prize in the second class was given to the Violet [#186606es], the second to the Kelpie [#186403es], centre-boards. The first prize in the third class was given to the Posey [#186603es ex-Fannie I], the second to the Secret [#186408es], centre-boards. Those boots were all built by Mr. John B. Herreshoff, at his yard and shops in this town. ... At the regatta of the Eastern Yacht Club, of Marblehead, Mass., Tuesday [July 12, 1870], the Sadie [#186704es], of Boston, was the winning boat. Coming was second. The time of the Sadie was four hours and twenty-five minutes, and the Coming four hours thirty minutes and twenty-five seconds. Dexter Stone's Psyche [#186605es], another Herreshoff boat, although not in the race, came in next to the winner." (Source: Anon. "Local Tintypes." Bristol Phoenix, July 16, 1870, p. 2.)

"... The cat-rig Posey, M. J. Kiley, has had her name changed to Nettle. ..." (Source: Anon. "Yachting." Outing, August 1885, p. 633.)

"[Posy, It. Fanny (Sail, C. B.) owned by R. G. & F. T. Hunt, Port: Weymouth; LOA 24ft; LWL 21.9ft; Beam 9.6ft; Draft 3ft; designed by J. B. Herreshoff and built by J. B. Herreshoff in 1867.]" (Source: Stebbins 1888 Yachtsmen's Souvenir, p. 52.)

"... 'About the first boat the Fanny [Fannie II] had to tackle was the Posy, another Herreshoff cat of the same length. I believe the Fanny was built the next year after the Posy, and built to beat her, which she did. The Burgess boys had the Posy, and while they had her it was a stand-off between the two in races, but after the Burgesses sold her the Posy never could beat the Fanny.
'The Burgess boys of Beverly used to have a good many boats in them days. At first they used to get Herreshoff boats, but after-wards they got to goin' to Pierce brothers of City Point. Both Herreshoff and Pierce turned out some very fast boats, and it was hard to say which was the best builder. ...
'Herreshoff in them days was turning out some fine catboats, the Posy, Fanny, Maud, Bristol, Peri, Ruby, Virginia, Dandelion, Pansy and Tulip, bein' a few of his that used to carry off a good many prizes. ..." (Source: Anon ("Water Line.") "City Point Yachting. Great Record Made by Catboat Fanny." Boston Globe, February 2, 1890, p. 10.)

"POSY.
A centerboard sloop, formerly Fanny, was designed by J. B. Herreshoff and built by the Herreshoff Mfg. Co. in 1866 at Bristol, R. I. She was formerly rigged as a cat-boat, but was altered to sloop rig in 1891; has been altered several times. She is at present the property of Russell G. Hunt and Fred T. Hunt, and hails from Weymouth, Mass., sailing with the Hull, Beverly, Quincy, Monati-quot and Corinth thian (of Marblehead) Yacht Clubs.
DIMENSIONS.
Length over all, 26 feet.
Length load waterline, 21 feet 8 1/2 inches.
Beam, 11 feet 10 inches.
Draft, 3 feet.
Racing Record, 1891:
Massachusetts Yacht Club --- Posy was first in the 135th Race sailed June 17th, beating White Fawn, Good Luck, Moondyne, Ustane, thirteen starters.
Quincy Yacht Club --- Second Championship Race, July 29th, Posy won from Erin, White Fawn and Moondyne. In the 102d Regatta, which took place August 22d, Posy defeated Erin and Adolph. Beaten by White Fawn, August 25th." (Source: Mott, Henry Augustus. Yachts and Yachtsmen of America. New York, 1894, p. 350-351.)

"... The [Herreshoff-designed] Pink put out the lights of the little class of tenders, and in the following year, 1869, the Beverly boys decided to have a larger class, from Herreshoff. Walter Burgess had at that time a Smith boat of 21 feet waterline, the Louise, but soon sold her to John B. Turner and bought a Herreshoff boat at Wareham, the Posy, an open cat 21 feet on the waterline and 24 feet overall.
Posy was very fast and won her first race from a large fleet, at City Point, on the fourth of July, 1870. ...
The Posy, though now in her 37th year, is still in existence, being owned in Quincy. ...
It is a source of pride to Mr Burgess that in all his racing he has never made a protest for a foul. He recalls that, in the Fourth of July race in 1870, when he was leading in the Posy, he tried to hold his course when off the wind close to a boat on the wind, and fouled her. The man in the other boat howled, and it transpired that she too was racing. Mr Burgess came in ahead. On a protest from the boat he had fouled ho would have been thrown out. After the race he rowed over and introduced himself to the injured skipper and begged his pardon.
'Are you one of the Burgess boys of Beverly?' he was asked.
Mr Burgess said he was. 'Then it's all right,' said the skipper, 'I wouldn't think of protesting you.'
The forgiving skipper was William H. Bangs, and with this incident began a friendship between Mr Bangs and Mr Burgess that has lasted to this day. ..." (Source: Anon. "Has Raced Yachts 40 Years. Walter Burgess, Secretary of the Boston Yacht Club, Has Witnessed the Entire Development of Modern American Yachting." Boston Daily: Jan 13, 1907, p. SM12.)

"... Sec Walter Burgess of the Boston Yacht Club celebrated the 50th anniversary of his first race by sailing Rear Commodore Richard Hutchison's Victory knockabout Mindoo at Marblehead, Monday, July 5. Mr Burgess, sailing his Herreshoff catboat, Posey, won the first race he ever entered in the city of Boston regatta July 4, 1870. ..." (Source: Anon. "Notes from the Week's Log." Boston Globe, July 11, 1920, p. 53.)

"When he mentions '... all the boats for the Burgess boys' N.G.H. is making one of the rare references to a little-known chapter of yachting history. It is the period prior to 1878, when John Brown Herreshoff was building what may have been the fastest miniature racing catboats in North America or abroad. The Burgess family alone bought about a half a dozen. These and many others sailed in the Boston area won against all comers in races for craft in the UNA tradition." (Source: Streeter, John W., editorial note. In: Herreshoff, Nathanael Greene and William Picard Stephens. "Their Last Letters 1930-1938." Annotated by John W. Streeter. Bristol, R. I., ca. 1999, p. 159.)

"The Posy, a catboat 21 feet 4 inches in length, was also raced in the Beverly Yacht Club's first regatta, held in Beverly on June 22, 1872. The Posy was owned by N. T. Allen and raced in the first class for yachts between 21 feet and 30 feet in length on the waterline. In 1872, most American yachts were wide, shallow boats with inside ballast." (Source: Photo caption for Stebbins Yachtsmen's Souvenir p. 52 and Rosbe, Judith Westlund. The Beverly Yacht Club. Charleston SC, Chicago IL, Portsmouth NH and San Francisco CA, 2006, p. 12.)

"On August 29. 1874, the Beverly Yacht Club held a union regatta off Beverly in Salem Harbor. Field and Stream [sic, i.e. Forest and Stream?] magazine reported, 'The race was very successful, though the wind was light. The entries were free to all yachts not over thirty feet on the water line. Nineteen yachts started in three classes. They were all centre-board sloops and cat-boats, and among them many known as the fastest boats in their respective classes. The Eva, Mabel and Tulip had easy work in their classes in holding a good lead from the start. The first prizes were won by the Eva (W. H. Bangs Jr.) in the first class, Mabel (J. N. Roberts) in the second, and the Tulip (Walter Burgess) in the third. The second prizes were won by Posey (J. M. McKee), Water Lily (P. Grant Jr.) and Pink (J. B. Mills Jr.), in the first, second, and third class respectively. ... The judges were Messrs. T. D. Boardman, G. D. Howe and C. H. Williams on board the yacht Foam, which Mr. Baordman kindly offered as judges' yacht." (Source: Regatta circular caption. In: Rosbe, Judith Westlund. The Beverly Yacht Club. Charleston SC, Chicago IL, Portsmouth NH and San Francisco CA, 2006, p. 18-19.)

"[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).)
① ② ③ ④ ⑤ ⑥

Note: This list of archival documents contains in an unedited form any and all which mention #186603es Fannie I [Fanny] 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.

• Fannie I
• Nettie ex-Fannie I
• Nettle ex-Fannie I
• Posy ex-Fannie I
• 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: Fannie
Type: 21'
Owner: Captain Gibbs
Year: 1865 [sic, i.e. modeled in 1865 and delivered in 1866]
Row No.: 219

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.

"Fannie I 1866 and Fannie II 1867 are listed simultaneously in 1890/1891 Yacht List and 1896 Who Won. Fannie, then called Posy, was owned by A. and W. Burgess from 1868 to at least 1872, by Arthur and Walter Burgess, brothers of Edward Burgess (yacht designer) and sons of Benjamin F. Burgess." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. May 2, 2008.)

"In the absence of better available data displacement was estimated by using the figure for New Measurement Tons (4.5) from the 1881 Olsen's American Yacht List 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.