Herreshoff #191305es [Dinghy for #718s Alerion III]

"Sep 22nd 1926
Dear Herreshoff,
Sent you a wire message yesterday which I delayed a day in order to report on PLEASURE [#907s] as being apparently without a scratch [after the Great Miami Hurricane of September 18, 1926] or even a hole in cover which as several dredge pontoon & other craft ploughed past on either side on a N.E. course right across the fairways[?] plan, was a remarkable escape for her. She was the only uninjured craft anywhere along shore apparently.
... I've found many of my tools close to where the boathouse stood and have gotten quite a lot of (our) yours & mine, and when we get the more necessary things attended to & with the help of the City will probably get a lot more bits value by that time will be doubtful so mixed with sea weed & other trash.
Your dinghy [#191305es] was found in pieces opposite the public library.
... PLEASURE's mast is gone as in found the pieces. We have the boom (main) but nothing else so far. ... I don't have to tell you of our loss as you know. Will build again in old location soon as possible but with a better plan. The loss in the county at large is very high besides that of life. 75 known dead and several hundred injured.
Sincerely,
R.M. Munroe." (Source: Munroe, R.M. [Letter to N. G. Herreshoff.] Herreshoff Marine Museum Correspondence, Folder 85 (new), 102 (old). Access courtesy of Halsey C. Herreshoff. September 22, 1926.)

"[Item Description:] Four sets of penciled pantograph hull sections with calculations and diagrams. The various sets are annotated 'From finished model of 8ft boat for self [#191305es Dinghy for #718s ALERION III]. Oct 19, 1912 (Not used)' (calculations show a weight of 870lbs), '8ft 5in row boat, Oct 23, 1912' (calculations show a weight of 890lbs), ''8 1/2 5in[??] long. .8 spaces' (calculations show a weight of 1030lbs), and 'Final, after changing 8ft 5in boat. Oct 25, 1912'." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Pantograph Hull Sections. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE04_01030. Folder [no #]. 1912-10-25.)
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"[Item Description:] Photograph, uncaptioned, showing the HMCo small boat Shop, 1912-13 with #718s ALERION and her 8 1/2ft tender #191305es with, from left to right Ernest Alder, Charley Sylvester, Henry Vincent, James Clarkson, Willard Kenny [as inscribed on verso on another copy of this photo at HMM]." (Source: Herreshoff Jr., Nathanael G. (creator). Photograph. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE14_01790. Folder [no #]. No date (1913-01 ?).)
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"[Item Transcription:] I wrote you after the harmful[?] gale just before yours of the 22nd. The wind had little effect on the tides. The extreme high water that still continues and is delaying the septic tank work and clearing up of ground round the cottage, is customary at this time of year always but this time is augmented by the tremendous rainfall of a week & more[?] ago. Neither the natural outlets or the drainage canals can relieve it, therefore patience is the word. I'm not worrying at all about it. The plumber has about two days work and the tank chap only one. The joinery & painting are going on fine & a fortnight more should see the house ready for occupying. Therefore I would suggest sticking to your Mallory [steamship] sailing date & we will meet you at C[oconut] G[rove] station. Wire me your train from Key West on arrival there. The freight via Clyde to Miami address to my care at C. Grove. They then notify me & send truck after it. The description of the new boat [#907s PLEASURE] is interesting and there will be much similarity between her & the new design which I made last Summer but at present see no chance of building from. My rig however differs in that I've gone back to two sticks for personal comfort & ease [as would NGH the next year when he re-rigged PLEASURE as yawl].
I presume you will have there build a tender of some kind. A modified English coracle strike[?] me would be the right thing, having a plank, hard wood keel and evident bow, rather blunt. The pram is also good but has too much useless bow. [NGH would bring #191305es ALERION's tender with PLEASURE.] Until the new boat arrives, SUNSET is absolutely at your disposal but there are things about her possibly not quite to your liking as is natural and it has occurred to me & brought to mind my Mr Matheson the other day, that one of your sailing dinghys might fill in the gap & surely sell to cover all expenses later on. Just an idea, thats all. Will soon be counting the days before your arrival. We think now in terms of Herreshoffiana. Pardon the attempt. " (Source: Munroe, R.M. Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_40360. Correspondence, Folder 83, formerly 102. 1924-10-28.)
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"[Item Transcription:] List of stuff to go in Cabin of #907 [PLEASURE], when shipped to Miami, Fla. In addition to regular equipment.
1 15 or 16 lb anchor, straight stock. To be made.
[#718s] ALERION's 8ft 4in tender [#191305es], with 3 oars, 1 p[ai]r rowlocks, Foot brace, Boom rest, Fish shaped busy[?] float, Bailer & shammy. In N. G. Herreshoff's boat house.
1 Piece of chain.
1 Package of Kahki Canvas.
1 Box spare rope & small stores. In N.G.H.'s house.
1 Box sailmakers outfit. In N.G.H.'s house.
1 Box tools. In N.G.H.'s house.
1 Box spare fittings. In N.G.H.'s house.
1 Oil skin, coat & sowester.
1 P[ai]r rubber boots, 2 cushions.
1 Old coat & hat.
1 Bucket, filled, rigging supplier.
1 Flag staff.
12 Bundle of flags.
1 Box fishing tackle.
1 Varnish Can
1 Birdcage
1 Market basket with clothing
1 Bundle of knock down book case
1 Foot stool & raincoat
1 Thermos bottle
When ready for shipping have all gear and extras stowed in cabin, and the cabin locked. Have one key hidden under cockpit bench. The position to be sent by letter, and have the other key mailed to N.G.H.
Have the boat covered with old canvas, whitewashed as [per?] instructions on drawing of cradle. Also forget a plug hole in bottom, under cockpit.
Have name PLEASURE guilded on stern.
Paint like ALERION, white antifouling bottom and very light shade of green topsides. Bright sheer strake. Paint spars.
I have asked Lawton to cast into blocks about 150 to 200 lbs of lead to go inside for trimming. [Undated. A similar short list of items appears in NGH's diary on October 31, 1924.]" (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Note. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_29130. Subject Files, Folder 21. No date (1927-10-31 ?).)
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"[Item Transcription:] Sent you a wire message yesterday which I delayed a day in order to report on PLEASURE [#907s] as being apparently without a scratch or even a hole in cover which as several dredge pontoon & other craft ploughed past on either side on a N.E. course right across the fairways[?] plan, was a remarkable escape for her. She was the only uninjured craft anywhere along shore apparently.
We got warning of its sure approach Friday P.M. and worked til late that night on the extra mooring of MELODY & SUNSET and batting of boat house etc. Then turned in with an increasing wind N.N.E. sky not so bad looking, but by mid night it was on us & by 3 a.m. B[arometer] 29.22 so we turned out and went down into the sitting room ready for what might come. 4.20 B[arometer] 2896. 4.50 28.74. 5.05 28.68. 5.38 28.33. 6 28.28. 6.15 28.24. Center [of the eye of the hurricane] 1 hr. in passing, edge not distinctly noticeable as usual. 7.20 28.13. 7.55 28.10. 8.25 28.18. 8.35 28.32 reaching not quite normal about noon following day.
How's that for a record? When the lull came at center tried to secure our small boats tied to the back of boat house but only successful in getting 'VELITTA' as wind & sea were working fast from S.S.W. & tide rising with a jump. In half an hour it was blowing all of 100 miles about the same as just before the shift. At about 10, many of the squalls must have reached 120 to 125 miles tho of course the Gov[ernmen]t reports are less as the station is surrounded by high buildings.
The N.E. wind wrecked a lot of damage among the trees but the boats & shore front seemed O.K. for the first-half hour. There was a procession of all sorts of craft going S.W. during first part of lull. At this time Barrows brought his wife up & lucky he did for in a short time visibility shut down completely and nothing more was known of the water front til near noon when nothing but a few bedraggled Coconuts came in sight and right in front, Peacocks 30ft p[ower] launch, which had come right across lots from the Camp westerly[?] basin and a still larger boat on Pooles front. The water was just up to the old well, about half way up our lawn. SUNSET was gone, MELODY was apparently O.K. except bow in the water from rain water which had been too much for her c[ock]pit scuppers to carry off before reaching the C.P. locker doors. We tried to save her from going down after standing all the gale but we couldn't get a boat afloat & next morning she was down. Yesterday we floated her again without trouble and fond that something having wire connections of some sort had drifted athwart her bow, cut the jib stay & hung on the foremast long enough to ruin the mast & covering[?] boat & sail on port side. This same object must have first fouled SUNSET & parted all there of her facts[?] but leaving no marks except on hull. She went over the Helm bulkhead, striking pretty hard on shore aft & port bilge, driving in one plank but not breaking. Haven't gotten the exact rise of water, but it must have been about 6 1/2 ft above M.H.W. Standing at the foot of a royal palm tree on the Curtiss James place near PLEASURE the back was chopped off 8ft above by apparently one of pipe pontoons. These are approx. 3 1/2ft Dia. & draw about 18in. The whole of the dredging outfit 40 to 50 pontoons nearly all went over the new bulkhead at the moorings[?] next place S.W. & there over the wall & now lie sixes & sevens on from[?] ways[?] front lawn. Hugh Matheson's yacht station houseboat was in his father's basin where she went all to pieces in a short time after completely wrecking everything else. 'TALLAHASSEE' was also in the basin but escaping the house boat ploughed her 3 1/2ft draft through the mangroves & across the Estate grounds N.E. & finally sunk on the Adirondack School place nearly up to the houses dismasted & badly bilged. Hugh says he will not repair her. EVANGELINE which went overland from Entrada basin to that of H. Matheson without injury and MELODY were the only boats that rode out the gale S.W. of point view. Everything else is up in the woods or near to them, and now an[?] tale of lore[?]. With the exception of my low built pier, there is not a wharf intact on the Bay from Point View southward and within[?] is there is there [sic] an undamaged house, out[?] from Dinner Key to south of Cutler, not one left standing in what is called the low land.
Adirondack School, Poole, Self, Gardiner, the whole of Dinner Key & this side is swept clean, and the debris from the first four is puled up from four to five ft high to 25ft wide in places clear to the Home[?] Keepers Club. We have been busy as could be ever since, salvaging what we can but its an awful job. I've found many of my tools close to where the boathouse stood and have gotten quite a lot of (our) yours & mine, and when we get the more necessary things attended to & with the help of the City will probably get a lot more bits value by that time will be doubtful so mixed with sea weed & other trash.
Your dinghy [#191305es] was found in pieces opposite the public library.
Gardiner's boat 'ARLEGA'[?] just this side & so it goes way with[?] to the Camp. The Hine cottage just did half together but completely destroyed the bamboos & is on top of them. I can move it back into place. It might have stood probably but a big heavy launch on our ways floated off & sawed[?] the cottage & then sunk in my banana patch. Of course there is an awful demand for mechanics otherwise I might promise to have it repaint & ready for you in time. Will do the best we can & let you know. PLEASURE's mast is gone as in found the pieces. We have the boom (main) but nothing else so far. MELODY & SUNSET in same fix except that the formers mainsail & jib have shown up. I don't have to tell you of our loss as you know. Will build again in old location soon as possible but with a better plan. The loss in the county at large is very high besides that of life. 75 known dead and several hundred injured." (Source: Munroe, R.M. Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_41090. Correspondence, Folder 85, formerly 102. 1926-09-22.)
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Note: This list of archival documents contains in an unedited form any and all which mention #191305es [Dinghy for #718s Alerion III] even if just in a cursory way. Permission to digitize, transcribe and display is gratefully acknowledged.

"Frame spaces for 8'6" oa - 5"; Requirements for tender to No. 718 [Alerion III] - N. G. H.: No rudder, Skull hole in stern, 4 rowlock sockets, 2 row locks, 1 pr 6' oars, 2 lifting rings, Painter hole in outside of stem, Bronze shoeing from stem head around heel of sternpost; Painted white up to sheer strake, Gunwhale seats + seat stringer varnished, otherwise painted a very light shade of green inside, as per info on plan 28-41." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. October 26, 2009.)

"This vessel's contract date was estimated from the approximate date of its job number. The vessel's job number 6961 was assigned ca. 1913-02-20. Plan 28-41 (formerly 76-108) from which this boat was built was drawn 1912-10-27. #718s Alerion III (for which this vessel was built) was contracted for 1912-10-19. This boat's contract or building date is 124 days after #718s Alerion III was contracted for." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. October 26, 2009.)

"This dinghy was destroyed in the Great Miami Hurricane of September 1926." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. November 29, 2015.)

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