Herreshoff #192705es [Unbuilt Biscayne Bay Knockabout Proposal]

"[1927-07-07] Thu 7: Strong SSW all day, overcast. Most the time amusing myself in making 2 models [Model 1110 and ?] for 18' w.l. knockabouts." (Source: Herreshoff, Nathanael G. Diary, 1927. Manuscript (excerpts). Diary access courtesy of Halsey C. Herreshoff.)

"R.M. Munroe, Box 116, Coconut Grove, Florida
July 10th 1927
Dear Herreshoff,
... Your good long letter of the 3rd duly re[ceive]d. ... Your ideas about a boat suitable for these waters & capable of being wheeled up the hill on my new road for storage is perfectly O.K. Whats more, it will be very simple to build strong protection from the weather back of our hammock out of expanded metal lathing[?] & plaster. My two iron wheels are still perfectly good even if they have kicked around in the weather since 1876[?].
If outside ballasted it might be made removable in such small craft tho not absolutely necessary. Tho to detach it removes strain in the boat in handling. ...
All send regards,
[R.M. Munroe.]" (Source: Munroe, R.M. [Letter to N. G. Herreshoff.] Herreshoff Marine Museum Correspondence, Folder 87 (new), 102 (old). Access courtesy of Halsey C. Herreshoff. July 1927, 1927.)

"[Item Description:] Penciled sketches with sailplan and profile, midship section, half-deckplan and other profiles of a shallow draft wish-boomed yawl with a total sail area of 58+130+62 = 250sqft. Untitled, no further notes, undated. On verso of a printed promotional letter from the Rivett Lathe-Grinder Corporation to NGH in Bristol dated March 25, 1927. (This may possibly be related to #192705es Unbuilt Biscayne Bay Knockabout Proposal and be the original sketch for it although the sail area of 250sqft is considerably less than the 300+ sqft the design eventually evolved to)." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Penciled Sketch. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE15_01130. Folder [no #]. No date (after 1927-03).)
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"[Item Description:] Two sets of penciled pantograph hull sections on sans-serif 'Herreshoff Manufacturing Company, Bristol, R.I.' stationery. Untitled. One set marked '2nd trial' with no calculations. The other set marked '3rd trial. July 7 1926[sic, i.e. 1927]. 18ft 9in w.l. [#192705es]' with calculations showing a total displacement of 60.2cuft = 3870lbs and a wetted surface of the hull of 101.5sqft. With two displacement curves marked '18ft 9in July 7, [19]27' and '18ft June 26, [19]27', respectively. This page is marked '1926' in the right margin which has been found in error and should be 1927, the year of other dates on this page and the year that #192705es Unbuilt Biscayne Bay Knockabout Proposal which is referenced here was designed." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Pantograph Hull Sections. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE04_03280. Folder [no #]. 1927-07-07.)
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"[Item Description:] Penciled pantograph hull sections titled 'July 8, 1927. Model [Model 1110] changed since June 27. O.a. 26ft 3in, l.w.l. 18ft 0in, 1/10 above l.w.l. 21ft 7 1/2in, q.b.l. 16ft 8 1/2in, keel 9ft 4in, beam 5ft 8in, [breadth at] l.w.l. 5ft 3 3/4in, keel 8in, draft 23 1/2 in. 3rd trial'. With calculations arriving at a displacement of 51.7cuft = 3300lbs. Also a crossed-out penciled mid-section. On verso (with sans-serif 'Herreshoff Manufacturing Company, Bristol, Rhode Island' letterhead) are two sets of penciled pantograph hull sections. One being titled 'June 26, 1927. Design for small knockabout or yawl for Biscayne Bay [#192705es]. Length o.a. 26ft 3in, l.w.l. 18ft 0in, 1/10 above l.w.l. 21ft 7in, q.b.l. 17ft 3/4in, keel 9ft 4in, beam 5ft 9in, breadth l.w.l. 5ft 4 1/2in, keel 8in, draft 1ft 11 1/2 in. 2nd trial'. With calculations arriving at a displacement of 52.4cuft = 3350lbs and a wetted surface of 91sqft." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Pantograph Hull Sections. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE04_02800. Folder [no #]. 1927-07-08.)
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"[Item Transcription:] [On 'R.M. Munroe, Box 116, Coconut Grove, Florida' stationery:] ... This must be Sunday for the house is not full, various mechanics are conspicuous by their absence. It hasn't squalled yet so far but will by p.m. Our cistern is positively running over and the rest on the verge. Rain began about the middle of last week with one roof finished (kitchen) and library nearly so but nothing damaged. Windows & screens now all in so let her drizzle.
Unbent SUNSET's sails and given up any attempt at sailing til the wet spell is over of Wirth gets home which he doesn't seem to be in much hurry about. Everything is rank green again and the lawn mowers are being oiled up. The boat house work is finished up to the date three and the sea grape over the top of the wire fence with the ginger plant close behind but the sweet potatoes 'non est' and a fine water melon vine in its place. Can't do much with your corner post gardens til we get some leaders up. Your good long letter of the 3rd duly re[ceive]d. It must have been interesting to see PLEASURE [#907s] following you up and having another sail in her also in having a chance for a comparison between her & ALERION [#718s]. 'Yachting' [magazine] was quite full of more or less readable stuff last issue but little however of really much value as being either new or proven. That squared saw log of a boom on KATOURA [#1050s] may answer but sure is not a thing of beauty. Your ideas about a boat [#192705es] suitable for these waters & capable of being wheeled up the hill on my new road for storage is perfectly O.K. Whats more, it will be very simple to build strong protection from the weather back of our hammock out of expanded metal lathing[?] & plaster. My two iron wheels are still perfectly good even if they have kicked around in the weather since 1876[?].
If outside ballasted it might be made removable in such small craft tho not absolutely necessary. Tho to detach it removes strain in the boat in handling. I've bought new chain for SUNSET moorings and will risk her again but with cockpit covering to guard against the chop sea of the Swetland storm walls which with the customary deluge of rain & flying salt water might easily over tax her scuppers. Possibly there was no back wash at the time she went adrift, everything being submerged as shown by my pier standing intact. Dr. Baekeland & wife were in town for some three days looking over their new purchase of the Huntington Buyan[?] home and making plans for some changes & furniture. Mrs B. seemed delighted & tho parts of each day were a bit trying as to heat she remained enthusiastic. The Chapman field situation for boat storage is still a good proposition and several good men connected with the Govt. agricultural station are available as caretakers but its quite a ways off and the progress already made by the Coral Gables folks back[?] of better chance there but not this year. Mrs M[unroe] and Patty will probably get away soon for the N.C. mountains but guess I'm a fixture except maybe a S.S. trip north for a little while. With best wishes to all hands. [No year. Choice of stationery and mention of Sunday July 10 (which occurred in 1927) and PEASURE/ALERION comparision indicates this letter to have been written in 1927 (even though it was filed with 1923/1924 Munroe correspondence).]" (Source: Munroe, R.M. Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_41780. Correspondence, Folder 87, formerly 121. (1927)-07-10.)
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"[Item Description:] Penciled dimensioned sailplan of a long-ended shallow draft centerboarder titled '27ft o.a. 18ft 9in wl.l. [#192705es Unbuilt Biscayne Bay Knockabout Proposal] 60.2[cuft = 3853lbs displacement]. N.G.H. July 12, 1927. Scale 1/2'. With calculations for sail area and rating for (Gunter-rigged) knockabout (326sqft, 15.96) and yawl (305sqft and 15.7[?]) configurations." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Penciled Sailplan. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Acc. 2004.0001.0314. WRDT04, Folder 28, formerly MRDE09. 1927-07-12.)
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"[Item Description:] Blueprint proposal sailplan and profile of a spoon-bowed shallow-keel sloop titled 'Knockabout for Bay Sailing [#192705es]. O.A. 26 1/2ft. W.L. 19 1/2ft. Deam 7ft. Draft 2ft 3in. Displ. 2.1tons. N. G. Herreshoff. Oct. 3, 1927'. On verso a penciled sketch with half-breadth plan, profile and half-section of a similar shallow-draft boat annotated with 'Roughly 77cuft = 4.25^3 = 2.13 of w.l.'." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Blueprint. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Acc. 2004.0001.0132. WRDT08, Folder 11, formerly MRDE02. 1927-10-03.)
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"[Item Description:] Penciled sailplan of a clipper-bowed shallow-keel and centerboard sloop or yawl titled 'Copy of Knockabout rig sent to [Charles] Nystrom with hull drawing. Dec. 27, 1927' and showing #192705es Unbuilt Biscayne Bay Proposal configured as a knockabout sloop and as a yawl. With sail area calculations showing total sail areas of 379sqft (sloop) and 275sqft (yawl)." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Penciled Sailplan. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Acc. 2004.0001.0320. WRDT04, Folder 29, formerly MRDE09. 1927-12-27.)
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Note: This list of archival documents contains in an unedited form any and all which mention #192705es [Unbuilt Biscayne Bay Knockabout Proposal] even if just in a cursory way. Permission to digitize, transcribe and display is gratefully acknowledged.

"Designed by NGH for his possible own use in Florida and described by him in a July 3, 1927 letter to Commodore Munroe that has not survived but was referenced in Munroe's response to NGH of July 10, 1927 (see MM Correspondence Folder 87 new, 121 old) In the end NGH chose not to pursue this project, opting for buying and then altering to suit his needs #982s Limited which he renamed Water Lily." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. April 26, 2017.)

"Plans in the Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum show this boat to have evolved from a long-ended shallow-draft centerboarder to a spoon-bowed shallow keel sloop to a clipper-bowed keel and centerboarder over the course of about half a year from mid-1927 till the end of 1927." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. March 13, 2019.)

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