HMCo #174p Loon

"[1892-10-15] Sat 15: ... Mr. [Robert M.] Riddle here in yacht Picannany [sic, i.e. Pickaninny, a 40ft LOA steam yacht built by J. B. Loring of Rockland, Maine in 1890]. [Riddle would soon order #174p Loon]
[1893-03-24] Fri 24: ... Turned over #174 [Loon], 60' str. ...
[1893-04-17] Mon 17: ... Frames up except overhang on launch #174 [Loon].
[1896-09-22] Tue 22: ... Mr. Riddle here in Loon [#174p].
[1896-11-01] Sun 1: .... Loon [#174p] arrived from Phil[adelphia] with Mr. Riddle. ...
[1896-11-03] Tue 3: ... Hauled out Loon [#174p] at cove.
[1896-11-10] Tue 10: ... Mr. Riddle [the owner of #174p Loon] here; has ordered new st[eam] ketch rigged yacht [#481s Spalpeen].
[1897-08-04] Wed 4: ... Took family to see Newport Fats[?] in Loon [#174p].
[1897-08-06] Fri 6: Very fine. Hot in p.m. L[igh]t N & SW [wind]. Went to Brenton Reef in Loon [#174p] to see NYYC fleet.
[1897-08-08] Sun 8: Very fine. Mod[erate] S to SW [wind]. Off in Loon [#174p] with family.
[1897-09-19] Sun 19: Very fine. Fresh S [wind] moderating in p.m. Went to Newport in Loon [#174p] with family & Alpheus Packard." (Source: Herreshoff, Nathanael G. Diary, 1892 to 1897. Manuscript (excerpts). Herreshoff Marine Museum Collection.)

"My Own Boats. Except a few that will be mentioned as half-owner. ...
17
1896 In this year, as half owner (belonging to Herreshoff Manufacturing Company) I took charge and used the steam launch LOON #174 ..." (Source: Herreshoff, N. G. "My Own Boats. Except a few that Will be Mentioned as Half-Owner." Bristol, (originally compiled 1892 with additions in) 1929. In: Pinheiro, Carlton J. (ed.). Recollections and Other Writings by Nathanael G. Herreshoff. Bristol, 1998, p. 116.)

"In the season of 1896 [NGH used the steam cabin launch 'Loon,' sixty-two feet long, which had been built for Mr. R. M. Riddle and had taken a winter cruise in the West Indies about 1895. 'Loon' 's speed was approximately twelve miles per hour and she could cruise comfortably at over ten." (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. 118.)

"With one large cutter [#429s Navahoe] on the stocks, another keel [#435s Colonia] ready to lay and a probable order for a third [#437s Vigilant], to say nothing of more than the usual number of small racers and steam yachts, the Herreshoff shop is a busy place just now. ...
The general work of the Herreshoffs includes several steamers, the largest [#175p Louise] for Chas. B. Hayden, of Columbus, O., is 102ft. over all, 14ft. beam, and intended for lake and inland work. ...
The next steam yacht [#173p Kalolah] will be of similar model but 92ft. over all and 76ft. l.w.l. ... A third steam yacht for Mr. R. M. Riddle [#174p Loon] will be 62ft. over all, 10ft. beam. Beside these is a 28ft. navy launch for the Enterprise [#176p Launch for Massachusetts school ship Enterprise]. ..." (Source: Anon. "Building." Forest and Stream, January 19, 1893, p. 61.)

"... The sixty-five-foot steamer Riddle [sic, i.e. #174p Loon for Robert M. Riddle] has her machinery and boiler in position and her cabin trunk is being built. She is at Herreshoff's. ..." (Source: Anon. "Yachtsmen and their Craft." New York Times, April 21, 1893, p. 6.)

"Loon, steam yacht, of [blank].
Built at Bristol, RI, by Herreshoff Manufacturing Co.
9.14 tons; 56.6 ft. x 6.2 ft. x 5.7 ft. [Register length x breadth x depth.]
One deck, two masts, figurehead, overhanging stern.
Surveyed and measured, June 10, 1893." (Source: U.S. Customs Department, Bristol, R.I. Custom House Record Book, 1870s to 1904 (Collection of the Herreshoff Marine Museum), s.v. Loon.)

"[License issued to vessel under 20 tons. Pos. 153:]
Loon, steam yacht, of Philadelphia.
Built at Bristol, 1893.
9.14 tons; 56.6 ft. x 6.2 ft. x 5.7 ft. [Register length x breadth x depth.]
No specifications shown.
Lic[ensed] (temporary) [as] (yacht) July 20, 1893. Owner: Robert M. Riddle of Philadelphia, Pa. Master: George T. Low.
Surrendered [license] Aug. 16, 1893 at Philadelphia. ([Record at:] C[ustom] H[ouse, Providence])
Lic[ensed] [as] (yacht) Aug. 9, 1897 (change of hailing port - Bristol). Owner: Herreshoff Manufacturing Company of Bristol. Master: N. G. Herreshoff. ([Record at:] C[ustom] H[ouse, Providence])." (Source: Survey of Federal Archives, Work Projects Administration. Ships Documents of Rhode Island. Bristol. Ship Registers and Enrollments of the Port of Bristol - Warren Rhode Island, 1941, s.v. Loon.)

"N/A"

"[Item Description:] [Edgar Scott's steam yacht] SAGAMORE, #174p LOON is a failure from every point of view; considering changing her from cruiser to flush deck; bad Capt. Low" (Source: Riddle, Robert M. Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_03430. Correspondence, Folder 1_14, formerly 228. 1895-03-13.)
① ② ③ ④

"[Item Transcription:] Handwritten (in ink and pencil) trials booklet 'Herreshoff Mfg. Co. Experiments & Trial Trips. 1890. N.G. Herreshoff'. Relevant contents:
§29: #174p LOON Trial Run (1893-08-28)
§53: #174p LOON Trial Run with her 3rd engine (1898-08-04)." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Trials Booklet. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE07_02260. Folder [no #]. 1890-01 to 1898-08.)
① ② ③ ④ ⑤ ⑥ ⑦ ⑧ ⑨ ⑩ ⑪ ⑫ ⑬ ⑭ ⑮ ⑯ ⑰ ⑱ ⑲ ⑳ ㉑ ㉒ ㉓ ㉔ ㉕ ㉖ ㉗ ㉘ ㉙ ㉚ ㉛ ㉜ ㉝ ㉞ ㉟ ㊱ ㊲ ㊳ ㊴ ㊵ ㊶ ㊷ ㊸ ㊹ ㊺ ㊻ ㊼ ㊽ ㊾ ㊿
① ② ③ ④

"[Item Description:] Four handwritten (in ink) pages with tabulated data listing 'Shop No', 'Name', '[Tons] Gross' and '[Tons] Net' for a total of 100 HMCo-built boats and classes. Tonnage data is usually precise to two digits behind the decimal. Random comparisons suggest source of tonnage data to be official Custom House data. Boats mentioned are: #664s, #663s, #625s, #665s, #634s, #658s, #657s, #646s, #641s, #617s, #626s Class, #624s, #621s, #616s, #619s, #590s, #591s, #586s, #592 Class, #618s, #605s, #578s, #560s Class, #580s, #553s, #551s, #552s, #546s, #541s, #545s, #538s, #534s, #533s, #532s, #529s, #534s, #530s, #531s, #435s, #437s, #452s, #499s, #429s, #426s, #424s, #481s, #422s, #417s, #414s, #451s, #215p, #213p, #222p, #235p, #230p, #229p, #236p, #224p, #244p, #247p, #249p, #231p, #232p, #228p, #252p, #250p, #251p, #248p, #168p, #164p, #118p, #142p, #174p, #173p, #194p, #189p, #193p, #183p, #178p, #179p, #181p, #182p, #175p, #163p, #148p, #149p, #172p, #155p, #170p, #186p, #188p, #206p, #207p, #205p, #208p, #209p, #210p, #211p, #212p, #216p. Undated (the latest boat listed, WINSOME, was launched in 1907)." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (?) (creator). Handwritten List. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE06_00220. Folder [no #]. No date (1907 or later).)
① ② ③ ④

Note: This list of archival documents contains in an unedited form any and all which mention #174p Loon even if just in a cursory way. Permission to digitize, transcribe and display is gratefully acknowledged.

• Loon (HMCo-made index card)
• Loon (MIT Museum-made index card)
• Note: The vessel index cards comprise two sets of a total of some 3200 cards about vessels built by HMCo, with dimensions and information regarding drawings, later or former vessel names, and owners. They were compiled from HMCo's early days until 1920 and added to in later decades, apparently by Hart Nautical curator William A. Baker and his successors. While HMCo seems to have used only one set of index cards, all sorted by name and, where no name was available, by number, later users at MIT apparently divided them into two sets of cards, one sorted by vessel name, the other by vessel number and greatly expanded the number of cards. Original HMCo cards are usually lined and almost always punched with a hole at bottom center while later cards usually have no hole, are unlined, and often carry substantially less information. All cards are held by the Francis Russell Hart Nautical Collections of the MIT Museum in Cambridge, Mass.

Name: Loon
Type: Steam
Length: 62'
Owner: Riddle, Robt. M.

Source: Herreshoff Manufacturing Company. "A Partial List of Herreshoff Clients." In: Herreshoff Manufacturing Company. Herreshoff Yachts. Bristol, Rhode Island, ca. 1931.

• Loon
• 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: Loon
Type: 62' steam
Owner: Robert M. Riddle
Year: 1893
Row No.: 378

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.

Year: 1892
E/P/S: P
No.: 174
Name: Loon
OA: 62'
LW: 57'

Source: Vermilya, Peter and Maynard Bray. "Transcription of the HMCo. Construction Record." Unpublished database, ca. 2000.

Note: The transcription of the HMCo Construction Record by Peter Vermilya and Maynard Bray was performed independently (and earlier) than that by Claas van der Linde. A comparison of the two transcriptions can be particularly useful in those many cases where the handwriting in the Construction Record is difficult to decipher.

"Original engine made by [owner] R. M. Riddle. May [18]98 3rd engine 4 x 6 1/2 x 10 x 8." (Source: Herreshoff Manufacturing Company. [Note on Vessel Name Index Card.] No date.)

"In 1913, Loon was listed as being owned by the Herreshoff Manufacturing Company according to Merchant Vessels of the United States, 1913 ed." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. November 4, 2009.)

"The Construction Record entry for #481s Spalpeen lists as amount contracted for $10,000 with a note '+ Loon', suggesting that Loon was taken as part payment for Spalpeen by the Herreshoff Manufacturing Company. This would be consistent with a note by N. G. Herreshoff saying he was half-owner of Loon in 1896." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. October 21, 2010.)

"Date this vessel was finished was estimated as June 10, 1893, the date this boat was measured by the U.S. Custom House inspector as per the U.S. Custom House Record Book in the collection of the Herreshoff Marine Museum." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. February 9, 2020.)

"In the absence of better available data displacement was estimated by using the figure for Gross Register Tons (18.27) from the 1896 Manning's American Yacht List (Net Register Tons were reported as 9.14) 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.