HMCo #214p Isis [Launch for St. Y. Isis]
Particulars
Name: Isis [Launch for St. Y. Isis]Type: Steam Launch
Designed by: NGH
Contract: 1901-9
Launch: 1902-4-8
LOA: 26' 0" (7.92m)
LWL: 25' 3" (7.70m)
Beam: 6' 0" (1.83m)
Draft: 1' 10" (0.56m)
Propulsion: Steam, Herreshoff, 48 h.p. Triple exp., 3 cyl. (3 1/2" & 5" & 8" bore x 4 1/2" stroke)
Boiler: Bent Tube; [Plan]43-37
Propeller: Diameter 22", #2
Built for: Webb, J. B. [W. S. and J. T. Spaulding?]
Note: Particulars are primarily but not exclusively from the HMCo Construction Record. Supplementary information not from the Construction Record appears elsewhere in this record with a complete citation.
Model
Model number: 424Model location: H.M.M. Model Room West Wall Left
Vessels from this model:
30 built, modeled by NGH
Original text on model:
"[#197] Model made 1897 and changed in fall 1897 26' long frame spaces 9 3/4
[#198] 198 ditto everything
[#199] 199 28' long frame spaces 10 1/2
[#200] 200 ditto all the way
[#201] 201 ditto all the way
[#202] 202 30' long frames spaces 10 1/2
[#204] 204 ditto all the way
[#227] 227 30 YACOMA [sic, i.e. Yacona]
[#233] no number [should be 233] 28 DELEWARE
[#238] 239 [should be 238] 28 US EAGLE
[#239] dash [should be 239] 26" [should be 28] VIXEN
[#240] 240 30' by 5' "240" gasoline
[#246] 246 28' USN
[#262] 262 28' M plant [unreadable name]
[#263] 263 34' Cassandra
[#265] 34? J.B.H. Premier gasoline [i.e. #265]
[#???] ? 34 by 5 gasoline [this is apparently another reference to #265p Premier]
[#270] ? 28 WANDERER [should be 270]
[#???] ? 34' ILONDA ? [sic, i.e. Morton Plant's steamyacht IOLANDA] 1909
[#255] also 2 [unreadable] for ELECTRA [sic, i.e. #255 and #257] and 1 for ILONDA [sic, i.e. Morton Plant's steamyacht IOLANDA]
[#257]
[#272?]
[#273] 273 35' ILONDA [sic, i.e. Morton Plant's steamyacht IOLANDA]
[#274] 274 Sept. 1910 Cuban [sic, i.e. Haulrey Jr.]
[#275] 275 Oct 1910 28' USN SCORPION" (Source: Original handwritten annotation on model. Undated.)
Model Description:
"26' steam launch of 1898 for the coast survey vessel Yankton. Others built of various sizes over the next dozen years, with scale changes, including the 30' gasoline launch 240 that is now in the Herreshoff Marine Museum's Hall of Boats." (Source: Bray, Maynard. 2004.)
Note: Vessels that appear in the records as not built, a cancelled contract, a study model, or as a model sailboat are listed but not counted in the list of vessels built from a model.
Offsets
Offset booklet number(s): HH.4.030
Offset booklet contents:
#198 - #202, #233, #237 - #242, #246, #263, #266, #271 [steam & gasoline launches].
Offset Booklet(s) in Haffenreffer-Herreshoff Collection. Francis Russell Hart Nautical Collections, MIT Museum, Cambridge, Mass. (Restricted access --- see curator.)
Note: "Reference to offset booklet HH.4.030 was added by CvdL because this boat was built from the same construction plan as other sisterships that were specifically mentioned in it." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. April 24, 2021.)
Drawings
Explore all drawings relating to this boat.List of drawings:
Drawings believed to have been first drawn for, or being first referenced to
HMCo #214p Isis [Launch for St. Y. Isis] are listed in bold.
Click on Dwg number for preview, on HH number to see at M.I.T. Museum.
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Dwg 002-009 (HH.5.00009): Construction Dwg > Launch, 26 ft. [Steam] (1898-06-09)
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Dwg 043-037 (HH.5.03387); Boiler for No. 197 (1898-06-21)
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Dwg 008-021 (HH.5.00719): Shaft for Launch # 197, 198, 214, 290 (1898-06-23)
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Dwg 048-009 (HH.5.03650): Coal Boxes for Steam Launch # 197 (1898-08-25)
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Dwg 002-017 (HH.5.00017); 26 Foot Launch (1901-11-01)
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Dwg 011-034 (HH.5.00960): Stern Bearing and Stuffing Box for Propeller Shaft of 21' Launch with 4 1/4" High Speed Motor (1903-05-06)
Note: The Haffenreffer-Herreshoff Collection is copyrighted by the Francis Russell Hart Nautical Collections of the MIT Museum in Cambridge, Mass. Permission to incorporate information from it in the Herreshoff Catalogue Raisonné is gratefully acknowledged. The use of this information is permitted solely for research purposes. No part of it is to be published in any form whatsoever.
Documents
Nathanael G. Herreshoff
"[1902-04-08] Tue 8: Heavy NE rain storm all day. Some thunder & lightning in afternoon. Very high tide. Launched 26' st[eame]r #214 [Isis, a steam launch]. ...
[1902-04-09] Wed 9: L[igh]t variable wind. L[igh]t rain & mist [in] AM. Fair [in] PM. Made trial of #214, 26 ft launch [Isis] @ 14.6 miles [per hour]. ..." (Source: Herreshoff, Nathanael G. Diary, 1902. Manuscript (excerpts). Diary access courtesy of Halsey C. Herreshoff.)
"Ap[ril] 8, 1902
No. 214. 26ft Launch for steam yacht
On same moulds and same machinery as #199 [from Model 424] and others.
3 on board, and usual equipment, chestnut free burning coal, calm, on upper half mile in harbor.
[Followed by tabulated trial run data with mean speed being 14.60mph].
Everything working well (Contract speed 14 1/2 miles)." (Source: Herreshoff, N. G. Handwritten note in Trials Booklet '1898 - 1909' under date of April 8, 1902. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum.)
"214 [#214p]. 26ft. 14.60[mph = 12.69kn]. 240lbs [steam pressure]. 214 [#214p]. 26ft. 13.47[mph = 11.71kn]. about 235lbs [steam pressure]." (Source: Herreshoff, N. G. Penciled Note on Verso of Envelope titled 'Trials of 26[ft], 28[ft] & 30[ft] Launches. 1898 - 1912. N.G.H.'. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum. No date, September 28, 1920 or later.)
Other Contemporary Text Source(s)
"Yachting News of Bristol.
... A steam launch thirty feet in length [#214p Isis?] was launched and tested Thursday at the Herreshoff shops. She is of mahogany planking and steamed at the rate of 15 knots on her trial run. Capt. F. H. Torrey took her to New York Friday.
The work of finishing the construction of the last boat [probably #583s Game Cock] of the fleet of the centreboard thirty-footers is carried on briskly in the Herreshoff shops. One of the class just put overboard is at anchor in Walker's Cove. The fleet is to be taken over to Buzzard's Bay about the middle of May. ... [Note: The identity of the steam launch is unclear. She does fit the timeframe to match #214p Isis, but not her length. Note, that a Waterline Model of the Steam Yacht Colonia built by Capt. F. H. Torrey was auctioned in 2003. Note also, that the steamyacht Gleam, owned by Garrett, was in involved in a collision in 1888 while under the command of Capt. Frank Torrey.]" (Source: Anon. Yachting News of Bristol. New York Times, April 14, 1902, p. 10.)
Archival Documents
"[Item Description:] Penciled table titled 'Anchors. Nov[ember 22, 1901' with tabulated data for 'Straight stock [anchors]' and [not named, but presumably folding anchors] showing unit data for 'Class. W[ei]g[h]t' (from 10 to 260lbs) on the x-axis and 'On hand', 'Required' and 'To make' on the Y-axis. With note 'This does not include anchors of 30ft class [Buzzards Bay 30s], 2 21 footers [#573s TERRAPIN and ??], Nos 213 [#213p QUICKSTEP], 214 [#214p Launch for St. Y. Isis], 215 [#215p ROAMER], which are already ordered." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Penciled Table. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE08_03100. Folder [no #]. 1901-11-22.)
①
"[Item Transcription:] Handwritten (mostly in pencil but also in ink) trials booklet titled '1898 - 1909'. Relevant contents:
§18: #214p ISIS [LAUNCH FOR ST. Y. ISIS?] Trial Run (1902-04-08)." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Trials Booklet. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE09_00060. Folder [no #]. 1898-09 to 1911-04.)
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 ⑤ ⑥ ⑦ ⑧ ⑨ ⑩ ⑪
"[Item Transcription:] [Penciled trial run summary on verso of envelope to NGH in Bristol, R. I. postmarked September 27, 1920:] Trials of 26[ft], 28[ft] & 30[ft] Launches. 1898 - 1912. N.G.H.
197 [#197p]. 26ft. 13.10[mph = 11.38kn]. 225lbs.
198 [#198p]. 26ft. 12.49[mph = 10.85kn].
199 [#199p]. 28ft. 13.02[mph = 11.31kn]. 210lbs.
199 [#199p]. 28ft. 16.02[mph = 13.92kn]. 240lbs.
202 [#202p]. 30ft. 15.35[mph = 13.34kn]. 235lbs.
202 [#202p]. 30ft. 15.50[mph = 13.47kn]. 245lbs.
200 [#200p]. 28ft. 14.35[mph = 12.47kn].
201 [#201p]. 28ft. 14.25[mph = 12.38kn].
214 [#214p]. 26ft. 14.60[mph = 12.69kn]. 240lbs.
214 [#214p]. 26ft. 13.47[mph = 11.71kn]. about 235lbs.
220 [#220p]. 28ft. 14.98[mph = 13.02kn].
227 [#227p]. [30ft]. 13.82[mph = 12.01kn].
?. 28ft. 14.50[mph = 12.60kn].
239 [#239p]. 28ft. 13.22[mph = 11.49kn]. Required 10k[nots].
?. 26ft. 12.50[mph = 10.86kn].
239 [#239p]. 28ft. 12.40[mph = 10.78kn]. Not full speed.
246 [#246p]. 28ft. 13.55[mph = 11.77kn].
?. 28ft. 14.46[mph = 12.57kn].
275 [#275p]. 28ft. 10.80[mph = 9.38kn]. Not full speed.
274 [#274p]. 27ft. 14.66[mph = 12.74kn]. [More calculations on other side.] [Note: Every launch listed above was built from Model 424 --- as if this was an attempt to assess the speed of launches built from this model and thus judge the capabilities of the model.]" (Source: Herreshoff, N. G. (creator). Penciled Note. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE03_03510. Folder [no #]. No date (1920-09-28 or later).)
① ②
Note: This list of archival documents contains in an unedited form any and all which mention #214p Isis [Launch for St. Y. Isis] even if just in a cursory way. Permission to digitize, transcribe and display is gratefully acknowledged.
Supplement
From the 1920 and earlier HMCo Index Cards at the MIT Museum
- 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.
From the 1931 HMCo-published Owner's List
Name: Isis
Type: Steam
Length: 26'
Owner: Webb, J. B.
Source: Herreshoff Manufacturing Company. "A Partial List of Herreshoff Clients." In: Herreshoff Manufacturing Company. Herreshoff Yachts. Bristol, Rhode Island, ca. 1931.
From the 1930s L. Francis Herreshoff Index Cards at the Herreshoff Marine Museum
- 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.
From the 1953 HMCo Owner's List by L. Francis Herreshoff
Name: Isis
Type: 26' steam
Owner: J. B. Webb
Row No.: 308
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.
From the 2000 (ca.) Transcription of the HMCo Construction Record by Vermilya/Bray
Year: 1901
E/P/S: P
No.: 214
Name: Isis
OA: 26'
LW: 25' 3"
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.
Research Note(s)
"This steam launch was apparently ordered by the naval architect J. Beavor-Webb (J. B. Webb in the HMCo Construction Record) for use on the 200ft LOA and 164ft LWL steam-yacht Isis designed by him for W. S. and J. T. Spaulding of Boston. Isis was built by T. S. Marvel in Newburgh on the Hudson and launched on December 10, 1901, three months after the steam launch Isis had been contracted for." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. May 16, 2010.)
"Steam engine rating 48hp from undated (1903 or later) diagram by N. G. Herreshoff titled 'Marine Engine. Weights and Prices' in the Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. March 24, 2019.)
"Marine Engine of Inclosed Type. 3 1/2 & 5 & 8 x 4 1/2, 825[rpm], 48[hp]." (Source: Herreshoff, N. G. Handwritten List of HMCo-Made Steam Engines. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum, MRDED1_00220. Undated, between 1903 and 1918.)
Note: Research notes contain information about a vessel that is often random and unedited but has been deemed useful for future research.
Note
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