HMCo #247p Sea Urchin

"[1905-11-25] Sat 25: Sea Urchin #247 turned over to Mr. [Robert M.] Riddle and sailed in evening." (Source: Herreshoff, Nathanael G. Diary, 1905. Manuscript (excerpts). Diary access courtesy of Halsey C. Herreshoff.)

"Str. no. 247. June 1905. To use only even nos. of frames and spaced 21in. Sheer line dropped as for red figures, and deck line at stem elliptical with knuckle at bottom of sheer strakes. ..." (Source: Herreshoff, Nathanael Greene. Handwritten note in Offset Booklet HH.4.33. Francis Russell Hart Nautical Collections, MIT Museum, Cambridge, Mass. June 1905.)

"Oct[ober] 25, 1905
Preliminary trial of #247
No equipment on board, vessel unfinished, about 1 ton ballast. Wind fresh SW on 1/2 mile course in har[bor]. St[eam pressure] about 120[lbs] ...
[Followed by tabulated trial run data with mean speed being 9.5kn]
Nov[ember] 7 1905
Trial of #247 Sea Urchin
Length oa 60ft, wl 53ft, 15ft beam, 5ft draft.
6 x 10 1/2 x 10 engine, 2 1/2 tons coal, full tanks, no equipment [on board].
On course in harbor, 1/2 mile. Wind NE 10m[ph]. Poor vacuum, throttle open.
[Followed by tabulated trial run data with best mean speed being 8.55kn] ...
Nov[ember] 19, 1905
Sea Urchin
Run to Providence, wind NNW, about 12m[ph]. Small flood, nearly equipped, about 2 tons coal. Heavy iron shoe[?] &c.
[Followed by tabulated trial run data with best mean speed being 9.46mph = 8.23kn]
Using jet moderately.
[Followed by tabulated trial run data with best mean speed being 10mph = 8.7kn] ..." (Source: Herreshoff, N. G. Handwritten note in Trials Booklet '1898 - 1909' under date of October 25, 1905, November 7, 1905 and November 19, 1905. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum.)

"[Abstract of register or enrollment. Pos. 870:]
Sea Urchin, schooner yacht, of Bristol.
Built at Bristol, 1905.
49 gross tons, 33 net tons; 55.8 ft. x 15.4 ft. x 7.8 ft. [Register length x breadth x depth.]
One deck, two masts, plain head [bow].
Enr[olled] and Lic[ensed] ([as] yacht) Nov. 16, 1905. Owner: Herreshoff Manufacturing Company of Bristol. Master: N. G. Herreshoff, Bristol.
Lic[ensed] ([as] yacht) May 22, 1907. Master: Alfred B. Greenlaw, Deer Island, Maine.
Surrendered [license] June 27, 1907 at Philadelphia, Pa. ([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. Sea Urchin.)

"Yesterday the house boat Sea Urchin, owned by Robert M. Riddle of Philadelphia, was launched from the Herreshoff marine railway at Walker's Cove, where she has been laid up during the winter. The craft was towed to a buoy opposite the boat shop where she will be fitted out for the the season. The engine has been overhauled and her under body received a coat of copper bronze paint." (Source: Anon. "Notes and News of Local Interest." Bristol Phoenix, April 12, 1907, p. 2.)

"BRISTOL R I, Aug 2 [1913] --- ... The steam yacht Sea Urchin, owned by R. M. Riddell of Philadelphia, arrived here Wednesday with her boiler out of repair. The craft was taken to Herreshoff's and a new coil boiler installed, and the yacht resumed the cruise to Newfoundland." (Source: Anon. "Bristol Notes." Boston Globe, August 3, 1913, p. 35.)

"The famous steam yacht Sea Urchin, sold for Robert M. Riddle of Coatsville, Pa., to J. Thorn Willson of this city. She is a Herreshoff craft that has made many ocean cruises, showing exceptional seagoing qualities." (Source: Anon. "Another Active Broker." Rudder, September 1921, p. 52.)

"N/A"

"[Item Description:] Penciled dimensioned sketch titled 'SEA URCHIN [#247p]'. Might be a rudder detail." (Source: Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE03_04370. Penciled Sketch. Folder [no #]. No date (1905 or later).)
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"[Item Description:] Penciled tabulated compass deviation data titled 'SEA URCHIN [#247p]. Nov[ember 22, 1905'. On verso more (crossed out) compensation data." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Compass Deviation Note. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE03_03230. Folder [no #]. 1905-11-22.)
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"[Item Description:] Handwritten notebook. This booklet had two lives: In 1907-1908, 1908-1909 and 1909-1910 it was used for winter storage records, listing name of boat, owner, storage location, billed amount, and dates of storage. Listed were for the winter of 1907/1908: #235p MIST, ORIANA, #571s LARIKIN, EAGLET, #453s VAQUERO II, #580s TRIVIA, #663s ISTALENA, COSSACK, #666s AVENGER, #220p ATALA (for sale), #207p MIRAGE, #224p EUGENIA, #146p AUGUSTA, #247p SEA URCHIN, #105p COSETTE, ARLINE, #213p FLORENCE, #208p FLORETTE, #249p SISILINA, #591s IROLITA, #481s SPALPEEN, DUCHESS, #669s ELEANOR, #460s KILDEE, #647s CAPRICE, #408s PELICAN, #243p SWIFTSURE, #617s COCK ROBIN, #177p VANISH, #446s ALERION, and #591s IROLITA I, for the winter of 1908/1909: #666s AVENGER, #663s ISTALENA, #481s SPALPEEN, #580s TRIVIA, #617s COCK ROBIN, COSSACK, #177p VANISH, #242p #242, #243p SWIFTSURE, SKIP, #446s ALERION, CHEWINK II, DUCHESS, #571s LARIKIN, #460s KILDEE, #679s PEPITA, EAGLET, #408s PELICAN, #453s VAQUERO, #146p AUGUSTA, #224p EUGENIA, COYOTE, #264p SARAH WEBB, #207p MIRAGE, ARLINE, #213p FLORENCE, #208p FLORETTE, #249p SISILINA, #591s IROLITA I, CASSANDRA 27ft Launch, and #263p CASSANDRA 34ft Launch, and for the winter of 1909/1910: #252p WANECHE (no further boats were listed). At some later time, the same book was turned upside down and inscribed with a new title in ink '200Ft Submarine Destroyer [#191802ep Unbuilt 200ft Submarine Chaser]. Data + Calculation Book. Herreshoff Mfg Co.' on its now-new front cover (formerly its back cover), followed by weight data estimates and calculations for this submarine destroyer." (Source: Herreshoff Manufacturing Co. (creator). Notebook. MIT Museum, Hart Nautical Collections, Haffenreffer-Herreshoff Collection Item HH.6.087. Box HAFH.6.2B, Folder Submarine Destroyer 200-Footer. 1907-1908, 1908-1909, 1909-1910, 1918-06.)
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"[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).)
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"[Item Transcription:] SEA URCHIN [#247p]
Jacksonville
5/8/09
Dear Nat,
I'm after wondering why that old crank stood the racket of hard driving in Vanderbilt's LUCILE [#110p] and later, at full pressure in SPEED[? SPUD?], and then broke when in use plugging along at less than 8 knots! For the combustion was so sluggish with the soft coal, that I had to take out some of the bricks & increase the grate from about 9 sq ft to 13 or so and the speed from 7.4 to 7.8 or 8 knots. The thing went about 12.30 P.M. April 25, about 85 miles SE of Nassau when we were on the way to Gibara[?] and would have got there the evening of the day after. The damage done was extremely small; only the cowl[?] was punched, but the packing ring had a piece about 2in long broken out. Horton shut off steam when this much had been done.
The parts are in the shop, crank ready to face on, heads ground in, and they are re-babbitting the connecting rod boxes. I guess Tuesday will see SPUD[? SPEED?] ready to plod along north.
When the bust came, we anchored for 4 hours & then tried to haul around end for end under sail & start for an anchorage for the night. But those sails won't put her head around nowhere[?]. Even in the brisk head wind she'd smugly[?] saw[?] around in the trough of the sea about 2 points & tack off. We tried all combinations of the sails but N.S. So Into dropped a kedge & she drifted along & yanked her stern around. Then she sailed along, at last 2 knots in the direction we wanted to go. Later Horton got some pieces of box cover clamped over the hole in the hear & started the engine.
I found he had left the straps on the idle eccentrices and the valve in the valve cylinder, while the vacuum was only 16in. Later on at Stirup City, where we anchored on Thursday to say good bye to the Bahamas, and incidentally have[?] one quiet night, I had him[?] later off the straps & remon[?] the valve & plug the stem hole & take up leaks[?]. Then we got 25in of vacuum & the movement[?] of the engine was simplified. I found we could make 6.8 knots, or about 1 knot less than before the swash --- and thus we proceeded to Jacksonville, about 380 miles.
The weather seemed to have a spite against SPUD! After that S.E. wind for 64 hours going down, I kinder[?] thought that, bu the law of averages, we were going to have ordinary weather up. But while hove to off Mosquito Inlet bight[?] at 1 a.m., the wind hauled north & blew so fresh that Into yanked Horton out of bed & started off at 1.50 a.m. --- setting the log at 2.15 --- I went up in my night at 2.30 to see what the rumpus was, having turned in at 12.30 --- & found the SPUD soaring on the biggest sea I'd ever seen from her decks. But she was making excellent weather of it. We are only making 4.4 knots by the log, but it wasn't doing any harm --- only my Jap vanished like thin air, & I had to camp out & eat a half can of corned beef & several fist-fulls of crackers, & make my own coffee. I'll[?] never feel any any doubt of SPUD's ability to tuck into a sea --- she goes on them like a cork! The total damage done was one glass jar of green coffee broken in the locker[?].
I guess I'll start for Savannah Wednesday. The repairs will probably be done Tuesday & engine put together.
Yours sincerely Rob't W. Riddle
c/o Atlantic National Bank" (Source: Riddle, Robert M. Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_22660. Correspondence, Folder 67, formerly 135. 1909-05-08.)
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"[Item Transcription:] SPEED[? SPUD? This was apparently Riddle's name for #247p SEA URCHIN], Norfolk VA
June 13
Dear Nat,
I find I haven't answered your letter of May 11th gst[?]. On that day we were still at Merrill-Stevens's[?], getting repaired. I'm not afraid that the new crank will break, because the cause of the break has been removed. When the cylinder was in the shop, I noticed that there was quite a shoulder at each end of the bore, the counter bore nosting[?] carried far enough in. Now, I reckon, Horton tightened up his boxes some time before the swash, and this caused the ring to come up against the shoulder & give a severe wrench to the crank. Also, it took[?] across the eye, if I remember right [sketch] which seems to bear out my theory. I had the shoulders filed out of both cylinders --- now I'm sorry I did not have them mounted on a face plate & the counterbores have[?] in each end. I noticed, also, that the H.P. ring was about 1/32in narrower than the groon[?] in the piston-head, & I had the head rimmed out and new ring made. I think the H.P. ring, also came up to the lower shoulder, but the crank was too strong to break, it only wore away the ring fast.
Both piston rods were so small in the middle that the stuffing-boxes could be wobbled[?] in the middle, while the jammed at the 2 ends. So I used the new piston you sent, as the ring in it would be useless in the old head, and I had the H.P. rod trued up and gland tuohed[?].
In order to take out the shaft, they had to take out the suction pipe which Horton ran across to a point directly under the exhaust entrance.
So I had it cut off to enter at the other end of the condenser, where it ought to enter. Now I find I fed my 'fancy' vacuum --- 26 1/2in --- or 25 1/2in to 26in with about 1/2 the revolutions of the circulating pump, and a noticeable decrease in the speed required of the air pump. Also, I observe the outboard delivery is now hot: --- about 120deg to 130deg, and the fud[?] also is hot, 120deg or more. So, on the whole, I'm glad of the swashe[?].
I noticed that we had to take coal at Elizabeth City on the way up in May '06 --- whereas, this time, we didn't need and there --- and yesterday I took in 4 long tons, which filled my bunkers --- 8960 lbs --- so it seems to me, the engine is more efficient. However, I let the fire go out whenever I'm going to stay a couple of days at one place --- and at Wilmington, where we coaled last, I let ean[?] go out soon as we got away from the coal wharf. Also at Beaufort. It was at Wilmington that I broke the launch wheel. The water down there is like chocolate in color, and a SW gale was blowing when I left --- the leaving at low tide --- I got the stern of the launch to the shore, & started yo: but the water let us down after a wave[?] passed & there was a bang & when I started again it was apparent something was wrong.
One blade was bent up [sketch] so --- and it broke the first trial to bend it out, The launch was find with one blade, but it didn't think the stern bearing would stand the wear, so wired for a new screw & used the cutter till I got it.
Haven't seen anything of 'ENAJ' [#267p]. Don't believe she'd come down inside now. There's a skuter[?] or two down here, & don't you forget it? After they had gotten[?] through the seat[?] of my hudis[?] as I sat on a cane-bottomed char, I painted my mug & paws with oil of pennyroyal & read until 11. Then I took a while & began to smash them on the walls & the walls need washing!
Yesterday P.M., as I came aboard, a launch with about 20 bums[?] sitting all over the deck house came alongside & one bum[?] boarded us, & proceeded to hold me up $7 worth, because we had come from an American port south of Cape Lookout within 30 days after May 30. This bum[?] pretended to be a Doctor, the official Doctor of the Port of Norfolk, & I gave up the $7 under protest. But when a friend who came aboard with me told me that the alleged Doctor had yelled to Into - 'Hey ain't them there mates funny?' when he saw my friend talking to me by the finger alphabet. I began to think it was a graft pure & simple --- So it is, even if the alleged Doctor has legal qualifications under the law. He's nothing but a common political heeler & hist[?], & the charges for the alleged medical inspection are outrageous. He did nothing but demand to see the yacht's papers & he asked Into, with a jerk of his thumb toward me --- 'Is he the proprietor?' --- The only thing official that he seemed to have was a pamphlet copy of the Virginia statutes, a paragraph of which was shown, referring to Cape Lookout & May. We might have had small pox & yellow fever & things, & this bum[?] never would have known it!
I'm going on tomorrow soon as I have that launch wheel counterbored to the nut. You omitted that part, and as the end of the tail shaft is about 1/8in in side the nut, there is nothing to be done but hunt up a shop to do this.
Yours sincerely, ..." (Source: Riddle, Robert M. Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_22700. Correspondence, Folder 67, formerly 135. (1909)-06-13.)
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"[Item Transcription:] SPEED[? SPUD? This was apparently Riddle's name for #247p SEA URCHIN], Nantucket
Aug 28
Dear Nat,
I've at last got a line on my log, which seems to prove that you were right, & SPUD's[? SPEED's] sea speed 8 knots, not 8 1/2 (or more correctly 8.4). When I went out of Provincetown yesterday, I noted the red & black targets of the measured mile: & the times of passing the quarters & log readings were [table].
I notice the first mile is just a mile by the log, while the 2nd is 1.05, and 3d 1.07 --- which leads me to suspect that we ran parallel to the ranges on the first & changed on the 2nd & still more on the 3d. So I am not sure the log is 5% out.
Here we kept on past the white buoys marking the 3 miles down between Wood End and Row[?] Point, but SPUD was jumping into head seas so viciously that I couldn't hold a glass with one hand to watch the ranges & hold on with the other; so I took the white buoys only.
On the 25th as we went into Provincetown I took em[?] as we passed --- and it was very rough then also. The results [two tables].
I didn't go back on this part because it was so rough. I noticed that the readings in both cases are 1 mile by log, except between 3 & 4 in both cases, when it is 1.10 & 1.05. When we got around to Cape Cod light, we took the lis[?] and at nearest it showed 11.8; but measured on the curve at not 1 1/2 miles off shore which we had followed; it measured about 11.9 miles. This is still bis[?] satisfactory to the theory that the log is out 5%.
On the way to Gloucester from Kittery, I discovered that Horton had concluded[?] my order to turn the steam of the air and circulating pump into the H.P. receiver[?] would put too big a load on the L.P. - & I went down & swore & turned it on against his protests & he showed me that the intermediate steam gauge was going up abou[?] 20 or 21 lbs --- and he went around to be ready to climb the ladder when the swash[?] came. Then I happened to look at the steam chest gauge & observed it indicated 95 lbs! When he closed the damper and got it down to the usual 80 lbs, we found the intermediate steam gauge only indicated 18 lbs, showing that it had gone up 3 lbs by the change. But the difficulty now is to keep the steamchest gauge down to 80 or 85 and I told Horton to let it get up to 90 or 95. Meantime, the log shows 8.6 or 8.7 knots instead of 8.4. But think of all the coal that has been wasted in the 9 or 10 months since I had the piping changed to here[?] the steam in them! The was I discovered it was by finding the vacuum 24in, during one of my visits to the engine room, & demanding to know why that was. Horton hunted around & found an open potcrck[?] on the tank fwd pump. Then I wanted to know why this was not blowing steam, & he had to admit he had ignored my orders. I'm afraid I will have to have a new man next season.
I'm glad to get back where the water & air are warm. Maine & the 40deg water of Penobscot may suit some fellers --- but give me old Nantucket! I'm going to make a good long stop here. Yours ..." (Source: Riddle, Robert M. Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_22780. Correspondence, Folder 67, formerly 135. (1909 ?)-08-28.)
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"[Item Transcription:] Handwritten (mostly in pencil but also in ink) trials booklet titled '1898 - 1909'. Relevant contents:
§42: #247p SEA URCHIN Trial Runs best speed 8.7kn (1905-10-25 & 1905-11-07&19)." (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.)
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"[Item Description:] Penciled compass deviation diagram titled 'Compass Corrections. SEA URCHIN #247 Nov. 22[19]05. ENAJ #267 Ap[ril] 7 [19]09. HELIANTHUS #288 July 17, [19]12." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Compass Deviation Card. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE03_02200. Folder [no #]. 1912-07-17 or later.)
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Note: This list of archival documents contains in an unedited form any and all which mention #247p Sea Urchin even if just in a cursory way. Permission to digitize, transcribe and display is gratefully acknowledged.

• Sea Urchin (HMCo-made index card)
• Sea Urchin (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: Sea Urchin
Type: Steam
Length: 61'6"
Owner: Riddle, R. M.

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

• Sea Urchin
• 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: Sea Urchin
Type: 61' steamer
Owner: Robert M. Riddle
Year: 1905
Row No.: 611

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: 1905
E/P/S: P
No.: 247
Name: Sea Urchin
OA: 61' 6"
LW: 54' 6"

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.

"In the absence of better available data displacement was estimated by using the figure for Gross Register Tons (49) from the 1906 Lloyd's Register of American Yachts (Net Register Tons were reported as 33) 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.