HMCo #249p Sisilina [Siselena]

"May 1, 1906
Preliminary trial of Sisilina, #249
90ft Highspeed steamer with 10in stroke engine, 3 bl[ade] 36 x 60 screw and same boiler as Scout [#203p] class, only part of furnishing on board, and small amount of coal. 10 men [on board]. Small ebb, NW [wind at] about 14m[ph].
On 3 k[not] course.
[Followed by tabulated trial run data with mean speed being 19.88kn = 22.9mph]
May 2, 1906
Final Trial of #249
Sisilina
On 11 1/4 mile cruise, from about S end [of] Hog Is[land] to Dumplings & return.
Wind S, 12 miles. Tide 1/2 neap flood. 5 on board, part of furnishing and 1 1/2 ton coal.
[Followed by tabulated trial run data with mean speed being 22.24 = 19.3kn]
Required speed by contract 22 miles.
Vessel ran very smoothly and steady throughout." (Source: Herreshoff, N. G. Handwritten note in Trials Booklet '1898 - 1909' under date of May 1, 1906 and May 2, 1906. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum.)

"... A high speed steamer [#249p] 95ft. long of the Mermaid, Mirage and Scout type, is building for Mr. Nathan Strauss, of New York, for use on the St. Lawrence River. She will have a guaranteed speed of 23 miles for a one hour run. ..." (Source: Anon. "New Boats Building at Bristol." Forest and Stream, February 17, 1906, p. 274.)

"The new 94-foot steam yacht Cislina [sic, i.e. Sisilina], built by the Herreshoff Manufacturing company tor Nathan Straus, the wealthy New York merchant, was launched at 11 o'clock Wednesday [February 14, 1906] morning.
Mr Straus who has a summer residence at the Thousand Islands, will cruise on the St. Lawrence River, and Lake Ontario, with his family in his new yacht the coming summer." (Source: Anon. "New Steam Yacht Launched." Bristol Phoenix, February 16, 1906, p. 4.)

"BRISTOL, R. I. April 29 [1906] --- ... The fast steam yacht Siselina, built for Jacob Strauss of New York, was launched at the Herreshoff shops Thursday morning [April 26, 1906]. The Siselina is 94 foot over all, and is built like the Scout [#203p]." (Source: Anon. "Queen Goes In May 15. Probable Date of Launching Herreshoff Schooner. Bristol Notes." Boston Globe, April 29, 1906, p. 46.)

"[Abstract of register or enrollment. Pos. 882:]
Sisilina, steam yacht, of Bristol.
Built at Bristol, 1906.
22.95 tons; 87.8 ft. x 10.5 ft. x 5.6 ft. [Register length x breadth x depth.]
One deck, [blank] mast, plain head [bow].
Enr[olled] and Lic[ensed] ([as] yacht) Apr. 30, 1906. Owner: Herreshoff Manufacturing Company of Bristol. Master: N. G. Herreshoff, Bristol,.
Surrendered [license] May 31. 1906 at New York. ([Record at:] C[ustom] H[ouse, Providence]).
Lic[ensed] (temporary) ([as] yacht).
Apr. 27, 1909 (issued on New York enrollment of May 31, 1906: change of hailing port - New York). Acting owner: B. H. Richardson of New York. Master: B. H. Richardson.
Surrendered [license] May 1, 1909 at New York. ([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. Sisilina.)

"BRISTOL, R.I., May 5 [1906] --- The steam yacht Siselena, built at Herreshoff's for Jacob Strauss of New York, was given a trial in the harbor Wednesday [May 2, 1906], and developed speed 26 [?] miles an hour. The contract calls for 22 miles. The Siselena is a beautiful craft and is finely fitted. ..." (Source: Anon. "Herreshoff Boat is Speedy." Boston Globe, May 6, 1906, p. 40.)

"BRISTOL, R. I. May 12 [1906] --- ... Jacob Strauss' 94-foot steam yacht Siselina has had several trial spins and will leave for New York next week." (Source: Anon. "Bristol Notes." Boston Globe, May 13, 1906, p. 49.)

"FRONTENAC, Aug. 18 [1906]. --- ... The Sisilina, a new steam yacht owned by Nathan Straus of New York City, who has a beautiful home on Cherry Island, just above Alexandria Bay, has made its appearance on the river. The boat is 96 feet long, with a 14-foot 6-inch beam, and is capable of going twenty-eight miles an hour. It is most beautiful in all its appointments, and is undoubtedly the fastest and finest steam yacht in commission on the river. ..." (Source: Anon. "In The Thousand Islands." New York Times, August 19, 1906, p. 5.)

"One of the notable new craft of the year in New York waters is the steam yacht Sisilina, owned by one of the Sterns, of the great New York dry goods firm. She is to be seen moving about local waters in the swiftest fashion, and her usual anchorage is the Columbia Yacht Club, foot of 86th Street [in New York City]. It is whispered that Sisilina, which was built by Herreshofi, has an avowed purpose --- to lower the colors of the Jean [#194p], owned by T. A. Gillespie, of Pittsburg. Jean is the pride of the St. Lawrence. She is a 71-foot steam yacht, also built by Herreshoff, and is good, they say, for 25 miles an hour. This year Sisilina, so it is said, intends to dispute premier honors of the St. Lawrence with Jean. Sisilina, by the way, has certain lines which indicate that she might furnish a very excellent model for a large-sized motor yacht. (Source: Anon. "Sisilina." Motor Boat, 1906, [p. 40?].)

"BRISTOL, R. I., March 6 [1909] --- ... The steam yacht Siselena, owned by Nathan Straus of New York, is being overhauled in the Herreshoffs for an early cruise. ..." (Source: Anon. "Bristol Notes." Boston Globe, March 7, 1909, p. 48.)

"BRISTOL, R. I., March 20 [1909] --- ... Nathan Straus' steam yacht Siselena is to be ready for cruising in April and the crew are now overhauling the craft at Walkers cove." (Source: Anon. "Bristol Notes." Boston Globe, March 21, 1909, p. 47.)

"... The following transfers are reported through the agency of Cox & Stevens: ...
Fast express steam yacht Sisilina, sold for Nathan Straus to a member of the New York Yacht Club, who will use the vessel as a ferry between his country place and New York. The new owner has changed the name of his vessel to Skipaki. ..." (Source: Anon. "Yachts Sold and Chartered." New York Sun, May 28, 1911, p. 8.)

"Shuttle (Steam Yacht, 1906).
Served as USS Shuttle (ID # 3572) in 1918-1919
Shuttle, a small (94'6" long; 33 gross tons) steam yacht, was built in 1906 by the Herreshoff Manufacturing Company at Bristol, Rhode Island. She was obtained by the Navy's Bureau of Ordnance from her owner, H.P. Davidson of New York City, at the end of October 1918. Though World War I ended soon afterwards, the yacht entered service as USS Shuttle (ID # 3572) and was employed transporting personnel between the Washington Navy Yard, D.C., and ordnance facilities further down the Potomac River. After about five months of Navy operation Shuttle was returned to her owner in late March 1919." (Source: http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/sh-civil/civsh-s/shuttle.htm, accessed March 23, 2007.)

"N/A"

"[Item Description:] Penciled general arrangement plan with plan view and inboard profile titled '82ft [LOA] 77ft w.l.' The plan looks like an elongated version of #194p JEAN and may have been made as a preliminary sketch for #249p SISILINA which was from JEAN's model but longer than what is stated on this plan. Undated, SISILINA was designed in October 1905." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Penciled General Arrangement Plan. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Acc. 2004.0001.0494. WRDT08, Folder 39, formerly MRDE10. No date (1905-10 ??).)
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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:] Handwritten (mostly in pencil but also in ink) trials booklet titled '1898 - 1909'. Relevant contents:
§45: #249p SISILINA Trial Run best mean speed 19.88kn = 22.9mph (1906-05-01)." (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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Note: This list of archival documents contains in an unedited form any and all which mention #249p Sisilina [Siselena] even if just in a cursory way. Permission to digitize, transcribe and display is gratefully acknowledged.

• Sisilina (HMCo-made index card)
• Sisilina (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: Sisilina
Type: Steam
Length: 95'
Owner: Straus, Nathan

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

• Sisilina
• Skipaki ex-Sisilina
• Shuttle ex-Sisilina
• 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: Sisilina
Type: 94' 6" power
Owner: Nathan Strauss
Year: 1906
Row No.: 633

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.: 249
Name: Sisilina
OA: 95'
LW: 86'

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.

"Steam engine rating 365hp 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 Open Type. 7 & 11 1/4 & 18 x 10, 560[rpm], 365[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.)

"In the absence of better available data displacement was estimated by using the figure for Gross Register Tons (34) from the 1906 Lloyd's Register of American Yachts (Net Register Tons were reported as 23) 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.