HMCo #285p Bubble

"[1912-08-01] Thu 1: Made a call on Admiral Osterhouse of the [battleship] Connecticut with John & Sidney in Bubble [#285p].
[1913-06-19] Thu 19: Started in PM in Helianthus [#288p] to see [Harvard-Yale] races at New London. Smooth run in 5 h[ours] 55 m[inutes]. ... Have Bubble [#285p] in tow.
[1913-06-21] Sat 21: Ran up to Essex, then took Bubble [#285p] and ran up to river as far as Middletown & return. Very fine trip. Afternoon ran over to Sag Harbor & ashore for walk.
[1914-05-22] Fri 22: Fair. ... Launched Bubble [#285p] & Oleander [#710s] in PM.
[1914-06-18] Thu 18: Fine & clear. Started for New London in Helianthus [#288p] at 1, having Bubble [#285p] in tow. ... All ashore in evening.
[1914-11-15] Sun 15: H[eav]y E, SE & S rain storm beginning in PM. Sidney and others went cod fishing in Bubble [#285p] in forenoon.
[1914-11-22] Sun 22: Fair [with] WSW breeze. Boys go codfishing in Bubble [#285p]. ...
[1915-06-24] Thu 24: Started [in] afternoon for New London in Helianthus [#288p] ... Have Bubble [#285p] in tow. ...
[1916-09-03] Sun 3: To Westport in Helianthus [#288p] to give young people a swim. Fine day. L[igh]t N to NW [wind]. Sidney also went in Bubble [#285p].
[1919-05-30] Fri 30: Very fine & warm. Fresh NW to N ch[anging] to SW [in] PM. Have children picnic at Gull P[oin]t [on Prudence Island] and went in 16 footer with Ann & Miss Kimball and the rest in Bubble [#285p].
[1933-05-06] Sat 6: [Thermometer] 58-48, set 50. Overcast with l[igh]t E x S [wind], l[igh]t in PM. ... Sid & Clarence launched Bubble [#285p].
[1933-07-04] Tue 4: [Thermometer] 65 - 56 - 59 [degrees]. Overcast. Mod[erate] to fresh N to NE [wind] & cold. ... Sidney & family go to Newport in Bubble [#285p], towing Humdink [#1231s] and win dinghy race there. A very quiet 4th [of July].
[1933-10-22] Sun 22: [Thermometer] 65-54, set 62. Very fine & mild. Calm early then mod[erate] S to SSW [wind] all day. At home. Clarence off in Lantana [#192101es] & Sidney & family off in Bubble [#285p].
[1933-11-18] Sat 18: [Thermometer] 42-35, set 38. H[eav]y WSW [wind] last night with snow squalls. Ground covered this AM. L[igh]t variable wind, mostly SW & overcast. Sidney & men placed Bubble [#285p] & Lantana [#192101es] in boat house by the Useful [#190402es]. ..." (Source: Herreshoff, Nathanael G. Diary, 1912 to 1933. Manuscript (excerpts). Diary access courtesy of Halsey C. Herreshoff.)

"N. G. HERRESHOFF 6 WALLEY STREET BRISTOL, RHODE ISLAND July 14, 1935 - {1935/07/14} Dear Francis, ... All well here, and I believe Bubble is to start off soon for the usual Sunday picnic - taking the children. Hope you will come down soon. You know there is always a bed for you if you will stay over night. Your affect Father. " (Source: Mystic Seaport Museum, L. Francis Herreshoff Collection, Box 17, Folder 11: Letter from N. G. Herreshoff to L. F. Herreshoff.)

"N. G. HERRESHOFF 6 WALLEY STREET BRISTOL, RHODE ISLAND April 20, 1936. 7? {1937/04/20} Dear Francis, ... 'Bubble' has had a cabin trunk added and a new motor installed. Will be launched in a few days. ... Your affect - Father. " (Source: Mystic Seaport Museum, L. Francis Herreshoff Collection, Box 17, Folder 13: Letter from N. G. Herreshoff to L. F. Herreshoff.)

"N. G. HERRESHOFF 6 WALLEY STREET BRISTOL, RHODE ISLAND Sunday, July 11 1937. {1937/07/11} Dear Francis, ... Sidney - Becky & the two children started off on their first cruise in "Bubble", yesterday afternoon. Weather in favorable for them so far. ... -Your affect -Father." (Source: Mystic Seaport Museum, L. Francis Herreshoff Collection, Box 17, Folder 13: Letter from N. G. Herreshoff to L. F. Herreshoff.)

"... Lang Syne [#251p], moored at the Love Rocks pier, was driven ashore in the 1938 hurricane. She headed right for our waterfront living room with the yard flooded, but the reflection of waves breaking against the house thankfully pushed the yacht aside so she ended in the side yard atop my Dad's other boat BUBBLE, which initially was considered lost in the hurricane. When discovered under Lang Syne and other rubble, BUBBLE was too far gone and had to be scrapped. ..." (Source: Herreshoff, Halsey. [Email to Claas van der Linde.] April 13, 2014.)

"BRISTOL, R I, July 13 [1912] --- Sidney Herreshoff, the eldest son of designer, Nathaniel G. Herreshoff, has produced a new type of speed launch and gasoline engine, which attracts attention in Narragansett Bay, because of the steady going of the craft, no matter how rough the water. The boat is 20 feet in length, named Bubble, and has a speed or 30 miles an hour." (Source: Anon. "Bristol Notes." Boston Globe, July 14, 1912, p. 49.)

"The new power launch Bubble, designed by Sidney Herreshoff, which was given trial spins last week, developed a speed of 20 1/4 miles an hour, and reflects much credit upon the young designer." (Source: Anon. "Bristol and Vicinity." Bristol Phoenix, July 16, 1912, p. 2.)

"Sidney Herreshoff, the eldest son of designer Nathaniel G. Herreshoff, has produced a new type of speed launch and gasolene engine which attracts attention in Narragansett Bay because of the steady going of the craft, no matter how rough the water. The boat is 20 feet in length, named Bubble, and has a speed of twenty miles an hour. ..." (Source: Anon. "Ticks from the Ship's Clock." Forest & Stream, July 20, 1912, p. 81.)

"... Mr. and Mrs Sidney Herreshoff are enjoying their honeymoon trip abourd the yacht Bubble." (Source: Anon. "Yacht Club Notes." Providence Journal Bulletin, June 19, 1930, p. ?.)

"... The house owned by Sidney Herreshoff was in direct path of the hurricane and felt its full force. ...The speedboat Bubble [#285p] is a wreck and the new boat Lang Syne [#251p] which Mr. Herreshoff had just bought is resting on top of it very close to the garage, or what was the garage. ..." (Source: Bristol Phoenix, September 23, 1938. Quoted in: Simpson, Richard, V. "The Great Hurricane and Tidal Wave of 1938: Scenes of the Disaster in Rhode Island's East Bay." Roger Williams University, Bristol, 2012. http://docs.rwu.edu/hurricane_1938/1, retrieved April 12, 2014.)

"... [During the hurricane of 1938 the boat shed between Sid’s and his father’s (Capt Nat) house collapsed, and of the seven boats stored in it, the Velita [#193301es] was the only one not completely destroyed. Sid’s dinghy, the Glory B [#193602es] was washed onto the piazza of the senior Herreshoff’s house, resting there in perfect repose. Sid’s little sloop, the speedboat Bubble [#285p] was feared lost, until she was dug out from a heap of kindling wood wreckage of several small waterfront cottages. The newest addition to Sid’s fleet, the 46-foot cabin launch, the Lang Syne [#251p], recently brought around from Marblehead, accommodatingly came ashore in his yard, so he had his whole flotilla stranded within a dozen feet of his shop door. ...[Also among the destroyed boats was #187406es Riviera. Two other boats that were probably in the boat shed and thus destroyed were #192101es Lantana which NGH reported to have been stored there as late as 1933 and #404s Coquina which was last reported to be in existence in 1932.]" (Source: Simpson, Richard, V. "The Great Hurricane and Tidal Wave of 1938: Scenes of the Disaster in Rhode Island's East Bay." Roger Williams University, Bristol, 2012. http://docs.rwu.edu/hurricane_1938/1, retrieved April 12, 2014.)

"[Item Transcription:] [Untitled penciled notebook, with (owner's?) name 'C. Herrmann' on inner front cover page. On first page a table titled 'Weight of [Steam] Engines taken from Mr. Hermann's records':]
3 1/2 & 5 & 8 x 4 1/2 stroke, triple: 355lbs, first built in 1898
4 1/2 & 6 1/4 & 10 x 5 1/2 stroke, triple: 704lbs, first built in 1903
4 1/2 & 7 & 11 1/4 x 7 stroke, triple: 1000lbs, first built in 1893
5 5/8 & 8 & 12 1/2 x 7 stroke, triple: 1143lbs, first built in 1899
4 & 6 1/2 & 10 x 8 stroke, triple: 1620lbs, first built in 1885
5 5/8 & 9 & 14 x 9 stroke, triple: 1936lbs, first built in 1890
6 1/4 & 10[sic, i.e. 9] & 16 x 9 stroke, triple: 2100lbs, first built in 1897
7 & 11 1/4 & 18 x 9 stroke, triple: [blank], first built in 1902
7 & 11 1/4 & 18 x 10 stroke, triple: 2975lbs, first built in 1894
8 & 12 1/2 & 20 x 11 stroke, triple: 9076lbs, first built in 1902
9 & 14 & 22 1/2 x 12 stroke, triple: 5425lbs, first built in 1891
12 1/2 & 18 & 25 x 13 1/2 stroke, triple: 8150lbs, first built in 1898
11 1/4 & 16 & 22 1/2 & 2x22.5 x 15 stroke, triple: 12925lbs, first built in 1888
3 1/2 & 6 x 6 stroke, compound: 316lbs, first built in 1884
4 1/4 & 7 x 7 stroke, compound: 460lbs, first built in 1880
4 x 4, oil case: 367lbs
Steam Steering Gear: 180lbs
HMCo 4x5 motor [used for #285p Bubble]: 515lbs
6 Cyl Sterling Motor, 50-60 Horse Power: 1356lbs
4 Cyl 17 horse Kermaty: 439 1/2lbs
3x3 Oil case eng with generator: 365lbs. Undated, the newest steam engine listed is from 1903, the HMCo 4x5 motor from 1912 (the notebook later mentions Monday, April 22 which also would have been the case in 1912)." (Source: Hermann, Christian, Herreshoff Manufacturing Co. Machine Shop Foreman (creator). Notebook. MIT Museum, Hart Nautical Collections, Haffenreffer-Herreshoff Collection Item HH.6.127. Box HAFH.6.4B, Folder Engines. No date (1912 or later ?).)
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"[Item Description:] Penciled pantograph hull sections titled '26 foot launch. #284. BUBBLE [sic. #284p was a Power Launch for Vagrant II while #285p was BUBBLE --- both contracted for in the same month and built from the same model with identical dimensions]. 1912'. With note 'W.L. length = 25ft-3 3/4in' and calculation arriving at a total displacement of 43.6cuft or 2690lbs." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Pantograph Hull Sections. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE04_01000. Folder [no #]. 1912.)
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"[Item Description:] we sold #215p ROAMER for you to L.E. Warren last Saturday, enclose copy of agreement between HMCo and the purchaser and extract from Seaman's letter regarding changes Warren might like to have us make, all about the works in well, Sidney is taking great interest in the work and is working out new type of valve for gasoline motors [apparently for the 4x5 gasoline engine for #285p BUBBLE] which I thing is far ahead of anything yet been used, Nat has not found anything to do and we haven taken him in the drafting room temporarily" (Source: Herreshoff, J.B. Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_53080. Subject Files, Folder 47, formerly 51. 1912-01-16.)
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"[Item Description:] Ink on paper drawing with four vignettes showing #285p BUBBLE underway in a big seaway in vicinity of the lightship (1), at high speed in large waves (2), at rest in large waves with crew fishing on both sides (3), and still at rest with part of the crew fishing over the side and the part of the crew badly seasick (also over the side) (4). On verso penciled note 'Cod fishing trip off Brenton's Reef. Nov[ember] 1914. Frank Chase, Harleigh Tingley, Sidney, Nat & Clarence Herreshoff, South-easter just coming on'. [NGH's diary for Sunday, November 15, 1914 reads 'H[eav]y E, SE & S rain storm beginning in p.m. Sidney and others went cod fishing in BUBBLE in forenoon.]" (Source: Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE14_00580. Ink on Paper Drawing. Folder [no #]. After 1914-11-15.)
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"[Item Transcription:] Handwritten (in ink) trials booklet titled '1911. Trial Trips and Experiments'. Relevant contents:
§13: #285p BUBBLE Trial Run with Herreshoff motor (1912-07-25)." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator) and Herreshoff, A. Sidney deW. (creator). Trials Booklet. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE07_04280. Folder [no #]. 1911-06 to 1926-05.)
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"[Item Transcription:] [Handwritten letter:] [Handwritten (in ink) letter on [A. Sidney DeW Herreshoff, Bristol, Rhode island' stationery:] Your letter of Apr. 10th came a few days ago. Time flies so fast that I didn't realize how long it was since I had written you.
Mr. Tod's boat the THISTLE [#1078s] looks very well. They finished laying the deck last week and are now putting on the fittings. The bowsprit is in place, and they made a good job of the work around the stem head. The strut and stuffing box are being fitted. The rudder is nearly finished. The machinery and tanks are being installed. The mainmast is out on the dock with the spreaders and most of the rigging on it, and the other spars are all finished. The new windlass is similar to the one used on the WILDFIRE [#891s] which I believe was originally designed for the 70 footers. All moving parts except the rope drums and ends of the hand crank shaft are enclosed in a bronze casing. The main drive gear extends down through the deck and meshes with a sliding pinion which can be shifted in or out from on deck. The pinion is driven from the motor through an oil tight [p. 2] worm reduction gear. The above deck part of the windlass was completed today and the below deck part is about 80% finished.
Mr. Morgan's boat [#384p SHUTTLE] was launched today and will probably have a trial before the end of the week. Mr. Sheppey's boat [#1074s SHEERNESS] ought to be ready to deliver early in May.
John Nixon started to work on the place yesterday. I think the Spring is neither early nor late this year. The BUBBLE [#285p] was put overboard Apr. 4th and we have already had two Sunday trips.
I find my new car very easy to drive and can go long distances without getting tired. One Sunday afternoon I took a 133 mi ride between dinner and supper. The trip included Fall River, New Bedford, the Cape Cod canal, Plymouth, Biddleborough, Assonet, and Home. April first, I took an all day trip of 184 mi up to the to of Mt. Wachusett, which is about 18 mi north of Worcester. The view from there was certainly worth the trip.
The work on the [Mount Hope] bridge is coming along very fast now.
I am glad you expect to go to Bermuda. The passage on the new motor ship BERMUDA ought to be very interesting.
Sincerely yours, ... " (Source: Herreshoff, Sidney. Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_06430. Correspondence, Folder 23, formerly 207. 1928-04-17.)
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Note: This list of archival documents contains in an unedited form any and all which mention #285p Bubble even if just in a cursory way. Permission to digitize, transcribe and display is gratefully acknowledged.

• Bubble (HMCo-made index card)
• Bubble (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: Bubble
Type: Gasoline
Length: 25'10"
Owner: Herreshoff, A. S. Dew

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

• Bubble
• 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: Bubble
Type: 25' 10" gas launch
Owner: A. Sidney Herreshoff
Row No.: 95

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: 1911
E/P/S: P
No.: 285
Name: Bubble
OA: 25' 10"

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.

"Bubble was equipped with a unique Herreshoff-designed 4" x 5" gasoline engine." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. November 3, 2008.)

"Weight of at time of launch 1990lbs." (Source: Herreshoff Manufacturing Company. [Note.] #285 Construction Plan 2-74 (HH.5.00077). June 5, 1912.)

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