HMCo #375p Petunia

"July 1, 1920
Trial of #375 Petounia
58ft-0in x 55ft-1 1 1/4in x 12ft-3in x 3ft-6in Cruiser.
6 cyl. 4 1/2in x 5 1/2in Speedway motor driving through reduction gear with ratio 40/91.
Propellers 4 blade, 32in x 48in.
South half of Popasquash course, wind light N, tide flowing south [followed by tabulated trial run data with best speed being 11.32 mph?]
About 65hp at 10k[n] (11.5mph)." (Source: Herreshoff, N. G. Handwritten note in Experiments Booklet '1911 Trial Trips and Experiments' under date of July 1, 1920. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum.)

"... my father bought PETUNIA from Mr. Gulden (mustard), and I helped him deliver her to Bristol where there was considerable restoration done and the name changed to CONSUELO. Several late season trips to Florida (Centering in Ft. Lauderdale) followed plus summer trips from Bristol. Sadly, several years later my father lost CONSUELO in a bizarre accident in the Chesapeake Delaware Canal. At night, a huge ship came through too fast making a massive wave. My father naturally eased over to avoid the ship that might not have seen him. The ship's wave over the shoal edge of the channel caused a sort of surf such that CONSUELO grounded abruptly, breaking off her keel and the yacht sank. Sid and two guests rowed ashore and sought accommodations. The shipping line paid, but that did not change the pleasure denied my father and mother the next few years." (Source: Herreshoff, Halsey. Private email to Claas van der Linde, March 11, 2014.)

"... This year the [Herreshoff] plant is very busy. Not only has the Resolute been overhauled, fitted with new spars and commissioned there, which in itself is a big task, but many other power and sailing craft have been built. It is a long time since Herreshoflf's was so busy and much of this success must be credited to A. Loring Swasey, who is the vice-president of the company. Mr. Swasey is not only a designer of repute but he is a practical constructor of considerable experience and a very capable business manager. This Spring Captain Nat. Herreshoff has been far from well. He contracted a heavy cold on his return from Bermuda and at one time pneumonia was feared. James Swan is the Superintendent of the plant. He is one of the most capable steel constructors in the country and the work now in progress in the shops shows his skill. ...
A 55-foot cruiser for Henry L. Tiffany of New Bedford having 16 feet breadth is to be driven by a 78-h.p. Speedway engine with geared drive. ..." (Source: Anon. "Yacht Building Yards Very Busy. Many New Vessels at Herreshoffs." Rudder, June 1920, p. 14)

"Two fine looking power craft, both having 20-knot speed, were launched from the Herreshoff boat shops at Bristol R I. the first of the week [June 14, 1920]. The largest [sic] of the pair is the Petunia [#375p], built for H. L. Tiffany of New Bedford. A Speedway engine is installed and is proving to be the style and type fitted for the new craft. The smaller [sic] boat is the Adora [sic, i.e. #373p Adolar], which is yet to be finished for an Eastern yachtsman. Her speed may be as high as 20 knots an hour." (Source: Anon. "Yachts and Yachtsmen." Boston Globe, June 20, 1920, p. 51.)

"1929. ... Dr. George W. VanBenschoten bought the cruiser Petunia from the [Herbert B.] Farnum estate. ..." (Source: Davis, Jeff. Yachting in Narragansett Bay. Providence, 1946, p. 45.)

"What could almost be called a resurrection is taking place at the Herreshoff Yacht Yard, where a 50-foot power boat, built 38 years ago at the yard, is being put into commission for a new life.
The Consuelo, launched in 1920 as the Petunia, is being overhauled for Sidney Herreshoff who with his father the late Capt. Nathanael Herreshoff, designed the boat Mr. Herreshoff bought the boat early this fall at Bay Shore, Long Island, where she was beginning to show her age. In view of replacing his well-known Lange Syne [#251p], which was destroyed in the hurricane on Aug. 31, 1954, the Petunia was brought here for repairs. Spars will be added to make her a motorsailer.
She has been designated the Consuelo because that Spanish word means comfort, joy, merriment and consolation. The last term, Mr. Herreshoff says, implies consolation over the loss of the Lange Syne.
The big boat is on the yard's ways, and supervising the work is Harry Town, present owner of the yard and one of the men who originally built her.
Five similar boats were built from the model of the boat, varying in design and size. She draws only three feet, three inches, making her ideal for the type of cruising the Herreshoff family likes most --- exploring inlets and remote places. Her oak frames are still in excellent shape, as are her yellow pine and Douglas fir planks. Power is supplied by a Chrysler Royal gas engine." (Source: Anon. [No title.] Bristol Phoenix, November 28, 1958, p. 1.)

"The 58ft motor-sailor 'Consuelo' owned by Sidney Herreshoff was the victim of an unusual accident Saturday night [October 14, 1961] about 9 o'clock while passing through Chesapeake-Delaware Canal on its way to Florida. The boat and all of its equipment and cargo was a total loss. No one was injured. Mr. Herreshoff was aboard the 'Consuelo' together with Mr and Mrs Farleigh V S Tingley when the accident occurred. He was heading through the canal
when an ocean-going vessel, the 'SS American Builder,' moving rapidly, caught up with and passed the Bristol boat. The 'Consuelo' was caught in the trough of a huge wave, careened, and hit the submerged wreck of a sunken scow. At least one sizable node was ripped in the hull of the 'Consuelo' which sank in five to ten minutes time. Mr. Herreshoff and his two passengers managed to escape to shore in a dinghy. A Dutch steamer that came up just after the accident, assisted with its powerful searchlight and also sent out word for help. The 'American Builder,' unaware of what had taken place, kept on its way.
The Coast Guard is investigating the accident. All this week a salvage crew has been trying to raise the damaged craft which in addition to valuable equipment also carried the clothing and other supplies which the Herreshoffs were to use in Florida this winter.
The 'Consuelo' is a Herreshoff designed craft and was built at the Herreshoff boatyard in 1905 [sic, i.e. 1920]. Mr. Herreshoff bought it in 1958." (Source: Anon. "Boat Co. Eyes Expansion." Bristol Phoenix, October 20, 1961, p. 1.)

"... 608 5 62' Nov 41 - Sep 43 Apr 44 ex-Petunia. #220370" (Source: Scheina, Robert L. U.S. Coast Guard Cutters & Craft of World War II. 1982, [p. 269?].)

"[Item Description:] Two sets of penciled pantograph hull sections on verso of 'Herreshoff Manufacturing Company, Bristol, R.I., John B. Herreshoff Prest. & Treas., N.G. Herreshoff, Supt., C.W. Young, Sec'y' stationery. Titled '64ft 10in Cruising Power Boat model used for #300 [SHADOW] & 301 [#301p MAGISTRATE] & 375 [#375p PETUNIA]' and marked '1916'. One set accompanied by difficult to understand note 'Even add no. frame spaces forward after [? referred to Baseline. Frame spaces inch added 16in. Frame spaces #301 15in. Frame spaces #300 12in'. The other set accompanied by note '10th of w.l. 6ft spaces for 64ft 10 1/2in o.a. Referred to base line'. No further notes or calculations. Marked '1916' (SHADOW was contracted for November 26, 1915)." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Pantograph Hull Sections. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE04_06480. Folder [no #]. 1916.)
① ②

"[Item Description:] Herreshoff Manufacturing Company, Inc. Tentative Financial Statements for the Year Ended December 31, 1920. Tentative Comparative Balance sheet as at December 31, 1920 and 1919. Tentative Condensed Statement of Profit and Loss for Year Ended December 31, 1920. Including detailed profitabilty statements for several contracts including #367p Launch for St. Y. CORSAIR III for J.P. Morgan [loss of $20.71], #372p VASANTA for G. M. Pynchon [loss of $2,362.72], #373p ADOLAR for August Heckscher [loss of $1,277.95], #374p ALERT for Charles A. Stone [loss of $17,652.54], #375p PETUNIA for Henry L. Tiffany [loss of $2,122.67], #376p ESLOMA for William H. Vandervoort [loss of $5,244.00], #827s OHONKARA for Carll Tucker [profit of $3,257.44], 16 S-Boats [#850s ELLEN, #828s GOB, #851s MONSOON, #830s SPINSTER, #831s PAPOOSE, #832s WOODCHUCK, #833s CHEERIO, #834s WIDGEON, #835s KAJEE, #836s DAPHNIA, #837s DOODAH, #838s TEATICKET, #844s VANT, #845s SWALLOW, #846s FANO, #849s CIMA: loss of $7,548.16 (i.e. $471.76 per boat on a sales price of $2,450)], 8 Buzzards Bay Boats 12 1/2s [#829s FALCON, #839s SHELDRAKE, #840s OPITSAH, #841s MISTRAL II, #842s JABBERWOCK, #843s BULLRUSH, #847s PENGUIN, #848s DOODLE BUG: loss of $819.48], 4 small boats for yacht Edgar Palmer [GUINEVERE #192005es, #192003ep, #192004ep, #192004es: loss of $3,839.25]. [These documents found / filed with 'Tentative Financial Statements for the Period from January 1, 1923 to June 27, 1923.']" (Source: Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_50660. Financial Statement. Subject Files, Folder [no #], formerly 124?. No date (after 1920-12-31).)
① ② ③

"[Item Description:] Penciled pantograph hull sections with tracing marks annotated 'Model of SHADOW [#300p], 1916, 4/5 sections of model, 12in frame spaces. Model of MAGISTRATE [#301p], 1916, full sections of model but 15in frame spaces. Model of Pierce's [#370p TYARA] 4/5 sections of model but ? frame spaces. Model of Tiffany's [#375p PETUNIA], 4/5 sections of model, but 14 1/4in frame spaces' and note 'Used for HELIANTHUS 3rd'. On verso of gothic font 'Herreshoff Manufacturing Company, Bristol, R.I.' stationery. Marked 'about 1922'." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (?) (creator). Pantograph Hull Sections. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE04_02390. Folder [no #]. About 1922.)
① ②

"[Item Transcription:] Handwritten (in ink) trials booklet titled '1911. Trial Trips and Experiments'. Relevant contents:
§45: #375p PETUNIA Trial Run 'about 65hp at 10kn' (1920-05-06)." (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.)
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

Note: This list of archival documents contains in an unedited form any and all which mention #375p Petunia even if just in a cursory way. Permission to digitize, transcribe and display is gratefully acknowledged.

• Petunia (HMCo-made index card)
• Petunia (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: Petunia
Type: Gasoline
Length: 58'6"
Owner: Tiffany, H. L.

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

• Petunia
• 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: Petunia
Type: 58' gasoline
Owner: H. L. Tiffany
Year: 1920
Row No.: 522

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: 1920
E/P/S: P
No.: 375
Name: Petunia
OA: 58' 1"
LW: 55' 1"

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.

"See also: Mystic Seaport, Daniel S. Gregory Ships Plans Library, Cox & Stevens, Inc. Collection. 1 sheet of plans for 58 ft. cruiser, PETUNIA (built 1920), designed by Nathanael G. Herreshoff. Date of design is unknown. SP.1975.1.34.359." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. February 13, 2011.)

"Note that the HMCo name index card for #375p Petunia incorrectly lists plan 199-65 as the primary plan. It should have been 119-65." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. October 30, 2014.)

"In the absence of better available data displacement was estimated by using the figure for Gross Register Tons (25) from the 1923 Lloyd's Register of American Yachts (Net Register Tons were reported as 17) 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.