HMCo #377p Ara

"[1920-11-19] Fri 19: Mr. Winton [who had ordered #377p Ara] here.
[1920-12-03] Fri 3: News that Winton is embarassed. We may have to stop [work on #377p Ara]. [Ara was subsequently finished and sold to E. B. Dane, after Alexander Winton, the auto-pioneer and 'father of the American Diesel engine' had encountered financial difficulties.]
[1921-01-01] Sat 1: ... Our shops are closed due to business depression (Winton not being able to pay installments in large yacht [#377p Ara] building for him). ...
[1921-02-01] Tue 1: ... Mr. Slocum & Geo. Nichols here to inspect the Winton boat [#377p Ara], and leave in p.m. ...
[1921-06-17] Fri 17: ... Capt. Cameron here to look at the Winton yacht [#377p Ara].
[1921-09-22] Thu 22: The Winton boat (#377) [Ara] sold at auction to Mr. E. Dane for [$]20,000.
[1921-10-03] Mon 3: Have contract signed to finish up #377 [Ara] for Mr. Dane." (Source: Herreshoff, Nathanael G. Diary, 1920 to 1921. Manuscript (excerpts). Diary access courtesy of Halsey C. Herreshoff.)

"... 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. ...
An order has just been placed with the Herreshoff Company for a yacht [#377p Ara] 165 feet long to be built of steel. This vessel is for next season and will be driven by two Winton crude-oil engines which will be connected with two electric generators driving two electric motors. ..." (Source: Anon. "Yacht Building Yards Very Busy. Many New Vessels at Herreshoffs." Rudder, June 1920, p. 14)

"Nathaniel G. Herreshoff, President of the Herreshoff Manufacturing Company, has assumed the management of the boat shops since General Manager James Swan severed his connection. Wednesday [December 8, 1920] night the plant closed for 10 days, affecting 200 employees [following the news that Ara's owner Alexander Winton was unable to pay his bills]. The company hopes to resume operations soon for work is well under way on a 165-foot motor yacht for Alexander Winton of Cleveland. The oil burning engines for the yacht which is to be completed next June, will be made at the Winton automobile plant in Cleveland. [HMCo would re-open only on January 8, 1921.]" (Source: Anon. "Herreshoff Shops Close. Shut Down Wednesday Night For Period of Ten Days." Bristol Phoenix, December 10, 1920, p. 1.)

"The Herreshoff yard at Bristol was practically closed Dec 8 [1920], when work on the 165-foot power cruiser for Alexander Winton of Cleveland was stopped. Two hundred skilled workmen had been employed for several months n this big yacht, which was expected to be finished in June. At present negotiations are underway to resume operations on this boat." (Source: Anon. "Notes from the Week's Log." Boston Globe, March 6, 1921, p. 55.)

"Ernest B. Dane of Boston, was the successful bidder at the auction sale of the 165 foot power yacht which was partially completed last year by the Herreshoff Manufacturing Company for Alexander Winton of Cleveland, Ohio, $20,000, being the amount of his bid. There was but one other bidder.
The contract price for this yacht without the power was $223,000, and Mr. Winton intended to use engines designed by the Winton Automobile Company, of which he is the owner.
This yacht is the largest that has ever been constructed at the Herreshoff Manufacturing Company's plant and it is estimated that the hull could be completed for launching in 30 days' time. No definite orders were given by Mr. Dane, for the completion of the yacht beyond launching condition, but it is hoped, that it will be completed here, as this would mean the resumption of work by steel workers and other mechanics at the Herreshoff Company's plant, which has been partial closed since last December when work was stopped on this yacht." (Source: Anon. "Big Steel Yacht Sold. The Winton Boat Purchased by Boston Yachtsman for $20,000." Bristol Phoenix, September 23, 1921, p. 6.)

"Work is to begin immediately on the big steel yacht at the Herreshoff Manufacturing Company's shop. This yacht was designed for Alexander Winton of Cleveland, but work was stopped on it last December and it was sold at auction on Sept. 22, to Ernest B. Dane of Boston. The boat is within about a month of launching condition." (Source: Anon. "Work On Big Yacht Begins." Bristol Phoenix, October 4, 1921, p. 4.

"The Herreshoff Manufacturing Company is now employing about 90 men, in the work of finishing up the big steel yacht that was recently bought by Ernest B . Dane of Boston." (Source: Anon. "Bristol and Vicinity" Bristol Phoenix, October 14, 1921, p. 2.)

"Herreshoff has turned out one good sized power cruiser this year, the Helianthus [#378p], for the personal use of N. G. Herreshoff, besides a fleet of nine S class boats [#852s S-Class for W. R. Potter, #853s S-Class for T. A. Howell, #854s Aminta, #855s S-Class, #856s S-Class for A. L. Londley, #857s S-Class for T. A. Howell, #858s S-Class for J. F. Byers, #859s S-Class for M. J. O'Brian, #864s Shona] that were distributed from Cape Ann to New York, and the six-metre Shiela [#861s] for the races on the other side, and it is reported that the firm is about to resume work on the 105-foot power cruiser [#377p Ara] for Alexander Winton of Cleveland. Work on her was stopped in December last year [1920], and nothing has been done on her since that time, when a lot of the Herreshoff hands were laid off." (Source: Davis, Jeff. "Narragansett Bay Yachtsmen Planning for Next Season." Rudder, October 1921, p. 43.)

"... At the Herreshoff Manufacturing Company orders have been received for two 12 1/2 footers [#???s] and four one design class S boats [#870s Surinam, #871s Perneb, #872s (Cancelled), and #873s Pandora], and many men are still employed on the big power boat [#377p Ara] for Ernest H Dane of Boston, which is about three-quarters completed, and which is due to be expected about May 1st." (Source: Anon. "Bristol and Vicinity." Bristol Phoenix, January 10, 1922, p. 2.)

"Construction work on the hull of the 165 foot power yacht [#377p Ara] being built at the Herreshoff Manufacturing Company's boat shops for Ernest B Dane of Boston, is progressing rapidly, and has reached the point where it was necessary for the company to lay off 12 of the steel workers Wednesday. The yacht which will be equipped with two large oil burning engines will not be ready for launching before May." (Source: Anon. "Bristol and Vicinity." Bristol Phoenix, January 20, 1922, p. 2.)

"The work of constructing the hull of the 165 foot power boat at the Herreshoff Mfg Co for Earl [sic, i.e. Earnest] B Dane of Boston is nearing completion and it is expected that it will be ready for launching about the middle of the month. The large oil burning engins for the craft are to be installed at Fall River following the launching and the boat will be brought back for completion. The yacht is to be ready for delivery about May 1." (Source: Anon. "Bristol and Vicinity." Bristol Phoenix, February 7, 1922, p. 2.)

"Southwest Harbor. July 22 [1927] (AP) The yacht Ara, bound from Boston to Seal Harbor, which ran aground in Wednesdays [July 20, 1927] heavy fog, was still aground tonight despite two days efforts of a tug to float her." (Source: Anon. "Yacht Ara Is Aground On Little Duck Island." The Lewiston Daily Sun, July 23, 1927, p. 1.)

"Rockland, Maine. A final attempt to salvage the $350.000 pleasure yacht Ara from the rocks at the southern end of Little Duck Island will be made by a Rockland wrecking company tomorrow. The Ara, which struck in dense fog a week ago, is being rapidly pounded to pieces by surf." (Anon. "May Salvage Yacht." The Bridgeport Telegram, July 27, 1927, p. 21.)

"Rockland, Maine, Sept. 7 [1927] (AP) Maine’s mystery of the sea, interest in which heightened as wreckage continued to drift ashore along the coast from Burnt Island to Portland during the last few days, was believed solved today by coast guardsmen. A visit to Little Duck Island convinced Captain Harry Webster that the bits of mahogany and railings are fragments of the Yacht Ara, which went ashore there six weeks ago. He found the Ara had begun to disintegrate during the severe blows of the past week." (Source: Anon. "Wreckage Part of Yacht, Guard Finds." The Escanaba Daily Press, September 8, 1927, p. 2.)

"1922. ... Herreshoff had been busy during the Winter. ... A 165-foot twin screw steel yacht, which had been bought by a Bostonian in an unfinished condition somewhere else [sic], was alongside the wharf to have her interior and deck houses finished. ..." (Source: Davis, Jeff. Yachting in Narragansett Bay. Providence, 1946, p. 13.)

"The era of the clipper-bowed steam yacht was coming to a close in the years following World War I. Hulls were less ornate, and diesel power was coming into its own. Plumb-stemmed, yet graceful, and driven by two big six-cylinder Winton diesels, Ara represents a design philosophy born of wartime's functional thinking. Ara is undoubtedly the creation of A. Loring Swasey, who was a pioneer in handsome, yet comparatively plain power vessels, having designed the Navy's sleek 110-foot subchasers.
This steel-hulled beauty was ordered by Alexander Winton to demonstrate the virtues of diesel power --- especially those manufactured by his firm. She was sold to Ernest B. Dane (for nearly a quarter of a million dollars, the highest price paid ever for a yacht built by Herreshoff) before completion. ..." (Source: Bray, Maynard and Carlton Pinheiro. Herreshoff of Bristol. Brooklin, Maine, 1989, p. 161.)

"[Item Description:] Penciled logbook notes documenting 5 outings on 'Monday 25' ('Foghorn bell' and home), 'Saturday 30' (to Newport[?] to 'follow races' and home), Sunday 31' (to Jamestown and home, Monday 1st' (to Watchhill and anchor inside breakwater) and on Tuesday[?] passing Cornfield, Middle Ground, Eatons Neck, Matinicock Pt. to 'Duncans'. Comparing these partial dates and events with NGH's diary shows these voyages to have taken place from Monday August 25, 1913 to Tuesday, September 2nd, 1913 on #288p HELIANTHUS I. On verso a penciled sketch showing profile of a large motor yacht, possibly a prelimary design for #377p ARA (but note that ARA is believed to have not been designed by NGH). With notes 'Length o.a. 160ft. w.l. 153ft. Beam 22 1/2[ft] …'. Calculations show a total displacement of 4320cuft. Also a midship section, apparently for this boat. With notes adjacent to this section 'PORTER' and weight calculations. (Possibly NGH was using #184p PORTER as a baseline for the design of the large motor yacht.). The sketch is undated and if it really shows ARA which was contracted for in 1920 somewhat difficult to reconcile with the dates of the events on recto." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Penciled Sketch. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE04_00570. Folder [no #]. No date (probably 1913-0-25 and later).)
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"[Item Description:] new tender [MONTAUK] for #725s RESOLUTE, I did not mean to imply that I thought you were opposing us at every turn regarding alterations to RESOLUTE, and I further wish to state that I have all along agreed with you entirely that it is best for us to leave well enough alone, new alloy gaff, reconditioning RESOLUTE, bringing your little boat [#718s ALERION III] from N.Y. to Bristol, George [Nichols] has written that Jack Morgan will offer you the MERMAID for sale and you should take her, Swan is figuring on a large steamer for Mr. Winton [this will be #377p ARA], total amount of the shop includes 16 S-boats and 8 12-1/2 footers, begin to think that we are now going to show some profits, VANITIE should be sailing by May 1st, glad you have stopped bothering with Dr. Reynolds, reply from NGH: expected letter from James Swan but nothing came, materials for alloy gaff, awaiting address in N.Y. for ALERION III to ship to, if I do not take her home, could you not select one or two of your crew, do not want to have her towed by large steamer, too much danger of swamping in rough water or through c.b. casing, am rather in favor of taking #236p MERMAID, as towboat it would be best to overhaul #234p FRIDAY and put new motor in her, the one [port engine] I took out of #299p HELIANTHUS III would be the thing for her" (Source: Emmons, Robert W. (incl NGH reply). Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_27260. Subject Files, Folder 8, formerly 90-95. 1920-03-24.)
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"[Item Description:] two feet longer for #725s RESOLUTE, awaiting new sail plan and new plan for gaff, planning with Hathaway schedule of making new sails, orders for rigging in consultation with Sidney, 9th S-boat [#837s DODAH???] set up today, first watertight cockpit S-boat is all completed, 8th and last 12-1/2 [#848s DOODLE BUG] to be finished this week, negotiations going well for 160ft steel steamer [#377p ARA], hope you get the #236p MERMAID, incl. NGH reply: material for RESOLUTE gaff, sail plan dimensions, sailplan for original mast with lower sails and larger topmast and very long topsail yard, have decided to take MERMAID, hope you can arrange for me to sail #718s ALERION [from N.Y. to Bristol]" (Source: Emmons, Robert W. (incl NGH reply). Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_27380. Subject Files, Folder 8, formerly 90-95. 1920-03-31.)
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"[Item Description:] four letter drafts on an envelope, to Nat [Herreshoff, Jr.]: have about decided to buy #236p MERMAID, please forward letter to 'him', want him as engineer, wireless experiments, to Armand deConning[sp?]: job offer to run MERMAID's machinery, to George Nichols: James Swan's estimate of building for me has scared me blue, if I am to have a power boat at all it looks I better take MERMAID, possible new boiler, MERMAID could tow ALERION III [#718s] on her way from N.Y. to Bristol, MERMAID inventory lacking items, to James [Swan]: your letter was delayed to insufficient postage, estimate of building a new boat is too high and I will give up on the idea, decided to buy MERMAID, provided the purchase goes through please send men to put engine together and bring her to Bristol, Armand de Conning who was on HELIANTHUS will hopefully run her, alternatively MONTAUK might tow her when she comes to Bristol, Winton steel yacht [#377p ARA] order" (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. Letter to Herreshoff, N.G. Jr, Armand de Cnning[sp?], George Nichols, James Swan. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_27480. Subject Files, Folder 8, formerly 90-95. 1920-04-06.)
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"[Item Description:] Penciled pantograph hull sections titled 'No. 377 [#377p ARA]. From finished model. Scale 3/8ft = 1in. 151ft 8in w.l. to sternpost. June 6, 1920'. With calculations arriving at a displacement of 11160cuft [= 714240lbs] = 357 tons and a displacement at 18in less draft of 249 tons." (Source: Herreshoff, A. Sidney deW. (?) (creator). Pantograph Hull Sections. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE04_05060. Folder [no #]. 1920-06-06.)
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"[Item Description:] thank you for your letter and Lord Fisher's Books which came to hand yesterday, I read over the chapter on oil and oil engines and it appears he is somewhat visionary on this object, I hardly think the oil engine at the present time is so overwhelmingly superior to the steam engine but she [?] has only been developing for a decade or two while the other is probably quite fully refined after over a century of development, as to efficiency (fuel required per unit of power developed), propbaly the oil engine is now approaching its limit and compares roughly as follows, ..., the Diesel engine at the present time is expensive in first cost, very heavy and requires renewal of some parts frequently, all these objections will without doubt be overcome in course of time, but are not the reserves of oil begin drawn upon too rapidly and will not coal last much longer and become comparatively much cheaper than oil for fuel in the near future?, the yacht [#377p ARA] we are building for Mr Winton is to have Winton Diesel Engines of about 900 horsepower and the weight of the engines complete will be about 70 tons, the 110ft submarine chasers [#306p, #308p, #321p, and #323p] we built in 1917-18 were fitted with our steam engines & boilers what developed between 1100 & 1200 hp, the entire vessels complete including all machinery and in running condition weighed but 70 tons, I see no reason why a well designed Diesel engine should not be lighter than the steam option, it is not many years ago the gasoline engines were as heavy as steam plants, now they have been developed to about 1/4 the weigth" (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. Letter to Iselin, C. Oliver. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRRT_440. Unidentif. / Non-Cataloged, Folder MRRT. 1920-10-09.)
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"[Item Description:] hope to bring out #721s CAROLINA in 1921, am not interested in keel R-boat you suggest, might have been interested in a centerboard R-boat which you think is not worth trying, Hammond is still desirous that you should build him a 6mR boat [#861s SHEILA], 'Shut-down at Bristol, I personally much regret, but if we cannot get payments on time from Mr. Winton [for #377p ARA], it seems necessary either to do it or to borrow sizable additional amounts of money, which I don't like. My feeling is that our help can doubtless stand a short shut-down without suffering, and that the labor conditions elsewhere are in such shape that we are unlikely to lose any appreciable number. If a shut-down is determined on, I believe it should be complete and now rather than next month', 'feel that the situation is a serious one, but not really alarming if we keep cool and husband our resources'" (Source: Nichols, George. Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_18530. Correspondence, Folder 51, formerly 54. 1920-12-08.)
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"[Item Description:] Typewritten cost estimate titled 'Data on #377 [ARA]. April 5, 1921' with tabulated data for material and labor costs as per original estimate, expended to Dec 8 [19]20, probable cost of completing boat with steam machinery, etc. With penciled note 'Contract [$]223000'." (Source: Herreshoff Manufacturing Co. (?) (creator). Cost Estimate. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE03_03450. Folder [no #]. 1921-04-05.)
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"[Item Description:] Winton boat [#377p ARA] should be sold at public auction" (Source: Nichols, George. Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_50780. Subject Files, Folder [no #]. 1921-06-17.)
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"[Item Transcription:] COPY. ... I presume you have received documents like those enclosed. Do you see any course better than to proceed with this sale? Nat's plan to wait until we have found a purchaser [for #377p ARA], and then trying to deal with Winton's assignees, seems to me impracticable, because if we do so wait, we will put ourselves in a position where we would have to pay those assignees liberally to get rid of their claims, and moreover we are not likely to reach a satisfactory arrangement with purchaser with the uncertainty of an arrangement with the Winton assignees hanging over us. It therefore seems to me that we must clear our title and clear out shop. The question is, to do this in a way as little offensive as possible to Nat. Don't you think the best thing is for you to write to Nat, and unless Nat's answer makes it undesirable, for you then to write to Whiteside to proceed with the sale?
Ever yours,
(Signed) ..." (Source: Adams, Charles Francis, III. Letter to George Nichols. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_07200. Correspondence, Folder 24, formerly 211. 1921-08-05.)
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"[Item Transcription:] COPY. ...
I have yours of August 5th with enclosures [regarding #377p ARA] which I return herewith, as I have copies of them --- together with copy of letter which I have today written Nat.
I enclose also a letter to the Directors written by Griswold Herreshoff and delivered by him to me at Newport just after you left 'CAROLINA' [#721s].
I should like to see a statement of the Company's cash transactions annually since we took it over in 1917; this statement to show simply cash paid out annually on one side, and cash received on the other, and should include as cash paid out material bought from the inventory at market value.
My feeling is, as I have tried to express it before, that most of the stockholders put their money into the Company to preserve a tool to Nat's hand during his active lifetime. Provided the cash statement does not show much loss, I would favor telling Nat that the above was the case, and that subject to general oversight of the Company's affairs to prevent its entering into engagements that might entail sizable loss, he could run it to suit himself with such assistants as he saw fit, for the present. If he is now at a point where he definitely wants to retire from interest in the Company, I rather think we should try to sell the plant and business for what it will bring, and wind up the Company's affairs. By means of a mortgage, this could be done on easy terms if it seemed desirable.
The foregoing does not express an irrevocable idea on my part, but rather a plan for criticism. When the Directors arrive at a definite plan of action, I believe the stockholders should be consulted before it is put into execution.
I hope that you will have good weather for Race Week, and more interesting competition than we had during the cruise.
Enclosures.
Sincerely yours, ..." (Source: Nichols, George. Letter to Charles F. Adams. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_07210. Correspondence, Folder 24, formerly 211. 1921-08-06.)
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"[Item Description:] HMCo affairs, Winton [#377p ARA]." (Source: Nichols, George. Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_07260. Correspondence, Folder 24, formerly 211. 1921-08-06.)
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"[Item Transcription:] COPY. ... Enclosed is copy of letter received this morning from the Race Committee.
Thinking over the Winton matter [#377p ARA], I wonder if it is not worth while to make one more attempt to reach an agreement with Mr. Winton and his bankers before proceeding with the auction?
The expense of advertising and conducting the sale will amount to several thousand dollars, which will, I assume, be a charge against Winton, as it is made necessary by his breach of contract. The chance of realizing other than a nominal amount for the hull as it stands seems to me remote.
If the facts as we see them could be put to him in such a way that he would realize our good intentions, it is possible that he would name a sufficiently reasonable sum for his interest so that we would be in position to act with some chance of success in disposing of the boat. We would of course, in this latter case lose the advertising value of the auction.
Of course, all this has been tried before and it may not be worth while to go over the ground again.
I made the acquaintance of a number of Cleveland business men during the war, and through them might find someone who could approach Winton for us, or Swasey might be sent out to have another trial?
Sincerely yours, ..." (Source: Nichols, George. Letter to Adams, Charles Francis, III. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_07230. Correspondence, Folder 24, formerly 211. 1921-08-08.)
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"[Item Transcription:] COPY. ... Thanks for various documents. I should be quite content to make the statement you suggest, to Nat, understanding that this would mean making an arrangement with Griswold provided we think we can do so without shortly incurring a debt on the plant, which would mean some sort of financial smashup. My impression is that we have lost about as much money as we can without running a risk that we shall have to sell our property under pressure to satisfy debts. Subject to correction, I therefore incline to feel that we should ask our stockholders soon whether they care to put up some more money now or liquidate now.
It may be worth while to try once more for a settlement with Winton's trustees or assignees [ [#377p ARA]; but such people are notoriously difficult to settle with, unless through some of your friends you can find a better channel than we have had.
Ever yours, (Signed) ..." (Source: Adams, Charles Francis, III. Letter to George Nichols. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_07240. Correspondence, Folder 24, formerly 211. 1921-08-10.)
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"[Item Description:] HMCo affairs; incl. NGH response explaining why he staid on after his brother's death and that he would agree to a sale of the company; sale of Winton boat [#377p ARA]." (Source: Nichols, George (incl NGH reply). Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_07170. Correspondence, Folder 24, formerly 211. 1921-08-16.)
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"[Item Description:] HMCo affairs; Nichols and NGH at odds over sale of Winton boat [#377p ARA]." (Source: Nichols, George. Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_07290. Correspondence, Folder 24, formerly 211. 1921-08-17.)
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"[Item Transcription:] [On 'India Building 84 State St., Boston' stationery:] Since writing this morning, I have thought a bit about our situation, and now outline what seems to me judicious in order to receive your comment as early as possible.
First, as to seeking any arrangement with Winton [owner of #377p ARA]. Whatever he used to be, I can only regard him now as a man in desperate need of money, and, therefore, disposed of necessity to take every advantage possible. If we go to him again now, he will naturally think that we feel weak as to our title to the vessel, and he will inevitably try to get terms advantageous to himself. He will, moreover, be encouraged to oppose us legally. If he knows that we have a possible purchaser, he will be in a position to allege, if we proceed later in a way adverse to his interests, that we are conspiring with that possible purchaser to defraud him of his property. It, therefore, seems to me that we ought to proceed at once to hold an auction being careful to advertise that auction so well that no one can allege that the sale was conducted secretly or without due regard to Winton's interest. In this connection, I should expect Garfield to advise us that the use of Conant's name and methods would be worth the expense. I should then prepare definite figures, for submission to Mr. Dane, of the cost of completing the boat, with other engines than Winton's. With those figures, Mr. Swasey ought to see Mr. Dane and induce him if possible to bid at the auction for the hull. If that can be done, and we have submitted proper figures for completing the boat, our situation will be clear. We can then take up with Winton as a separate matter the question of getting his engines if Mr. Dane continues to prefer those engines; and I feel clear that we can do better for Mr. Dane in that way than in any other, and I feel equally clear that this is the course which promised the least delay and the most probable success. Of course we ought shortly to have a meeting to discuss and confirm these plans, or adopt[?] them and I am only writing in a tentative way to secure your opinion, and in order to have something like a
programme.
Sincerely yours, ..." (Source: Adams, Charles Francis, III. Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_07330. Correspondence, Folder 24, formerly 211. 1921-08-18.)
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"[Item Description:] telegram, Nat approves auction [of #377p ARA] earliest date consistent proper advertising" (Source: Nichols, George. Telegram to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_18560. Correspondence, Folder 51, formerly 54. 1921-08-25.)
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"[Item Transcription:] I received yours of the 22nd yesterday afternoon at Bristol. I talked over matters in general with Mr. Nat and found that he approved proceeding with the Auction sale in the present circumstances. Z have, therefore, telegraphed you as follows:
'Nat approves Auction [of #377p ARA] earliest date consistent proper advertising.'
as I promised him I would communicate with you this morning.
He and I both feel it important that the sale should be held at the earliest possible moment, in order that we may be in position to come to an agreement with Mr. Dane. We also agreed that until this matter is settled, it would be useless to plan for the immediate future conduct of the Company.
The procedure, as we mapped it out, would be somewhat as follows:
lst. Proceed with Auction sale as rapidly as possible.
2nd. Decide what claims we have against Winton for breach of contract and their amounts, as this would effect the amount we could afford to bid for the hull. It seems to me, we have moral claims for loss of profit and for the blocking of our building slip with consequent damage to our steel building organization. It is, I assume, improbable that Mr. Winton's affairs are in such shape that he could pay us any claim beyond what we receive for the hull. The amount and nature of just claims could be made up by Mr. Nat and submitted to Garfield, who is in position to pass on their legal strength.
3rd. It would be necessary to find out just how Mr. Dane wants the boat finished and whether he would bid for the hull himself, or would want us to make him a price for the finished boat, subject to our ability to get the hull for some given figure. The engines for this boat, I understand from Mr. Nat, are about complete and do not anticipate we would have serious difficulty in buying them at about their market price. I should hope, however, that Mr. Dane would want her as a steamer, which I believe still has many advantages over the oil engine. I am still without the figures as to out-go and in-come since we took over the plant in 1917, but Swasey, with whom I drove to Providence yesterday afternoon, promises promptly to get them. These figures should answer our question as to the amount of money available to finish the Winton boat. If Mr. Dane was willing to make partial payments, there would not be any great amount of capital required.
Sincerely yours, ..." (Source: Nichols, George. Letter to Adams, Charles Francis, III. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_18580. Correspondence, Folder 51, formerly 54. 1921-08-25.)
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"[Item Description:] Typewritten cost estimate titled 'Estimate of Cost to Complete #377 [ARA] (Winton Boat)' and enumerating material, labor and overhead costs plus 15% profit to arrive at a final cost of $159459." (Source: Herreshoff Manufacturing Co. (creator). Cost Estimate. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE03_00890. Folder [no #]. 1921-09-06.)
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"[Item Description:] Untitled catalog to auction off #377p ARA, whose owner had been unable to complete her due to financial difficulties. Detailed description, plans, conditions, auction date September 6, 1921." (Source: J.E. Conant & Co. (creator). Brochure. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_49200. Subject Files, Folder [no #]. 1921-09-06.)
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"[Item Description:] have your letter of September 20th and am very glad to go on the board of directors of the Herreshoff Manufacturing Co and do anything I can to help out, am taking up with George Nichols to-day the matter of a resident manager to see what we can decide on, and especially in view of the fact that I understand the Company will he able to get the job of finishing the Winton boat [#377p ARA] without possibility of loss which will help keep the organization going, hope to make a date with George [Nichols] and go on to Bristol shortly, can you give me any information as to the exact financial status of the Company at the present moment?, all unnecessary men should he dispensed with at once" (Source: Duncan, W. Butler, Jr. Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_21060. Correspondence, Folder 61. 1921-09-23.)
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"[Item Description:] Steering wheel cover plate design including name, hull no, and year for #377p ARA." (Source: Herreshoff Manufacturing Co. (creator). Steering Wheel Cover Plate Design. MIT Museum, Hart Nautical Collections, Haffenreffer-Herreshoff Collection Item HH.6.132. Box HAFH.6.4B, Folder Steering Wheel Cover Plates. 1922-01-20.)
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"[Item Description:] Letter from C. W. Young to NGH with HMCo status report, launched #377p ARA, men are improving, Baker boat [#867s VENTURA], #376p ESLOMA, four payrolls enclosed, own health is improving, happy that NGH enjoys HELIANTHUS III, August Hecksher letter congratulating on small loss in these trying times, dated Feb 16, 1922; HMCo Pay Roll 248 for week ending Dec 3, 1921; HMCo Pay Roll 255 for week ending Jan 21, 1922; HMCo Pay Roll 256 for week ending Jan 28, 1922; HMCo Pay Roll 258 for week ending Feb 15, 1922" (Source: Young, Charles Wesley (Herreshoff Manufacturing Co. Secr.). Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_51520. Subject Files, Folder [no #]. 1922-02-16.)
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"[Item Description:] memo summarizing HMCo directors meeting, discussion was head re the 'Dane' contract [#377p ARA], cost of Garfield services for ARA auction" (Source: Young, Charles Wesley (Herreshoff Manufacturing Co. Secr.). Correspondence (memorandum) to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_50280. Subject Files, Folder [no #]. 1922-03-22.)
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"[Item Description:] Memo of prospective receipts and expenditures between April 1st and June 1st 1922, provided no other contracts, or work is taken on'. Mentioning #867s VENTURA, #376p ESLOMA, #377p ARA, three 12 1/2 footers (#875s, #877s and #878s), five S-Class (#870s SURINAM, #871s PERNEB, #872s (Cancelled), #873s PANDORA and #876s), and #874s CYGNET." (Source: [Young, Charles Wesley (Herreshoff Manufacturing Co. Secr.)]. Correspondence (memorandum) to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_50300. Subject Files, Folder [no #]. 1922-04-01.)
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"[Item Description:] have received your note, HMCo is in condition as bad as other boat builders but prospects are quite good, HMCo status report, received order for 12 1/2 today making 4 in all, good prospects for 89ft house boat [#379p MARIETTE] and for 125ft wl power yacht [unclear], enclosing my weekly report to Mr. Emmons as of April 1st and memo of prospective receipts and expenditures to June 1st, 1922, 'I am progressing towards normal slowly, its now one year since I was stricken down, and am thankful that I now am able to do my work again though its difficult on some damp or stormy days: Next Monday completes the thirty sixth year of my connection .vith the office, coming to work on the 10 th day of April, 1886', Dane boat [#377p ARA] seems to be closing well and it will be nearly completed by 1st. of May the contract date, Vandervoort boat [#376p ESLOMA] was sold to Thompson, estate has settled up contract" (Source: Young, Charles Wesley (Herreshoff Manufacturing Co. Secr.). Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_50310. Subject Files, Folder [no #]. 1922-04-04.)
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"[Item Description:] report as written followed the substance of the verbal report to the directors [of HMCo], executive committee never had full information, Loring Swasey's reports were irregular, vague and ceased entirely when you returned, Winton boat [#377p ARA] was more complicated than any built by the men in charge, detailed description of how the #379p MARIETTE order could get awry, 'you assumed full power and therefore full responsibility', 'I strongly advised you to confine yourself to designing and oversight of construction and to leave the business management to others, and you did not take that advice'" (Source: Nichols, George. Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_07140. Correspondence, Folder 24, formerly 211. 1923-02-27.)
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"[Item Description:] Envelope marked in ink in what appears to be Thomas Brightman's handwriting 'Herreshoff Mfg. Co. From the water front. October 28, 1924'. It contains 6 negatives (no prints) of the Herreshoff waterfront but only one of them appears to be from 1924 as indicated by the old wharf sheerlegs which were replaced by steel lettice-work sheerlegs after the old ones had been accidentally destroyed on April 25, 1929. That photo shows the North- and South Construction Shops, the old sheerlegs, two steam yachts at the wharfs (including, apparently, #377p ARA), and, all the way to the left, the yard scow #190402es USEFUL II. The other photos show 1) a large sloop (probably #1078s THISTLE) whose mast is being stepped by the new lattice steel sheerlegs while a large power yacht (probably #385p VARA) appears in the right background, 2) apparently the same scene (faint and blurry), 3) another mast stepping scene with modern sheerlegs and #385p VARA in the background, 4) a view from the waterfront with North- and South Construction shops, the new sheerlegs and large yachts being stored on land in what was being called 'Peacock Row', and 5) another, somewhat closer, view of the same scene. This last scene is identified on another envelope as having been taken on NOvember 12, 1929." (Source: Brightman, Thomas (?) (creator). Photo Negatives. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE14_02040. Folder [no #]. 1924-10-28 and 1929-11-12.)
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"[Item Description:] HMCo 4-page promotional pamphlet with photos of #1053s PUFFIN ('built by the Herreshoff Manufacturing Company to lines and instructions from her owner' [Junius Morgan]), #385p VARA, #1058s PRESTIGE, #384p SHUTTLE, #377p ARA, [#1074s] SHEERNESS, [#1131s] ISTALENA" (Source: Herreshoff Manufacturing Co. (creator). Pamphlet. Herreshoff Marine Museum Collection Item LIB_6790. HMM Library Rare Books Room (Box 5), Folder 179A. No date (1930).)
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Note: This list of archival documents contains in an unedited form any and all which mention #377p Ara even if just in a cursory way. Permission to digitize, transcribe and display is gratefully acknowledged.

• Ara (MIT Museum-made index card)
• Ara (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: Ara
Type: Diesel
Length: 165'
Owner: Dane, E. B.

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

• Ara
• 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: Ara
Type: 165' diesel
Owner: Ernest B. Dane
Year: 1922
Row No.: 42

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: 1922
E/P/S: P
No.: 377
Name: Ara
OA: 165'
LW: 152'

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.

"Ara was originally ordered by Alexander Winton, the auto-pioneer and 'father of the American Diesel engine', two of which were installed in the yacht. Before she was even completed, Ara was sold to E. B. Dane." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. February 16, 2009.)

"The Bar Harbor Times of May 14, 2011 reported that divers had found Ara's boiler off Little Duck Island." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. April 10, 2014.)

"According to Bray/Pinheiro p. 161 Ara was 'undoubtedly the creation of A. Loring Swasey', but note that the model is annotated to have been made by A.S. DeW. Herreshoff (which he might have done after Swasey designed the boat. The offset booklet HH.4.056 may not be in ASDeWH or NGH's handwriting and may have been written by Swasey." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. April 29, 2021.)

"In the absence of better available data displacement was estimated by using the figure for Gross Register Tons (314) from the 1923 Lloyd's Register of American Yachts (Net Register Tons were reported as 213) 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.