HMCo #408s Pelican [Pellican]

"[1890-07-21] Mon 21: Moccasin beat Clara [#402s] about 4 minutes, 20 seconds in 5-1/2 miles to windward. [Moccasion was a new 40ft cutter, designed by Edward Burgess and owned by E. D. Morgan. Morgan's visit in Bristol was the first of many to come. The speed of Clara, which was 10ft shorter than Moccassin, so impressed E. D. Morgan that he would soon order the catyawls Gannet [#409s] and Pelican [#408s], followed by the 46-footer Gloriana [#411s], and many other Herreshoff boats.]
[1890-09-22] Mon 22: Mr. E. D. Morgan ordered two 26-1/2 wl catyawls [#408s Pelican and #409s Gannet].
[1890-10-07] Tue 7: ... Setting up 26-1/2' boat, for E. D. Morgan [#408s Pelican].
[1890-10-28] Tue 28: Cast keel for 26-1/2' catyawl [#408s Pelican].
[1890-11-10] Mon 10: Launched and rigged 26-1/2' catyawl #408s Pelican. Set up 29-1/2'wl catyawl [#409s Gannet].
[1890-11-14] Fri 14: Mr. Morgan took away Pelican.
[1890-11-19] Wed 19: Had trial of Pelican [#408s] and Clara [#402s].
[1890-11-23] Sun 23: Mr. E. D. Morgan came from Newport, in Pelican in heavy nor'wester.
[1890-12-07] Sun 7: Tried Pelican with two two reefs.
[1890-12-10] Wed 10: Unrigged Pelican.
[1890-12-12] Fri 12: Hauled up Pelican and steamer #163 [Katrina].
[1891-05-25] Mon 25: Launched Pelican.
[1891-06-13] Sat 13: Rigged Pelican.
[1896-09-26] Sat 26: Mr. Morgan here in Pelican. ...
[1896-09-28] Mon 28: ... Hauled out Pelican.
[1901-08-30] Fri 30: Very fine. Went to Newport in Pelican [#408s] and joined Mr. Duncan." (Source: Herreshoff, Nathanael G. Diary, 1890 to 1896. Manuscript (excerpts). Herreshoff Marine Museum Collection. Herreshoff, Nathanael G. Diary, 1901. Manuscript (excerpts). Diary access courtesy of Halsey C. Herreshoff.)

"Sept[ember] 1890.
26 1/2' Waterline Cat Yawl
9ft beam - 6ft draft.
Scale of model 1/16th.
Frame spaces 12".
Base of vertical measurements 6.0.0 below load waterline.
Axis of fore & aft measurements at intersection of stem with load waterline.
Deduct in making moulds
for timbers 1 5/8"
for planking 7/8"
Total 2 1/2".
Thickness of keel 4 1/4".
Siding of stem & sternpost 4 1/4".
Rabbit of keel 2" above bottom." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. [Note (in ink) in Offset Booklet HH.4.069.] Haffenreffer-Herreshoff Collection, MIT Museum, Cambridge, MA.)

"[See also detailed weight and displacement calculations in NGH design booklet.]" (Source: Herreshoff, Nathanael Greene. [Design Notes for #408s Pelican and #409s Gannet.] September - December, 1890. Original handwritten document held at the Herreshoff Marine Museum, Bristol, R.I.)

"I became acquainted with Edwin D. Morgan in the summer of 1890. ... I took him off twice in my cat-yawl CLARA and he was so much impressed with her good qualities, he ordered two cat-yawls to be built: one 26' w.l. with fish well built for his brother-in-law (PELICAN) and one 29' wl. for himself (GANNET). PELICAN was launched late in the fall of 1890, and proved very satisfactory." (Source: Herreshoff, N. G. "Boats and Yachts that I have been Especially Interested in by Sailing and Some of Which I Have Owned." Bristol, April 1932. In: Pinheiro, Carlton J. (ed.). Recollections and Other Writings by Nathanael G. Herreshoff. Bristol, 1998, p. 107.)

"In the late summer of 1890, I made the acquaintance of E. D. (Altie) Morgan. He became very much impressed with the sailing of CLARA; so much so [that] he ordered two cat-yawl yachts. One [was] for his brother-in-law. [She was named] PELICAN and was about thirty-four feet overall, twenty-seven feet waterline, [having a] keel and fitted with a fish well. The other [was] GANNET, thirty-seven feet overall, twenty-nine feet waterline. The former was launched [on the] fourteenth [of] November that year and tried, and the latter, the next spring. These were the first I had designed with an overhanging bow and I was so impressed with its advantages, I used this principle in the extreme in designing GLORIANA the following year. I sailed some in each of these cat-yawls." (Source: Herreshoff, N. G. "Some of the Boats I Have Sailed In." Written 1934. In: Pinheiro, Carlton J. (ed.). Recollections and Other Writings by Nathanael G. Herreshoff. Bristol, 1998, p. 56.)

"August 31 1935
Dear Mr. Stephens -
... You probably know of GLORIANA's career, but not her origin. Commodore E. D. Morgan first came here in summer of 1890 in his 40 footer MOCCASIN (or TOMMYHAWK I forget which) to see the shops, and I had the privilege of showing him about and having a very interesting talk. On leaving I said I was about to take a little sail in my cat yawl CLARA and would he like to go with me and transfer to his 40 footer down the Bay. He took the wheel and he was astonished the way we held to the 40 footer in beating to windward. He soon came again and ordered a 27 ft. steam launch and also a 27 ft. cat-yawl with fish-well (PELICAN) for his brother-in-law and soon after a 29 1/2 ft. cat-yawl GANNET for himself. The launch was ready early in November and PELICAN 11th of Nov. 1890 and CLARA was kept afloat to try her out. With fish-well corked and lead in bottom she appeared quite able to hold CLARA ...
Very truly yours,
Nathanael Greene Herreshoff
Sept. 15 1935." (Source: Letter 13. From N. G. Herreshoff to W. P. Stephens, dated August 31, 1935 to September 15, 1935. In: Herreshoff, Nathanael Greene and William Picard Stephens. "Their Last Letters 1930-1938." Annotated by John W. Streeter. Bristol, R. I., ca. 1999, p. 67-80.)

"Not only was he interested in the steam craft building there but he took much interest in Captain Nat's own catyawl 'Clara' which Mr. Morgan had both sailed in and tried out alongside the 'Moccasin.' So Mr. Morgan ordered from Captain Nat two catyawls --- he did not believe in doing things in halves --- which were to be improvements on 'Clara.' They were both built on the same molds and the first one, completed and launched on November 11, 1890, was named 'Pelican.' She was twenty-six feet six inches long on the water while the other one named 'Gannet' was twenty-nine feet six inches long. 'Pelican' is still in existence while 'Gannet' made her home port Newport for nearly forty years, becoming almost a landmark in the inner harbor there.
Perhaps Mr. Morgan and Captain Nat were interested in the effect a change of length would make on yachts built on the same molds, but as Captain Nat always spoke of this model as the 'Pelican,' I will continue to do so now, and may do so at some length as she was really the model, or development boat, from which the 'Gloriana' was evolved, and has been overlooked by other writers who would suggest that Captain Nat jumped in one leap from steam to sail, or the 'Gloriana.'
At that time the beautiful little Scottish cutter 'Minerva' was the fastest of the popular forty foot class, but 'Minerva' had rather a pot belly below water with such long and fine ends that she not only had unnecessary wetted surface but was apt to hobbyhorse or pitch too deeply. So in the model of 'Pelican' he straightened the diagonals by using a slightly smaller mid-section and increasing the sections at the water-line endings. This in turn slightly increased the overhangs. He also cut off the deep forefoot always found on English cutters of that time and a feature making them steer badly at times and always requiring the sail plan to be well forward. 'Pelican' may have been one of the first sailboats to be scientifically engineered in her construction so that she had approximately 60 per cent of her ballast all in an outside cast lead. Both her profile and mid-sections suggest the commencement of the bulb keel which in a few years was to come out in 'Wasp.' " (Source: Herreshoff, L. Francis. The Wizard of Bristol. The Life and Achievements of Nathanael Greene Herreshoff, together with An Account of Some of the Yachts he Designed. New York, 1953, p. 159-160.)

"... Gloriana ... was developed as follows: E. D. Morgan of Newport, owned among other yachts, large and small, the 40-footer Moccasin, and he became very much interested in the way Minerva had performed, so in 1890 he ordered two sailboats from Mr. Herreshoff who had been designing and building small steam yachts for him. These two boats were to be built on the same molds but of different lengths. The first one was named Pelican [#408s] and was launched on November 11, 1890, the same day that this writer was born. She was 26.6 feet long on the waterline. The other was named Gannet [#409s], 29.6 feet on the waterline. They were both rigged as cat yawls and had bows somewhat halfway between the clipper type and what was to come out in Gloriana. These boats were of light construction with all outside ballast lead keels. They proved fast and were much liked by Mr. Morgan." (Source: Herreshoff, L. Francis. An Introduction to Yachting. New York, 1963, p. 98.)

"[The cat-yawl] is growing in favor very fast, on account of its being a single-hander, and having all the windward qualities of a cat-boat, without the hard work at the wheel. Everything leads aft, and the helmsman can handle his sails, C.B. and anchor without having to get out of the cockpit, and is truly that the name indicates, a single-hander. The Herechoff [sic, i.e. Herreshoff] Manufactory are building two [#408s Pelican and #409s Gannet] of this style for E. W. [sic, i.e. E. D.] Morgan, of New York." (Source: Anon. "Where the Chips Fly." Rudder, January 1891, n. p. [24].)

"The works of the Herreshoff Manufacturing Co. at Bristol, R. I., are busy with a number of yachts, both sail and steam, in addition to Government work. The largest yacht is a steamer [#168p Vamoose], 112ft. long for W. R. Hearst, to make 25 miles per hour, another steamer [#164p Javelin], 98ft. long, is for E. D. Morgan, her speed being 23 miles; while Mr. Morgan will also have a steam tender, the Katydid [#165p], 27ft. long and 6ft. 5in. beam. Beside these two steamers he has a keel catyawl 29ft. 6in. l.w.l., of the same family as the Consuelo and Clara. Her name will be Gannet [#409s]. Another catyawl [#408s Pelican] 26ft. 5in. l.w.l. is for Mr. J. C. Moran [sic], of New York." (Source: Anon. "Work At Bristol." Forest and Stream, March 12, 1891, p. 161.)

"... The Herreshoffs have had a very busy winter, and at present employ 105 men, and have $115,000 worth of contracts on hand, outside of projected government work. ... Steam launch Katydid [#165p], of mahogany, 27 feet long and 6 1/2 feet wide, has been built for E. D. Morgan, of New York, for use as a tender. A keel cat yawl, 29 1/2 feet long on the water-line, and named the Gannet [#409s], has been built for E. D. Morgan, of New York, and a keel cat-yawl, Pelican [#408s], 26 1/2 feet on the water-line, for I. C. Moran, of New York. ... A steam yacht [#164p Javelin] 98 feet long is building for E. D. Morgan, of New York, the speed required being 23 miles an hour. --- Boston Globe." (Source: Anon. "At Bristol, R.I." Rudder, March 1891, p. 32.)

"The sloop yacht Pelican [#408s?], has arrived here from Newport to be hauled out for the season." (Source: Anon. "Yachting." Bristol Phoenix, September 13, 1901, p. 3.)

"No. 20385 --- For Sale --- A fast, comfortable cruising keel yawl; 36 ft. o. a., 24 ft. w.l., 9 ft. breadth. 6 ft. draught; built at Bristol in 1896 [sic]; first-class construction throughout; roomy trunk cabin and self-bailing cockpit about 8 ft. long; 12- ft. saloon; comfortable accommodations for 4 persons in cabin; full headroom; finished in mahogany; 8,500 lbs. outside lead ballast, 1,500 lbs. inside cast iron; toilet, lavatory, etc; sails new 1903; standing rigging new 1904; running rigging excellent condition; 10-ft. cedar tender; equipment first-class and inventory complete; good sized galley: extra berth in forecastle; adapted for installation of auxiliary power; absolutely seaworthy; has had the best of care; A-1. proposition. Henry J. Gielow, 50 Broadway, New York City. [Though not explicitly identified, her dimensions and appearance in the accompanying photo suggest this to be Pelican (Gannett, the only other possibility, was dark-hulled.) Note, that the 1913 Lloyd's List still lists E. D. Morgan as Pelican's owner, suggesting that this ad did not help him find a buyer.]" (Source: Rudder, March 1906, p. 246.)

"The sacrifice of yachts to war uses still goes on and the end is not in sight. ... Among the smaller yachts recently junked for their lead are ... the sloops Pelican [#408s] and Puck [#465s], so long owned by Mr. E. D. Morgan. Pelican, built in 1890, is an interesting vessel, the understanding being that she was the initial experiment of Mr. Herreshoff in a new type, leading to the production of Gloriana in the following year. Puck is one of the survivors of the 30-foot one-design class of fin-keel racing sloops turned out by the Herreshoffs in 1896, perhaps the most successful of all monotype classes. ...[Pelican received a new keel in 1938 and resurfaced in the 1940s in Lloyd's Register as Big Dipper.]" (Source: Anon. "Peace and the Yacht Fleet." Rudder, September 1917, p. 631.)

"... My brother-in-law, Cornell Moran, of whom I was very fond, was a great fisherman, and I was extremely fascinated by boats, so the idea occurred to me of killing two birds with one stone by building a small boat that would be useful to Cornell for fishing and to me to demonstrate the principle that I had in mind for some little time and which Ned Burgess said was impossible. I had gone to Ned and told him I wanted to build a forty-foot boat in the racing class, using as a model in size Joe Fay's forty-five-footer. I wished the boat to have all the accommodations and deck of Joe Fay's boat but with the water line reduced to forty feet. Ned said this was impossible because the boat would submerge to the same length. I then asked Nat Herreshoff if he would take his cat yawl, the Clara, thirty feet water line, as an example, and keep the same sail plan, deck plan, etc., but reduce her water line so as to retain the same sized boat and still have a much smaller water line for racing measurement. This was in the summer of 1890.
Nat asked me to give him a few days. Then I went up to Bristol and he told me he thought he could do it by making a boat about twenty-six feet water line, having the same characteristics as the Clara. I gave him the order at once. All summer long I had the greatest of interest in the building of that little boat, which I called the Pelican, and finished it up with a race from Bristol to Brenton's Cove in a smoky south-wester, dead on end, Nat sailing his boat, the Clara, and I sailing the Pelican, and I beat him handsomely. This proved to be a revelation.
The Pelican model, which hangs in my room today, I consider most remarkable and one that could be produced by Nat Herreshoff only, as it is the pioneer of the modern style of boat, and her design appears quite noticeably in that of the Nina [designed by Ned Burgess' son Starling], which won the King of Spain's Cup in 1928 in the race across the ocean, and the Fastnet race from England to Ireland. ..." (Source: Morgan, Edwin Denison. Recollections For My Family. New York, 1938, p. 168-169.)

"N/A"

"[Item Description:] Penciled sailplan of an unidentified yacht with PELICAN-like bow and continuous-convex-curved keel and two rig configurations --- gaff cat with jib and catyawl. Untitled. Sail area calculations show a total of 1080sq which may suggest a boat of about 28ft to 29ft LWL. Overlay with Model 112 for #408s PELICAN and #409s GANNET shows a similar profile but the model is less deep. Overlay with Model 1318 (which hasn't been identified yet) shows much less similarity with the model having its forefoot more cut away than the boat on the sailplan and the model being much less deep. This might also be a preliminary sketch leading to the design of PELICAN and GANNET." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Penciled Sketch. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE03_05160. Folder [no #]. No date (1890 ??).)
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"[Item Description:] Penciled sailplan of an unidentified yacht with PELICAN-like bow and continuous-convex-curved keel and two rig configurations --- gaff sloop and catyawl. Untitled. Sail area calculations show totals of 648sqft and 651sq which suggest a boat of about 28ft LWL. Overlay with Model 112 for #408s PELICAN and #409s GANNET shows a good match with respect to bow and sheerline, but the model is much deeper with less cut away forefoot. Overlay with Model 103 for GLORIANA shows the model to have more forefoot cut away and a steeper and further forward rudderpost. Overlay with Model 1318 (which hasn't been identified yet) shows a fairly good match with the model having its forefoot a bit more cut away than the boat on the sailplan. This may be a preliminary sketch leading to the design of PELICAN and GANNET." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Penciled Sailplan. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE03_05180. Folder [no #]. No date (1890 ??).)
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"[Item Description:] Penciled early-style (pre-pantograph) half-sections with area data and displacement curves, marked 'CLARA [#402s]' and 'E.D. Morgan's 29 1/2ft [#408s PELICAN or #409s GANNET (probably the former)]'. Undated, PELICAN and GANNET were contracted for on September 20, 1890." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Early-Style Half Sections. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE04_01950. Folder [no #]. No date (ca 1890-09-20 ?).)
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"[Item Description:] Penciled framing plan of an unidentifed boat with bow and underwater shape reminiscent of #411s GLORIANA or #408s PELICAN. Compared to GLORIANA this design has even more forefoot cut away and a much shorter transom (i.e. its rudderblade is comparably further aft). The hull and keel profile provide a nearly perfect match with Model 1318 and WRDT08_08150 which are believed to represent a step between PELICAN and GLORIANA. On verso are two overlaid penciled sketches showing bow and transom profiles of this design." (Source: Herreshoff, N. G. (creator). Framing plan. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Acc. 2004.0001.0531. WRDT08, Folder 42. No date (fall of 1890 ?).)
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"[Item Description:] Penciled sailplan and full sections of an unidentified boat rigged alternatively as a gaff sloop or as a cat yawl. Reminiscent of #408s PELICAN with which it shares the catyawl rig and much of the hull profile. The hull and keel profile provide a nearly perfect match with Model 1318 and WRDT08_08100 which are believed to to represent a step between PELICAN and #411s GLORIANA. With calculations 'Ballast 7000[lbs]. Hull 3200[lbs]. Rig 500[lbs]. Equip[ment] 300[lbs]. [Total weight] 11000[lbs]'." (Source: Herreshoff, N. G. (creator). Penciled Sailplan. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Acc. 2004.0001.0532. WRDT08, Folder 43. No date (fall of 1890 ?).)
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"[Item Description:] Penciled table comparing 'Length', '[symbol]', 'Disp[lacement] 2000' [i.e. short tons], 'Estimate of Cost' and 'Per D' [i.e. Cost per Displacement in Short Tons] for seven different designs: '69 1/2ft [probably #188603es Unbuilt America's Cup Defender for William Ziegler]', '26 1/2[ft] PELICAN [#408s]', '29 1/2[ft #409s GANNET]', '29 1/2[ft] CLARA [#402s]', '23[ft] IRIS [#406s]', '45[ft #411s GLORIANA ???]', and '45[ft #414s WASP ?]'. (Note that cost estimates differ from those in the Construction Record.)" (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Cost Estimate. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE05_01730. Folder [no #]. No date (1891 ?).)
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"[Item Description:] Penciled preliminary or study sailplan and section of a gaff sloop with long bowsprit, topsail, reverse-curve bow and a long sloping deep keel. Compare with WRDT08_08180 titled 'GLORIANA [#411s] (Original)' which provides a near-perfect match in hull profiles. Compared to the final design of GLORIANA this design has a slightly fuller forefoot and a slightly shorter transom (i.e. its rudderblade is comparably further aft). Compare also with Model 1318 and WRDT08_08100 which has its forefoot cut a bit more away and which has a shorter transom (i.e. its rudderblade is comparably further aft) and which are believed to represent a step between #408s PELICAN and GLORIANA. Untitled, no notes. With calculations arriving at sail areas of 3797sqft and 2925sqft." (Source: Herreshoff, N. G. (creator). Penciled Sketch. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Acc. 2004.0001.0529. WRDT08, Folder 41. No date (early 1891 ?).)
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"[Item Description:] Typewritten and penciled table with data for 'Date of Order', '[Hull] No.', 'Name', 'Length on W.L.', 'Beam', 'Draft', 'Rig', 'Keel or Centerboard Keel', 'Ballast' for #400s CONSUELO, #401s ROMP, #402s CLARA, #403s CALYPSO, #404s COQUINA, #405s ALICE, #406s IRIS, #407s BIRD, #408s PELLICAN[sic], #409s GANNET, #410s MAB, #411s GLORIANA, #412s DILEMMA, #413s SAYONARA, #414s WASP, #415s WENONAH, #416s ALPHA, #417s DRUSILLA, #418s EL CHICO, #419s COQUINA 2ND, #420s REAPER and #421s BEE. Undated (data until 1891 is typewritten, thereafter penciled, suggesting that the table was prepared in January 1892 before EL CHICO, the first boat with a penciled year, was contracted for)." (Source: Herreshoff Manufacturing Co. (creator). Construction Record Table. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDW02_04530. Folder [no #]. No date (1892-01 ?).)
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"[Item Description:] Untitled, penciled table providing data for L (WLW), D (Displacement in Tons net), T (measurement tens[? or tons?], S (Sail area), L * sq-rt(S) / 15* cube-rt(D), L * sq-rt(S) / 18* cube-rt(D), and (sq-rt(S) + L) / 2 on the X-axis for the following boats: DILEMMA [#412s], 2 1/2 rater [apparently #415s WENONAH], 35ft E.D. Morgan [#417s DRUSILLA], GANNET [#409s], PELICAN [#408s], ALICE [#405s], CLARA [#402s], CONSUELO [#400s], COQUINA [#404s], BIRD [#407s], 21' [#???s], GLORIANA [#411s], 46 Rodgers [#414s WASP], GRACIE, KATRINA, SHAMROCK, and HURON. Two penciled tables on verso: One showing max speed in miles and kots and wind required for lengths ranging from 35 to 80ft, the other appearing to show required wind speeds for max hull speeds for boats ranging from 30 to 80ft. On envelope labeled 'Immediate. United States Weather Report.' Undated, but postmarked 'Jan 19, 1892.'" (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Table. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_72740. Measuring and Measurement Rules (Box 2), Folder B2F04, formerly MRDE15. No date (1892-01-19 or later).)
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"[Item Description:] Table titled 'Examples of the Application of Proposed Measurement Rule for the the New York Yacht Club' providing data for Rig, Type under Water, Load waterline, Draft, Displacement, Sail area, Racing length and others for #435s COLONIA, #437s VIGILANT, #452s DEFENDER, JUBILEE, QUEEN MAB, HURON, #414s WASP, #451s NIAGARA, UVIRA, #422s HANDSEL, #449s ANOATOK, #409s GANNET, #408s PELICAN, #446s ALERION, #416s ALPHA, #406s IRIS, and #461s COCK ROBIN. With note 'Blueprint 2. Sept 20, 1895.'" (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Table. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_70900. Measuring and Measurement Rules (Box 1), Folder B1F06, formerly MRDE15. 1895-09-20.)
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"[Item Description:] Untitled table providing data for Rig, Kind of c.b. or keel, Waterline, Draft, Displacement, Sail area, Racing length and others for #435s COLONIA, #437s VIGILANT, #452s DEFENDER, JUBILEE, QUEEN MAB, HURON, #414s WASP, #451s NIAGARA, UVIRA, #422s HANDSEL, #449s ANOATOK, #409s GANNET, #408s PELICAN, #446s ALERION, #416s ALPHA, and #406s IRIS. Much appears to be the same data as that provided in the table titled 'Examples of the Application of Proposed Measurement Rule for the the New York Yacht Club' and dated September 20, 1895, suggesting this to be the draft also dated similar. With envelope labeled in pencil 'Original N.G.H.'." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Table. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_70920. Measuring and Measurement Rules (Box 1), Folder B1F06, formerly MRDE15. No date (ca1895-09-20).)
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"[Item Transcription:] Y[ou]rs of 19th rec[eive]d & I was very glad to get a line from you.
Y[ou]r suggestion re. PELICAN [#408s] is a very good one & I w[oul]d like to have you go ahead and give her the coat of (easily removed) paint bottom, topsides & deck. I do mean the new composite duck for PUCK's [#465s] mainsail. I envy you these trial races altho[ugh] we almost might have had them on Wheatly Hill there has been so much rain[?]. I so am[?] utterly despected[?] that you are not hard at work on a lot of new torpedo boats, well its too bad. The MORRIS [#190p] took my fancy more than any of your creations in that line & I was much pleased she was such a great success. By the way I will try the new bottom paint on PUCK if you think it advisable. What w[oul]d you lent[?] the new launch[?] (one with extended stern[?]) for for[sic] the summer. [This is possibly a reference to #195p, a launch for the new steam yacht DOROTHY whose owner died before the yacht's completion.] I w[oul]d consider price confidential whether I consider it or not. I have been very busy indeed and it does not seem to prevent my scaling 187 lbs. I hope you will follow my good example. Got up smoking and get fat. Kind regards to all, ..." (Source: Morgan, E.D. Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_37560. Correspondence, Folder 74, formerly 77. 1898-05-23.)
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"[Item Description:] Y[ou]rs of 25th re[ceive]d. I am hesitating about putting a price on the PELICAN [#408s] as she really ought to belong some day to my children & probably will. I have priced her at two thousand & do not care to make it any less. I expect when next I see you that you will have become an expert on the bike[?] & thought of some improvements on it. With kind regards, ..." (Source: Morgan, E.D. Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_37580. Correspondence, Folder 74, formerly 77. 1898-05-28.)
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"[Item Transcription:] I have written Mike[?] to go to Bristol and get the 'PUCK' [#465s] in commission. I am glad to be able to give him something to do. Please supply him with paint, varnish etc necessary.
I will leave the PELICAN [#408s] just as she is for the present.
Let me know when you have decided on the date of launching the COLUMBIA [#499s]. I would like very much to see it if I c[oul]d get away." (Source: Morgan, E.D. Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_37650. Correspondence, Folder 74, formerly 77. 1899-05-29.)
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"[Item Description:] Yours of June 1st received. Sometime when at Bristol I will explain one or two of the positions of the yachts in the book. Yes, it was only the underwater part of the 'PUCK' [#465s] and 'PELICAN' [#408s] to be painted. I was sorry the other day that we were going out to dinner, a very unusual thing for us, otherwise I should have made a very strong bid to get you to spend the night at Wheatly." (Source: Morgan, E.D. Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_38020. Correspondence, Folder 75, formerly 61. 1902-06-03.)
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"[Item Transcription:] Can you conveniently send me a cabin plan of the PELICAN [#408s] also a profile plan? I am thinking some of selling her, so that the use for these is obvious.
Hoping to see you at the launching [of #605s RELIANCE on April 11, 1903], I am ...
P.S. Would you kindly fill out the enclosed blank for me, and greatly oblige, ..." (Source: Morgan, E.D. Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_38140. Correspondence, Folder 75, formerly 61. 1903-03-18.)
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"[Item Description:] Many thanks for yours of March 20th with enclosure which I received. I was sorry to trouble you, but like to be as accurate in my descriptions as possible. I want $2500 for the PELICAN [#408s] as you know she is in very good order now." (Source: Morgan, E.D. Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_38160. Correspondence, Folder 75, formerly 61. 1903-03-23.)
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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 Transcription:] [Typewritten signed letter on '25 West 43rd Street, New York' stationery:] As you know I have a small collection of models that I have owned and I am anxious to increase it if I can. Could you get for me a model of the PELICAN [#408s] just in plain wood, the same as the GLORIANA [#411s] you got for me? If so, I should appreciate it very much as I have always had great affection for the PELICAN and wish I had never sold her.
I hope that Mrs. Herrossoff[sic] and you are having a good Summer and I envy you some sails which I am sure you will get. I have had and still have my usual salt water fever at this time but don't see any particular prospects of making use of it.
Please give my kindest regards to Mrs. Herrossoff and believe me to be,
Sincerely yours," (Source: Morgan, E.D. Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_38820. Correspondence, Folder 77, formerly 62. 1926-06-30.)
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"[Item Description:] Wooden model template used to make or copy models titled 'PELLICAN[sic] #408. 1926'. NGH made this template in August 1926 to make a new half model of PELICAN after having gifted the original one to E.D. Morgan." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Artifact. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE03_00040. Folder [no #]. 1926-08.)
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"[Item Description:] It is awfully good of you to send me the model [of #408s PELICAN] at all, but really I think it is a shame to send your perfect model away from your collection. I would be perfectly satisfied with the one with pitch spots and be very grateful for it. I would suggest sending it by express' [HMM's model of PELICAN clearly shows pitch spots], #725s RESOLUTE [performance] puzzles me" (Source: Morgan, E.D. Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_38830. Correspondence, Folder 77, formerly 62. 1926-08-25.)
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"[Item Description:] thank you for model [of #408s PELICAN], interested in what you said about #725s RESOLUTE, [son] Jasper became acquainted with Starling Burgess and is interested in marine architecture" (Source: Morgan, E.D. Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_38850. Correspondence, Folder 77, formerly 62. 1926-09-01.)
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"[Item Description:] Dear Nat: The model [of #408s PELICAN] arrived safely and appears more beautiful than ever. Many, many thanks'" (Source: Morgan, E.D. Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_38870. Correspondence, Folder 77, formerly 62. 1926-09-03.)
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"[Item Transcription:] Thank you ever so much for the plan [for converting #779s JESSICA to yawl rig] and the explanation, which I showed to [son] Edwin last night. With one or two exceptions, where I was not quite clear as to what you meant, I will later on write and ask for that. There will, of course, remain considerable to do in the way of planning the rigging, staying both masts, etc. The boat is laid up now so that I will have to arrange for the work to be done here at Fyfe's, probably during the Winter or Spring. How had I better go to work to get correct dimensions? I don't think you ought to be bothered with such things. What do you think about having Burgess do it, or would you rather explain it to the Heressof[sic, i.e. Herreshoff] firm and let them send me directions as to how it could be done down here.
The fixture where the mizzen boom is attached to the mizzen-mast puzzles me a little, principally on account of the railway for the slides, which you say should go aft of the fixture. How would it do to have a brass collar around the mast with an elevated edge, and then on that another collar which would run around it, having on the port and starboard sides of the collar lugs into which the perpendicular pins could go? I mean the pins which are secured to the end of the double boom. Then the railway could go over the two collars as follows:- the red indicating the inner collar and the blue the outer construction. The yellow sheet is intended to give you some idea of what I am driving at. I hope it will.
I told Mrs. Morgan I was writing you today and she wanted me to ask if you and Mrs. Heresshoff[sic, i.e. Herreshoff] would stop over at 'Wheatly' on your way South for whatever time would be agreeable to you. I think we could pass a few hours very pleasantly, and I will show you the model of the 'PELICAN' [#408s], where I keep it on my sofa under an eiderdown pillow so that it won't get hurt.
Hoping to see you, I am always, ...
P.S. I think the rig, as suggested by you, is a corker. I am delighted with it and so is Edwin. What a real little ship she will be." (Source: Morgan, E.D. Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_38910. Correspondence, Folder 77, formerly 62. 1927-10-20.)
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"[Item Description:] feel strongly that it is nice to be remembered, went to Butler [Duncan]'s funeral the other day and those who had been interested in the International Races seemed to come out in a group together but apparently I had been forgotten, have passed some of the time in writing up some of my recollections, DILEMMA [#412s] and our interest in the first of the little fin keels, those were the great days, weren't they?, what a pioneer the PELICAN [#408s] was, the model you gave me, I admire it more and more every day, I even think more about it than the [#411s] GLORIANA because the PELICAN was the pioneer and the GLORIANA was the result, NGH reply: you and Ollie Iselin were most important for the International Races, my eyes are poor and Ann will read to me, I owe my life and good health to her care and oversight, some few years ago I thought my knowledge of yacht rules would be valuable and foolishly worked up rules that I thought would be of use to the present yachtsmen, but not a single one has been accepted, but reading over the British Int'l Dinghy Rules I was struck by certain faults and this prompted me to make some rules for 14ft dinghies, based on my experiences in sailing small light-displacement boats that can be kept out of the water, a recreation that I was very fond of, think of me as an admiring and loving friend" (Source: Morgan, E.D. (incl NGH reply). Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_38960. Correspondence, Folder 77, formerly 62. 1933-05-19.)
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"[Item Description:] Handwritten notebook titled on outer cover 'Droughting Room. Blue Prints Record' providing a list of drawings with information in columns titled 'Issued To', 'For Job', 'Date', 'Date Returned', '[Date] Destroyed', and 'Remarks'. Vessels mentioned are #1266s BELISARIUS, #1267 FROSTFISH, #395p Owner Launch for St.Y. VIKING, #1265s NITRAMON, #1204s SILVERHEELS, #1233s RAINBOW, #1276s PRIM, #1275s MITENA, #907s PLEASURE, #931s NASSAU, #711s VENTURA, #900s IRIS, #982s WATER LILY, #891s WILDFIRE, #1147s WEETAMOE, #954s MARY ROSE, #880s JOSEPHINE, #788s MANATEE, #1146s ENTERPRISE, #1212s TRONDA, #1282s 12 1/2 for H. V. Reed, #1302s Amphicraft for N. F. Ayer, #1304s Amphicraft for Charles A. Welch, #1286s 12 1/2 for Mr. Maitland Alexander, #1311s Amphicraft for Dr. Seth M. Milliken, #1313s Dinghy for #663s RAMALLAH ex-ISTALENA, #1314s HMCo Yard Skiff, #408s PELICAN, #1315s BRENDA, #396p Power Tender for FONTINALIS, #397p Power Tender for FONTINALIS, #329p CAROLA, #1318s Sailing Dinghy for Henry S. Morgan; #1316s NOVA, #1319s Tech Dinghy, #1317s MANDOO II, #405p Surfboat, #1379s Fish Class for H. M. Lautmann (MERRY HELL), #1385s TINKER TOO, and #1384s AVANTI. 23 pages were used. Undated, the dates range from October 1934 to September 1936." (Source: Herreshoff Manufacturing Co. (creator). Notebook. MIT Museum, Hart Nautical Collections, Haffenreffer-Herreshoff Collection Item HH.6.106. Box HAFH.6.3B, Folder Blue Print Record Book. No date (1934-10 to 1936-09).)
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Note: This list of archival documents contains in an unedited form any and all which mention #408s Pelican [Pellican] even if just in a cursory way. Permission to digitize, transcribe and display is gratefully acknowledged.

• Pelican (HMCo-made index card)
• Pelican and #408p Avoca (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: Pelican
Type: Cat Yawl
Length: 26'6"
Owner: Morgan, E. D.

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

• Pelican
• 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: Pelican
Type: 26' 6" catyawl
Owner: E. D. Morgan
Year: 1890
Row No.: 515

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.

Month: Sept
Day: 20
Year: 1890
E/P/S: S
No.: 0408
Name: Pellican
LW: 26' 6"
B: 9"1"
D: 5' 11"
Rig: Cat Yawl
K: y
Ballast: Lead
Amount: $3000.00
Notes Constr. Record: Fish well put in.
Last Name: Morgan
First Name: E. D.

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.

"Percy F. Moran was E. D. Morgan's brother-in-law." (Source: Stephens, W. P. Traditions and Memories of American Yachting. New York, enlarged ed., 1945, p. 193.)

"Pelican was reported in Rudder, September 1917, p. 631 to have been junked for the lead in her keel but she received a new keel in 1938 and resurfaced in the 1940s in Lloyd's Register as Big Dipper.]" (Source: van der Linde, Claas. March 24, 2014.)

"#408s Pelican was launched on 1890-11-10." (Source: Herreshoff, Nathanael G. Diary, 1890. Manuscript (excerpts, non-literal transcription). Mystic Seaport Museum Collection. Manuscripts Division, call number VFM 1555.)

"... or 1890-11-11." (Source: Letter 13. From N. G. Herreshoff to W. P. Stephens, dated August 31, 1935 to September 15, 1935. In: Herreshoff, Nathanael Greene and William Picard Stephens. "Their Last Letters 1930-1938." Annotated by John W. Streeter. Bristol, R. I., ca. 1999, p. 67-80 and Herreshoff, L. Francis. An Introduction to Yachting. New York, 1963, p. 98.)

"... or 1890-11-14." (Source: Herreshoff, N. G. "Some of the Boats I Have Sailed In." Written 1934. In: Pinheiro, Carlton J. (ed.). Recollections and Other Writings by Nathanael G. Herreshoff. Bristol, 1998, p. 56.).

"Built in 51 days (contract to launch; equivalent to $59/day)." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. January 16, 2024.)

"[Sail area 786sqft.]" (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Table. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum. Measuring and Measurement Rules (Box 2), Folder B2F04, formerly MRDE15. No date (1892-01-19 or later).)

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