HMCo #409s Gannet

"[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].
[1890-11-10] Mon 10: ... Set up 29-1/2'wl catyawl [#409s Gannet].
[1890-11-25] Tue 25: ... Finished planking 29-1/2' yawl [#409s Gannet] for E. D. Morgan.
[1890-12-08] Mon 8: Cast lead keel for E. D. Morgan's 29-1/2' catyawl [#409s Gannet].
[1891-06-04] Thu 4: Launched Clara [#402s] and Gannet [#409s].
[1891-07-02] Thu 2: Launched Gannet.
[1891-07-03] Fri 3: Rigged up Gannet.
[1891-07-05] Sun 5: Went to Newport in Gannet.
[1894-10-13] Sat 13: Hauled out Gannet [#409s] south of wharf. ..." (Source: Herreshoff, Nathanael G. Diary, 1890 to 1894. Manuscript (excerpts). Herreshoff Marine Museum Collection.)

"The Gannet is 1/9th longer than [#408s] Pelican, the frame spaces being 13 1/3in instead of 12in in Pelican. Water line length is about 29 1/2 ft instead of 26 1/2 ft. She has a little heavier planking, and forward deck is to be reinforced by an under layer 3/8in thick. She has no fish well. ..." (Source: Herreshoff, Nathanael Greene. [Design Notes for #408s Pelican and #409s Gannet.] December 13, 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)." (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. ...
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.)

"It is reported that Com. Morgan's cat yawl Gannett has been sold to a gentleman in this city [Boston]. The report could not be verified yesterday, for the range of yachtsmen likely to purchase the craft is a large one. It is known, however, that Mr. Charles A. Prince has expressed a desire for a boat of this style, and suspicion turns in his direction. Mr. Prince is out of town at present, taking a few days much needed rest.
The Gannett is a 30-foot production of the Herreshoffs, and embodies the principles of model which have made the Gloriana famous. In fact, it was from the excellent performances of this and a 26-foot boat of a similar model, the Pelican, that Com. Morgan was led to order his 46-footor from the same builders.
The Pelican was the first one built on these lines, and as she easily defeated the Clara, another of Herreshoffs boats, the idea was still further worked out in the Gannett.
The yawl in question is by no means a handsome craft, for she has an overhanging bow which is not good looking in itself, and seems out of place where no bowsprit is carried. The mast is stepped in about the place that it would be if the boat had a plumb stem, and its effect in connection with the bow is far from pleasing.
The Gloriana's bow is modelled on the same principle, but is carried to a greater extreme. It is not a handsome one, and it is hard to see how it can be made so. The Gannett will be the first of her rig in these waters." (Source: Anon. "Yachts And Yachting. Preparations for Next Season --- The Cat Yawl Gannett." Boston Globe, September 27, 1891, p. 18.)

"GANNET, cat-yawl, has been sold to A. D. Emmons, of Providence." (Source: Anon. "Gannet." Forest and Stream, November 19, 1891, p. 363.)

"From the Providence Journal. ...
The catyawl Gannett, owned by Havemeyer brothers [sic], was hauled up for the winter at the company's shops the past week. ..." (Source: Anon. "Bristol Boats. New Steam Yachts Under Way. Craft Being Hauled Up for the Winter." New York Sun, October 21, 1894, p. 8.)

"Catyawl Ganet [sic, i.e. Gannet], owned by Newport parties, having been repaired and overhauled for the season at Herreshoff's, was launched this week." (Source: Anon. "Bristol and Vicinity." Bristol Phoenix, May 10, 1895, p. 2.)

"[Gannet (Sail, K) owned by A. B. Emmons, Port: Newport; LOA 40ft; LWL 29.6ft; Beam 9ft; Draft 6ft; designed by N. G. Herreshoff and built by Herreshoff Manufact'g Co in 1891.]" (Source: Stebbins 1896 Yachtsmen's Album, p. 39.)

"... C. N. Emmons 30-foot yawl Gannett was at Herreshoffs last week for new spars, ..." (Source: Anon. "Notes from the Week's Log." Boston Globe, September 19, 1915, p. 49.)

"[Report on the loss of Gannet in the hurricane of 1938.] ... Narraganset Bay Yachting Association championships are based on the proportion of of the number of points won to the number possible, and only boats that sail 60 per cent of club races for their class are granted championship standings. On that basis, Henry Benson's cutter Gannet won the championship in the cruising class with 25 of the possible 32 points. ... Gannet ... will never win any more races. All that was found of Gannet was about four feet of her bow in a back yard on Narragansett Boulevard ... Gannet was one of the two cat yawls built by Nat Herreshoff the year he turned out Columbia [sic, i.e. #412s Gloriana], and report has it that she developed a lot of the ideas that went into Columbia. ..." (Source: Anon. [Title?] Yachting, 1939, Vol. 65, [p. 96?].)

"1936. ... Henry Benson bought the rather famous cat-yawl Gannet from Miss Elizabeth Emmons of Newport ..." (Source: Davis, Jeff. Yachting in Narragansett Bay. Providence, 1946, p. 76.)

"1938. ... Based on the records of the 15 races, Gannet won the Narragansett Bay Yachting Association championship in the cruising class, ..." (Source: Davis, Jeff. Yachting in Narragansett Bay. Providence, 1946, p. 85.)

"The Sloop Gannet, Lost In The Hurricane.
Gannet was designed and built by N. C. Herreshoff at about the beginning of the century and rigged as a cat yawl. Henry and 'Bud' Benson bought her in 1937. As the photograph shows, they changed her over to a sloop. [Photo caption.]" (Source: Davis, Jeff. Yachting in Narragansett Bay. Providence, 1946, p. 84.)

"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:] Three groups of penciled midship sections on brown paper. Untitled. Some of the sections in the first group are marked '40ft', '23ft catyawl #424 [WRAITH]', '21[?] 1/2ft 18.6sqft Disp[lacement] 17200', 'CONSUELO [#400s] 21.5[sqft] Disp[lacement] 21400[lbs]', '29[?] 1/2[ft] [#409s GANNET ???] 24.8sqft Disp[lacement] 25000[lbs]. None of the sections in the second group is identified. Some of the sections in the third group are marked '46 foot', 'Owen's IRIS [#406s]', '22 1/2[ft] w.l', '18.6sqft 26 1/2ft w.l.', '19.0sqft CLARA [#402s]'. With note 'CLARA L / cube-root(Disp[lacement]) = 4.32'. With small sketch of block and tackle with hook. Undated (the latest boat mentioned is from 1891)." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Midship Sections. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE04_09720. Folder [no #]. No date (1891 or later ?).)
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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:] I am glad you like the name GLORIANA [#411s] as we are particularly pleased with it. 'ZOPHIEL' I got fr[om] Urtolius[?] last production w[ic]h has a enpartment[?] for names of fiction but on second thoughts we fear the boatmen will make a mess of it & fashion some caricature of the name upon her and she will only[?] lose. So we think we will try again. A steamer [#164p] is seen[?] a thoroughly matter of fact affair that perhaps it would better to give her a more conventional name. The STILETTO [#118p] was so well named that our minds turn towards something similar. What do you think of 'JAVELIN' or 'HASTA' w[hic]h means Javelin or 'FESTINA' w[hic]h means quick or 'ROSINANTE' or can you suggest something. The deck[?] of the st[eame]r [#164p JAVELIN] I think sh[ou]ld be like 'GANNET's' [#409s] only a little more gray. Space bet[ween?] finder[?] strake[?] & hand-rail just a shade darker gray than the sides & bottom while then she will certainly look like a whale. I don't know but it w[ou]ld be better to paint each[?] just a shade darker gray than space bet[ween] finder[?] & rail giving the successive shades for which bottom to dark back but the clean[?] we can decide on a letter later. You say you fear you cannot furnish her by end of June don't you mean May. I hope so as July would be very late." (Source: Morgan, E.D. Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_77560. Correspondence, Folder 98. 1891-03-27.)
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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 Transcription:] I am very desirous of seeing you in regard to making some changes in the sails of my yawl the GANNET [#409s] before i put her up for the season.
I sailed up to Bristol several days ago with her but found you had gone to New York. I write therefore to ask if you will please drop me a line when you return to Bristol that I may sail up to see you or if you were coming to Newport if you would give me notice that I might see you there.
Yours truly ..." (Source: Emmons, Arthur. Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_46140. Correspondence, Folder 101. 1893-09-25.)
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"[Item Transcription:] Your letter of Oct[ober] 17 1893 enclosing new sail plan [for#409s GANNET] was forwarded to me in new York. I shall adopt your suggestion and have both jibs made.
I do not quite understand what the lace lines to be used in place of reef points are but the sail master will be able to explain it to me.
I enclose check for $7.50 and remain,
Yours truly ..." (Source: Emmons, Arthur. Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_46130. Correspondence, Folder 101. 1893-10-23.)
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"[Item Transcription:] The staysail which you drew for the GANNET [#409s] works very well in windward work and evidently helps her along. The balloon jib of course helps her running free. In light air I find I can use it to advantage even going to windward with the sheets started just a little.
It has been suggested to me that it would be a still further gain to have the [p. 2] bowsprit made permanent with bobstay and two stays to the mast so that I could have a staysail running out to the end of the bowsprit and thus get a much larger staysail. I write to ask if you think this would be an advantageous change>
I have an impression that you have said before that you thought it important to let the mast have free play and the stays I suppose would interfere with that.
I sent you a paper giving the results of a race between the GANNET, HADASSAH and WRAITH [424s]. It was a good steady breeze and i think in every way a fair test.
Yours truly..." (Source: Emmons, Arthur. Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_01570. Correspondence, Folder 1_14, formerly 236. 1894-08-17.)
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"[Item Transcription:] My man tells me that at the time he was there you were too busy to get out the spinnaker boom for the spinnaker [for #409s GANNET] you had made for me and suggested I should get it made here. I write to ask, if you are still too busy to get it out for me, what dimensions it should be that is what size around and how you would rig the inboard end and support it. if you would suggest an eye on the front of the mast with a bolt in the end of the boom so it could swing to either side can you send me the eye and bolt? If you can I should rather have you get it out [p. 2] for me but I shall want it by the 30th as i am thinking of going up to the regatta at Fall River.
I am very much pleased with the new bowsprit.
Yours truly..." (Source: Emmons, Arthur. Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_02680. Correspondence, Folder 1_14, formerly 231. (1895 ???)-05-23.)
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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 Description:] #437s VIGILANT, AMERICA, THISTLE, VALKYRIE II, TITANIA, SVERIGE, MARIA, RAINBOW, SEA WITCH, MISCHIEF, PRISCILLA, SHAMROCK I, SHAMROCK III, #412s DILEMMA, #400s CONSUELO, #402s CLARA, #409s GANNET, WHIRLWIND; [This letter published as 'Letter Four' in Herreshoff, Stephens. Their Last Letters 1930-1938. Annotated by John W. Streeter. Bristol, RI, 1988, p. 25.]" (Source: Stephens, William P. Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_20600. Correspondence, Folder 59. 1930-07-10.)
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Note: This list of archival documents contains in an unedited form any and all which mention #409s Gannet even if just in a cursory way. Permission to digitize, transcribe and display is gratefully acknowledged.

• Gannet (HMCo-made index card)
• Gannet and #409p Corsair (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: Gannet
Type: Cat Yawl
Length: 29'6"
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.

• Gannet
• 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: Gannet
Type: 29' 6" catyawl
Owner: E. D. Morgan
Year: 1891
Row No.: 245

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.: 0409
Name: Gannet
LW: 26' 6" [sic, i.e. 29' 6"]
B: 9"1"
D: 5' 11"
Rig: Cat Yawl
K: y
Ballast: Lead
Amount: $3000.00
Notes Constr. Record: No well
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.

"Gannet was sold to Arthur B. Emmons of Newport in October 1891." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. May 2, 2008.)

"Built in 257 days (contract to launch; equivalent to $12/day)." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. January 16, 2024.)

"[Sail area 891sqft.]" (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.