HMCo #440s Dakotah [Dacotah]

"[1893-11-10] Fri 10: ... Have order for 10 rater [#440s Dakotah] for H. Allen.
[1894-01-08] Mon 8: ... Set up #440 [Dakotah] (Ten rater for H. Allen). ...
[1894-01-16] Tue 16: ... Began planking #440 [Dakotah].
[1894-02-06] Tue 6: ... Finished planking #440 [Dacotah].
[1894-02-12] Mon 12: ... Turned over #440 [Dakotah].
[1894-02-21] Wed 21: ... Began laying deck to #440 [Dakotah].
[1894-02-27] Tue 27: ... Deck laid on #440 [Dakotah].
[1894-03-19] Mon 19: ... Placed #440 [Dakotah] on keel.
[1894-03-28] Wed 28: Fine & cold. Fresh NW to SW [wind]. Launched #440 [Dakotah], 10-rater for Mr. Allen.
[1894-03-31] Sat 31: Fine. Strong S to SW [wind] in p.m. Bent sails and tried #440 [Dakotah]. ...
[1894-04-01] Sun 1: Fine & mild. Fresh SW to W [wind]. Off in #440 [Dakotah].
[1894-04-05] Thu 5: Fog till 9 a.m., then very fine. Fresh W to NW [wind]. Off in #440 [Dakotah].
[1894-04-07] Sat 7: Fine a.m. Strong SW [wind] in p.m. Cold rain evening. Off in #440 [Dakotah] in strong SW [wind].
[1894-04-10] Tue 10: ... Unrigged and took keel off #440 [Dakotah]. ...
[1931-07-29] Wed 29: ... Mr Nystrom brought in a Mr. Ramsay of Scotland whos[e] bro[ther] has just bought Dakota [#440s], no[w] rigged as schooner." (Source: Herreshoff, Nathanael G. Diary, 1893 to 1931. Manuscript (excerpts). Herreshoff Marine Museum Collection [1893-1894]. Diary access courtesy of Halsey C. Herreshoff [1931].)

"No. 440 [#440s].
In laying down use scale 11 5/8th long for one foot.
Make the frame spaces 13" and use the 11 5/8" scale for the inches and eights (which will be very nearly correct). (Model is measured for 13 1/2" frame spaces.)
Timbers to be moulded at top 1 1/4" and to taper 5/32 per foot for 4' 0" where they are 1 7/8" and then run parallel.
Planking 7/16 mahogany & 3/8 white pine.
Deck 13/16 white pine helved[?] and marine glue.
Keel, white oak 1 7/8" thick, reduced to 1 1/2 aft of # 41 frame. Outside flush with planking.
Floors, 3" deep between [frame] # 9 and 42 increase[?],
sided 1 1/8" on nos. 4 to 8 and 37 to 42
sided 1 1/4" on nos. 9 to 17 and 31 to 36
sided 1 3/8" on nos. 17 1/2 to 30 1/2
Intermediate floors between [frames] 12 & 36.
Timbers,
sided 1 1/8 on nos 2 to 8 & 35 to 46
sided 1 1/4 on nos 9 to 13 & 31 to 34
sided 1 3/8 on nos 14 to 30.
Extra timbers at chain plates sided 1 5/8".
Deck beams, moulded 2" with about 4 3/4" camber in 9 1/2ft,
sided 7/8 on nos. 2 to 11, 13, 20, 21, 22, 29, 31 to 37, 39, 40, 42, 43, 44, 45
sided 1 1/8 on nos. 12, 24, 25, 26, 27, 30, 38, 41
sided 1 3/8 on nos. 14, 15, 18, 23
sided 1 7/8 on nos. 16, 17, 19, 28." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. [Handwritten (in pencil and ink) note in Offset Booklet HH.4.489.] No date [ca. December 1893]. Haffenreffer-Herreshoff Collection, MIT Museum, Cambridge, MA.)

"Sept. 24 1934. {1934/09/24} N. G. HERRESHOFF BRISTOL, R. I. Dear Francis ... I had a call from Mylne on Sunday, coming with several others, including Lent, Ratsey, a Son of Tom - also Mr. Fairy, who is a J class man. I found Mr Mylne a very pleasant and apparently nice man. He was much impressed with the lasting qualities of 'Dacota', a 10 rater we built in 1893-4 and still going on the Clyde, outliving all her class. [Vertical note in left margin] Your affect - Father." (Source: Mystic Seaport Museum, L. Francis Herreshoff Collection, Box 17, Folder 10: Letter from N. G. Herreshoff to L. F. Herreshoff.)

"One of the outstanding Herreshoff yachts of 1894 was the ten-rater 'Dacotah,' built for the Clyde where she won twenty-five firsts, one second out of thirty-three starts. I think this was Captain Nat's first fin keeler with a topmast and three headsails, and you can see by the photo that the spoon bow was now fully developed although 'Dacotah' was a few months too early to have crosscut sails." (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. 179.)

"The-ten-rater built by the Herreshoff Manufacturing company for Mr. Allen of Glasgow, Scotland, left the company's shops in this town. Monday [April 16, 1894] she was towed to New York by steam yacht Daphne. John B. Herreshoff's new steam yacht Eugenia [#178p], Captain William Torrey, with Mr and Mrs. Herreshoff and Mrs. Herreshoff's sister, Mrs Byron DeWolf on board also accompanied her as far as New York. Her fin and spars were shipped Sunday. On reaching New York the ten-rater was put on board an ocean steamer for Scotland." (Source: Anon. "To Scotland. The Herreshoff Ten Rater On Her Way to Glasgow. Steam Yacht Daphne Exchanged." Bristol Phoenix, April 21, 1894, p. 2.)

"The ten-rater built by the Herreshoffs for Mr. Henry Allan of Glasgow arrived here [in New York] in tow of the steam yacht Daphne yesterday morning. She was taken to the foot of West Twenty-first Street, where the Allan Line steamer Norwegian was lying ready to have the yacht put on board. A cradle had been built on the deck of the Norwegian and the yacht was hoisted out of the water and laid in the cradle. The boat was fastened down securely to prevent her moving when the vessel rolls and covered over with canvas. The new boat is 36 feet on the water line, 50 feet over all, 9 feet 4 inches extreme beam, and 7 feet 7 inches draught with her fin on. The fin was taken off and packed away on the steamer, together spars and sails. She is built to sail against a ten-rater designed by George L. Watson, and the meeting of the two boats will be watched with interest.
The Watson boat is a foot shorter on the water line than the Herreshoff and has four inches more in the beam. She also draws eight inches more. Both are fin keels. The Norwegian will sail this morning." (Source: Anon. "To Sail Against Scotch Cutters. The Ten-Rater Built By The Herreshoffs To Go To Europe." New York Times, April 19, 1894, p. 3.)

"The successor to Wenonah [#415s], the new 10-rater Dacotah, designed and built by the Herreshoff Mfg. Co., for Henry Allan, of Glasgow, concerning which so much unnecessary secrecy has been maintained at Bristol, is now on her way across the Atlantic, and in the course of a week or ten days should be making her trial trips about the Clyde. The yacht was launched a short time since at Bristol and tried under sail, after which her fin was removed and sent to New York, and on April 17 the yacht left the yard in tow of the steam yacht Daphne, convoyed by the new steam yacht Eugenia [#178p], with John B. Herreshoff on board, the latter yacht going as far as New London. Daphne and her tow reached New York on April 18, and the yacht was dropped at the piers of the State-Allan Line, Daphne proceeding to Norfolk, Va., where she was exchanged for the steam yacht Governor Hamilton [#102'], the Herreshoffs taking the latter in part payment for Daphne.
The 10-rater was lifted by a floating derrick and quickly deposited on the port side of the steamer Norwegian, in the berth belonging to one of the ship's lifeboats. When in place strong chocks were built to fit her and she was securely lashed. Her mast and boom were stowed beside her, the fin going in the hold and the smaller spars inside.
The new boat is much like the older Herreshoff fin-keels in her general form and in construction, with two important improvements in the latter, both designed for the same end, the strengthening of a form of construction which is necessarily weak in itself.
The dimensions are as yet a matter of conjecture, the over all length being about 50' and the waterline 36'. The exact beam, however, is 9' 4' inside the skin, or just under 9' 6" extreme beam. The depth from under side of deck to upper side of keel is 4' 4", and the least freeboard, as shown by the paint line, is 1' 11".
As in all Herreshoff boats, the construction is an interesting study, and the following dimensions of scantling will be specialy interesting as they are correct and have not been published. The oak keel is flat, 8" wide inside and about 8" thick. The frames are all of steamed and bent oak, spaced at irregular distances varying from 12' to 14' centers; they are sided 1 3/8' and moulded 2" at heels and 1 1/4 at heads. The floors are of oak planking, sided 1 1/2" and moulded 4", spaced about 6" or on and between frames. Each is fastened to the keel by a center-bolt of 3/8' Tobin bronze or similar metal.
Along the middle of the boat and on top of the floors run two fore and aft pieces of oak, 3" wide and 2 1/2" deep, one on each side. They are not parallel, but are 14 1/2" apart at the middle, while they curve in toward each end, finally butting on each side of a keelson piece 4" wide. There are two of these keelsons, one forward and one aft, but as they would interfere materially with the very limited headroom amidships, and would not serve to carry the fin bolts, they are omitted for a space of a dozen feet, the two side keelsons taking their places here. The mast heel is cut to straddle the fore keelson, two stout cleats being screwed to the top of the latter to prevent any movement of the mast forward or aft.
The clamps are of yellow pine, 2"x2"; and the bilge clamps are 2 1/2"x2 3/8", all running well into the bows and counter. The main deck beams are sided 1 3/8" and the short beams are sided 1 1/8", all being moulded 2" and spaced as the frames. Under the deck on each side, at a distance of 8' from the side, runs a strengthening piece or clamp of yellow pine, 2 3/8" deep and 2 1/4" wide, bolted to the beams. At intervals of four frames, each of these pieces is connected with a bilge clamp on the same side by a strut of yellow pine, 1 3/8"X1 3/4", there being 10 of these struts on each side. The foot of each sets flat on the bilge clamp, while at the head it is jogged to fit the inner corner of the deck clamp. Running in a groove in the side of each strut, is a rod of 3/8" Tobin bronze, passing through both clamps and set up by a nut at each end, as shown in the sketch, which gives the details correctly, though the form of section is not intended to be correct. This construction makes virtually a truss on each side connecting the bilge and deck and disposing effectually of some of the heaviest strains due to the deep and heavy fin. The planking is double, an inner skin of pine or cedar and an outer of mahogany, each 7/14" thick, while the deck is also double, 13/16 in all.
The construction of the fin is different from the previous boats; instead of a single deep plate, three are used, all of Tobin bronze. The upper plates are each flanged on the upper edge to fit the bottom of the hull just under the oak side keelsons described above; they extend down a couple of feet, meeting at their lower edges and being riveted to a thicker plate, held between them which completes the full depth of the keel, something over 6'. In this way the fin itself is given a far stronger and wider base than by the old plan of angle irons on a single plate, the floor construction is in itself stronger; and, through the two inclined trusses, the strain is evenly transmitted from the floor to the whole structure.
It has been understood all along that the boat, which is similar to Drusilla in dimensions and model, was to be rigged like the latter, with only three lower sails on a pole mast; but she carries with her a topmast 18' 9" heel to hounds, and 20' 7" heel to truck. Its diameter is 4", and the heel just above the fid hole is cut away as much as possible to decrease the weight. The bowsprit is 15' over all, and 10" 2' from gammon strap to cranse, with a diameter of 4 1/2". The gaff is 23' 6" over all, 4" diameter. The topsail yards are 15' 9" and 10', 2 3/3" and 2 1/2" diameter.
The interior is entirely open, but the room is of little use, the head, room being but 4' at the highest part, while the sunk cockpit and the many braces on each side cut up the space. There are two iron hammock cots forward, and a light transom seat on each side amidships, with no other joiner work. The deck has a small hatch forward of the mast, a skylight amidships, and a square cockpit with large oval coaming inclosing part of the deck. Aft there is a small hatch which permits the helmsman to stand partly inside the boat while at the tiller. The fore overhang is moderate, the stem is cut off square, as in El Chico [#418s] and Drusilla [#417s]: the deck fittings include brass blocks and cleats, and the workmanship is excellent throughout. The sails have been made by Lapthorne & Ratsey, and are awaiting the boat on the other side. With a l.w.l. of 35' she will be allowed 1,715 sq. ft. of sails by the Y. R. A. rule; and with a l.w.l. of 36' this allowance will be decreased to 1,666. Drusilla carried 1,522' by the Seawanhaka rule." (Source: Anon. "Dacotah. The Allan Ten-Rater." Forest and Stream, May 5, 1894, p. 389.)

"'Old Salt' Does Not Think Ill of American Designers of Yachts.
From The Pall Mall Gazette.
Sir: ... let us not lose sight of the fact that American-built boats in other classes and without centreboards are more than holding their own. The wonderful fin-keel and bulb ten-rater Dakota [#440s], which has never yet been beaten on sheer sailing, still keeps up her marvelous form on the Clyde, and adds each week more 'firsts' to her long string of flags, and this in of the best efforts of our greatest designers. In the Solent, too, Meneen [#438s] and Wee Win [#425s], up to July 31, stood at the head of their respective classes, which plainly proves them, although built on American lines and in America, superior to boats of English design and build. In the one-rater class Mr. Herreshoff is certainly not so successful, although he is a good second. But in this case the Morwena [#431s] is always sailed by a lady. ..." (Source: Anon. "Warning To Crowing Britons." New York Times, September 10, 1894, p. 5.)

"Dacotah, the Herreshoff 10-rater, has a record for her first season [1894] of 33 starts, 25 first prizes, one other prize, and £274 winnings. Her nearest competitor is the Fife boat Lilith, with 33 starts, 11 firsts, 10 other prizes, and £137. Sula, the Watson boat, stands 26 starts, 2 firsts, 6 others, and £35. Dacotah also won two challenge cups." (Source: Anon. "Yacht News Notes." Forest and Stream, October 6, 1894, p. 302.)

"Dacotah's races in the Mediterranean have netted her $3,250 in cash, besides 'objets d'art,' and other valuable prizes. She is now on her way to Glasgow by steamer, her skipper and crew having returned home before her." (Source: Anon. [No title.] Forest and Stream, April 20, 1895, p. 318.)

"The success achieved by Herreshoff boats in England has been phenomenal. For the first season or two they have always beaten their competitors badly in their respective classes. Then John Bull, who is nothing if not persistent, has gone to work turning out boat after boat until he has finally succeeded in equaling those of the Yankee wizard, and in some instances in the smaller classes has proved that he has bettered the instruction and is ready for a new lesson, which it may be said Herreshoff stands prepared to administer whenever somebody gives him the order. ...
Last year Herreshoff went up two classes higher, turning out the ten-rater Dakotah [#440s] for British racing. A ten-rater, it should be understood, is about thirty-seven feet on the water line. It might almost be said without exaggeration that there was only one boat in it when Dakotah was racing. Out of twenty-nine starts in 1894 she finished first twenty-six times. Blow high or blow low. It mattered not, she was still the superior of all her competitors.
So conclusively was this demonstrated that last year in the ten-rating class the Dakotah found herself without a competitor. Owners of other ten-raters had simply got tired of following her round the course. There was nothing to relieve the monotony of It. And as experience had shown that it generally took British yacht-designers two seasons to catch up with a Yankee boat they simply dropped out of the game. To get any racing at all the Dakotah had to enter the twenty-rating class this year. But even when opposed to bigger boats, with the aid of her time allowance she succeeded in capturing fifteen first prizes out of thirty starts, which, all things considered, is a truly phenomenal performance. ...
Great is Herreshoff and great will he continue to be. And any Britisher who wants a boat that will beat any boat of her class afloat can get one from him. Give him the cash and he will do the rest." (Source: Anon. "Our Yachts Lead The World. This Year's Record Shows How They Won in All Classes. Beat Englishmen in England. Here Are Some American-Built Yachts Even More Remarkable For Speed Than Defender." New York World, November 17, 1895, p. 28.)

"Dakotah, the famous Herreshoff designed racing cutter, which went to the other side over a decade ago and swept the boards and has for many years been laid up in Scotland, will end her days as a power cruiser. Her fin and hull [sic, i.e. rig?] have been removed, and she has been towed to Kirn, where the alteration will be carried out." (Source: Anon. "Ticks from the Ship's Clock." Forest and Stream, October 28, 1911, p. 653.)

"The installing of motors in the famous little racer Dakotah brings forth a mighty interesting story in the Yachtsman of London [of October 26, 1911, p. 306-307]. The title of the story is, 'The Dakotah, With Reminiscences of King Edward's Mediterranean Racing Days.'
'Time and chance happeneth to them all,' and it has just been announced that that once really 'great' little racing cutter, Dakotah, is to be converted into a motor auxiliary. The little Rhode Islander had been 'laid away in lavender' so long that she was beginning to be forgotten to some extent by all save [sp?] students of the pastime. In the summer of 1894 she shared favor and popularity in Clyde waters with that greatest of public idols, the Prince of Wales' cutter Britannia, and in the spring of the following year she filled as large a part of the stage at the Mediterranean regattas as the Britannia and the new Fairlie-Glasgow first class cutter Ailsa.
'Dakotah was built by the Messrs. Herreshoff for Henry Allan, a member of the great Glasgow yachting family of that name, and in the Clyde season of 1894 her score was thirty-three races, twenty-five firsts and one second, and in that of the Mediterranean of the following year eleven races, nine firsts and one other prize. Dakotah was one of the boats the greatest of which could not be shown by the mere presentation of her scores.
'To the figures on the prize list had to be appended some account of the fascinating ease with which the majority of her prizes were won. Even a fairly well skilled observer is often at a loss to tell how it is that one boat in a class so often comes out considerably ahead of the others in the matter of prizes, and more particularly first prizes, because she seldom seemed to be appreciably speedier than they were. Even the uninitiated, however, after watching Dakotah sailing half a round, became quite cognizant that she was a speedier boat than those pitted against her; in fact, they quickly let it be known that they had become cognizant of her superiority by exclaiming, 'No, no; our boats are no use against the little Yankee; she's too fast through the water for them.'
'The Prince of Wales knew what a wonderful boat she was, and he took an early opportunity on her arrival in the Mediterranean to have a row round her (examining her most carefully the while) in the gig of his own cutter, Britannia. After his inspection of Dakotah he got his eye on Mr. Fife, bareheaded, at the masthead of Ailsa, in the midst of a most searching inspection of everything aloft. Heading his gig to the new cutter, he went aboard her and had Mr. Fife called from aloft, when he had quite a long and most interesting talk with him.
'Mr. Allan, while a most capable Corinthian himself, was careful to have a powerful professional crew on the Dakotah. The men were William Morris (Largs), J. Currie, J. Hogarth and W. Hogarth (Port Bannatyne), the last named being skipper. Several of the prizes won by Dakotah in the Mediterranean were of very considerable value from a monetary point of view. That gained by her in a heavy and punishing race from Cannes to Monte Carlo was so outstandingly valuable that on her passing Britannia at the close of it the genial and generous skipper, John Carter, cried delightedly, 'Well done, my lads; you've sailed a great race, and the prize is big enough to buy you a new boat.' " (Source: Anon. "The Dakotah's Greatness." Forest and Stream. November 11, 1911, p. 718-719.)

"N/A"

"[Item Description:] Penciled sailplan sketch, untitled, undated. With rig dimensions and calculations, including one arriving at a total sail area of 1501sqft. In lower right corner '35[ft?].On verso of an envelope marked 'Persona' and postmarked Oct[??] 25, [18]93 from 'Arnold & Aborn, Coffees, Teas, & c, 39 Old Slip, Near Front St. New York' to NGH in Bristol. This is probably a preliminary sailplan for #440s DAKOTAH." (Source: Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE05_01030. Penciled Sketch. Folder [no #]. No date (1893-12 ?).)
① ② ③

"[Item Description:] Penciled sailplan and calculations of an finkeel sloop with long bowsprit and topsail. Titled 'Not used'. Calculations show total sail areas between 1720sqft, 1750sqft, 1789sqft, and 1220sqft. This is quite certainly a preliminary sailplan for #440s DAKOTAH. Comparison with DAKOTAH's sailplan HH.5.10320 (130-018) from December 18, 1893 shows a rig of similar size and proportions and a nearly identical hull profile (the fin keel is different)." (Source: Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Acc. 2004.0001.0518. Penciled Sailplan. WRDT08, Folder 41. No date (1893-12 ?).)
① ② ③

"[Item Description:] Penciled sketch titled '35ft w.l. Model made Dec[ember] 1, [18]93'. Showing a midship section of a bulb-keel yacht and profile and sailplan of a centerboard yacht (apparently the bulb to be fitted with a centerboard]. With tabulated weight calculations 'Hull 6300[lbs]. Wood keel 2200. Rig 1300. Eq[uipment] & crew 2000. c.n. [centerboard] 600. Lead 11000. [Total] disp[lacement] 23400[lbs]'. On verso of empty form titled 'Builder's Certificate. ... Thomas Manning' with glued on envelope to accomodate drawing of bulb keel. [This appears to be related to the design of the 35ft LWL #440s DAKOTAH. Compare with pantograph hull sections drawn for DAKTOAH on December 2, 1893, the day after this sketch is dated. Above the waterline it shows the same section profile. It appears NGH simply cutoff the bulb keel from the original model to make DAKOTAH into a pure fin-keeler.]" (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Penciled Sketch. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE04_09000. Folder [no #]. 1893-12-01.)
① ②

"[Item Description:] Penciled pantograph hull sections of a fin keel boat. Titled 'Dec 2nd [18]93. #440 [DAKOTAH]. Scale 1/12. 36ft 1/2in w.l. (Vessel built to reduced scale)'." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Pantograph Hull Sections. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE05_00690. Folder [no #]. 1893-12-02.)
① ②

"[Item Description:] Penciled note comparing scantlings of #440s DAKOTAH and #450s ISOLDE. Undated, ISOLDE was designed and built in the winter of 1893 / 1894." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (?) (creator). Penciled Note. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE03_04380. Folder [no #]. No date (1893 / 1894 ?).)
①

"[Item Transcription:] [On 'Hotel Bristol, Berlin, Unter den Linden' stationery:] Berlin, den 26th [no month] 1894
My dear Mr Herreshoff
Through the kindness of Captain [Hank] Haff and his son Clayton I again embarked on the 'VIGILANT' in the race of August month[?] off Cowes but[?], of course as usual had a most inspiring good time.
It was the second day of the R.Y. I. regatta the Thursday of Cowes week and the meeting of the two rivals after the BRITTANNIA[sic] defeat in the race [p. 2] around the isle, when both yachts distinguished themselves in a wind-jamming contest upon the rocks.
The race on buoy 8 was fastformed[?], you remember to enable the 'BRITTANNIA' to haul out and fix bottom' a privilege which the 'VIGILANT' [#437s] did not allow herself and perhaps unfortunately as results proved for ever so little a rock-rub[?] seems to endanger the balance between the chances of two much closer rivals.
There was a cracking breeze blowing directly up [p. 3] the Solent, and both yachts started under jack-yarders, mainsail, jib and staysail close-hauled westward to East Lepe[?] buoy.
But as usual Haff was caught napping and swung across the line with the 'BRITTANNIA' luffing dean in the wind, and bore away on the port tack 10 yards under the lee of his rival. Of course it was very close work on both boats, and we all worked fiercely at the head-sails to remedy our error and get [p. 4] about and away from out the grasp of our quick-handling rival.
But though we Norwegians, heterogeneous lot that we were tumbled over each other like fiends beneath the glance of Mr. Iselin, in our eagerness, yet there stood the Briton handled by as magnificent a British crew as ever trod deck 'fasted squarely on our head-sails.'
And[?] this position, the result of our gun[?] starts is quite where Carter[?] [p. 5] wanted us to be placed and there we were handily kept until we turned the E. Lepe[?], when he was far ahead of us on a flowing tide.
I cannot accurately tell why we were not the faster that day. In running the hurricane[?] boat[?] always went like a mad-horse. But in close windward work we were no match for 'BRITTANNIA' and clever Carter. We perhaps outfooted her when hauled by the wind, and certainly on the [p. 6] last leg of the course to the finish-line when we gained about w minutes.
But we never could out-wind the slippery Briton. If he ever found us working out from his lee he always bore down on us to blanket.
Of course that made Haff and Iselin nervous, but what could they do? For when we again settled down to luffing away creeped the Briton to windward again and what made us all so mad was that [p. 7] there was a cracking wind aloft, and we were expected to win by on shore.
I believe myself if you will allow me to venture an opinion, that the removal of many tons (I believe 3 or 4) of ballast, and the heavy anchor and chain the previous night was a big mistake. For we didn't Carry our club topsail at all easily, while 'BRITTANNIA' was as stiff as Captain Lawless' flag pole, and her sails were a [p. 8] sight to see. Twice did our sails fail --- our staysail broke at the clew twice, and one spinnaker tore itself loose in a mad run to leeward. But this was not because we didn't want to win, or misled[?] to with withdraw (as honest Captain Lawless was proverbially supposed to do in the FELICITE[?] sloop).
Mrs Iselin was on board with us, and the Prince and the [p. 9] Duke of York on the BRITTANNIA. Mr Iselin's present on the boat was salutary, he put a good deal of energy into matters didn't swear once and stopped unnecessary talking. He vastly improved the 'esprit DE corps' and harmonized under his leadership the actions of Jeffrey Diaper and young Haff. I do believe [p. 10] Mr Herreshoff, that Haff has not been well supported by good under officers and a trained crew. You will pardon my presumption in criticising. But outside of the fail[?] of waters, climate, conditions, lack of knowledge of British methods of yacht racing, it seems to me that the VIGILANT measured[?] by a raw[?] crew, as she is, can be perhaps justly pardoned her defeats.
[p. 11] Englishmen themselves are a but surprised at her defeats for the wholesome defeat administered by the little Bristol boats the 'WEE WINN' [#425s], 'MORWENA' [#431s], 'WENONAH' [#415s] and 'DACOTAH' [#440s] have sunk deep in their hearts.
That they still fear the VIGILANT is evidenced by the tendency to still receive the BRITANNIA virtuous[?] as indecisive.
[XII] If you will kindly show this to Mr Charles [Herreshoff, Jr.?] as I think he will be interested.
Please tell Mr. Lewis [Herreshoff] whose article in the Badminton Library has attracted much attention and which I have read that little Mr Wilson [sailmaker] of New York begs to take exception to his remarks about the American sail-making as compared with Lapthorne. I had much amusement with him on this head. With best wishes
I am Sincerely yours ...
Lucian Sharpe
Muuwex[?] Cie[?] Paris" (Source: Sharpe, Lucien, Jr. Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_00840. Correspondence, Folder 1_14, formerly 239. 1894- ??-24.)
① ② ③ ④ ⑤ ⑥

"[Item Transcription:] [Handwritten (in ink) letter on '21, Clarendon Road, Holland Park. W.' stationery:] London
Dear Mr. Herreshoff,
I was sorry not to have met you at Kingstown about the one rater for my friend Charles Tyrevlit[?] Ricardo, Esq.
Secretary of Upper Thames Sailing Club
Bourne End, Bucks, England (The Club has 3 Challenge Cups ...)
Private address Raymead, Maidenhead, Berks.
He has only returned from a long cruiser of over 3wo[?] months, through Holland to Friesland & Amsterdam via Calais, Dunkerque, Bruges, Ghent & Rotterdam. [p. 2]
I enclose all the data from Mr. E. T. Ricardo. Photos of present boats, or Lines from Head of the 'Challenge' which is the fastest ... [unreadable]
Please address your business letters to Mr. Ricardo as he will pay you ... in the meantime let me congratulate you on the great success of DAKOTA 10rater [#440s] on the Clyde ... [p. 3] fine one rater sailed by Miss Sutton WENONAH 2 1/2 [#415s] now GUDRUDA and the mauery[?] little WEEWINN 1/2 rater [#425s] - a very lovely little craft indeed.
Last night I was dining with Mr. Howard Gould when we had a great chat about the season's racing. I have been sailing in CARINA 40 & sailed one race in VIGILANT [#437s] at Dartmouth. Start Y[acht] Club in a dead calm [p. 4]
The lines of VIG[ILANT] are very beautiful and it was most unfortunate that just when most wanted the 'centreboard' was wound to be ;on strike'. You have no idea how this was regretted & much sympathy was felt for Mr. G. Gould. Asking your king interest in this one-rater, smooth water with much 'Hard a Sea'
I remain
Yours truly
Robt. T. Pritchett [marine artist]
[With separate sheet:]
Rating - we would suggest that she rate not less than .8 or more than .9 so that she would derive the greatest benefit from the crew of three up to windward. .8 is chosen as the lowest rating as H.M. The Queen's Challenge Cup is only open to boats of .8 and over.
Length of course 6 to 9 miles, generally a run and a turn to windward. [p. 2]
Distinguishing no. of Boats in Photographs: ...
Dimensions ... [p. 3]
Notes.
Planking ...
Ballast ...
Draft ...
Deck ...
Mast & Spars ... [p. 4]
Water smooth, no sea, must be very quick in stays, as river[?] is extremely narrow in parts, wind moderate.
Boat wanted solely for Racing purposes.
Price ? delivered in London.
Must be delivered not later than March 1, 1895. [With sketches of AILEEN, MONA and MIRAGE & FOLLY type on separate sheet of paper. With clipping from 'The Field, The County Gentleman's Newspaper' from July 7, 1894, p. 31 titled 'The Challenge 1-Rater' as well as clipping from 'The Field, The County Gentleman's Newspaper' from July 28, 1894, p. 157 titled 'Sorceress 1-Rater'. Incl. envelope from Pritchett to NGH in Bristol." (Source: Pritchett, Robert Taylor. Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDW02_03040. Folder [no #]. 1894-09-18.)
① ② ③ ④ ⑤ ⑥ ⑦ ⑧ ⑨ ⑩

"[Item Description:] Two sets of annotated displacement curves, untitled. Some of the annotations from the first set read 'Above lead 89ft w.l.', '89ft w.l. keel total', '89ft w.l. Body part', 'Lead #450 [ISOLDE]', and '#450'. Some of the annotations from the second set read '90ft (body)', '34.3[ft] w.l. made Dec[ember] [18]93', '#450', '# 339 [???]', '#412 [DILEMMA]', '#440 [DAKOTAH]', and 'Torpedo boat'. Undated (the latest boat mentioned, ISOLDE, was contracted for November 12, 1894)." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Displacement Curves. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE04_09540. Folder [no #]. No date (1894-11 or later).)
① ②

"N/A"

"[Item Description:] Penciled table listing w.l., Displacement in lbs and cuft, cube-root of displacement in cuft, w.l. divided by cube-root of displacement in cuft, % of displacement in keel & rudder and sqrt(SA) / cube-root(Disp in cuft) for #463s [Newport 30] class, #412s DILEMMA, #440s DAKOTAH, #446s ALERION, #450s NIAGARA and #453s VAQUERO II. On verso rating and design-related notes and calculations titled '[Newport] 30ft class'. Undated; the Newport 30 class was designed in December 1895 and January 1896." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Penciled Table. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE03_04230. Folder [no #]. No date (1895 or later).)
① ②

Note: This list of archival documents contains in an unedited form any and all which mention #440s Dakotah [Dacotah] even if just in a cursory way. Permission to digitize, transcribe and display is gratefully acknowledged.

• Dacotah (MIT Museum-made index card)
• Dakotah (HMCo-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: Dacotah
Type: Cutter
Length: 35'2"
Owner: Allan, Henry

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

• Dacotah
• 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: Dacotah
Type: 35' 2" fin keeler
Owner: Henry Allen, Scotland
Year: 1892
Row No.: 144

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: Nov
Day: 10
Year: 1893
E/P/S: S
No.: 0440
Name: Dacotah
LW: 35' 2"
B: 9' 7"
D: 8' 0"
Rig: Cutter
K: FK
Ballast: Lead
Amount: $6600.00
Last Name: Allan [sic]
First Name: H.

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.

"Exported to Scotland." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. May 2, 2008.)

"Built in 138 days (contract to launch; equivalent to $48/day)." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. January 16, 2024.)

"[Sail area with a LWL of 35ft 1,715 sq ft as per Y. R. A. rule; and with a LWL of 36ft 1,666 sq ft.]" (Source: Anon. "Dacotah. The Allan Ten-Rater." Forest and Stream, May 5, 1894, p. 389.)

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