HMCo #461s Cock Robin

"[1896-04-11] Sat 11: ... Launched Cock Robin (#461). ...
[1896-04-12] Sun 12: Very fine & warm. L[igh]t NE [wind] in a.m., mod[erate] S to SW [in] p.m. Off in Cock Robin [#461s]. Alpheus Packard here.
[1896-04-13] Mon 13: Very fine & warm. Fresh S to SW [wind]. Tried Cock Robin [#461s] with small rig. Very hot in Providence & Boston.
[1896-04-17] Fri 17: Very hot. Fine. L[igh]t NE [wind]. T[hunder]&L[ightning] storm with rain in p.m. Cock Robin [#461s] left for Boston.
[1896-08-09] Sun 9 Off with family & Chas. S. Eaton [owner of #461s Cock Robin] in Item [#183p] all day." (Source: Herreshoff, Nathanael G. Diary, 1896. Manuscript (excerpts). Herreshoff Marine Museum Collection.)

"No. 461.
21ft w.l. keel [boat].
Frame spaces 9".
All figures below keel and forward of stern post are for lead.
Timbers moulded 1 1/16", planking 3/4", total 1 13/16".
Timbers side 1" at keel, increasing 1/16" per foot for full length.
Keel 1 7/8" thick.
Planking 7/8 thick to [station] no. 12.
[Knees of] Natural crook hackmatack, 1 1/8" thick, 26" arms [at station] nos 13-14-15.
27-30 1 1/8" plank, 32 and aft 7/8" plank.
Watertight bulkheads at no. 10 and no. 33 and also at no 23.
Crown of deck beams 3 1/2" in 7 1/2" on top of 3 1/8" in 7 1/2" on bottom.
Crown of house carlings 3" in 5'." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. [Penciled note in Offset Booklet HH.4.097.] Haffenreffer-Herreshoff Collection, MIT Museum, Cambridge, MA.)

"In the spring of 1896, COCK ROBIN came out for the Narragansett Bay Twenty-One Footer Knockabout Class. I tried her out thoroughly before delivery. She was [a consistent] winner in her class and became quite famous. She is still sailing and won last year [1933]." (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. 68.)

"The famous twenty-one-footer 'Cock-Robin,' the construction plan of which is shown in Figure 21 came out in 1897. She was one of Captain Nat's first attempts at bulb keel on small racers, and she was soon followed by the raceabouts 'Cockatoo,' 'Fly,' 'Fancy,' 'Sally II,' 'Sintram,' etc. ..." (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. 203.)

"... None of the new Knockabouts will be watched with more interest than the Herreshoff design for C. S. Eaton of the Marblehead Corinthians. It is understood that she will conform to the restrictions of the class prescribed by the knockabout association, and that she will be raced for her owner by Ex Com. W. P. Fowle, whose high rank as an amateur skipper is beyond dispute. She, will, therefore, be a most interesting boat from any point of view, and some surprises in the matter of construction may confidently be expected. ..." (Source: Anon. "Yachts and Yachtsmen." Boston Globe, March 8, 1896, p. 29.)

"... In a corner of the north shop there is being constructed a boat from which great things are expected in her class the coming season. It is the twenty-one-foot knockabout boat for C. S. Eaton of Boston, and so close do her lines come to those of Defender that she is called a 'baby Defender.' She is all planked. Her frames are of oak, her planking of cedar, the planking being double, the outside layer being laid in shellac. She is copper fastened and will have outside lead ballast of just over the 8,500 pounds of the class minimum. She is just under 21 feet on the water line and about 23 feet over all, with a beam of 7 feet. She has a small deckhouse, and the cockpit is quite roomy for a boat ot her size. She is being built for a fast racer, as well as to go cruising comfortably, and will be put overboard as soon as the weather permits. ..." (Source: Anon. "Building Small Yachts. Some Novel Boats Under Construction by the Herreshoffs." New York Times, March 22, 1896, p. 6.)

"Bristol, R. I., April 11 [1896]. --- The 21-foot knockabout built by the Herreshoffs for C. S. Eaton of Boston, for use at Marblehead, was launched from the shops at high water soon after 7 o'clock this morning. The work of rigging the yacht was completed, and she was given a trial in the bay by Nat Herreshoff, according to the invariable custom of the company.
The boat seemed to be fast and able, and the trip was apparently a success.
The Cock Robin, as the boat is called, is built to conform to the limitations as prescribed by the Knockabout association of Massachusetts, and carries 3500 pounds of lead on the keel and 500 square feet of sail. She is lightly built, with double planking, and has a low cabin home. She is painted white above the water line and green below.
She will be sailed by her owner in the races, and with him will be ex Com Fowle of the Marblehead Corinthians, who is also soon to sail the boat around the cape to her home port. ..." (Source: Anon. "Launch and Trial Trip. C. S. Eaton's Knockabout Cock Robin Afloat at Bristol." Boston Globe, April 12, 1896, p. 30.)

"Launching of the Cock Robin, a New Racing Yacht. --- The small racing yacht concerning which there has been much speculation for some time was launched Saturday [April 11, 1896] morning from the Herreshoff Works. Her name is Cock Robin, and she was built for C. S. Eaton of Boston, a restaurant owner, who also owns a steam yacht and several smaller sailing yachts at Buzzards Bay. The Cock Robin was built from the same plans as Defender on a smaller scale, and is a very handsome and trim-looking yacht. She was given a trial spin in the harbor with jib and mainsail set, and with a good breeze she cut through the water in much the same way as Defender, and altogether gave a good account of herself and promises to be a fast one. Cock Robin will be taken to Buzzard's Bay this, week where she will be entered for races with other boats of her size the coming season." (Source: Anon. "Yachting Notes." Bristol Phoenix, April 14, 1896, p. 2.)

"The small racing yacht Cock Robin, built by the Herreshoffs for C. S. Eaton of Boston, sailed for that city this morning." (Source: Anon. "Yachting Notes." Bristol Phoenix, April 17, 1896, p. 3.)

"BRISTOL, R.I., April 18 [1896]. --- ... The twenty-one-foot knockabout boat Cock Robin, C. S. Eaton of Boston, owner, left Bristol yesterday for Boston, going around the Cape. Previous to her departure she was hauled out on the north pier, and was 'touched up' below her water line. The trial trips of this boat, which have been made in the harbor and bay, have given evidence that she is speedy, and she does good work to windward as well as being quick in stays, and the competitors in her class will have to hustle the coming season in order to avoid a stern view of her." (Source: Anon. "Eastern Yachting News. The Small Boats at the Herreshoffs' Nearing Completion. " New York Times, April 19, 1896, p. 3.)

"Boston, April 18 [1896]. --- The most popular racing class the coming season in these waters, and the class in which the largest number of new boats are being built, is the twenty-one-foot 'knockabout' class. The 'knockabout,' by the way, is a product of Boston, or, more strictly speaking, of Marblehead, yachting conditions, and although she has developed into quite a racing craft, has still been held down by close restrictions to the substantial build, moderate sail plan, and fine seaworthy qualities of the original boats. ...
The original 'knockabout' was designed in 1892 by the late George A. Stewart, designer of the Pilgrim and many other racing and cruising yachts. ...
... The main restrictions are that the boats shall be keels of under 21 feet waterline, not less than 7 nor more than 8 feet beam, and shall carry not over 500 square feet of sail in mainsail and jib setting to the stem head. At least 3,500 pounds of ballast must be carried on the keel. The wisdom of the last provision may not be apparent at first sight, but in connection with the restriction on beam and sail, it is really the best way of preventing the building of either the extreme fin-keel type or of the extremely beamy ones, for, with driving power limited, the designer is prevented from gaining power by hanging his lead lower, and thus using less of it with a boat of lighter displacement and easier form.
Construction must be of oak keel and frames, with frames not less than 1 inch square, and spaced not more than 12 inches on centres. The planking must be at least three-quarters of an inch in thickness. Sail measurement is made as close as possible to the actual sail carried, and the prevention of an increase in the mainsail and the making of the jib merely a handkerchief to cover the law, is secured by requiring the mast to be stepped at least 3 feet 6 inches abaft the forward end of the waterline. ...
The Herreshoff boat is for C. S. Eaton, one time owner of the Burgess thirty-footer Rosalind, and later of the steam yachts Melissa and Polly. She has just been launched and tried at the Herreshoffs' and is soon to be sailed around the Cape to these waters by ex-Commodore W. P. Fowle of the Marblehead Corinthians, who will sail with Mr. Eaton in the races. Commodore Fowle's reputation as an amateur skipper was made with the thirty-footers Saracen and Saladin, which headed their class for several seasons. The boat is 7 feet beam, 6 feet draught, and 33 feet over all, making her the longest, deepest, and narrowest of the fleet. The lead keel is about 7 feet long. The easy bilge, sharp floor, and curved garboard of the Defender are observable in this model, and she has been known as the 'Baby Defender' among the workmen at the Herreshoff shops. She is a wholesome boat all through, and shows no attempt to evade the rule. She has a cabin house, but is of light construction as the rules will permit. She has been credited with having aluminium frames, but really has oak frames, to correspond to the restrictions of the association. Cock Robin is her name.
The Cock Robin differs from the other boats, though, in having a larger rig, which can be put on for light-air sailing in another class where more than three men for a crew are allowed. The larger rig has over a hundred feet more sail, and a short bowsprit, about five feet outboard is carried to secure the proper balance. The change from one rig to the other is easily effected, and the owner expects to get much satisfaction out of his possible change of suits. The boat also has bronze bulkheads fore and aft, a feature found in few others of the racing class. She is double-planked. ..." (Source: Anon. "Boston's Fleet of Able, Stanch, and Fast Racing Boats." New York Times, April 19, 1896, p. 16.)

"[Cock Robin (Sail, K) owned by Charles S. Eaton, Port: Boston; LOA 33ft; LWL 20.10ft; Beam 7.6ft; Draft 5ft; designed by N. G. Herreshoff and built by Herreshoff Manufactur'g Co in 1896.]" (Source: Stebbins 1896 Yachtsmen's Album, p. 49.)

"The photograph [by Stebbins in the Supplement] of Cock Robin is included, as that little boat has made a truly wonderful record this season in Boston waters, having secured first every time she started. This boat was built by Messrs. Herreschoff [sic] at Bristol for Mr. Eaton, last spring, and is the only successful small boat that the famous firm turned out this year." (Source: Rudder, December 1896, p. 353.)

"BOSTON, June 19 [1897]. --- The rattling good race of the Massachusetts Yacht Club off Nahant June 17 and the way the Cock Robin beat all the new boats in the knockabout class have given yachtsmen enough to talk about for a month, and now every one is anxious for further meetings of the boats in the hope that Cock Robin can at last be beaten. Not, indeed, that they have any prejudice against the boat, but it is believed that an unbroken series of wins on her part, such as she made last season, is not so conducive to sport as if some of the other boats had a chance once in a while.
But if they are not fast enough to take that chance there seems to be no remedy. Everything considered, the Cock Robin is really a wonderful boat, and the possibility of a continuance of her record is not an improbable one. She has now won twelve consecutive races and has never been beaten. Her present owner, C. H. W. Foster, evidently made a lucky strike when he bought her, while her former owner, who now has the new Herreshoff Cockatoo [#483s], has apparently not bettered himself. Yet Herreshoff did not guarantee to beat the Cock Robin, and probably had a suspicion that he himself had made a 'lucky strike' in her design.
The race was over a ten-mile triangular course. The first leg was three miles to windward in a fresh southeasterly breeze. It was a perfectly even chance for all the boats. Cock Robin was the last boat across the starting line, but had a lead of a minute or more over the second boat when she rounded the outer mark. The reaches the rest of the way were easy things for her, and she was nearly two minutes ahead at the finish." (Source: Anon. (W. J. H.) "Cock Robin's Fine Race. Beats all the Boston Knockabouts, Including the Herreshoff Boat." New York Times, June 20, 1897, p. 21.)

"BOSTON, Sept. 11 [1897]. --- One of the most interesting bits of yachting news during the week was the sale of the twenty-one-foot knockabout Cock Robin [#461s] by C. H. W. Foster to C. S. Eaton, her original owner. In exchange for the Cock Robin Mr. Eaton gives his Herreshoff knockabout Cockatoo [#483s] and $700 to boot, which shows just how badly he wanted his old boat and how much he thinks of her. Eaton sold the Cock Robin last Winter and ordered the Cockatoo in the belief that Herreshoff could improve on the Cock Robin, but it was a case of misplaced confidence. The Cockatoo failed to come up to expectations, and was beaten not only by the Cock Robin, but some-times by the other Herreshoff boats and by the Lawley-designed and built Gosling. So Mr. Eaton is probably glad to get last year's champion back on any terms, since she is undoubtedly faster than either of the four boats Herreshoff has yet turned out. ..." (Source: Anon. "Boston Yachting Notes. The Sale of the Cock Robin." Boston Globe, September 12, 1897, p. 7.)

"The year 1897 was a banner year for the [Knockabout] class, and the racing fleet was composed almost entirely of new boats. Four new Herreshoff boats craft put in an appearance and many Boston designers were represented. Mr. Eaton sold the Cock Robin to C. H. W. Foster, and came out with the Herreshoff Cockatoo [#483s]. W. O. Gay had the Fly [#485s] and H. M. Sears the Hazard [#480s] from the same builders. ... The Cock Robin was not sailed persistently nor in her old form, while the Cockatoo was a great disappointment to her owner, and toward the close of the season he bought back the Cock Robin, giving the Cockatoo and good money for the sake of securing her." (Source: Robinson, W. E. "From Knockabout to Raceabout." Rudder, 1900, p. 193.)

"The first race of season off the Marblehead station of the Boston yacht club, a club race, will be sailed this afternoon, with the preparatory signal at 2:15. In addition to the regular classes ... a class for the 21-foot knockabouts will be sailed.
Early this year Frederick L. Gay, a member of the club, offered a special cup for racing among the boats of the club that conformed to the restrictions of the old 21-foot knockabout association, and today's race is the first arranged for the class. In former years, when this class was active in the racing, no better sport was seen anywhere along the coast than that provided by these boats, which were limited to 21 feet on the water line and carried 600 square feet of sail.
Mr Gay's idea in offering his trophy was to revive interest in this class, which produced a good wholesome boat that, was quite fast.
In today's race it is expected that at least the Clitheroe, formerly the Cock Robin [#461s], and now owned by Walter L. Dean, the Nike, the Aspinet, the Fly [#485s] and the Fancy [#482s ex-Sally III] will start. The Cock Robin, which was designed and built by Herreshoff for C. S. Eaton back in the early [18]'90s and which was raced by William P. Fowle, never lost a championship while in the class. ..." (Source: Anon. "Revival Of Old Class. Event for 21-Foot Knockabouts Will Be a Feature of Boston Y. C, Race Off Marblehead Today." Boston Globe, July 3, 1909, p. 4.)

"The Hollis Burgess Yacht Agency has sold ... the Herreshoff 21-foot raceabout Clitheroe owned by the Estate of Walter L. Dean, of Boston, to Henry P. Benson, of Salem, Mass." (Source: Anon. "Yachts Change Hands." Forest and Stream, April 13, 1912, p. 473.)

"The 21-foot-class (LWL) sloop Cock Robin also had a hull of the bulb-keel type and in overall shape was much like both Kildee [#460s] and Defender [#452s]. In NGH's later bulb-keel designs, the rounded profile shown here gave way to keels that were straight on the bottom and had some drag so that the boats, when grounded on a sloping beach or railway, would set level without tipping forward.
Designed for Massachusetts Bay racing, Cock Robin became well known as 'the boat to beat.' Besides her large original gaff sloop rig, ..., she was fitted with at least two smaller rigs so as to comply with evolving rules for classification. Fitted with a 500-square-foot rig, boats like this were known as 'knockabouts.' Another 100 square feet made them 'raceabouts' and placed them in a different class. Cock Robin, at times, sailed with rigs of each size, and as a knockabout, abandoned her bowsprit altogether and was rigged with a jib tacked to the stemhead.
Although in 1896 fin-keelers were still very fashionable for afternoon 'round-the-buoy racing, it was not long before bulb-keeled boats with hull shapes like Cock Robin's showed their superior speed in light airs and surpassed the fin-keelers in popularity. Over the next twenty-five years, NGH would go on to design a great many outside-ballasted day boats based on the Cock Robin concept. They would be of about the same size, with deep, comfortable cockpits and small cabins outfitted only with a couple of settees and a couple of storage shelves. The S-class boats of 1919, for example, stem from this design." (Source: Bray, Maynard and Carlton Pinheiro. Herreshoff of Bristol. Brooklin, Maine, 1989, p. 59.)

"N/A"

"[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:] Penciled pantograph hull sections with calculations titled 'Preliminary. 21ft. #461 [COCK ROBIN]. Nov[ember] 28 [18]95'." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Pantograph Hull Sections. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE04_06250. Folder [no #]. 1895-11-28.)
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"[Item Description:] Penciled pantograph hull sections titled '#461. 21ft. Final. Dec[ember] 6 [18]95. COCK ROBIN'. With calculations arriving at a total displacement of 6150lbs. With three displacement curves, one marked '#492 & 493 [sic, i.e. probably #493s JILT and #494s SINTRAM]' and '48.5cuft' and a note 'Total disp. 6260lbs. Disp. body part 5130[lbs]'." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Pantograph Hull Sections. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE04_06210. Folder [no #]. 1895-12-06.)
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"[Item Description:] Penciled pantograph lead sections titled 'Lead for #461 [COCK ROBIN]'. With calculations arriving at '3527.6031lbs lead'. Undated (COCK ROBIN's pantograph hull sections are dated December 6, 1895)." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Pantograph Lead Sections. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE04_08870. Folder [no #]. No date (1895-12-06 or later).)
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"[Item Transcription:] Doubtless you will be pleased to learn the particulars of the race in which the COCK ROBIN [#461s] won. The race was over a triangular course of ten miles. The start was from the gun. Seven boats started. We were third boat across the line,and in about five minutes held a good windward position, and worked clear of the fleet. We found that we would be able to fetch the mark easily, and eased sheets accordingly,rounding the first mark one minute ahead of the next boat. Next mark was a close reach and we rounded it two minutes and fifty-eight seconds ahead of the first boat. Next leg was a run dead before the wind and we finished three minutes and eight seconds ahead of first boat. There was practically no windward work during the race.
Next Saturday the Eastern Yacht Club give a race for knockabouts, the prize an hundred dollar cup which we want very much. I intended hauling out about Thursday and scrubbing her bottom. Would you advise anything more than merely scrubbing? She seems to have a very smooth bottom now.
The owner of one of the old knockabouts has fallen in love with the green paint on the Cock Robin's bottom, and wished mo to ask you if it would be possible for him to get some for his boat, if you have no objection to selling it for other boats than your own.
I send you a copy of the Transcript of June 30th, which I think will amuse you." (Source: Eaton, C.S. Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_00040. Correspondence, Folder 1_14, formerly (84). 1896-06-22.)
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"[Item Transcription:] I have been very glad to receive your kind letter of Sept. 3rd, as I can understand there from that your yachts have great successes and I beg to congratulate you thereon.
COCK ROBIN [#461s] was my favorite --- I always thought her to be very fast, as she certainly ought to be, having such niche, sweeping lines, especially the deck line.
Don't you think ALFRIDA [#473s] has a little too short a counter for such a wide, flat boat?
When heeled over in a strong wind and sea, her high transom must be immersed, thus obstructing her speed.
We have had some very grand racing hereabout this summer, beginning in Kiel, and then to Copenhagen, Gothenburg and Stockholm, one week in every place. We have raced against Watson, Sibbick, and Fife yachts, all new and modern, but you bet the Swedish yachts beat them all.
Especially so the Watson and Fife boats but the Sibbick 36-footer BLENDA was very fast in light airs and usually took first prize then, but was badly beaten in strong wind by the Swedish keel boats (not fin keel), which is to be wondered at.
Fife told the owner of his yacht MARIATTA (36-footer L.V.L.) that no keel boat in the Baltic Sea would beat her, but she was beaten on every occasion by the swedish yacht ARIADNE, also a keel boat.
Next summer there will be a grand exhibition and big races.
I should like to convince you to come over to us for a rest, where you would be sure of splendid sailing and a most hearty welcome, as every yachtsman here would be happy to make the time for you to pass as pleasantly as possible. And then you would learn the charm of a swedish summer night, light, warm and balmy, as I nowhere else have found it.
And the voyage is not so long after all, only 10 days.
Hoping to soon have something from you , I remain ..." (Source: Liljegren, Charles O. Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_34050. Subject Files, Folder 41, formerly 28-30. 1896-10-04.)
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"[Item Transcription:] [Signed handwritten (in ink) letter:] Your note of 10th at hand. I will wait until you are at leisure. I am glad to see by the papers, that the new torpedo boat [#185p DUPONT?] is as good as the EDITH [#456s] and the COCK ROBIN [#461s].
Yours truly ..." (Source: Baker, Charles M. Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_34350. Subject Files, Folder 41, formerly 28-30. 1897-02-12.)
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"[Item Description:] have been thinking over a craft for you, an enlarged #461s COCK ROBIN would be very good for you, able and very fast, arrangements compared to #449s ANOATOK, 44ft overall, advise rig similar to ANOATOK, if you prefer topsail this could be set on polemast as on #439s MEMORY ex-ALERION I, cannot give you definite price as my brother is away, around $4,000, it looks as if the proposed [by Herman Duryea] 46 foot class [#189702es Unbuilt Special 46ft Class of 1898] will not mature and if so would be pleased to take up the matter at once [Owen subsequently contracted for #487s ONWARD], (fragment)" (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. Letter to George Owen. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_12840. Correspondence, Folder 36, formerly 189. 1897-10-04.)
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"[Item Description:] the failure of the 46-footers [#189702es Unbuilt 46ft Class of 1898] has been a very great disappointment to me but has taught me a good lesson, I don't think the thirties [NP30s] will stand another conservation[?] hammering[?] and I want to race something, will go shooting Dec to Feb, please come, have 50000 acres, possible new boat, cost, if Iselin builds 60-footer with you please let me know, gentleman in question has given me so much bother in this new class we tried for that I am after his scalp, enlarged #461s COCK ROBIN" (Source: Duryea, Herrman B. Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_19250. Correspondence, Folder 52, formerly 48, 49. 1897-10-15.)
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"N/A"

"[Item Transcription:] I have not had a good opportunity to try out the 'LITTLE ROBIN' [#559s] until this morning. It blew quite hard and was quite puffy. We put one reef in the mainsail and used number two jib.
I found her to be a most excellent sea boat, very dry and exceedingly well balanced, even better than the 'COCK ROBIN' [#461s], which seems hardly possible. With the wind a beam or close hauled when puffs struck her, although she has a tendency to come into the wind, yet she can be thrown broad off very easily. She is under perfect control at all times. I could not ask for a better boat for my boys, and I want to thank you again for the interest you took in making for me such a good boat for them." (Source: Eaton, C.S. Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_00200. Correspondence, Folder 1_14, formerly (84). 1901-08-07.)
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"[Item Description:] NYYC plans for Model Room, newly established model committee, reference to #461s COCK ROBIN, would you furnish plans to club to assist it in making models?: NGH replies that he will be glad to render assistance but HMCo has made it a rule not to send out models or drawings of their recent (one or two years old) yachts, our own company has never employed a model maker, I having taken it in my hands for the love of it, son Sidney is getting very handy with tools and likes to do accurate work, suggestion that you give him the opportunity to make the model" (Source: Zerega, Theodore (incl NGH reply). Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_09980. Correspondence, Folder 29, formerly 28-30. 1904-11-09.)
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"[Item Description:] #461s CLITHEROE ex-COCK ROBIN [Clitheroe, England was the birth place of marine painter Walter L. Dean's father Benjamin Dean and the name of Walter L. Dean's younger sister.]" (Source: Dean, Walter L. Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_22620. Correspondence, Folder 67, formerly 135. 1909-07-06.)
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"[Item Description:] Handwritten (in pencil and ink) table titled 'Examples in Formulating Measurement Rule, Sept 1933' and providing data for LOA, LWL, Length quarter beam plane, Q.B.L., Mean beam, Draft, Freeboard, Displacement, Sail Ara, Rating by Universal Rule, Corrected length, Sailing Length, Power Number Pn, Draft Limits for Racing and Cruising Yachts and others for a #722s KATOURA, #692s WESTWARD, #719s VAGRANT, #698s QUEEN MAB ex-VAGRANT I, #499s COLUMBIA, #725s RESOLUTE, New York 50 Class, #703s FLYING CLOUD, New York 30 Class, #461s COCK ROBIN, #732s SADIE, and Buzzards Bay 15 Class. Undated (part of NGH's Power number (Pn) measurement rule from September 1933)." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Table. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_74060. Measuring and Measurement Rules (Box 2), Folder B2F09, formerly MRDE15. No date (ca1933-09).)
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Note: This list of archival documents contains in an unedited form any and all which mention #461s Cock Robin even if just in a cursory way. Permission to digitize, transcribe and display is gratefully acknowledged.

• Robinson, John G. "Cock Robin Comes Home." Rudder, June 1941, p. 16-17, 54-55. (2,096 kB)
  Document is copyrighted: Yes. Travel account.

• Cock Robin (HMCo-made index card)
• Cock Robin (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: Cock Robin
Type: J & M
Length: 21'
Owner: Eaton, C. S.

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

• Cock Robin
• Creeper ex-Cock Robin
• Grig ex-Cock Robin
• 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: Cock Robin
Type: 21' sloop
Owner: Charles S. Eaton
Year: 1896
Row No.: 122

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: 12
Year: 1895
E/P/S: S
No.: 0461
Name: Cock Robin
LW: 21'
B: 7' 6"
D: 5' 6"
Rig: J & M
K: y
Ballast: Lead
Amount: $2100.00
Last Name: Eaton
First Name: C. S.

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.

"Built in 151 days (contract to launch; equivalent to $14/day, 41 lbs displacement/day)." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. January 16, 2024.)

"Sail area 551.5 sqft from untitled two-page rating-rule-related table handwritten (in ink) by N. G. Herreshoff with multiple dimensions for the most important Herreshoff-designed yachts. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum. MRDE15, Folder [no #]. Undated (the most recent boat dates 1914/1915 and the table was probably prepared in preparation for NGH's sail area rating rule of 1914/1915)." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. September 16, 2020.)

"[Sail area 500 sq.ft. as per maximum allowed in knockabout rule.]" (Source: Anon. "Ready for Orders. The Herreshoffs Can Start Cup Defenders on Short Notice." New York Times, April 19, 1896, p. 16.)

"Displacement 97.2 cu.ft. [= 6221 lbs] from untitled two-page rating-rule-related table handwritten (in ink) by N. G. Herreshoff with multiple dimensions for the most important Herreshoff-designed yachts. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum. MRDE15, Folder [no #]. Undated (the most recent boat dates 1914/1915 and the table was probably prepared in preparation for NGH's sail area rating rule of 1914/1915)." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. September 16, 2020.)

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