HMCo #483s Cockatoo

"[1896-12-16] ... Wed 16: Have order from Mr. Eaton for 21ft Knockabout [#483s Cockatoo].
[1897-03-19] Fri 19: ... Set up #483 [Cockatoo] & 484 [#484s Opposum].
[1897-04-02] Fri 2: ... Turned over No 483 [#483s Cockatoo].
[1897-04-27] Tue 27: Launched Cockatoo #483. ...
[1897-04-28] Wed 28: ... Rigged & tried Cockatoo [#483s].
[1897-04-30] Fri 30: Mr. Eaton & [Mr.] Fowle took Cockatoo [#483s] to Boston. ..." (Source: Herreshoff, Nathanael G. Diary, 1896 to 1897. Manuscript (excerpts). Herreshoff Marine Museum Collection.)

"Jan[uary] 1897.
No. 482 [#482s Sally III] and 483 [#483s Cockatoo].
Frame spaces 10 1/2".
Small side of timbers set to spacings.
Timbers to work not less than 1" space in any part. To be sided 1" at head, increasing 1/16" per foot for full length. Moulded to bevel off to 1" on small side.
Deduct in making moulds for timbers 1", planking 3/4", total 1 3/4".
Use lead pattern of #461 [Cock Robin] after adding to top 0" at forward end, 3 1/4" at aft end. Also on back end for increased rake of sternpost." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. [Penciled note in Offset Booklet HH.4.103.] Haffenreffer-Herreshoff Collection, MIT Museum, Cambridge, MA.)

"Did any yachtsman take The Globe's tip of a week ago and bet that C. S. Eaton would order a new knockabout of Herreshoff to replace the Cock Robin? If so he is a winner, for the order has been placed and the boat will come around the cape early in the spring. It is understood that Herreshoff gives no guarantee of any marked improvement over Cock Robin, nor does he, indeed, hold out much hope in that direction. Mr Eaton understands this fully, however, and is merely hoping for a fair share of wins against Cock Robin and the other new ones. Ex Com. Fowle will again be with him in the races." (Source: Robinson, W. E. "C. S. Eaton Orders New Herreshoff Boat to Replace the Cock Robin." Boston Globe, January 3, 1897, p. 28.)

"The 21-foot knockabout Cockatoo was launched from Herreshoffs' Tuesday [April 27, 1897] afternoon. She was built for C. S. Eaton of Boston, formerly owner of the Cock Robin [#461s]. Her dimensions are thirty one feet over all, twenty-one feet water line, seven feet, two inches beam and five feet, three inches draft
Her lines are not so fine as the Cock Robin's, the stem not being cut away so much below the water line. She will carry jib and mainsail, the total spread being 500 feet. She has 3.500 pounds of lead on her keel. She was given a trial trip Wednesday afternoon and made a good showing." (Source: Anon. "Launched Tuesday." Bristol Phoenix, April 30, 1897, p. 2.)

"BOSTON, May 1 [1897]. --- The first of this season's new twenty-one-foot knockabouts is in the water, and has had a trial under sail. The boat is the Cockatoo, built by the Herreshoffs for C.S. Eaton of the Marblehead Corinthians, to replace last year's champion, Cock Robin. She was launched last Tuesday [April 27, 1897], tried under sail Wednesday, and was delivered to her owner Friday morning, ready either to race or cruise. The trial under sail was made by 'Nat' Herrshoff personally, and is understood to have been very satisfactory. The boat promised to be the equal of last year's champion, if not even a shade better, although, as a matter of fact, the Herreshoffs have given no guarantee of improvement.
Afloat, the Cockatoo looks very much like the Cock Robin, except that she is painted white clear to the rail, and does not have the bright oak which marks the older boat. The house is also lower. In fact, it is little more than the roofing over of the forward end of a long cockpit, and will not be the slightest detriment to the boat's sailing, while at the time affording a chance of shelter or for sleeping when on a cruise. The sail plan looks to be higher than the Cock Robin's, with a corresponding shortening of the main boom, so that the limit of 500 square feet of sail may not be exceeded. The sails are 'cross-cut,' and of the Herreshoffs's own make. The boat is 31 feet overall, 21 feet waterline, 7 feet 4 inches beam, and 5 feet 6 inches draught, with 3,500 pounds of lead on the keel.
Friday afternoon the Cockatoo's owner, accompanied by ex-Commodore W. P. Fowle of the Corinthians, left Bristol in the boat for Newport, bound for Boston around Cape Cod. At Newport they were joined by Arthur Foss. They expect to reach Marblehead Sunday night, but must have good weather in order to do it. ..." (Source: Anon. "Trial of the Cockatoo. Herreshoff's Knockabout Built for C.S. Eaton Sails Well." New York Times, May 2, 1897, p. 4.)

"How Mr Eaton's Boat Resembles and How Differs from Cock Robin.
The Cockatoo, built by the Herreshoffs for C. S. Eaton to replace the Cock Robin, is the first of the new 21-foot knockabouts to get afloat. She was launched early last week at Bristol, was given a personal trial under sail by 'Nat' Herreshoff, and is now on her way around the Cape in charge of ex Com W. P. Fowle of the Marblehead Corinthians, who brought the Cock Robin around the Cape last spring. She is an interesting boat at the present time, and promises even more of interest as the season advances.
Whether or not she is an improvement on the Cock Robin is the main question. The Herreshoffs will not guarantee that she is, but like her owner they have hopes of an affirmative answer.
She is very like the Cock Robin in model, but has a little greater displacement, is more lightly constructed and has a different sail plan. The greater displacement shows in a sharper floor and a little more draft than in last year's champion, while the lighter construction is found in spacing the frames 12 inches instead of 9 inches on centers. The new boat also has a foot to nine inches less length over all than the Cock Robin. Best obtainable figures of her dimensions are as follows: Over all 30 feet 9 inches, waterline 21 feet, beam 7 feet 4 inches, draft 5 feet 6 inches. Cock Robin was 31 feet 6 inches over all and drew 5 feet 3 inches.
The sail plan of the Cockatoo looks to be higher and narrower than that of the Cock Robin, with a shorter main boom and less length of jib on the foot. Such a sail plan is in keeping with the extra power of the boat, and explains the shortening of the over all length. The changes in sail plan and model should make a faster boat, either in very light or very heavy weather, with about as good a chance as the Cock Robin in moderate airs. The boat handled finely in her trial, and seemed to be going very fast. ..." (Source: Anon. "Yachts and Yachtsmen. Cockatoo First Afloat of the New Knockabouts." Boston Globe, May 2, 1897, p. 28.)

"C. S. Eaton's new Herreshoff knockabout Cockatoo is at Marblehead, after a passage of less than 40 hours from Newport. Most of the trip was against a head wind and sea, but the boat came along very fast and behaved splendidly. She was in charge of W. P. Fowle, who was accompanied by one of Mr Eaton's men.
The Cockatoo left Newport Thursday evening-and reached Marblehead at 10 o'clock Saturday morning, with everything in good shape, but with skipper and crew a bit sleepy.
Mr. Fowle says that she behaved splendidly under alll conditions met with, and that he is perfectly satisfied with her sailing abilities.
Mr Eaton will have a sail in her today, weather permitting." (Source: Anon. "Now At Marblehead. Eaton's New Cockatoo Makes Quick Passage Around the Cape." Boston Globe, May 9, 1897, p. 32.)

"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 [#461s] 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.)

"N/A"

"[Item Description:] Penciled pantograph hull sections titled '1st trial' with no further notes or calculations. On verso another set of penciled pantograph hull sections titled '2nd trial 483 [#483s COCKATOO]. Dec[ember] 17 [18]96'. With calculations arriving at a displacement of 102.1cuft = 6510lbs." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Pantograph Hull Sections. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE04_05660. Folder [no #]. 1896-12-17.)
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"[Item Description:] Penciled pantograph hull sections titled '#483 [COCKATOO]. Jan[uary] 7 [18]97'. With calculations arriving at a displacement of 100.4cuft = 6450lbs." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Pantograph Hull Sections. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE04_05620. Folder [no #]. 1897-01-07.)
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"[Item Transcription:] Yours of 23rd rec[eive]d. It will be quite an interesting experiment in the matter of fins & I am very keen to see what will happen in the first race. I am sure I won't[?] have as good a boat for general utility[?], but I got her to race, I cannot go against your judgement in the mater so will have the deck covered with canvas & painted a putty color, as to the use of the work I will let you know a little later --- I was in Newport for 5 hrs a short time since & spent some of it looking at, I think, the COCKATOO [#483s] w[hic]h was tied to the NYYC dock. I thought she was very nice indeed. On account of Mr. Moran's illness and death our plans have been indefinite all winter so I have done nothing about any won[?] of a boat there[?] the PUCK [#465s] & I am not at all sure I shall, notwithstanding my longing[?] for almost any kind of a salt water spree. We have had a most beautiful season so far despite its lateness the country new[?] to me, looked so fine & with generally good health as am Enjoying it very much. We will probably go to Newport later part of June & I am looking forward most of all to some of our chats & a walk thru' the shop & the model room. Mr. Iselin thinks some of taking out the DEFENDER [#452s] but had not, a few days since, definitely decided. I am sending you a circular w[hic]h you have probably seen, but I should think[?] it would pay you to get the right to use these boilers (oil fuel) in some of y[ou]r launches or larger boats. I have seen several & they seem drier[?] boats with inferior models quite fast.
No 6 [#184p PORTER] seems to have been very successful & generally admired. I hope I may get [a] ride or a sail or a steamer on the Sislu[?] boat. I am most anxious to hear result of trials of some of the new torpedo boats or rival builders. I believe they will be interesting, in a way. When I have a little time I can waste it always for myself the pleasure of dreaming about the 145ft WL schooner w[hich] would be so unpracticable[?] but delightful. Mrs Morgan joins me in kindest remembrances to all the family, ... [Part of group of letters in envelope marked 'Letters from E.D. Morgan' which is included with this item.]" (Source: Morgan, E.D. Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_37500. Correspondence, Folder 73, formerly 77. 1897-05-25.)
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Note: This list of archival documents contains in an unedited form any and all which mention #483s Cockatoo even if just in a cursory way. Permission to digitize, transcribe and display is gratefully acknowledged.

• Cockatoo (HMCo-made index card)
• Cockatoo (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: Cockatoo
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.

• Cockatoo
• 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: Cockatoo
Type: 21' J & M
Owner: C. F. Eaton
Row No.: 120

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: Dec
Day: 19
Year: 1896
E/P/S: S
No.: 0483
Name: Cockatoo
LW: 21'
B: 7' 7"
D: 5' 9"
Rig: J & M
K: y
Ballast: Lead
Amount: 2050.00
Notes Constr. Record: Moulds 482
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 129 days (contract to launch; equivalent to $16/day, 52 lbs displacement/day)." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. January 16, 2024.)

"[Sail area 500sqft as per maximum allowed in knockabout rule.]" (Source: Anon. "Trial of the Cockatoo. Herreshoff's Knockabout Built for C.S. Eaton Sails Well." New York Times, May 2, 1897, p. 4.)

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