HMCo #484s Opossum [Opposum]

"[1897-03-19] Fri 19: ... Set up #483 [Cockatoo] & 484 [#484s Opposum].
[1897-05-26] Wed 26: Launched & rigged Opposum (#484).
[1897-05-30] Sun 30: Delivered #484 Opposum to Mr. Emmons. ...
[1900-06-16] Sat 16: Very fine. Fresh SW [wind] in p.m. Race in harbor by B[ristol] Y[acht] C[lub]. Alice [#405s, built in 1889], Kildee [#460s] & Opossum [#484s] won. Virginia [#533s] hauled out to smooth. Launched #543 [sic, i. e. #540s] Sandpiper, 15 footer." (Source: Herreshoff, Nathanael G. Diary, 1897 to 1900. Manuscript (excerpts). Herreshoff Marine Museum Collection [1897]. Diary access courtesy of Halsey C. Herreshoff [1900].)

"No. 484 [#484s].
Light c[enter]b[oard] racing boat 17ft w.l. 6' 9" beam.
Frame spaces 5". Use scale 10/11 of ft long in laying out fore & aft measurement.
Timbers at even no. frames, moulded 3/4", sided 9/16".
Planking double, inner 3/16 w[hite] pine, outer 3/16 mahogany.
Deduct for making moulds for timbers 3/4, planking 3/8, total 1 1/8"." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. [Penciled notes in Offset Booklet HH.4.104.] February 1897. Haffenreffer-Herreshoff Collection, MIT Museum, Cambridge, MA.)

"A 17 foot sail boat named the Apposum [sic, i.e. Opossum] was launched at Herreshoffs' yesterday [sic, i.e. on May 26, 1897]." (Source: Anon. "Bristol and Vicinity." Bristol Phoenix, May 28, 1897, p. 2.)

"Mrs J[ohn] B[rown] Francis Herreshoff and family arrived here Wednesday, and are occupying the Chesebrough house on Hope street. ... The small knockabout racing yacht Oppossum was launched Tuesday at Walker's Cove and and was given a spin Wednesday by her owner, Francis Herreshoff, Jr. of Brooklyn, N Y, and three friends. [Francis Lee Herreshoff (1883-1956) was the son of NGH's brother J. B. F. Herreshoff, the famous chemicist and president of the Nichols Copper Company in Brooklyn, N.Y. Apparently Opossum had been taken over by Francis Lee Herreshoff from R. W. Emmons for whom #502s Cyrilla had been built in the spring of 1899.]" (Source: Anon. "News and Notes of Local Interest." Bristol Phoenix, June 9, 1899, p. 2.)

"... Francis L. Herreshoff, of Brooklyn, is going to have a new racer next season, to replace his centreboard knockabout Opossum. ..." (Source: Anon. "Notes Of Ice And Water Yachts." New York Tribune, January 21, 1900, p. B2.)

"... In the Walker's Cove yard the designer's steam yacht Squib [#188p] was hauled out for the winter a few days ago. ... Other craft laid up there recently are the freak San Toy [#190009es], owned by Charles F. Herreshoff, 2d, and the Opossum [#484s], same owner. ..." (Source: Anon. "Yachting News Notes." Forest & Stream, November 17, 1900, p. 397.)

"The fin keel sloop Opossum, built several years ago for Francis Herreshoff, Jr. [sic, i.e. to R. W. Emmons 2d], was shipped by rail today to Capt. F. S. Newton, Greenwich, Conn." (Source: Anon. "News and Notes of Local Interest." Bristol Phoenix, June 7, 1901, p. 2.)

"... [In 1903] H. Mason Raborg and his Herreshoff designed 18 foot OPOSSUM was the first boat of her class to win a season championship on Long Island Sound under the New York Athletic Club colors. ..." (Source: Anon. "New York Athletic Club. History." http://www.nyac.org/Default.aspx?p=DynamicModule&pageid=265201, retrieved February 13, 2011.)

"N/A"

"[Item Transcription:] Here are all the dimensions and information as I got them from Mr Eustis, owner of GRILSE [a centerboard sloop built by W. F. Mayberry of Quincy, Mass. in 1894 and owned by A. H. Eustis]. Also drawing as well[?] I can make them at sight after seeing the model.
Yours,
Robert Emmons 2d
GRILSE's measurements
overall 24-6
LWL 16-11
beam 6-1
draught 6 inches
Sail area 360 feet (all she can carry in a breeze)
Weight of Hull originally 626 lbs now 560
Centreboard a bronze daggerboard about 4 feet wide wight 100
She has only about 2 feet overhang aft - next is forward - carries her beam well to the end and sides that flare 10 inches to a foot just tunnelling[?] in on plank shear - freeboard is about 10 inches to 1 ft
Her entrance lines are sharp not at all like the present bluff lines like the boat from Canada or even the SALLY [#462s] as I understand her.
The 'CERO' [30ft knockabout owned by W.E.C. Eustis] which beat the HANDSEL [#422s] last summer is an enlarged model of the GRILSE.
Mr Eustis says that SALLY could beat the GRILSE always in 2 reef breeze but in light and whole sail breezes could not. [Sketch]
My idea is that a boat of a little larger rig and more powerful model will beat GRILSE. From what I hear and have seen daggerboard seems to be good and I do not see why with lead at bottom and made of wood would not be better than bronze. You get your weight lower when either up or down and it seems to give a little which I have a theory favors a boat.
Any of the information you require I will gladly get if possible, and I will bring my young brother [William B. Emmons?] down on Saturday Dec 26 if convenient to you and I can tell you what our racing rules will be as they talk of making a change and the meeting is today. Hoping we can arrange designs and price later,
Yours sincerely ...
[Next page:] [Sketch] This is a rough draught of what the midship section looks like as I saw it on the model an hour ago. Of course as she goes forward her sections get very extenuated[?] as her great plane[?] does not. [Sketch] allow[?] the[?] lines[?] to be drawing in too quickly. I send you a rough[?] idea of what I think her deck and [?] lines look like. RWE 2d [Undated. Given the mention of GRILSE the letter must be from 1894 or later. Given the mention of Saturday Dec 26 the letter is quite certainly from 1896, the only year between 1894 and 1903 when December 26 fell on a Saturday. Given Emmons were to visit NGH on Dec 26 we may assume this letter was written shortly before and quite certainly in December 1896. This may make this letter the earliest R.W. Emmons letter in the HMM collection, Emmons (December 28, 1872 – April 18, 1928) being just 23 when he wrote this letter. It also strongly suggests this letter to have been written in preparation for the ordering of #484s OPPOSSUM, the first of many boats to be built by HMCo for Emmons.]" (Source: Emmons, Robert W. Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_42530. Correspondence, Folder 90, formerly 105. No date (1896-12 ?).)
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"[Item Description:] Penciled pantograph hull sections titled 'Model 18ft 7in w.l. Made in 1894 for Upper Thames 1 rating class. Feb[ruary] 12 [18]97. 10/11 of 18ft 7in = 16.9 w.l. for Buzzards Bay 19ft class (19ft measured 2in above w.l., without crew of 3). To be used for #484. Buzzards Bay 19ft class. OPPOSSUM [#484s]'. With calculations arriving at a displacement of 20.22cuft = 1300lbs and wetted surface of 64.2[sqft]." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Pantograph Hull Sections. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE04_05600. Folder [no #]. 1897-02-12.)
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"[Item Description:] Penciled pantograph hull sections titled 'New model [Model 19] for 19ft class Buzzards Bay. 17ft 4 1/2in w.l. Feb[ruary] 12 [18]97. Spaces 1.7375ft. OPPOSSUM [#484s]'. With calculations arriving at a displacement of 21.70cuft = 1395lbs." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Pantograph Hull Sections. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE04_05640. Folder [no #]. 1897-02-12.)
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"[Item Transcription:] I had hoped to get down and have a talk with you this week and being [with?] my father and brother but I shall be unable to.
I am however very anxious to try and build something to meet Mr Eustis's latest racing machine and I send you her dimensions and how the 'OPOSSUM' [#484s] compared with her so that if you have any ideas on the subject and would be willing to undertake the job I should like to hear from you.
CAPELIN overall 26 - 5 1/2
LWL 15 - 3
beam extreme 8 - 2
beam at LWL 6 -
draft - 5 in
Sail area (main & jib) 460 feet
She was constructed of a very light cedar plank 3/8 and covered with canvas
deck was covered over 3/8 or 1/4 and she leaked badly at times. She had no weight of any sort except her two centre boards which weighed about 60 lbs apiece and her two rudders. I think that when she got her crew of 3 on board she must have been 20ft LWL. She was much like the MOMO in many ways except that her floor was perfectly flat for about 1/2 of her beam. The OPOSSUM I found when Eustis got his craft going would out-sail within[?] 5-min[?] of him[?] on a 6 or 7 mile course dead to windward and back and on a reach it would be worse. Though not[?] holding so good a wind he footed enough faster to beat me from 1 to 2 min to windward and there[?] sail much faster. This is about our comparison in a light breeze, a wholesail, and a single reef, in two reefs and rough water I could beat him slightly to windward and in a very light breeze I could beat him both to windward and free. My own ideas on the subject if you think they are worth anything are that to beat such a boat, a boat of similar length overall if not more and perhaps more beam without[?] quite such a flat floor and a larger sail plan. My reasons for this are that our measurement next year is to be under 18 feet waterline with crew of 3 (150 per man) or board[?].
The OPOSSUM was too small a boat to compete against such a boat as CAPELIN &[?] he[?] easily beat all the old boats which were nearer her size but when CAPELIN was sailed properly we could not hold her. How if you will give me your ideas on the subject and what kind of a boat you would advise building, what she will cost, and also if you know of anyone that could dispose of the OPOSSUM to I shall be most anxious to talk.
I don't think my father is[?] quite made up on his mind on steamers yet.
CAPELINs cross section I should say at point of immersions forward (No 1) [sketch] and ship section (No 2) [sketch]
Point of immersion aft (No 3) [sketch] look like this.
Her freeboard as about 10 in.
These are hand drawn in hurry. I will get a draft of CAPELIN's model made by a draftsman if you desire it. Let me hear from you. Yours ... [Undated, but 1897 or later as OPOSSUM, MOMO, CAPELIN and other boats built and sailed in 1897 are mentioned. Marked in upper margin on first page by NGH in ink 'Ans(wered) in a(?)t Jan 4', suggesting this letter may have been written two or three days before January 4, 1898.]" (Source: Emmons, Robert W. Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_42650. Correspondence, Folder 90, formerly 105. No date (1898 ?-01 ?-ca02 ?).)
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"N/A"

"[Item Description:] Penciled pantograph hull sections annotated 'June 5, 1909[sic]. #710 OLEANDER. Launched Aug 12 1911. Model of #484 (OPPOSSUM) raised up and deeper in the water to make a c.b. Knockabout with light draft & rig. At scale of 1in is 25ft 9in o.a., 22ft 0in w.l. At scale of lengths of 10/11 x 1/12 (As is Oppossum) o.a. = 23ft 4in, w.l. = 20ft 0in. Length at Q.b. model 19ft 8 1/2 (10/11 = 17ft 11in). Mean l.w.l. & Q.b.l. = 18ft 11 1/2in.Sail limit by formula ... 322[sqft]. ... Actual sail area 333. 1919 - 289'. With detailed scantlings 'by rule' (Herreshoff Rule for Wooden Yachts). With calculations for weight (2595lbs) and rating (18.8). On verso another set of penciled pantograph hull sections that is crossed out and titled 'June 4, 1909. Model of #484 (OPPOSSUM) raised up and deeper to make a c.b. knockabout. At scale of 1in w.l. is 20ft 11in and Q.b.l. 19ft 6 1/4in with breadth of 5ft 11in. ... see other side'. With weight calculations arriving at a total of 2200lbs." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Pantograph Hull Sections. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE04_01080. Folder [no #]. 1909-06-05.)
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Note: This list of archival documents contains in an unedited form any and all which mention #484s Opossum [Opposum] even if just in a cursory way. Permission to digitize, transcribe and display is gratefully acknowledged.

• Opposum (HMCo-made index card)
• Opposum (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: Opossum [sic, i.e. Oppossum?]
Type: J & M
Length: 17'
Owner: Emmons, R. W.

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

• Opposum
• 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: Opossum
Type: 16' 4" sloop
Owner: R. W. Emmons
Year: 1898
Row No.: 495

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: Jan
Day: 16
Year: 1897
E/P/S: S
No.: 0484
Name: Opposum
LW: 17'
Rig: J & M
CB: y
Ballast: Lead
Amount: 900.00
Last Name: Emmons
First Name: R. W.

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.

"Note that the 1898 Beverly Yacht Club Yearbook. lists Opossum's LWL as 15ft 6in while the only dimension provided in the HMCo Construction Record is a waterline length of 17ft. Note also, that 1898 was the only year that Opossum was listed in the BYC yearbook. Apparently she then became the property of NGH's nephew Francis Lee Herreshoff, as suggested by several newspaper articles reporting a small knockabout named Opossum being owned by him." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. April 5, 2017.)

"No. 484. Light c.b. racing boat 17ft w.l. 6ft 9in beam
Frame spaces 5in. Use scale 10/11 of ft long in laying out fore & aft measurements.
Timbers at even no. frames moulded 3/4in sided 9/16in.
Planking double inner 3/16 w[hite] pine, outer 3/16 mahogany." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. Note on First Page of Offset Booklet for Oppossum. Hart Nautical Collections, MIT Museum, ob. no. HH.4.104. January 1897, ca.)

"Built in 130 days (contract to launch; equivalent to $7/day)." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. January 16, 2024.)

"Mainsail 281, Jib 88, Balloonjib 130, Spinnaker 188, No 2 Jib 48 sqft." (Soure: Herreshoff Manufacturing Company. Note on plan HH.5.10345 (130-043) No. 484 Sail Plan Opossum (1897-04-19). Haffenreffer-Herreshoff Collection, Hart Nautical Collections, MIT Museum, Cambridge, MA.)

1688

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