HMCo #517s Swanhild II

"[1899-02-15] Wed 15: Very fine. Calm [in] AM. Fresh S [wind in] PM. Clear. Harbor completely frozen over. No vessels moving. Have order for 15 footer #516 [Budda] & 24 footer #517 [Swanhild].
[1899-02-25] Sat 25: Very fine & cool. Mod[erate] NW [wind] & clear. ... Began setting up #517, 24 ft [Swanhild II].
[1899-03-08] Wed 8: Fine & cold. Strong NW [wind] & clear. Turned over #417 [sic, i.e. #517s Swanhild II].
[1899-04-05] Wed 5: Fair & clear [with] strong NE [wind] all day. Launched #517 Swanhild II. ...
[1899-04-06] Thu 6: Very fine [with] N to NW [in] AM. and[?] calm [at] 5 PM. Clear. ... Tried #517 [Swanhild II].
[1899-04-09] Sun 9: Very fine. Strong SW to WSW [wind]. Off in Swanhild II ...
[1899-05-04] Thu 4: Very fine [with] variable wind. John started for NY in Agusta [sic, i.e. #146p Augusta] towing Swanhild II. ..." (Source: Herreshoff, Nathanael G. Diary, 1899. Manuscript (excerpts). Diary access courtesy of Halsey C. Herreshoff.)

"Feb[ruary] 18th, [18]99
No. 517
To be made on moulds of #493 & 494 [#494s]. Same scantlings except double planking 9/16", with outside thickness of Mahogany.
Clamp & bilge stringers to lighter. No cabin house.
Deck 9/16" & canvas.
Frame spaces 10".
Use lead pattern of #494 lengthened by cutting in two and inserting 10 1/2".
To be ready for trial 1st week in April [1899]." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. [Penciled note in Offset Booklet HH.4.088.] Haffenreffer-Herreshoff Collection, MIT Museum, Cambridge, MA.)

".... The 24-footer sloop Swanhilde II is completed and will soon be sent to her owner in Germany. She is now in Walker's Cove. She is a mahogany boat, finished bright in natural wood above the water line and coated with silver paint below the water line. She is a fin keel racer of peculiar lines and is expected to astonish the natives across the water. ..." (Source: Anon. "Hustling At Herreshoff's." Bristol Phoenix, April 28, 1899, p. 1.)

"... The Swanhilde, a 20-foot waterline freak fin that has just been finished by the Herreshoffs for a German yachtsman, has been towed to New-York by the steamer Augusta [#146p] and is now on board an Atlantic liner to be taken across the ocean. ..." (Source: Anon. "The Craft And Those Who Sail Them." New York Tribune, May 13, 1899, p. 4.)

"THE design of Swanhild II., which is published in this issue, was reproduced from Ny Tidning For Idrott. Very few of the designs of Herreshoff productions are published, and as these lines were taken off carefully and accurately on the other side, they are sure to be studied with interest. The dimensions are as follows:
Length-
Over all 34ft. 1in.
L.W.L. 27ft. 5in.
Breadth-
Extreme 7ft. 11in.
L.W.L. 7ft. 4in.
Draft-
Extreme 4ft. 11in.
Sooner than expected, the owner, Mr. C. E. Bichel, had the yacht measured, and published with drawings of Wasp, in the year book of the Kaiserlicher Y. C. In the year book Mr. Bichel makes deductions from the showing made by Swanhild II., and the following particulars relating to her construction are given: 'On account of the great results attained by Herreshoff, the master of yacht building, I thought of getting one of these famous boats, thereby obtaining an original model. The new rule of measurement had also something to do with my deciding on this move. With the assistance of a well-known Hamburg correspondent, the yacht was ordered in January, 1899, and delivered in New York in April of the same year, where she was shipped and sent on her long voyage to Europe, arriving without a scratch. As far as the exterior is concerned, the yacht presented itself in a brilliancy of color very pleasing to the eye. The brown mahogany showed itself in splendid contrast to the natural light-colored cockpit and railing, and the light green deck, a light gray bottom and snow-white sails. The usually even bow line which rules the form of yachts has been replaced by a straight one which ends just above the waterline and is connected with the keel running down to the lead. The form of Swanhild II. resembles very much other yachts built by Mr. Herreshoff, for instance, Jilt [#493s], Sintram [#517s] and Typhoon [#495s]. The yacht carries mainsail and jib on a short jib boom; all the halliards and sheets lead into the roomy cockpit, where there is ample room for handling them. Her sails are made of a special kind of canvas or duck, which is very light in weight and closely woven. The mast, boom and gaff seems to us more like sticks than spars, and rigging for stays, shrouds and blockets, etc., is of very light construction, pains having clearly been taken to save weight wherever possible. I had not given any particular order except asking for a good sea boat. Mr. Herreshoff delivered a yacht which, to use his own words, is non-sinkable, and practically non-capsizable, the former on account of watertight compartments fore and aft, and the latter on the general construction of the yacht.' " (Source: Anon. "Swanhild II." Forest and Stream, November 1, 1902, p. 354-355.)

"... Herreshoff ist auf seinem Gebiet ein anerkanntes Genie, für das eine Kritik eben ein Unding ist. Wir besitzen ja bereits einzelne Yachten von ihm und entsinnen uns noch der Details bei der Bestellung eines kleinen Racers der vierten Klasse, der 1899 herausgekommenen Swanhild II, jetzigen Betty VI. Als der Besteller die Yacht in Auftrag gab, wünschte er Handskizzen. Die Antwort war eine strikte Ablehnung; dagegen die Anfrage, ob die Yacht raumschots oder am Wind schnell sein solle, die Preisfestsetzung, zur Hälfte vorher zahlbar, und damit waren die Verhandlungen vorläufig erledigt. Der Besteller wusste nur, er bekäme ein offenes Boot mit guten Am-Wind-Eigenschaften; Kostenpunkt: 15000 M. Die kleine Yacht kam nach Deutschland, war so unscheinbar, dass sie beim Start für eine Elbregatta, für die sie nicht gemeldet war, völlig unbemerkt sich einzuschleichen vermochte und erst auffiel, als sie nach einer Stunde noch mit den grossen Yachten der zweiten Klasse an führender Stelle lag. Also das war ein Herreshoff. Der Besitzer hat viel Freude gehabt, und noch heute gehört das Boot zu jenen, die jederzeit die Anwartschaft auf den ersten Klassenpreis haben. ..." [ ... Herreshoff in his profession is a well-known genius who won't accept any criticism. We already have several yachts designed by him and still remember the details regarding the order of a small fourth class racer, Swanhild II, now Betty VI, which was built in 1899. When ordering the yacht the owner asked for some hand sketches. The response was a strict no. Instead he received an inquiry whether the yacht was to be fast on a reach or upwind, the final price, half of it payable in advance, and this concluded the negotiations. The buyer only knew that he would receive an open boat with good upwind ability; price 15,000 German Marks. The little yacht came to Germany and was so diminutive, that she was able to secretly start in a regatta on the river Elbe for which she was not registered. She was noticed only after one hour when she was still in the lead with some large yachts of the second class. So that was a Herreshoff. The owner had a lot of pleasure, and even today [1904] the boat belongs to those which are always contenders for first place in its class.]" (Source: Die Yacht, September 15, 1904, p. 106.)

"The Swanhild. --- Amongst the thirty-footers of the season of 1899 was a new American boat, a Herreshoff production, named Swanhild II (Mr. C. E. Bichel), a graceful and attractive-looking boat, sloop-rigged in the usual American style, with gaff main-sail, short bowsprit, and single head-sail; the seams of both sails being crosswise, similar to the Vaquero, already described and illustrated. Swanhild II proved a fast and powerful boat in smooth water, and she had good weatherly qualities; but when the water was much ruffled or loppy, she was no match for her more sturdy opponents. At the close of the season (1899), she was, however, credited with nineteen winning flags, comprising ten firsts in her races in the Solent, and five firsts in German waters. It will be seen by the illustration of contour and body-plan of the Swanhild, that she is of a type differing in several respects from those of any boat of British design: the end view of the fin-bulb keel (if such it may be termed) reveals, at the bottom part, a sort of fan-tail form; but there is apparently great power in her hull, and less overhang fore and aft than in many of the Solent racing yachts of her class. The dimensions of the Swanhild are: L.O.A., 34.08 ft.; L.W..L., 25.89 ft.; beam (extreme), 7.64 ft.; sail area, 850 sq. ft., of which the main-sail takes 559 sq. ft., and the head-sail 291 sq. ft." (Folkard, Henry Coleman. The Sailing Boat. Sixth ed. London, 1906, p. 201.)

"... The following year (1899) the best sport was provided by the 30-footers, no fewer than ten vessels competing in the class in the course of the season. ... The new boats comprised 'Marjorie' and 'Flying Fish,' from the design of Mr. Harley Mead, who had not previously been represented in the Solent classes; 'Ladybird,' a Sibbick creation; and the American boat 'Swanhild,' whose lines came from the board of Herreshoff. ...
The Sibbick craft 'Ladybird' somewhat resembled 'Gwendolin,' which came from the board of the same designer in 1897. She was an exceedingly pretty little vessel, and, sailing consistently well in every variety of weather, was perhaps the best all-round boat in the class.
'Swanhild II,' the Herreshoff sloop, was quite a wonder to windward in strong breezes, under which conditions she was the fastest boat of the fleet.
As the result of a heavy season's racing, in the course of which more than sixty matches were sailed, the chief honours fell to 'Ladybird,' 'Beryl,' 'Swanhild,' and 'Marjorie.' ..." (Source: Henry Charles Howard Earl of Suffolk and Berkshire (ed.). The Encyclopaedia of Sport & Games - Volume 4. London, 1911, p. 418.)

"Capt. A. G. Stewart, owner of the ex 2 1/2-rater Ruth, ex Betty VI., by Herreshoff, has joined the Solent Handicap-by-rating Class, and will start to race regularly next week under number Q9." (Source: Anon. "News from All Quarters." The Yachtsman (England), July 12, 1930, p. 349.)

"N/A"

"[Item Transcription:] Typewritten (carbon copy) table titled 'Memorandum' with penciled additions listing boats built 1898/1899 with columns labeled 'No.', 'W.L.', 'Rig', 'To deliver', followed in some cases by penciled data for Boat Name and Actual Delivery Date. Relevant contents:
#517s SWANHILD II [W.L.:] 24ft [Rig:] J.&.M. Keel. [To deliver:] About Apr. 8th [1899]. [Note:] On moulds of 493 10in frame spaces. On time & del[ivered] May 6." (Source: Herreshoff Manufacturing Co.. (creator) and Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Memorandum. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDW02_01300. Folder [no #]. No date (1898-04 ?).)
①

"[Item Transcription:] [Penciled paper:] French Rule - T + ((L-P/4)*P*S) / (1000 * sq-rt(M))
T = tonnage
L = Length w.l. in meters without crew but all sails * sailing equipment
P = Perimeter in meters
S = Sail area as per Y.R.A. but in sq meters
M = Area of ox = in sq meters
Examples
JILT [#493s] [Numbers]
SWANHILD II [#517s] [Numbers]
Newport 30 footers [Numbers]
DEFENDER [#452s] @ 1/3 division [Numbers]" (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Measurement Rule. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_72840. Measuring and Measurement Rules (Box 2), Folder B2F05, formerly MRDE15. 1900-09-02.)
①

Note: This list of archival documents contains in an unedited form any and all which mention #517s Swanhild II even if just in a cursory way. Permission to digitize, transcribe and display is gratefully acknowledged.

• Swanhild II (HMCo-made index card)
• Swanhild II (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: Swanhild II
Type: J & M
Length: 25'
Owner: Leosner [sic, i.e. Loesner?], Robt

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

• Swanhild II
• 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: Swanhild II
Type: 25' J & M
Owner: Robert Loesner
Row No.: 668

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.

Year: 1899
E/P/S: S
No.: 0517
Name: Swanhild II
LW: 24'
B: 7' 3"
D: 5' [sic, i.e. 6']
Rig: J & M
K: FK
Ballast: Lead [sic, i.e. Lead outside]
Amount: 2800.00
Notes Constr. Record: M. 493 Shipped to Keil, Germany
Last Name: Loesner
First Name: Robt.

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 Germany." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. May 2, 2008.)

"Built in 49 days (contract to launch; equivalent to $57/day, 140 lbs displacement/day)." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. January 16, 2024.)

"[Sail area 850sq ft.]" (Source: Folkard, Henry Coleman. The Sailing Boat. Sixth ed. London, 1906, p. 201.)

"N/A"

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