HMCo #531s Shark [Sirocco]

"[1899-12-02] Sat 2: Fog early [then] very fine & warm [with] light variable wind. ... Mr. Lothrop Ames [soon-to-be owner of #531s Shark] here.
[1899-12-27] Wed 27: Began bending frames for #531, 45 footer [Shark].
[1900-02-01] Thu 1: Strong W gale & cold. Very low tide. Cast lead for #531 (45 footer) [Shark].
[1900-02-07] Wed 7: Very fine & nearly calm. Began setting up frames on #531 [Shark], 45 footer for Mr. Ames.
[1900-02-12] Mon 12: L[igh]t NE & E [wind]. Misty & l[igh]t rain. Began planking #531 [Shark]. Cast lead under st[eame]r #208 [Florence].
[1900-02-28] Wed 28: Clear [in] AM. Ther[mometer] 10deg. Later mod[erate] SSE [wind]. Overcast & (?). L[igh]t snow in PM. Mr. Lothrop Ames [the future owner of #531s Shark] here.
[1900-03-07] Wed 7: Strong W to NW [wind]. Clear. Finished planking #531 [Shark].
[1900-03-17] Sat 17: Clear [with] strong W & WSW [wind]. Began laying deck on #531 [Shark].
[1900-04-04] Wed 4: Very fine [with] mod[erate] NW [wind] & clear. Launched #531 (Sirocco) [sic, subsequently named Shark] and 539 (Altair) in PM ...
[1900-05-26] Sat 26: Fresh NE [wind]. Cool & cloudy. ... Made trial of Shark #531 and turned her over to Mr. Ames. ...
[1900-05-28] Mon 28: Mod[erate] NE [wind], cool & fair. Shark [#531s] left for Newport & Boston.
[1900-07-11] Wed 11: Very fine [with] strong SSW [wind]. Clear. Launched ... Shark [#531s] from cove railway in PM.
[1900-10-22] Mon 22: Hauled Shark [#531s] into north shop by aid of anchor[?] to strengthen.
[1900-12-04] Tue 4: Easterly storm set in in PM. Barometer falling very rapidly. Launched Shark [#531s] from n[orth] shop after repairing and hauled Sirocco [#???s] in." (Source: Herreshoff, Nathanael G. Diary, 1899 to 1900. Manuscript (excerpts). Diary access courtesy of Halsey C. Herreshoff.)

"No. 531. B.3.m[crossed out]
Dec[ember] 1899
45 w.l. keel sloop.
Frame spaces 15"
Planking inner 1/2", outer 3/4".
Deduct for planking 1 1/4".
Deduct for deck 1 1/8".
Rail height given is top top of rail.
Sheer height given is to top of deck.
Thickness of keel plank 3 3/4"." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. [Penciled note in Offset Booklet HH.4.121.] December 1899). Haffenreffer-Herreshoff Collection, MIT Museum, Cambridge, MA.)

"The famous Seventy Foot Class of sloops came out in 1900: MINEOLA, RAINBOW, VIRGINIA, and YANKEE, the two forty-five footers SHARK and ALTAIR, [the] centerboard forty-four feet PLEASURE, [the] centerboard forty-seven feet MARCHIONESS, and about a dozen others of smaller sizes." (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.)

"Captain Nat also designed the two sister yachts 'Shark' and 'Altair' in 1900. They were seventy-four feet overall, forty-five feet water line, fourteen feet three inches beam, and ten feet four inches draft. They were very similar in model and sail plan to the Seventies, but smaller. The spreaders of these yachts were well below the gaff jaws, a feature adopted later on some English yachts, for this supports the masthead better." (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. 220.)

"The schooner Mary Augusta arrived at the Herreshoff dock from Boston Tuesday [March 27, 1900] afternoon, loaded with spars for the four 70 footers [#529s Mineola, #532s Rainbow, #533s Virginia, and #534s Yankee] and the two 46 footers [#531s Shark and #539s Altair]. The spars are all of Oregon pine, and are smoothed up ready for use. They consist of lower masts, topmasts, booms, gaffs, bowsprits, spinnaker poles, clubs and yards." (Source: Anon. "Bristol and Vicinity." Bristol Phoenix, March 30, 1900, p. 2.)

"Sirocco [crossed out and corrected to] Shark, sloop 531, of Bristol.
Built at [blank] [sic, i.e. Bristol at HMCo].
31.21 gross tons, 23.21 net tons; 55.9 ft. x 14.8 ft. i 11 ft. [Register length x breadth x depth.]
One deck, one mast, overhanging head, overhanging stern.
Surveyed and measured, March 30, 1900." (Source: U.S. Customs Department, Bristol, R.I. Custom House Record Book, 1870s to 1904 (Collection of the Herreshoff Marine Museum), s.v. Shark.)

"Bristol, April 5 [1900] (Special). --- Of the 46-foot water line craft ordered from the Herreshoffs, two were launched yesterday. Herman B. Duryea, of Newport, will sail one of these, which is called the Sirocco [sic, i.e. #531s Shark, owned by F. Lothrop Ames], and she will carry the New-York Yacht Club burgee. The other is for Cord Meyer, of the same club, and the name Altair has been given to the yacht. The appearance of these racers has been looked for with interest by yachtsmen at New-York, and those who were present at the launching were not disappointed in regard to the grace exhibited and the ability promised in the new craft. They are both more like the Cup defender Columbia than the four 70-foot water-line craft [New York 70s] being completed in the same yards for Newport yachtsmen.
They measure 73 feet 7 inches over all and are expected, when under sail, to measure at about 45 feet 8 inches in waterline length. Their beam is 13 feet and their draught of water will be about 12 feet 5 inches. Each boat will carry about 6.460 pounds of lead in her outside casting, which is bolted on to the keelplate, and they are of composite build, with nickel steel frames and wooden double planking. The outside planking is of hard white pine.
These boats are steered with a tiller and not with a wheel. It is expected that at least one of them, and perhaps both, will race for the challenge cup for yachts of this size which has been offered by the Eastern Yacht Club. At the time of the launchings the cradle in front of the south construction shop was used, and after both hulls were successfully floated the 70-footer Mineola [#529], lately launched for Vice-Commodore August Belmont, of the New-York Yacht Club, was hauled up on the same ways to have her underbody repainted before being rigged to go into commission." (Source: Anon. "Altair and Sirocco Launched. The Forty-Six-Footers For Mr. Duryea And Mr. Meyer." New York Tribune, April 6, 1900, p. 8.)

"BRISTOL, R. I., May 5 [1900]. --- ... The mast of the 46-footer Altair [#539s], owned by Mr Meyers of New York, was stepped yesterday, and the riggers made good progress in setting up the standing rigging. As soon as the Altair is rigged, the 45-footer Sirocco [sic, i.e. #531s Shark, owned by F. Lothrop Ames] will be rigged. ..." (Source: Anon. "Mineola Ready for Trial." Boston Globe, May 6, 1900, p. 29.)

"BRISTOL, R. I., May 19 [1900]. --- ... The ... 46-footer which was named Sirocco when she was launched has had her name changed to Shark this week. The Shark is owned by L. Lothrop Ames of New York, and has been rigged during the week. ..." (Source: Anon. "Rainbow Ready for Trial." Boston Globe, May 20, 1900, p. 25.)

"[Abstract of register or enrollment. Pos. 873:]
Shark, sloop, of Bristol.
Built at Bristol, 1900.
31.21 gross tons, 23.21 net tons; 55.9 ft. x 14.8 ft. i 11 ft. [Register length x breadth x depth.]
One deck, one mast, overhanging head [bow].
Enr[olled] and Lic[ensed] ([as] yacht) May 25, 1900. Owner: Herreshoff Manufacturing Company of Bristol. Master: N.G. Herreshoff, Bristol.
Surrendered [license] July 8, 1901 at Boston, Mass. ([Record at:] C[ustom] H[ouse, Providence])." (Source: Survey of Federal Archives, Work Projects Administration. Ships Documents of Rhode Island. Bristol. Ship Registers and Enrollments of the Port of Bristol - Warren Rhode Island, 1941, s.v. Shark.)

"BRISTOL, R.I. Aug. 5 [1900]. --- ... The 46-footer Shark, owned by Lothrop Ames of Boston, and built the present year, arrived Thursday and hauled out on the Walker's Cove marine railway to have several leaks stopped. Her seams were ragged, and had to be scraped. She was not foul. Grooves were chiseled out of the forward planks near the forefoot, and metal attached for braces on the outside, and extending throuph the turn into the bilges. ..." (Source: Anon. "Yacht News of Bristol." New York Times, August 6, 1900, p. 3.)

"The following is from the Providence Bulletin of Aug. 15 [1900]; it is corroborated by similar reports from other sources:
The two new yachts of the 51-foot racing class, Altair [#539s], owned by Cord Meyer, of New York, and Shark [#531s], owned by Lothrop Ames, of Boston, arrived at Bristol from Newport yesterday afternoon in bad condition from the rough seas they experienced in the Astor cup races of Monday. They are, if anything, in a worse condition than were the 70-footers [#529s Mineola, #532s Rainbow, #533s Virginia, and #534s Yankee] after the last race in the series sailed for the Newport cup. Both had their bows twisted very badly and lifted upward to a greater angle at the forefoot than were the 70-footers. Cocked up in the air as are their forebodies, from a point below the waterline, the stems from a point just abaft of where the forestay leads to the deck bend downward, making the twist somewhat suggestive of the form of the letter S.
Shark was hauled out on the marine railway last evening to be repaired and have extra bracing. The frames were twisted and there were indications of the rudder post having started, one of the planks was broken, and the underbody showed indications of the planks working violently as the white wood of the edges of the planks could be seen. Oakum hung out of the seams forward also.
Altair was hauled out on the Walker's Cove marine railway this morning, and was probably a trifle worse off than Shark in her underbody, Shark having had metal braces on each side of her forefoot two weeks ago, which probably made her a trifle stiffer. Altair had her stem scarf started by the strain forward so much that there was a seam open nearly its whole length a quarter of an inch in width above the scarf. The oakum hung out in strings under the forefoot, while water trickled out of the seams down toward the bottom of the lead. The absence of metal keelsons in the construction of the boats naturally makes them weak when in a seaway, working the frames out of shape and making the planks see-saw with each other when carrying sail." (Source: Anon. "The Herreshoff 51-Footers." Forest and Stream, August 25, 1900, p. 156.)

"... The development of practical interest in the larger classes of racing sloops and cutters has been unprecedented in previous years, and the most closely observed boats of the season have been the four one-design [New York] 'seventies' which Herreshoff built to measure within the newly created eighty-foot racing length class. ... Undoubtedly the fastest yachts ever built, their unseaworthiness has sounded the imperative note of warning against further advance in the way of light construction that designers have been fearing to hear in the last half dozen years. The same fault of unseaworthiness due to excessive lightness in construction has marked the two fifty-one footers Altair [#539s] and Shark [#531s], and in a lesser degree the thirty-sixes Countess [#538s] and Effort [#541s], which were launched from the Herreshoff yards this year. When the danger-mark, toward which designers have been hastening of late, has thus been reached by the foremost member of their profession, it is only natural to look for a reaction toward more safely constructed racing craft, and the season of 1900 may mark the beginning of an era in the sport wherein even the mere racing machines will obtain speed by some trick of design other than the sacrifice of rational substantiality. Necessity is the clearly proved mother of invention, and when the ingenious brains of designers forsake the absorbing search for speed by means of the minimum weight in construction they may draw nearer the lines of least resistance in the model of sailing craft. ..." (Source: Anon. "Notable Yachting Season. Development of the Larger Racing Classes Unprecedented. Herreshoff Reaches Limit. Unseaworthiness of Seventies Warns Against Further Sacrifice of Substantial Construction to Speed." New York Times, September 9, 1900, p. 22.)

"SHARK and Altair are two new Herreshoff boats built for the 51-foot class on the Sound, and it is probable that later in the season a match will be sailed between them for the Eastern Challenge Cup, as Shark is owned by Mr. F. L. Ames, of Boston, and Altair, by Mr. Cord Meyer, of New York.
Like the 70-footers of Herreshoff build they are of very poor construction, and, like their larger sisters, open up their seams, leak badly and pull their bows out of shape, every time they sail a race in any kind of a breeze. Their dimensions are: Length on deck, 74 feet; length on water line, 45 feet; beam, 14 feet; draught, 10 feet." (Source: Anon. "Shark and Altair." Rudder, September 1900, p. 354.)

"It is now learned that an addition must be made to the long list of partly wrecked racers. Early in the year the new yacht Countess [#538s], designed and built by the Herreshoffs for Oswald Sanderson, of the Larchmont Y. C., struck a sunken rock, but, as she soon afterward continued racing, it was thought the damage had been slight. Yesterday, however, an expert in yacht construction said that the effects of her wrenching still existed, and could not be put right without a large expense. Effort [#541s], a sister ship to Countess, produced at the same yards for F. M. Smith, did not, like Syce and Countess, try to measure strength with rocks, but she is reported to be almost a wreck as a result of her short summer's sailing. The boat is recorded as having entered five races, and though it is not known whether or not she was unduly crowded with canvas, it appears that she did not stand the strain. She is now hauled up at Bristol. Another new yacht that must be repaired is the 45-footer Shark [#531s], which the owner, F. Lathrop Ames, had to leave in Bristol because he could not get a crew to sail her back around the Cape to Boston." (Source: Anon. [No title.] Forest and Stream, October 13, 1900, p. 294.)

"... At the Herreshoff yard, Shark, 46-footer, hauled out in the north shop, had the greater number of her outside planks stripped off both above and below the waterline. The steel plates are now being fitted to her underbody in the same style as the Yankee's plates. ..." (Source: Anon. "Yachting News Notes." Forest & Stream, November 17, 1900, p. 397.)

"... Shark [#531s] and Humma [#553s] were fast racers in their class, and designed under the old water line and sail area rule to get the most speed possible out of them. Under the new rule their lack of displacement handicaps them severely and allows the Doris [#625s], with her full body, to rate far below them in spite of the fact that her dimensions with respect to sail urea and over-all length are practically identical with theirs. Boat for boat. Doris, although entitled to a liberal handicap, goes out and beats the larger raters fairly handily, and furnishes convincing evidence of the value of the rule. Measuring identically the same on deck, with the same sail spread almost to the square inch, her snub ends give her a quarterbeam length of nearly 12 feet greater than Humma or Shark. Her big displacement rates her nearly seven feet below the two while her length and sail-area drive her faster. But Doris affords nearly twice the cabin accommodations of either Shark or Humma, thus combining utility and seaworthiness with speed to a degree that must appeal to any sensible mind. ..." (Source: Anon. "New Racing Boats Promise Fine Sport." New York Times, February 4, 1906, p. 11.)

"The 50-foot sloop Shark has been sold by Lothrop Ames to Frank Losee." (Source: Anon. "Club House Gossip." Boating Magazine (Cleveland, Ohio), September 1906, p. 319.)

"George L. Craig, of Toledo, has bought the 46-footer 'Shark' from Fred Ames, of New York. She is 76 feet over all, 15 feet beam and draws 10 feet of water. We may expect an exodus of carp from Maumee Bay next summer." (Source: Anon. "Club House Gossip." Boating Magazine (Cleveland, Ohio), December 1906, p. 437.)

"Shark, the big Herreshoff racing sloop purchased in Toledo by Harry M. Higinbotham, finished its long trip from the Ohio port last night and dropped anchor off the Chicago Yacht club, to which organization the crack fin keeler will be attached.
Judging from the looks of the new comer and from the great reputation it has made in races on Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, Shark should prove a dangerous contender for the Mackinac cup, to be raced for on Saturday by the big boats of the local fleets. The Higinbotham sloop created a favorable impression upon the yachtsmen gathered on the Chicago club veranda when the craft hove in sight carrying full mainsail, jib, staysail, and working topsail in spite of the fact that a twenty-five knot northeaster was sweeping in off the lake. Shark stood up under it beautifully and ripped through the heavy seas in a manner that proved its stability.
Boat Officially Adopted.
The big white sloop swept between the piers of the Van Buren street gap at 6:58 and five minutes later had come up into the wind and dropped its hook in the harbor. As the anchor gripped the harbor bottom ensigns were dipped on the clubhouse and on board the other yachts and a valuable addition had been officially made to the Chicago Y. C. squadron. One or two enthusiastic boat owners were tempted to violate the rule of yachting etiquette that forbids the firing of guns on Sunday and were about to give salutes when they were restrained.
The advent of Shark assures the greatest race ever sailed in the history of the classic Mackinac cup, for with Valmore, Polaris [#591s ex Irolita I], Amorita, Vencedor and other fast boats competing against the new arrival the outcome of the northern dash will be worth watching for.
Largest Sloop in Local Fleets.
The sloop is the largest in the local fleets. The overall length is 74 feet, while the waterline length is 45 feet. The beam is 14 feet, and the draft 11 feet. Shark was built in 1900 at Bristol, L. I. [sic, i.e. R.I.] from designs by Herreshoff. The yacht won a great string of races on the Atlantic and was brought to the great lakes by Commodore Craig of the Toledo Yacht club three years ago.
Saturday night Mr. Higinbotham, Charles E. Kremer and other members of the Chicago Y. C. went to Milwaukee by train and at 9:30 yesterday morning made sail and started for Chicago. The trip was made under a beam wind for most of the distance from the Cream City and was made in the good time of 9 hours." (Source: De Long, John G. "Shark Here For Lake Race. Sloop Drops Anchor In Harbor; Ready For Mackinac Event. New Boat For Chicago Y. C. Biggest Craft of Kind Now Attached to the Local Fleet." Chicago Daily Tribune, July 17, 1911, p. 10.)

"The 51-foot-class sloops of 1900, Altair [#539s] and her twin sister Shark (51 being a rating and not indicative of a hull dimension), were shaped much like the larger New York 70-footers ... Although Cord Meyer, Altair's original owner, thought well enough of the boat to keep her ten years, neither the 51-footers nor the New York 70s were held in universal high regard. 'Leakabouts' were what technical editor (and subsequent big-name designer) C. D. Mower and writer W. P. Stephens called them in contemporary issues of The Rudder, accusing the boats of being poorly built and a discredit to Herreshoffs reputation. ... Note that Altair steers with a tiller, an indication of how well balanced she must have been under sail. ..." (Source: Bray, Maynard and Carlton Pinheiro. Herreshoff of Bristol. Brooklin, Maine, 1989, p. 69.)

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"[Item Description:] Two sets of penciled pantograph hull sections. One marked '#531 [SHARK]. 1st Trial. 46ft w.l. 10ft 6in draft'. The other marked marked '#531. 2nd trial. 45ft. 10ft 3 1/2in draft' and with calculations arriving at 945cuft = 60700lbs. With displacement curves. Undated (the final pantograph hull sections for SHARK were dated December 1899)." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Pantograph Hull Sections. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE04_04520. Folder [no #]. No date (ca 1899-12).)
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"[Item Description:] Penciled pantograph hull sections and displacement curve titled '#531 [SHARK]. 3rd final trial. Dec[ember] 1899'. With calculations arriving at a displacement of 924.48cuft = 49450lbs = 26 55/100 tons gross of which body part = 770cuft = 49580lbs and wetted surface = 820sqft." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Pantograph Hull Sections. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE04_04500. Folder [no #]. 1899-12.)
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"[Item Description:] Penciled pantograph lead sections titled 'No. 531 [#531s SHARK] Lead. Scale 1/8 size. Dec[ember] 15, 1899'. With calculations arriving at 30130lbs lead and calculations noting 'required lead' of 29950 for a [Diff[erence]' of 180lbs." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Pantograph Lead Sections. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE04_09040. Folder [no #]. 1899-12-15.)
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"[Item Transcription:] Typewritten (carbon copy) table with penciled additions listing boats built 1899/1900 with columns labeled 'Design [in pencil]', 'Shop. No.', 'Length', 'Planking', 'Delivery', 'Owner' followed by penciled data for Boat Name and Actual Delivery Date. Relevant contents:
#531s [Design] Dec. [1899] [Length:] 45ft W.L. [Planking:] Y[ellow] P[ine] [Delivery:] May 1 [1900] [Owner:] F.L. Ames [Act. Delivery:] May 27 [1900] (SHARK)." (Source: Herreshoff Manufacturing Co.. (creator) and Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Table. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDW02_01290. Folder [no #]. No date (1900-02).)
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"[Item Description:] saw that #530s ELECTRA was in New York, so she is evidently all done, made me long to be in Bristol and get some early morning sails, wish I could get a glimpse of the 45 and 70 footers [#531s SHARK and #539s ALTAIR and the NY70s], miss Bristol but enjoy my work here, new system of keeping drawings as in a library, 5000 men here, great opportunity to learn methods and get experience, I miss our talks, it was a very hard strain for me to leave you all in Bristol, you have always been so kind to me, I owe what I know of vessels to you, must learn self reliance, glad to hear George [Owen] is to be married [on April 26, 1900], sorry to hear about Louis deWolf" (Source: Packard, Alpheus A. Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_20330. Correspondence, Folder 58. 1900-04-20.)
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"[Item Description:] Penciled sketch of two superimposed midship sections titled '531 [#531s SHARK] & 591 [#591s IROLITA I]' and marked '1903' in right margin. With calculations comparing SHARK and IROLITA's Rig, Hull and Lead and multiplying their displacement in lbs by 2.1 and 1.5 to arrive at 114000 and 117000 [lbs?], respectively." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Penciled Sketch. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE04_04010. Folder [no #]. No date (1903 or later).)
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"[Item Transcription:] Order book with carbon copy duplicates of instructions given by NGH. Relevant contents:
§13: Work Order '[For] # s 529 - 532 - 533 - 534 [New York 70s #529s MINEOLA, #532s RAINBOW, #533s VIRGINIA, #534s YANKEE]. Change in order of Nov[ember] 4 [1899]. … [With crossed out] Note. We can probably use about 140ft of 9/16 dia [steel rope] in No 531 [#531s SHARK]. ...' (1899-11-27)
§14: Work Order '[For] Yachts building. Chain Cables. [When wanted] # 529 - 532 - 533 - 534 [#529s, #532s, #533s, #534s] - #204 [#204p] - 205 [#205p] Ap[ril] 1 [1900]. #531 - 207 [#207p] Ap[ril] 20 [1900]. #204 [#204p] - 205 [#205p] May 1st [1900]. 533 [#533s] - 534 [#534s] May 26 or earlier. All cables of BBB galvanized ...' (1899-12-04)
§15: Work Order '[For] #531 & Stock … [When wanted] Soon as can be made, say, on or before Feb. 1st, 1900. Galv. Plow Steel rope. Very best qual. of Hazard Mfg. Co. Make. Seven wires per strand. Standing riging. …' (1899-12-30)." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Order Book. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE07_01320. Folder [no #]. 1897-01 to 1905.)
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"[Item Description:] Four handwritten (in ink) pages with tabulated data listing 'Shop No', 'Name', '[Tons] Gross' and '[Tons] Net' for a total of 100 HMCo-built boats and classes. Tonnage data is usually precise to two digits behind the decimal. Random comparisons suggest source of tonnage data to be official Custom House data. Boats mentioned are: #664s, #663s, #625s, #665s, #634s, #658s, #657s, #646s, #641s, #617s, #626s Class, #624s, #621s, #616s, #619s, #590s, #591s, #586s, #592 Class, #618s, #605s, #578s, #560s Class, #580s, #553s, #551s, #552s, #546s, #541s, #545s, #538s, #534s, #533s, #532s, #529s, #534s, #530s, #531s, #435s, #437s, #452s, #499s, #429s, #426s, #424s, #481s, #422s, #417s, #414s, #451s, #215p, #213p, #222p, #235p, #230p, #229p, #236p, #224p, #244p, #247p, #249p, #231p, #232p, #228p, #252p, #250p, #251p, #248p, #168p, #164p, #118p, #142p, #174p, #173p, #194p, #189p, #193p, #183p, #178p, #179p, #181p, #182p, #175p, #163p, #148p, #149p, #172p, #155p, #170p, #186p, #188p, #206p, #207p, #205p, #208p, #209p, #210p, #211p, #212p, #216p. Undated (the latest boat listed, WINSOME, was launched in 1907)." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (?) (creator). Handwritten List. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE06_00220. Folder [no #]. No date (1907 or later).)
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"[Item Transcription:] [On HMCo stationery, marked 'Copy':] Since receiving your letter of 20th I got interested and have spent considerable time in trying to devise perfect rules to give sail area limit. I have tested a number of formula and have finally settled on one that gives very good results in any type of model.
The old rule would allow as much sail for length on a shallow boat as on a deep heavy ballasted one, which is not right if you want to protect a good cruising boat.
This becomes very apparent in working to the new rule for L is reduced and D increased[?] as compared with the older type, and plainly needs more sail for length of L.
I have taken into the formula the elements principally affecting the sail carrying power, but nothing more than is now recorded in taking measurements to obtain the Racing length, i.e.
L = ft length at 1/4 wl breadth and 1/10 of breadth above
B = ft breadth of waterline in widest place
d = ft draft of water
D = cu ft of displacement.
then
Sail area limit in rigs with topsails = 10.8 * L * 1/4 * cube-rt(B * B * d * D) in sq ft
Sail area limit in rigs without topsails = 10 * L * 1/4 * cube-rt(B * B * d * D) in sq ft
This formula is very easily worked with the aid of a slide rule or table of logarithms and gives very good results in any siye of type of model.
Here are a few of our yachts that are well known in the NYYC:
[Actual vs Limit rule]
NYYC 30s [#626s New York 30s] 1035, 1160
Newport 30s [#463s Class] 1017.5, 960
SPASM [#538s ex-COUNTESS] 1633, 1740
PLEASURE [#545s] 1808, 1830
GLORIANA [#411s] [blank], 3500
SHARK [#531s] and ALTAIR [#539s] 3410, 3480
YANKEE [#534s] 6945, 7030
QUEEN [#657s] 11000, 12000
As a penalty I would add to Racing length, twice the excess of sq rt of sail area over the sq root of sail limit by rule." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. Letter (copy) to Cromwell, Oliver E. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_68390. Measuring and Measurement Rules (Box 1), Folder B1F02, formerly MRDE15. 1907-03-24.)
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"[Item Transcription:] Order book with carbon copy duplicates of instructions given by NGH titled 'Herreshoff Mfg. Co. Orders from N.G. Herreshoff'. Relevant contents:
§2: Work Order [When wanted] Before April 1st. Mast hoops for #529s, #532s, #533s, #534s, #531s, #532s, #530s, #538s, #541s, #536s, #486s, #502s, #585s, #540s (1900-02-19)." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Order Book. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE08_03460. Folder [no #]. 1900-02 to 1909-10.)
① ② ③ ④ ⑤ ⑥ ⑦ ⑧ ⑨ ⑩ ⑪ ⑫ ⑬ ⑭ ⑮ ⑯ ⑰ ⑱ ⑲ ⑳ ㉑ ㉒ ㉓ ㉔ ㉕ ㉖ ㉗ ㉘ ㉙ ㉚ ㉛ ㉜ ㉝ ㉞ ㉟ ㊱ ㊲ ㊳ ㊴ ㊵ ㊶ ㊷ ㊸ ㊹ ㊺ ㊻ ㊼ ㊽ ㊾ ㊿
① ② ③ ④ ⑤ ⑥ ⑦ ⑧ ⑨ ⑩ ⑪ ⑫ ⑬ ⑭ ⑮ ⑯ ⑰ ⑱ ⑲ ⑳ ㉑ ㉒ ㉓ ㉔ ㉕ ㉖ ㉗ ㉘ ㉙ ㉚ ㉛ ㉜ ㉝ ㉞ ㉟ ㊱ ㊲ ㊳ ㊴ ㊵ ㊶ ㊷ ㊸ ㊹ ㊺ ㊻ ㊼ ㊽ ㊾ ㊿
① ② ③ ④ ⑤ ⑥ ⑦ ⑧ ⑨ ⑩ ⑪ ⑫ ⑬ ⑭ ⑮ ⑯ ⑰ ⑱ ⑲ ⑳ ㉑ ㉒ ㉓ ㉔ ㉕

Note: This list of archival documents contains in an unedited form any and all which mention #531s Shark [Sirocco] even if just in a cursory way. Permission to digitize, transcribe and display is gratefully acknowledged.

• Shark (HMCo-made index card)
• Shark (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: Shark
Type: J & M
Length: 45'
Owner: Ames, F. L.

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

• Shark
• 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: Shark
Type: 45' cutter
Owner: F. Lothrop Ames
Year: 1900
Row No.: 621

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: Sept
Day: 8
Year: 1899
E/P/S: S
No.: 0531
Name: Shark
LW: 45'
B: 14'
D: 10' 3"
Rig: Cutter
K: y
Ballast: Lead O.
Amount: 14,400.00
Last Name: Ames
First Name: F. L.

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 208 days (contract to launch; equivalent to $69/day, 294 lbs displacement/day)." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. January 16, 2024.)

"[Sail area info from sistership #539s Altair.]" (Source: Herreshoff, N. G. "Formula for Obtaining the Limit of Sail-Area in Yachts when Measured by the Universal Rule Formula." Bristol, R.I., July 13, 1907 with later additions. Original handwritten (in ink) document with penciled additions. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE06_00080.)

"[Displacement (955 cubic feet=61,088 lbs) from sistership #539s Altair. Note, that estimating displacement by using the figure for Net Register Tons (23) from the 1902 Manning's American Yacht List (Gross Register Tons were reported as 31) and converting to lbs by dividing through 2000 (short tons) would have arrived at only 46,000 lbs.]" (Source: Herreshoff, N. G. "Formula for Obtaining the Limit of Sail-Area in Yachts when Measured by the Universal Rule Formula." Bristol, R.I., July 13, 1907 with later additions. Original handwritten (in ink) document with penciled additions. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE06_00080.)

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