HMCo #532s Rainbow

"[1899-11-11] Sat 11: L[igh]t rain & NE wind. ... Set up moulds for #207, 80 ft st[eamer (Mirage, Tender for #532s Rainbow)].
[1899-12-02] Sat 2: Fog early [then] very fine & warm [with] light variable wind. Cast lead keel for #532 [Rainbow], Mr. Morgan’s 70 footer. ...
[1899-12-08] Fri 8: Light rain last night with strong SW [wind]. Fresh W [wind] & fair. Began setting up frames on #532 [Rainbow], 70 footer. ...
[1900-01-20] Sat 20: Very high temp[erature], 52deg. to 56deg., with fog & rain. SE to SW [wind]. Finished planking #532, 70 footer [Rainbow] & began on interior work. ...
[1900-01-22] Mon 22: Very fine & mild. SW [wind]. Began laying deck of #532 [Rainbow].
[1900-02-06] Tue 6: L[igh]t W to S [wind]. Overcast. Launched #532 (70 footer [Rainbow] for Mr. Morgan) at 10AM. Mr. Morgan & Mr. Lockwood here.
[1900-03-08] Thu 8: Calm in PM & fine. Put #529 [Mineola] out at mooring and brought #532 [Rainbow] to wharf in #529’s place.
[1900-03-23] Fri 23: SSW [wind] and cloudy & milder. WNW [wind] in PM & clear. ... Mr. [E. D.] Morgan sold his 80’ st[eame]r [#207p Mirage as well as his NY70 #532s Rainbow] to C. Vanderbilt [following the recent death of one of his children].
[1900-04-06] Fri 6: Very fine & warm. Fresh N [wind]. Clear. ... Floated Mineola [#529s] and hauled out Rainbow [#532] to paint. ...
[1900-04-25] Wed 25: Clear [with] fresh NNW [wind]. ... Stepped mast in Rainbow.
[1900-06-05] Tue 5: Very fine & calm in AM. Mod[erate] SSW [wind in] PM. Off for trial of Rainbow [#532s] morning & afternoon. ...
[1900-06-07] Thu 7: Very fine [with] fresh SW [wind]. ... Hauled out Rainbow [#532s] to clean in PM. ...
[1900-06-09] Sat 9: Very fine & warm. Variable [wind]. ... Rainbow [#532s] & Mirage [#207p] left for Newport. ...
[1900-06-27] Wed 27: Fine fresh SSW [wind]. Hauled out Rainbow [#532s] on ways. ...
[1900-06-30] Sat 30: Very strong WNW [wind] all day. Owners of 70 footers have a meeting here. ...
[1900-07-03] Tue 3: Fair [with] strong SSW [wind & a] little rain in evening. Cool. ... Launched Rainbow [#532s] from ways.
[1900-07-17] Tue 17: Very fine ... Yankee [#534s] won over Mineola [#529s], Virginia [#533s], Rainbow [#532] in[?] race[?] of Newport ...
[1900-07-25] Wed 25: H[eav]y rain with t[hunder] & l[ightning] between 5 & 9. Rain much needed as everything is drying up. 70’s at Newport had a bad shaking outside and Virginia [#533s] & Yankee [#534s] withdrew. Mineola [#529s] 1st but protested.
[1900-07-26] Thu 26: Heavy rain nearly all day. Very (?) wind. Have begun to fix up the 70s [which were displaying severe structural weaknesses and beginning to acquire a reputation as leakabouts]. ...
[1900-08-18] Sat 18: Very fine & hot. Went outside in Squib [#188p] in PM to see race of 70 footers.
[1900-11-09] Fri 9: Fresh ESE [wind] early ch[anging] to SW at 8. Baro[meter] 29.05. Very high tide about 7 - 9 also very low water. No damage. Later, wind very strong WSW to W. Rainbow [#532s] went ashore at 4PM & floated at 8. No damage.
[1900-11-10] Sat 10: Very rough [with] W [wind] all day. Clear. Rainbow [#532s] hauled out to anchorage.
[1900-11-17] Sat 17: Very fine. Launched Yankee [#534s]] from north shop after repairing, and hauled Rainbow [#532s] in. [Note: The NY70s were built too lightly and all had to be strengthening subsequently --- resulting in much negative press and friction between owners and the HMCo.]
[1900-12-14] Fri 14: Mod[erate] NW [wind] & clear & cold. Launched Rainbow [#532s] after making repairs & strengthening. ..." (Source: Herreshoff, Nathanael G. Diary, 1899 to 1902. Manuscript (excerpts). Diary access courtesy of Halsey C. Herreshoff.)

"... Yankee [Name], 534 [Building Number], 78 [Rating], 70.48 [Waterline], 70.8 [L = length at 1/4 beam as for Universal Rule], 18.47 [B = breadth of waterline as for Universal Rule], 14 [d = draft of water as for Universal Rule], 2,606 [D = displacement in cubic foot as for Universal Rule (= 166,784 lbs or 74.5 long tons)], 6945 [Sail Area], 9120 [Sail limit Present rule], -2175 [Diff.], 7260 [Sail limit Proposed rule], -315 [Diff.], [Notes] ..." (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.)

"Going back to 1899, while COLUMBIA was sailing, we built the seventy foot waterline centerboard sloop yacht ATHENE for William O. Gay of Boston. ... This craft prompted the building of the famous Seventy Foot Class.
...
The famous Seventy Foot Class of sloops came out in 1900: MINEOLA, RAINBOW, VIRGINIA, and YANKEE ..." (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. 67-68.)

"... The Herreshoff Manufacturing Company has engaged J J Wall & Co, building contractors, to do the planking and deck planking of the special 65-footers, and the work was begun yesterday. Three of the boats are now under way, and the rush at the Herreshoff shops is almost unprecedented at this season of the year. ... [Though not mentioned by name (and stating a wrong size), this is apparently a reference to #529s Mineola, #532s Rainbow, #533s Virginia and #534s Yankee, the class of four NY-70s then under construction.]" (Source: Anon. "Bristol and Vicinity." Bristol Phoenix, December 12, 1899, p. 2.)

"BRISTOL, R. I., Feb. 6 [1900]. --- The second of the fleet of special class seventy-foot sloops being built at the Herreshoff works was placed in the water here to-day. E. D. Morgan of New York is the owner of the new boat. Owing to a very recent death in Mr. Morgan's family, there was no ceremony, and the sloop was not christened today. Three other sloops are to be built here." (Source: Anon. "E. D. Morgan's 70-Footer Launched." New York Times, February 7, 1900, p. 9.)

"(Special Dispatch to the Baltimore Sun.) New York, March 14 [1900]. --- Word has reached New York that Mr. Cornelius Vanderbilt has purchased E. D. Morgan's new 'seventy,' [#532s Rainbow] recently launched by the Herreshoffs at Bristol, R. I. Mr. Morgan was one of the first of the New York Yacht Club sailing coterie at Newport to build in the new class of racing cutters, and it was thought his vessel would be conspicuous in Newport waters next season in the races to be arranged for the class. The loss of one of his children has caused him to abandon the sport. Mr. Vanderbilt will race the cutter." (Source: Anon. "Cornelius Vanderbilt's Racer." Baltimore Sun, March 15, 1900, p. 6.)

"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. [The spars had been made by the East Boston Spar Company.]" (Source: Anon. "Bristol and Vicinity." Bristol Phoenix, March 30, 1900, p. 2.)

"Rainbow, sloop yacht no. 532, of Bristol.
Built at Bristol, RI, by Herreshoff Manufacturing Co.
74.36 gross tons, 66.35 net tons; 81.6 ft. x 19.4 ft. x 14.2 ft. [Register length x breadth x depth.]
One deck, one mast, overhanging head, overhanging stern.
Surveyed and measured, March 31, 1900." (Source: U.S. Customs Department, Bristol, R.I. Custom House Record Book, 1870s to 1904 (Collection of the Herreshoff Marine Museum), s.v. Rainbow.)

"... Mr. and Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt were at Bristol Saturday inspecting the new 70-footer [#532s Rainbow] at Herreshoffs' which Mr. Vanderbilt recently bought from ex-Commodore E. D. Morgan. While at Bristol they also made a trial trip aboard Mr. Vanderbilt's new launch, the Mirage [#207p], which is to act as tender to his 70-footer. A speed of 23 knots was reported. ..." (Source: Anon. (W. J. H.) "Notes for Yachtsmen." New York Times, April 3, 1900, p. 10.)

"Mr Cornelius Vanderbilt's 70-foot cutter, now being completed at the Herreshoff works at Bristol, has been named the Rainbow [#532s]. Her tonnage is 74 gross and 66 tons net. The 80-foot tender to the Rainbow has been named the Mirage [#207p]. Her tonnage is 30 tons gross and 21 tons net." (Source: Anon. "Table Gossip." New York Times, February 7, 1900, p. 9.)" (Source: Anon. "Table Gossip." Boston Globe, April 22, 1900, p. 38.)

"BRISTOL, R. I., May 12, [1900] ... The seventy-footer Rainbow for Cornelius Vanderbilt is ready to have her sails bent, and is still moored alongside the pier. Capt. Parker and crew will bend sails as soon as they arrive. It is-expected to give her a trial the latter part of this week or the first of next. ..." (Source: Anon. "In The Bristol Yards. Work on the Seventy-Footers Progressing Rapidly. New Small Craft." New York Times, May 13, 1900, p. ?)

"[Abstract of register or enrollment. Pos. 773:]
Rainbow, sloop yacht, of Bristol.
Built at Bristol, 1900.
74.36 gross tons, 66.35 net tons; 81.6 ft. x 19.4 ft. x 14.2 ft. [Register length x breadth x depth.]
One deck, one mast, overhanging head [bow].
Enr[olled] and Lic[ensed] ([as] yacht) May 17, 1900. Owner: Herreshoff Manufacturing Company of Bristol. Master: N. G. Herreshoff, Bristol.
Surrendered [license] June 11, 1900 (enrolled) at Newport. ([Record at:] C[ustom] H[ouse, Providence]).
Enr[olled] and Lic[ensed] ([as] yacht) Apr. 22, 1907. Owner: same. Master: same. ([Record at:] C[ustom] H[ouse, Providence]).
Enr[olled] and Lic[ensed] ([as] yacht) June 28, 1910. Owner: Seymour J. Hyde of Greenwich, Conn; Master: Seymour J. Hyde.
Surrendered [license] Sept. 21, [blank] at Bristol, vessel abandoned. ([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. Rainbow.)

"BRISTOL, R. I., May 19 [1900]. --- Capt Jack Parker and his crew of English sailors, who arrived last Monday [May 15, 1900], have been kept busy during the week fitting up the 70-footer Rainbow, owned by Cornelius Vanderbilt. The Rainbow has been swinging at the moorings off the Herreshoff shops during the week, and it is probable that a trial trip will be given her some time next week. Her mainsail has not been bent yet, but the crew is living on board. The Herreshoff's have a little more work to do on her before she is turned over to her owner. ..." (Source: Anon. "Rainbow Ready for Trial." Boston Globe, May 20, 1900, p. 25.)

"NEWPORT, July 31 [1900]. --- The fleet of [New York] seventies will be repaired and overhauled and made ready for the cruise of the New York Yacht Club, despite reports to the contrary, and the remainder of the series for the cup offered by the Newport Yacht Racing Association will be sailed as soon as the former function has concluded.
The seventies will be temporarily repaired, and in the Fall they will be placed out of commission and practically rebuilt by the Herreshoffs." (Source: Anon. "Yacht News of Newport. The Seventy-Foot Yachts Will Be Made Ready for the N. Y. Y. C. Cruise." New York Times, August 1, 1900, p. 5.)

"Cornelius Vanderbilt's 70-footer, the Rainbow, is still on the drydock at Providence and it is reported that she will be there for a good while. ...
Notwithstanding much personal evidence to the contrary, further unwelcome information concerning the damaged condition of the Newport 70s continues to come in and it is now reported that when the Rainbow, belonging to Cornelius Vanderbilt, was hauled out at Providence her stem was found to be broken near the waterline, and that she had opened out in that region to the extent of an inch and a half through the great upward strain. It is also said that the planking in the after part of the vessel had opened.
A member of the New-York Yacht Club has ordered a new sloop to be built by the Herreshoffs on the same design as H. O. Havemeyer's Pleasure. The yacht will have a waterline length of 46 feet and an over-all length of 70 feet. The Bristol people have begun the work on the boat. ..." (Source: Anon. "The Craft And Those Who Sail Them." New York Tribune, August 5, 1900, p. A2.)

"In several of its aspects the yacht racing season of 1900 has been a notable one. With no great international yachting event to distract attention from local affairs, interest has been concentrated upon the development of promising racing classes at home, and in the results success and failure have been so closely joined that the year is likely to be long remembered by yachtsmen as unique among the rather colorless seasons that usually intervene between the all-absorbing contests for the America's Cup. ... 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. The seventies have, indeed, given the feature to the yachting season of 1900, which may distinguish it from a score of 'off' years past and to come. This feature lies in the mixed success and failure of the quartet. 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.)

"In the heavy gale on Friday [November 16, 1900] last Rainbow, Cornelius Vanderbilt's 70-footer, broke from her moorings and went ashore off the Herreshoff shops at Bristol. She was hauled off later and found not to be seriously damaged." (Source: Anon. "Yachting News Notes." Forest and Stream, November 17, 1900, p. 398.)

"BRISTOL, Nov 16 [1900] --- The 70-footer Yankee [#534s], owned by Messrs Whitney and Duryea, which has been in Herreshoffs' south construction shop for a number of weeks for the purpose of making repairs and also to bring her back to her original lines, will be launched tomorrow at high water.
The Yankee, with others of the [New York] 70's, was badly wrenched in the races off Newport last summer. Her bow turned upward from its original position a number of inches so that it did not need an experienced eye to note the change, and besides the wrenching caused leaks in the yachts so that it was necessary to haul out the boats before every race.
When the Yankee was hauled out the first thing that was done was to take off the planking forward of the mast. After this was done the bow of the yacht came back to its original position without any assistance whatever. Considerable extra bracing was put inside the yacht and steel plates fastened to the frames to form a backing for the wooden planking and also to give the yacht the desired stiffness. The job has been quite an expensive one, but it is now believed that there will be no trouple. The yacht looks as she did when she was launched last spring. Her lower mast is on the north pier at Herreshoffs' and will he stepped as soon as there are high tides enough to float the yacht off the head of the pier where the shears are located. As soon as the Yankee is launched the 70-footer Rainbow [#532s], owned by Cornelius Vanderbilt, will be hauled into the shop over the railway. The Rainhow has been here a month waiting for the work to be finished on the Yankee. This afternoon the lower mast of the Rainbow was lifted out by a derrick scow emplyed here in laying sewer pipe in the harbor. The mast was dropped overboard and towed to Herreshoffs', where it was hauled out on the north pier.
The same work that was done on the Yankee will have to he done on the Rainbow and it will take four or five weeks to complete work. With the Rainbow in the south shop it is certain that little work can be done toward the new defender in that shop. ..." (Source: Anon. "Fixing The 70-Footers. Yankee Will be Launched Today and Rainbow Will be Hauled Into the Shop In Her Place." Boston Globe, November 17, 1900, p. 5.)

"[Race results.]" (Source: Aldridge, A. F. "The Seventy-Footers." Rudder, December 1900, p. 449-450.)

"The 70-footer Virginia [#533s], owned by Mr. W. K. Vanderbilt, Jr., is being strengthened at Burlee's yard, Staten Island, under the direction of Tams, Lemoine & Crane. Yankee [#534s] and Rainbow [#532s] were practically rebuilt at the Herreshoff's." (Source: Anon. "Yachts News Notes." Forest and Stream, April 20, 1901, p. 314.)

"Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt's 70-foot racing sloop was hauled into the South shop at Herreshoff 's yesterday, where her underbody and keel were examined, to ascertain the extent of the damage done when she struck a sunken reef off the Hen and Chicken's lightship, Wednesday, during the King's cup races. The sloop leaked quite badly and it was found that there was a large dent in her keel about amidships. It will take several days to make repairs." (Source: Anon. "Bristol and Vicinity." Bristol Phoenix, August 10, 1906, p. 2.)

"The sloop yacht Rainbow, owned by Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt, which was hauled out at the Herreshoff boat shops for repairs, was launched Friday afternoon, and Saturday morning sailed for Newport to meet the New York Yacht club fleet. Capt. Charles Barr was at the wheel. It will be remembered that he was somewhat injured, when the boat struck a ledge outside of West Island." (Source: Anon. "Bristol and Vicinity." Bristol Phoenix, August 14, 1906, p. 2.)

"... It has been announced ... that Commodore Vanderbilt had joined the class of 57-footers [by ordering #667s Aurora], two of which are being built at Bristol, by the Herreshoffs. These two sloops are one for Mr. Harry F. Lippitt [#664s Winsome], the other for Mr. Geo. M. Pynchon [#663s Istalena]. ... The Herreshoff firm has taken over or otherwise disposed of Commodore Vanderbilt's 70-footer Rainbow [#532s] and her tender Mirage [#207p]. ..." (Source: Anon. "Yachting News Notes." Forest And Stream, January 26, 1907, p. 145.)

"The Herreshoff Manufacturing Co. has purchased the sloop Rainbow, which for several years was raced by Cornelius Vanderbilt, Jr." (Source: Anon. "Bristol and Vicinity." Bristol Phoenix, April 12, 1907, p. 2.)

"Bristol, R. I., Nov. 23. --- ... The old racing sloop Rainbow of the 70-foot class has been covered over with canvas, and is laid up at the slip near the Herreshoff boat shops. ..." (Source: Anon. "Little Activity At Herreshoff's." Boston Herald, November 24, 1907, p. 6.)

"... So they are going to turn Rainbow, Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt's old seventy-foot sloop, into a schooner. As will be remembered, she was turned over to the Herreshoff's in part payment for the 57-foot sloop Aurora. She should make a good racing schooner, outclassing anything that rates near her in most convincing fashion. As a cruiser she would have structural limitations which certainly should militate against her purchase by any discerning non-racing yachtsman.
In the early days of the seventy-footers, Rainbow did not enjoy all the success as a cup winner which came to her later. In their first season Sir Thomas Lipton offered a cup for them and the race was sailed off Sandy Hook. Rainbow was far behind her four competitors when a sudden shift of wind put her so far to the windward of the others that she sailed home a winner by half an hour. ..." (Source: Anon. "The Month in Yachting." Yachting, April 1908, p. 201.)

"Notwithstanding the fact that the Rainbow, the seventy-foot sloop built for Cornelius Vanderbilt in 1900, has just been converted into a schooner by the Herreshoffs, there is no indication at the present time that Rainbow in her new rig will be seen Iin any of the races or cruises this season. The yacht is owned by the Herreshoffs, to whom she was turned over by Commodore Vanderbilt when he got his fifty-seven-footer Aurora last year. No purchaser has yet come forward for the boat, and if the yacht is not sold she will probably remain at the Herreshoff yards in Bristol during the season. As a schooner Rainbow will be essentially a cruising boat. Her keel has been cut down, reducing her draught, and, with her big sail area, which will not be increased, her racing chances would hardly be bright unless in the handicap classes. For cruising, however, it is said that her accommodations are ample, and there is a probability that Rainbow may be seen in the annual cruise of the New York Yacht Club. Rainbow is 106 feet in length over all, 70 feet on the water line, with a 19 1/2-foot beam.
The Herreshoffs have also altered the sloop Irolita [#658s] into a schooner, and she will be Commodore Clark's flagship of the Corinthian Yacht Club of Philadelphia this season." (Source: Anon. "Rainbow Now a Schooner." New York Times, May 8, 1908, p. 5.)

"For Sale. --- Yacht Rainbow, length over all 107 ft., beam about 20 ft., draft about 11 ft., rigged for economical cruising; is in perfect order in every particular and ready to be put in commission; will be sold very low for cash. For further particulars and price inquire of Herreshoff Mfg. Co.. Bristol, R. I. where yacht can be seen." (Source: Anon. "For Sale." New York Times, August 4, 1908, p. 12.)

"BRISTOL, R. I., June 26 [1909] --- ... The old racing 70-foot sloop Rainbow, dismasted for three seasons past, was hauled into the Herreshoft shops the first of the week [June 21, 1909] to have her underbody cleaned as the sides were foul from being overboard for the past six weeks. ..." (Source: Anon. "Bristol Notes." Boston Globe, June 27, 1909, p. 40.)

"Yankee a Houseboat. The 70-footer Yankee, one of the class of four yachts built by Herreshoff in 1900, has been sold by Harry L. Maxwell to a firm who makes a business of buying yachts for their lead and fixtures. Yankee will have her lead removed, but will not be broken up but fitted as a house boat. ... Yankee was raced by [Maxwell] until Queen [#657s] was built, when he gave the sloop to his son. Mineola [#529s] was sold to W. Ross Proctor, and is still owned by that yachtsman. Virginia [#533s] was sold to a Philadelphia yachtsman, who turned her into a houseboat, and Rainbow [#532s] was transferred to Herreshoff when Aurora [#667s] was built, and is now rigged as a schooner. ..." (Source: Anon. "Yankee a Houseboat." Forest and Stream, October 30, 1909, p. 703.)

"(From the New York Herald.) Mr. Henry L. Maxwell, New York Yacht Club, who purchased the sloop yacht Avenger [#666s] from Mr. Alexander S. Cochran, has sold his 70-foot sloop the Yankee [#534s] to Edward S. Reiss & Co., and the racing days of the famous yacht are over. The new owners have disposed of the fittings of the vessel and are now removing her lead. The hull will not be broken up, as was at first decided upon, but will likely do service as a houseboat in the future.
This disposition of the Yankee leaves only the Mineola [#529s] of the quartet of famous 70-footers intact. The Rainbow [#532s] was turned over to the Herreshoffs when Mr. Cornelius Vanderbilt ordered the sloop Aurora [#667s] from them in the latter part of 1906, since which time little has been done with her save the reduction of her draft last year. The Virginia [#533s] was sold by Mr. W. K. Vanderbilt, Jr., in 1908, and after her lead was removed the hull was purchased by Mr. Robert Barrie, of the Corinthian Yacht Club, of Philadelphia, who has since used her as a houseboat. The Mineola is at City Island, and has not been in commission for several seasons.
The class was built in 1900 by the Herreshoffs, and the four vessels were owned by the following members of the New York Yacht Club: The Rainbow, Mr. Cornelius Vanderbilt; the Mineola, Mr. August Belmont; the Virginia, Mr. W. K. Vanderbilt, Jr., and the Yankee, Mr. H. P. Whitney and Mr. Herman B. Duryea. The class became famous, and, notwithstanding the many criticisms of their construction, their speed and seaworthy qualities, the record at this late day is that for pure racing sport through a series of years the class was most interesting and creditable alike to their designer, Capt. N. G. Herreshoff, their owners, and the New York Yacht Club.
The first of the quartet to change hands was the Yankee. Mr. J. Rogers Maxwell purchased her in 1902 and raced her for four years, until 1905, when he ordered the now-famous schooner yacht the Queen [#657s].
Then he gave the Yankee to his son, Mr. Harry L. Maxwell, who persistently raced her that year with the Rainbow.
In 1903 the Yankee won the Astor cup for sloops. The Astor cups were not sailed for during the cruise of the New York Yacht Club that year, owing to a bad storm and heavy sea off Newport, but were sailed for on September 13, a month later. Harry Maxwell had charge of the Yankee and sailed her during the race.
So far as the Yankee is concerned, Mr. J. Rogers Maxwell, since the construction of the schooner the Queen, has said to friends:
'I had more real racing pleasure with the Yankee than with any other yacht I ever owned.' "
Greater praise of a vessel could not be had, as Mr. Maxwell stands, and has stood for very many years, in the front rank of experienced yachtracing owners, and his greatest pleasure has been in sailing his many vessels." (Source: Anon. "Passing of Fast Yacht. Racing Days of the Yankee are over Forever." The New York Sun, November 6, 1909, p. 12.)

"BRISTOL, May 12 [1910] --- A number of well-known racing yachts which were in winter quarter's at Walker's Cove are afloat and the old 70-footer Rainbow, formerly owned by ex-Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt, was the first over. The craft's racing days are over, although she is a model of only ten years ago. Three-fourths of the lead keel is off and she is fit probably only for a houseboat. ..." (Source: Anon. "Busy Days at Bristol." Brooklyn Daily Eagle, May 12, 1910, p. 8.)

"Notes from the Week's Log. ... The Hollis Burgess yacht agency has sold for the Herreshoff Mfg Co, the 70-foot sloop Rainbow, to Seymour J. Hyde of New York. The Rainbow, which was originally owned by Cornelius Vanderbilt, is 108 feet over all, 70 feet water line, 20 feet beam, and 14 feet draft. Her new owner intends to alter the yacht into an auxiliary yawl. ..." (Source: Anon. "Notes from the Week's Log." Boston Globe, May 29, 1910, p. 51.)

"Seymour J. Hyde, of the New York Y. C. has purchased the 70 footer Rainbow [#532s] through the Hollis Burgess Agency. The yacht is at Herreshoff's, and is to be rigged as a yawl and equipped with an auxiliary gasolene motor. Rainbow was built for Cornelius Vanderbilt in 1900. She was one of four of one-design, and is the last to be changed. Mineola [#529s] and Yankee [#534s] have been broken up, and Virginia [#533s] is now a houseboat. These four made a remarkably fine class and furnished many sensational races'." (Source: Anon. "S. J. Hyde Buys Rainbow." Forest and Stream, June 4, 1910, p. 903.)

"Bristol Notes. BRISTOL, R I, July 2 [1910] --- ... The Rainbow is overboard once more, after an overhauling in the Herreshoff shops, and in the rig of a yawl more handy and shipshape. She sailed for New York Tuesday to meet her owner, Seymour J. Hyde. ..." (Source: Anon. "Bristol Notes." Boston Globe, July 3, 1910, p. 48.)

"... The once noted 70-footer Rainbow of the one-designed 70-foot class sailed into Bristol Harbor last Tuesday morning unrecognized. The old racer has been changed to a yawl and is owned by the Norman brothers of Newport. ..." (Source: Anon. "Notes From The Week's Log." Boston Globe, June 20, 1915, p. 59.)

"The four boats of this, Herreshoffs largest one-design class, went at it tooth and nail in their first season, driving their long-ended hulls way beyond their structural limitations and earning for them the nickname 'Leakabouts.' Mineola [#529s], Rainbow [#532s], Virginia [#533s], and Yankee [#534s] were their names, and the fact that the owners, afterguard, and crews had, for the most part, been groomed aboard the intensely competitive Newport 30-footers established their hard-driving attitude toward sailing these far bigger craft.
There was some ethnic rivalry between the professional crews as well: two of the boats were manned entirely by Englishmen, while the other two had Scandinavian crews and American skippers.
Herreshoff's reputation suffered as much as the 'Leakabouts' themselves did, with numerous jibes coming from the yachting press and considerable owner dissatisfaction. Internal metal trusses were added during their second season which cut down on the leaking, but these scowlike monsters continued to demonstrate the ills of the prevailing Length-and-Sail-Area rating rule.
(The New York 70s also demonstrated that racing craft this big should be plated with metal rather than planked with wood.) Owners and observers alike became convinced that the New York Yacht Club and other leading clubs should consider a new rule that favored less-extreme hull shapes. Within two or three years, the Universal Rule was adopted." (Source: Bray, Maynard and Carlton Pinheiro. Herreshoff of Bristol. Brooklin, Maine, 1989, p. 100.)

"N/A"

"[Item Transcription:] Wooden template annotated in pencil 'Crown of deck for #520 [#520s ATHENE] 70 foot Cutter. Also for 70ft w.l. class (#529 - 532 - 33 - 34) [New York 70s #529s MINEOLA, #532s RAINBOW, #533s VIRGINIA, #534s YANKEE]
6 1/2in vise[?] in 19ft-2in'. On verso 'Rod[?] 88 19/16[?]'." (Source: MIT Museum, Hart Nautical Collections, Haffenreffer-Herreshoff Collection Item HH.6.130. Artifact (Wooden Template). Oversize Folder, Folder Models and Diagrams. No date (1899 ?).)
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"[Item Description:] Penciled midship section sketch titled "#529 [New York 70 class: #529s MINEOLA, #532s RAINBOW, #533s VIRGINIA, #534s YANKEE] 65ft w.l. With a few calculations noting 'Girth[?]'. (Is this an original sketch to facilitate making the model?) Undated (a first set of pantograph hull section was drawn on September 8, 1899)." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Penciled Sketch. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE04_09080. Folder [no #]. No date (1899-09-08 or earlier ?).)
① ②

"[Item Description:] Penciled pantograph hull sections titled '529 [New York 70 Class: #529s, #532s, #533s, #534s]. 1st trial. Sept[ember] 8, [18]99'. No further notes or calculations. " (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Pantograph Hull Sections. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE04_04600. Folder [no #]. 1899-09-08.)
① ②

"[Item Description:] Penciled pantograph hull sections and pantograph lead sections titled '2nd trial. Final. #529. 65ft Class [New York 70s: #529s, #532s, #533s, #534s]. Sept[ember] 11, 1899'. With calculations arriving at a displacement of 2372.4cuft = 152620lbs = 68 tons gross and a group of calculations for 'Keel. 3ft 0in deep from bottom line'. " (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Pantograph Hull Sections. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE04_04580. Folder [no #]. 1899-09-11.)
① ②

"[Item Description:] Penciled pantograph lead sections titled '#529s [New York 70 class: #529s MINEOLA, #532s RAINBOW, #533s VIRGINIA, #534s YANKEE] Lead. 65ft w.l. Sept[ember] 17, 1899'. With calculations arriving at 72750lbs of lead at 58.1% of w.l." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Pantograph Lead Sections. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE04_09020. Folder [no #]. 1899-09-17.)
① ②

"[Item Description:] Penciled calculations titled 'Memo[randum]. Sept[ember] 29 [1899]'. With calculations dividing 28000 'C Price' by 64 'Tons D' = 437.50 'Portion[?] D' and multiplying this with 74 1.2 'per[??] D' = $32,593.75. With note 'Gross price for Sloop 32,593.75'. 4 boats usin[?] ordered, deduct discount of 4000 making price net per sloop = $28,593.75'. (These are price calculations for #529s MINEOLA, #532s RAINBOW, #533s VIRGINIA and #534s YANKEE of the New York 70 class, whose LWL had been increased fom 65ft to 70ft and which were contracted for on October 11, 1899 for $32,593.75 each)." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (??) (creator). Cost Estimate. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE08_03290. Folder [no #]. 1899-09-29.)
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"[Item Description:] Penciled preliminary specifications and class rule beginning with 'Rules for One Designed Class of 65ft w.l. General approximate dimensions. W.L. 65ft. Overall 99ft. Beam 19 1/4ft. Draft 13ft. Disp[lacement] 2240cuft [= 143360lbs]. Sail by NYYC rule 5625sqft. Outfit to include 16ft cutter, 12 foot dinghy, complete rig & gear for cruising & racing, including 20 life preservers, 2 life rings, 2 anchors & chain cables, 1 kedge anchor & warp. Total sleeping accomodation 17. Galley capable to feed 17. Water tanks of 425gals. Ice box of 950lbs capacity. In One Design Class Races ... ' and continuing with 'Mem[orandum] of sails which may be used in One Design Class Races', 'Spars to be of wood ...', 'Docking for cleaning, painting bottomes to be done only between 1st & 7th of each months unless by special permit ...'. [Filed with material relating to the NY70s of 1899/1900 (#529s MINEOLA, #532s RAINBOW, #533s VIRGINIA, #534s YANKEE) and a preliminary, smaller, design for this class]." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Specifications and Class Rule. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE08_02750. Folder [no #]. No date (1899-10 ???).)
① ②

"[Item Description:] Typewritten class rule titled 'Rules for One Design Class of 65 [corrected in pencil to 70] feet water line [New York 70 class of 1899/1900 #529s: MINEOLA, #532s RAINBOW, #533s VIRGINIA, #534s YANKEE]'. With sections beginning with 'General aproximate dimensions', 'Outfit', 'Memo of sails which may be used', 'Spars to be of ...', 'Interior. One of three plans submitted, in either pine painted or butternut shellace finished or policked', 'Decocking for cleaning to be done only' and, in pencil, 'One ton of inside ballast is placed on board by the builders and this is not to be added to or taken out ...'. With numerous penciled changes reflecting the increase of waterline length from 65ft to 70ft which the New York 70s design underwent in October 1899." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Class Rule. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE12_00460. Folder [no #]. No date (1899-10 ?).)
① ② ③

"N/A"

"[Item Description:] Handwritten (in ink and pencil) table titled 'Block List # 529 - 532 - 533 -534 [New York 70s #529s MINEOLA, #532s RAINBOW, #533s VIRGINIA, #534s YANKEE]. Marked in red pencil 'see 91-68' [HMCo Plan HH.5.07340 (091-068) Block list for 70' w.l. class from December 21, 1899]. With penciled note 'Changes made in Main Throat Hal[yard] [and] Jib halyard'." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Penciled List. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE06_01510. Folder [no #]. No date (before 1899-12-21).)
① ②

"[Item Transcription:] Yours of the 8th re[ceive]d this evening.
I saw Mr Belmont a few days since & he liked my Spanish cedar very much.
My seemly[?] was to have a butternut interior [for #207p MIRAGE] so arranged that I could put stuff in the panels surrounded by a gilt[?] rounding[?], you will remember the panels work[?] to be long[?] & a plan[?] of the panelling was to be submitted to me that mis[?] ch[?] & I could change it if necessary before it was started. It has been my intention after seeing the plan to ask you for how much extra you would substitute Spanish cedar for the butternut. Will you kindly send the paneling plan as soon as convenient, also the price of difference bet[ween] butternut & Spanish cedar in steamer & '70' [#532s RAINBOW]. I am hoping to go up soon but as I may be further delayed I trust[?] your word count on it. I have not been to ky[?] yet. The reducing[?] length of cockpit 20in will be a distinct improvement.
In after stateroom I want my washstand at forward end between steerage[?] & back[?] room doors & the place as[?] afen[?] and made vacant to be occupied by a 2nd bureau w[hic]h[?] w[oul]d[?] be[?] necessary for a room to be occupied by 2 people. I also want the bureaus in 2 staterooms adjoining saloon after[?] 4 feet long and placed under sky light as per blue print w[ic]h I am returning & which I see includes some of Mr. Belmont's plan [for #529s MINEOLA]. I see[?] the door[?] comes in nearly[?] in[?]this plan. You are[?] to give me some facts about heavy silon[?] slate or which metals, differences of price, etc.
Electric bell on both boats [#207p MIRAGE and #532s RAINBOW] in 2 rooms adjoining saloon. I want to have the 'closet' and drawer's arrangement same as that in after stateroom all the little things that are so necessary for ones comfort on a boat unless it be on the ground so that I hope I may be able to get on very soon, if not before the Holidays, immediately after.
The saloon settees seem a nice width, 2ft 4in? is it not. I've[?] had a long day in town & am pretty well tired out." (Source: Morgan, E.D. Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_37710. Correspondence, Folder 74, formerly 77. 1899-12-11.)
① ② ③

"[Item Transcription:] Yours re[ceive]d this evening. I am glad to hear you are so well on with the 70 [#532s RAINBOW] as that probably means you will have them all out early & prove[?] me a true prophet.
I cannot telly you the name yet but possibly can before launching. We have not yet decided upon it. As soon as you decide upon a date for launching please let me know & if I can go on for it I will.
I did not hear about the mercerized sails yet for Mr. Belmont [#529s MINEOLA] but expect to see him in a day or two. I was quite pleased to learn of your plan of stowing the st[eame]r [#207p MIRAGE] for the winter. I am thinking of finishing my interior Spanish cedar with wax directly on the bare wood but I think I wrote this before. Sorry about the white metal. I have been trying to think what the matter is. I do not want a sailing master. We had a boy born yesterday 3 A.M. with[?] very well so far & I am greatly relieved. Please tell Mrs Herreshoff, she always expresses such kind interest in the children & give her our kindest regards." (Source: Morgan, E.D. Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_37770. Correspondence, Folder 74, formerly 77. 1900-01-29.)
① ②

"[Item Transcription:] As I wish to enter the boats in the Lloyd's Register and other Yacht Clubs, will you kindly give me the following dimensions of the Cutter [#532s RAINBOW] and Steamer [#207p MIRAGE].
Length overall
Length water line
Extreme breadth
Draft of water
Registered tons
Net tons
Gross tons
Steamer:
No cylinders
Sizes cylinders
Length strike
Registered or nominal horse-power
Type of Engines" (Source: Morgan, E.D. (secr.). Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_37790. Correspondence, Folder 74, formerly 77. 1900-01-31.)
① ②

"[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:
#532s [Design] Oct. [1899] [Length:] 70ft W.L. [Planking:] Y[ellow] P[ine] [Delivery:] April 1 [1900] [Owner:] E.D. Morgan (C. Vanderbilt) (RAINBOW)." (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).)
①

"[Item Description:] HMCo Plan HH.5.05837 (079-026). Blueprint rig detail plan titled '#529 [New York 70] Class. Bowsprit & topmast end Cones. Feb[ruary] 3, 1900'. (Other boats referenced on this plan are #532s, #533s, #534s, #590s, #657s, #719s, and #772s)." (Source: Herreshoff Manufacturing Co. (creator). Blueprint. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item WRDT06_01220. Folder [no #]. 1900-02-03.)
①

"[Item Description:] how far advanced is Mr. [E. D.] Morgan's boat [#532s RAINBOW]?, are the partitions in?, my own stateroom [on #529s MINEOLA] on starboard could be improved by having a narrow transom running along just below the berth, it will be nice to sit on and will give a little more room for the drawers underneath, please send little sketch showing how much space there will be between desk and such a transom" (Source: Belmont, August. Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_39500. Correspondence, Folder 81, formerly 70. 1900-02-27.)
①

"[Item Description:] Yours of 8th re[ceive]d. You can well understand that I would have no heart for a summer's campaign of racing &c &c as the 70's [New York 70s] will demand. So I am hoping to sell mine [#532s RAINBOW]. Mr. Cornelius Vanderbilt was to have taken a look at her today & I gnauly[?] hope he will decide to take her off my hands. I expected to have written you he would inspect her but I have had a severe attack of neuritis[?] in my right arm which has put many things out of my head besides Mr[?] Humphreys my[?] Grandfathers old partner & one of my cessoceols[?] dies & on returning from his funeral today I found y[ou]r letter & remembered ab[ou]t writing you. I must stop now my arm hurts so." (Source: Morgan, E.D. Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_37830. Correspondence, Folder 74, formerly 77. 1900-03-10.)
① ②

"[Item Description:] I was glad to get your note this evening & hear the Bristol news. It has of course been a great disappointment to give up the [New York 70] class [and #532s RAINBOW] that I took so much trouble to start but we had no heart to undertake a Summers racing of such magnitude. I was led to sell the launch [#207p MIRAGE] as it was so much tain[?] as to our way abt[?] to use her next Summer. We may finally decide to go to Newport as being the most expedient but at present we are hoping to think of some more agreeable[?] plan, possibly to the mountains or abroad. I w[oul]d[?] certainly do the latter were I sure my business w[oul]d permit. From all I hear you are doing a big seasons work & I congratulate you heartily as you do not mention them I imagine your family are all well. I would like very much to be able to spend a day with you 7 see all the new boats but am afraid I won't have the chance as I am held up in several ways." (Source: Morgan, E.D. Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_37850. Correspondence, Folder 74, formerly 77. 1900-04-02.)
① ②

"[Item Description:] Handwritten in ink specifications and class rule marked 'Copy' and titled 'Rules for One Designed Class of 70ft Water Line'. With penciled note 'Apr[il] 7, 1900. Design by N.G. Herreshoff for no. 529 and class [#529s MINEOLA, #532s RAINBOW, #533s VIRGINIA, #534s YANKEE]. Fall of 1899'. Text begins with 'General approximate dimensions w.l. 70ft, o.a. 106ft, Beam 19 1/2ft. Draft 14ft. Displacement 2564cuft [= 164096lbs]. Sail area by NYYC rule 6980sqft. Outfit to include 16ft cutter, 14 foot dinghy, complete rig & gear for cruising & racing, including 20 life preservers, 2 life rings, 2 anchors & chain cables, 1 kedge anchor & warp. Total sleeping accomodation 17. Galley capable to feed 17 and stove to weigh not less than 295lbs. Water tanks of 535gals. Ice box of 950lbs capacity. In One Design Class Races ... ' and continuing specifications for spars, sail areas and materials, hull construction, interior, docking for cleaning, marking of waterline, demanding remeasurements, yacht club rules in conflict with these reulations, etc." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Specifications and Class Rule. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE08_02770. Folder [no #]. 1900-04-07.)
① ② ③ ④

"[Item Description:] Penciled racing rule notes with two sections titled 'Championship' and 'Protests'. Otherwise untitled and undated. [These two sections were new in the final version of the specifications and class rule titled 'Rules for 70ft One Design Class (Design of N.G. Herreshoff for #529 and class [#529s MINEOLA, #532s RAINBOW, #533s VIRGINIA, #534s YANKEE])']." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Class Rule. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE08_03350. Folder [no #]. No date (1900-04-08 or later).)
① ②

"[Item Transcription:] [Typewritten (carbon copy) note:] Suggestion for extra spars for 70 footers [New York 70 class: #529s MINEOLA, #532s RAINBOW, #533s VIRGINIA, #534s YANKEE]. To be owned jointly by the four owners and available for either vessel in case of accident. If two, or more, vessels want one spar, it is to be drawn for by owners of crippled vessels.
1 - Mast.
1 - Boom.
1 - Spinnaker boom.
2 - Bowsprits.
2 - Gaff's.
2 - # 2 Topsail spars.
4 - Topmasts.
1 Pair spreaders.
N. G. H." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Class Rule. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE08_03370. Folder [no #]. No date (1900-04-08 or later).)
①

"[Item Transcription:] [Typewritten (carbon copy) note:] Suggestion for extra spars for 70 footers [New York 70 class: #529s MINEOLA, #532s RAINBOW, #533s VIRGINIA, #534s YANKEE]. To be owned jointly by the four owners and available for either vessel in case of accident. If two, or more, vessels want one spar, it is to be drawn for by owners of crippled vessels.
1 - Mast.
1 - Boom.
1 - Spinnaker boom.
2 - Bowsprits.
2 - Gaff's.
2 - # 2 Topsail spars.
4 - Topmasts.
1 Pair spreaders.
N. G. H." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Class Rule. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE08_03380. Folder [no #]. No date (1900-04-08 or later).)
①

"[Item Description:] Handwritten in ink specifications and class rule titled 'Rules for One Designed Class of 70ft Water Line [#529s MINEOLA, #532s RAINBOW, #533s VIRGINIA, #534s YANKEE]'. Text begins with 'General dimensions: Overall 106ft. waterline 70ft 3in, Beam 19ft 4in, Draft 14ft 0in Sail area by NYYC rule about 6980sqft. ...' With further sections specifying 'Construction', 'Outfit', 'Inside Ballast', 'Changes', 'Docking', 'Ice, Water & Provisions', 'Special Races', 'General Races', 'Championship', 'Merit of Amateur Helmsman', 'Time Keeper', 'Amendment of Rules' and 'New Rules'. Undated (this appears to be a new version of a subsequent draft dated April 7, 1900)." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Specifications and Class Rule. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE08_02810. Folder [no #]. No date (1900-04-08 or later).)
① ② ③ ④ ⑤

"[Item Description:] Typewritten mimeographed specifications and class rule titled 'Rules for 70ft One Design Class (Design of N.G. Herreshoff for #529 and class [#529s MINEOLA, #532s RAINBOW, #533s VIRGINIA, #534s YANKEE])'. Text begins with 'General dimensions: Length Overall 106 feet 0 inches. Length on waterline 70 feet 3 inches. Beam 19 feett 4 inches. Draft 14 feet 0 inches. Sail area by New York Yacht Club Rule about 6980sqft. ...' With further sections specifying 'Construction', 'Outfit', 'Inside Ballast', 'Changes', 'Docking', 'Ice, Water & Provisions', 'Special Races', 'General Races', 'Championship', 'Merit of Amateur Helmsman', 'Time Keeper', 'Protests', 'Amendment of Rules' and 'New Rules'. Undated (this appears to be a new version of a subsequent draft dated April 7, 1900)." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Specifications and Class Rule. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE08_02860. Folder [no #]. No date (1900-04-08 or later).)
① ② ③ ④

"[Item Description:] have telegraphed today about watertank capacity of the NY70s, also what the weight of the strengthening work was and what it added to the weight of each boat, I have your letter of May 25th, copy of which I enclose, and would thank you to corroborate these figures, what I am trying to ascertain, for my own satisfaction, although it will not effect the result, is what amount the RAINBOW [#532s] probably increased her water line length, if at all" (Source: Belmont, August. Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_39840. Correspondence, Folder 81, formerly 70. 1900-10-17.)
①

"[Item Description:] so you are actually building another Cup Defender! [#551s CONSTITUTION], will keep anything I know about #499s COLUMBIA to myself for you trusted me with the information, how I should enjoy working on the new one!, am busy here [at New York Sipbuilding in Camden, NJ], I see an enlarged #512s OISEAU going up in the South Shop, was sorry to hear about Walker's Cove fire [on Oct 21, 1900], #532s RAINBOW seems to have acted remarkably well in just clearing the South wharf in the North Wester [RAINBOW had gone ashore on Nov 9, 1900], have you been out in #404s COQUINA lately, I wish I could be up there trying to catch you in the TIP tomorrow" (Source: Packard, Alpheus A. Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_20350. Correspondence, Folder 58. 1900-11-17.)
① ②

"[Item Transcription:] Order book with carbon copy duplicates of instructions given by NGH. Relevant contents:
§12: Work Order '[For] # s 529 - 532 - 533 - 534 [New York 70s #529s MINEOLA, #532s RAINBOW, #533s VIRGINIA, #534s YANKEE]. [When wanted] Soon. Galv. Plow Steel Rope. Very best quality. Well galvanized with good zinc coating. 7 wires per strand …' (1899-11-04)
§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)." (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.)
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

"[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).)
① ② ③ ④

"N/A"

"[Item Transcription:] I have taken up the question of having the draft rule amended as soon as possible, but of course it will mean calling another conference which we will try to get through early in October.
As far as I can learn the opinions of the yachting men I think the following changes will be brought up for discussion.
1. Amend the draft rule.
2. Make every yacht built after Jan. 1st 1908 rate at the top of her class in class racing.
3. Go back to the 60% time allowance scale.
4. Straighten out the measuring of sail area. The present method of measuring spars alone does not give satisfaction. One suggestion is to measure the diagonal from throat to clue instead of calculating it as we now do. The Club topsail as at present measured can be easily beaten by making your working topsail tack very low.
5. Allow the 33 foot class to carry Clubtopsails.
There is also some talk of bringing in the W.L. into the formula as you suggested to me the other day. I hardly think this will materialize though as I am afraid to touch the rule itself as it would mean an entire change of classification which we do not want.
Why would a 70 foot schooner cost so much more than the old [New York] 70s. That matter is still in the air but I hope to pull it off if I can get some one other boat built in the class. Incl. NGH reply: I hope you will be able to put the changes thru. It is very important to future building. It would be a shame to be obliged to build all the larger boats with centre boards if you wished to race them successfully. I[?]wrote[?] [George] Cormack about it a few days ago, that is about draft restriction and sail restrictions. I didn't mention the proportion of modifying the L by taking mean of quarter[?] beam[?] length and waterline for it might seem as if I was asking too much. I am however of the opinion that it would put our measurement in more perfect form and cause the rating to be index[?] of the racing speed of a yacht. The fact that there would have to be no new measurement taken than the measurer has at present is very much in its favor, and as for classification that would be very easy fixed by allowing all craft now built to remain in their present classes, but to give time allowance as by their new measurement.
I cannot agree with in abolishing time allowance in classes. It would be a big mistake, and has always proven so. Build your one design classes when it can be carried out, but to ask every one to build to the class limit will never hold for any length of time. Take the Ram bu the horns and straighten our the time allowance rules so the little end of the class will have as nearly as possible only[?]an equal chance of wining as the big end. Just because there happened to be two or three exceptionally fast boats that got in at the bottom of the classes this year and sweeped many of the prizes is no reason to abandon time allowance altogether. The little boats merited part of their winning --- not all. Part is due to the fact that the new boats are much larger than their rating, while the new allowance tables have been based on the performance of the older type which were much smaller than their rating. The time allowance table wants adjusting, which is an easy matter. But in making adjustments don't forget the fat that AVENGER [#666s], DORELLO, SENECA [#670s] all have features that gave them an advantage over their larger rivals. The smaller craft were allowed all the draft they need. The larger were not. The smaller were the latest productions and having hollow spars & c. Is it wise to allow hollow spars? I am about ready to say yes, having in mind the fact that it is getting more and more difficult to procure timber for solid ones and the day will soon arrive when all spars will be built up and then it will be just as easy to have them hollow as solid.
At first I was opposed to the spar measure and ruled for calculating the maximum area. I have come to like it excepting the fact of swinging the end of swinging the end of mainboom too long for open water sailing. Measuring the actual diagonal will help this, but you cannot measure it alike two different days. Perhaps you could establish a minimum height for the mainboom to swing, say when resting on a crotch take the measure there and then hoist sail and let the measurer see that it is not lower when correctly set. The topsail trouble can be easily got over by assuming the area of the working topsail the difference between [formula] and [formula], or say any club topsail < [formula]. The coefficient 15 may not be correct but I think nearly so.
I know no reason why the 33ft class or 27ft class should not carry club topsails if the rig is measured to topsails, using P instead of H in the formula for after sails. I believe in it if one wants to pull the little strings, as it educates the younger set for handling larger craft.
About the cost of the [New York] 70s [#529s MINEOLA, #532s RAINBOW, #533s VIRGINIA and #534s YANKEE]: They were built at $32600 about --- a set of four in one design. There was little profit at that price. A single one would cost thus at least $36000. Today labor and material are about 10% higher which would bring it to 39600. Then if schooner rigged add 5% which would bring one of the 70s built today & schooner rigged at $41580. The proposed 64 rating schooner would have a little less over all length and breadth, but would have from 5 to 15% more displacement and consequently more lead." (Source: Duncan, W. Butler (incl NGH reply). Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_68850. Measuring and Measurement Rules (Box 1), Folder B1F02, formerly MRDE15. 1908-08-21.)
① ② ③ ④

"[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)
§4: Work Order [For] #529s, #532s, #533s, #534s. [When wanted] Sept. 15, 1900. For strengthening 70-footers (1900-08-15)." (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

"[Item Description:] penciled table titled 'L1 by formula ...' and listing data for #706s ELENA, #657s IROLITA [ex-QUEEN], #698s VAGRANT I, #532s RAINBOW, #663s ISTALENA, #666s AVENGER, #685s ADVENTURESS, #703s FLYING CLOUD, #709s JOYANT and #708s CORINTHIAN, #687s CARA-MIA [ex-NAULAKHA] and NY30s" (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Table. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_67730. Measuring and Measurement Rules (Box 1), Folder B1F01, formerly MRDE15. No date (1911 to 1915).)
①

"[Item Transcription:] Handwritten (mostly in pencil but also in ink) trials booklet titled '1898 - 1909'. Relevant contents:
§8: #207p MIRAGE [TENDER FOR #532s RAINBOW] Trial Run mean speed 17.99kn = 20.7mph (1900-03-30 & 1899-03-31)." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Trials Booklet. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE09_00060. Folder [no #]. 1898-09 to 1911-04.)
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

"[Item Transcription:] I am enclosing the LWL of WESTWARD [#692s] and RAINBOW [#532s]. Would you be good enough to give me their displacements. I understand the WESTWARD, like ELENA [#706s], does not take a Q.B.L. penalty, but apparently RAINBOW does.
I have the profiles for the Committee & I think they will sit up and take notice when they see the stem-line of JOYANT [#709s]. About everybody I have talked to gives our interpretation of 'fair line'." (Source: Hallock, W. (Meas. NYYC). Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_75670. Measuring and Measurement Rules (Box 2), Folder B2F17, formerly MRDE15. 1911-07-27.)
①

"[Item Transcription:] Order book with carbon copy duplicates of instructions given by NGH. Relevant contents:
§26: Work Order [For] #532s. [When wanted] June 10. Yawl Rig [2 pages] (1910-05-22)." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Order Book. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE08_04730. Folder [no #]. 1909-10 to 1914-11.)
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

Note: This list of archival documents contains in an unedited form any and all which mention #532s Rainbow even if just in a cursory way. Permission to digitize, transcribe and display is gratefully acknowledged.

• Anon. "The Seventy-Footers." Rudder, June 1900, p. 284-287. (5,341 kB)
  Document is copyrighted: No. Detailed report on the 70-footers with special emphasis on Mineola, showing many photos and sketches.

• Rainbow (HMCo-made index card)
• Rainbow (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: Rainbow
Type: Cutter
Length: 70'
Owner: Vanderbilt, C.

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

• Rainbow
• 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: Rainbow
Type: 70' cutter
Owner: Cornelius Vanderbilt
Year: 1900
Row No.: 561

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: Oct
Day: 11
Year: 1899
E/P/S: S
No.: 0532
Name: Rainbow
LW: 70'
B: 19' 4"
D: 14'
Rig: Cutter
K: y
Ballast: Lead O.
Amount: 32,593.75
Notes Constr. Record: Original length 28000.00 Extra length 4593.75
Last Name: Vanderbilt
First Name: C.

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.

"Sail no. H6." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. December 8, 2009.)

"Built in 118 days (contract to launch; equivalent to $276/day, 1413 lbs displacement/day)." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. January 16, 2024.)

"[Sail area info.]" (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 (2606 cubic feet).]" (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.