HMCo #548s Radiant

"[1901-02-22] Fri 22: Mod[erate] W [wind] & a little warmer. Took #548 [Radiant] to cove by low gear.
[1901-05-16] Thu 16: Very fine & warm. L[igh]t N [wind] early, [then] mod[erate] SSW [wind] in PM. ... Radiant [#548s], Alice [probably #405s] & Alerion [#446s] launched.
[1901-05-20] Mon 20: Overcast & make 1.88in. of rain thus far. ... Rigged up Radiant [#548s] and [she] was measured by Mr. Cabot.
[1901-05-23] Thu 23: Short southerly storm last night, clearing in [the] morning. Very fine and warm. Wind west. Mr. Baker took away Radiant [#548s]." (Source: Herreshoff, Nathanael G. Diary, 1901. Manuscript (excerpts). Diary access courtesy of Halsey C. Herreshoff.)

"No. 548.
B-3-m [sic].
21ft c[enter] b[oard].
Frame spaces 9".
Deduct for planking and deck 3/4".
Deduct for timbers 1 1/8" except nos 13 to 28 inclusive, 1 1/8" at head and increase 1/8" per foot, for full length.
Measurements marked S are top of side of deck.
Keel 1 5/8" thick. 1 3/8" about rabbet.
Crown [of] deck 5 1/8" in 9' + 10"." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. [Penciled note in Offset Booklet HH.4.127.] Undated, ca. October 1900. Haffenreffer-Herreshoff Collection, MIT Museum, Cambridge, MA.)

"Buzzards Bay. Saturday, June 15 [1901].
The yachting season was opened at Cape Cod Saturday by the Beverly Y. C. The race was sailed in a cold notheast gale off the club house at Wing's Neck and all yachts carried reefs. ... In the 21-footers, the Herreshoff-designed champion Quakeress [#501s] had things all her own way. She has recently been overhauled by Herreshoff, and was in perfect trim for the race. A new boat, designed by Herreshoff, Radiant [#548s], did not make much of a showing, but it was her first race, and it is expected that she will do better when she has been turned up. ... The summary:
...
21-Footers
Quakeress, W. F. Harrison, 21 [Length], 2 09 09 [Elapsed]
Amanita, L. Bacon, 21 [Length], 2 13 50 [Elapsed]
Kestrel, L. S. Dabney, 21 [Length], 2 17 02 [Elapsed]
Radiant, C. M. Baker, 21 [Length], 2 17 48 [Elapsed] ..." (Source: Killeen, John B. "Beverly Y.C." Forest and Stream, June 22, 1901, p. 496.)

"... Like A. C. Harrison, [Charles] Baker [a resident of Chapoquoit and member of the Woods Hole Yacht Club] was a prolific patron of Herreshoff. In 1895 he bought Edith [#456s] which had a 17' waterline, then in 1897 another Edith [#486s], a 21 footer. Also in 1897 he bought Alpha [#488s], a catboat that was a sister to Omega [#489s] owned by Mr. King, the developer of Chapoquoit. Baker bought Blazing Star [#515s], a 25 footer, in 1899, followed by three more 21 footers: Radiant [#548s] in 1900, Arethusa [#574s] in 1901, and Illusion [#611s] in 1903. ..." (Source: Littell, Browne. "Early Days of Racing in Woods Hole." In: Woods Hole Historical Collection (Publisher). Spritsail, Volume 10, Number 2, Summer 1996, p. 23-24. http://www.woodsholemuseum.org/woodspages/sprtsl/v10n2-EarlyRace.pdf, retrieved February 10, 2011.)

"Had the design of Radiant resulted in more than one boat, chances are that the class would have been known as the Buzzards Bay 21 class; there are distinctly similar features that Radiant has in common with the Buzzards Bay 15s, such as bow and stern watertight compartments for keeping the boat afloat if capsized. As it turned out, only this one boat was built. It was for C. M. Baker, for whom ownership of a Herreshoff-built daysailer was nothing new. The 17-foot-waterline sloop Edith [#456s] (...1895) was his first, followed by a 21-footer [#486s] of the same name in 1898. The 25-footer Blazing Star [#515s] (... 1899, now at Mystic Seaport) had been his most recent NGH-designed yacht before Radiant. Miss Edith C. Baker is listed as Radiant's owner shortly after the boat was built.
Racers like Radiant were popular as an open class (as opposed to a one-design) along the Massachusetts coast, and, although there were rules governing other characteristics besides a 21-foot waterline length that a boat had to have to measure into the class, there were astonishing differences between the competing boats. To compare, for example, Radiant with the keelboats Onagh [#547s] and Rogue [#549s] --- all three NGH designs, created one after the other for this same class --- we find Radiant with about 2 feet more beam ... and some 1 1/2 feet less draft. It is a good rule indeed which allows both keelboats and keel/centerboarders to compete on more-or-less even terms." (Source: Bray, Maynard and Carlton Pinheiro. Herreshoff of Bristol. Brooklin, Maine, 1989, p. 69.)

"[Item Description:] Printed leaflet titled 'Beverly Yacht Club. Cruising Class (25 Footers)' and providing regulations, dimensions, and scantlings for this class. Undated, annotated in pencil by NGH with 'Re[ceive]d fr[o]m C. M. Baker. Jan 28 '98'. [Charles M. Baker was the owner of the Beverly YC 21ft raceabout #486s EDITH (1897) and would subsequently contract for the BYC 25ft raceabout #515s BLAZING STAR (1899) and the Beverly YC 21ft raceabouts #548s RADIANT (1901), #574s ARETHUSA (1902), and #611s ILLUSION (1903).]" (Source: Beverly YC (creator). Leaflet. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_76170. Measuring and Measurement Rules (Box 2), Folder B2F18, formerly MRDE15. No date (ca1898-01-28).)
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"[Item Description:] Printed leaflet titled 'Beverly Yacht Club. Cruising Class (21 Footers)' and providing regulations, dimensions, and scantlings for this class. Undated, annotated in pencil by NGH with 'Re[ceive]d fr[o]m C. M. Baker. Jan 28 '98'. [Charles M. Baker was the owner of the Beverly YC 21ft raceabout #486s EDITH (1897) and would subsequently contract for the BYC 25ft raceabout #515s BLAZING STAR (1899) and the Beverly YC 21ft raceabouts #548s RADIANT (1901), #574s ARETHUSA (1902), and #611s ILLUSION (1903).]" (Source: Beverly YC (creator). Leaflet. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_76180. Measuring and Measurement Rules (Box 2), Folder B2F18, formerly MRDE15. No date (ca1898-01-28).)
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"N/A"

"[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:
#548s [blank] (RADIANT)." (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:] Penciled pantograph hull sections titled '#548 [RADIANT]. Raceabout model for Buzzards Bay. Oct[ober] 1900. 2nd trial'. With calculations arriving at a displacement of 90.5cuft = 5825lbs." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Pantograph Hull Sections. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE04_04310. Folder [no #]. 1900-10.)
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"[Item Description:] Penciled pantograph hull sections titled '#548 [RADIANT]. Raceabout model for Buzzards Bay. 1st trial. Oct[ober] 1900'. With displacement curves marked '1st trial', '2nd trial', and '1 trial 547 [#547s OONAGH]'. With calculations arriving at a displacement of 95.4cuft = 6140lbs." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Pantograph Hull Sections. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE04_04330. Folder [no #]. 1900-10.)
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"[Item Description:] Penciled pantograph hull sections titled '#548. 21ft c.b. [centerboard] raceabout for C. M. Baker. 3rd trial. Final. Oct[ober] 18, 1900. RADIANT'. With calculations arriving at a displacement of 90cuft = 5790lbs." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Pantograph Hull Sections. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE04_04390. Folder [no #]. 1900-10-18.)
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"[Item Description:] Penciled pantograph lead sections titled 'No. 548 [#548s RADIANT]. 21ft c.b. for Buzzards Bay. Oct[ober] 26, 1900. Also #582s [ELECTRA II]. M[ar]ch 3, 1902'. With calculations and note 'No. 548. ... 4060lbs lead. Out for [centerboard] slot 1060. [Result] 3000[lbs]'. With note 'No. 574 [#574s ARETHUSA]. Keel for Buzzards Bay Class. Use mould for #548 with slot filled and about 1200[?] cuin[?] removed from bottom'. With further calculations and note '#582. Lead required 6500 lbs = 9.5cuft. Cut for c.b. slot = 1.16[cuft]. [Result] 10.36 = 17750cuin] and concluding with '5900lbs at 24.525 frame space'." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Pantograph Lead Sections. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE04_08930. Folder [no #]. 1900-10-26.)
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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:
§7: Work Order [For] "547s, #548s, #549s, #551s, #552s, #533s. [When wanted] Soon as possible. Running rigging 3-strand (1901-02-07)." (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.)
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Note: This list of archival documents contains in an unedited form any and all which mention #548s Radiant even if just in a cursory way. Permission to digitize, transcribe and display is gratefully acknowledged.

• Radiant (HMCo-made index card)
• Radiant (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: Radiant
Type: J & M
Length: 21'
Owner: Baker, C. M.

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

• Radiant
• Invader ex-Radiant
• 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: Radiant
Type: 20' 5" sloop
Owner: C. M. Baker
Year: 1901
Row No.: 560

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: 12
Year: 1900
E/P/S: S
No.: 0548
Name: Radiant
LW: 21'
B: 9' 10"
D: 3' 8"
Rig: J & M
CB: y
Ballast: Lead O.
Amount: 2500.00
Last Name: Baker
First Name: C. M.

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 number C-0 (Twenty-One Foot Restricted Class).]" (Source: Beverly Yacht Club. 1902 Yearbook. Boston, 1902, p. 61.)

"Charles M. Baker of Brookline was a Boston banker who in 1894/1895 had bought from Chapoquoit's developer Franklin King several lots in Chapoquoit on one of which he eventually built a large summer home complete with boathouse. For more information see Jenkins, Candace. The Development of Falmouth as a Summer Resort. 1850 - 1900. In: Woods Hole Historical Collection (Publisher). Spritsail, Volume 6, Number 1, Winter 1992, p. 23-24. www.woodsholemuseum.org/woodspages/sprtsl/v6n1-SummerRes.pdf, retrieved February 13, 2011." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. February 13, 2011.)

"Built in 216 days (contract to launch; equivalent to $12/day, 29 lbs displacement/day)." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. January 16, 2024.)

"[Displacement 90.5cuft = 5825lbs.]" (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. Penciled note on pantograph hull sections taken for #548s Radiant off the original model. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum.)

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