HMCo #559s Little Robin

"No. 559. Keel, see figures under [frame stations] # 17 - 26.
Timbers moulded 7/8"
Planking 11/16
Deck 11/16
Keel 1 5/8"." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. [Penciled note in Offset Booklet HH.4.113.] No date [June 1901]. Haffenreffer-Herreshoff Collection, MIT Museum, Cambridge, MA.)

"The 21 foot knockabout 'Little Robin' built at Herrreshoffs for C. S. Eaton of Boston was launched at 6 o'clock last evening from the Herreshoff boat shops. Mr. Eaton formerly owned the 'Cock Robin.' [#461s]" (Source: Anon. "Bristol and Vicinity." Bristol Phoenix, July 26, 1901, p. 2.)

"Thompson's Spa. Boston.
C. S. Eaton, Pres. & Treas.
249 & 225 Washington St.
Aug, 7th, 1901
Mr. Nat. Herreshoff,
Herreshoff Mfg. Co., Bristol, R. I.
My Dear Mr. Herreshoff:-
I have not had a good opportunity to try out the 'Little Robin' [#559s] until this morning. It blew quite hard and was quite puffy. We put one reef in the mainsail and used number two jib.
I found her to be a most excellent sea boat, very dry and exceedingly well balanced, even better than the 'Cock Robin' [#461s], which seems hardly possible. With the wind a beam or close hauled when puffs struck her, although she has a tendency to come into the wind, yet she can be thrown broad off very easily. She is under perfect control at all times. I could not ask for a better boat for my boys, and I want to thank you again for the interest you took in making for me such a good boat for them.
Yours most sincerely, C. S. Eaton." (Source: Eaton, C. S. [Letter to N. G. Herreshoff.] Herreshoff Marine Museum Correspondence, Folder 1_14 (new), August 7, 1901.)

"No. 31 --- For Sale --- Herreshoff 16-foot water line keel knock about; a perfect little craft in every way; just the boat for the boys, or for afternoon sailing; able and fast; very complete inventory for small boat. Dimensions are: 26 feet over all; 16 feet 4 inches water line; 6 feet 9 inches beam; 4 feet 6 inches draught; 1,500 lbs. of lead on keel; built by Herreshoff in 1901. Impossible to find a better boat of the kind, and anybody wishing a small knockabout, could not do better than look into this one. One of the few Herreshoff boats ever placed on the market. Apply to E. A. Boardman, Naval Architect and Yacht Broker, 20 Central St., Boston, Mass. [Although Little Robin was not explicitly identified in the accompanying advertisement text, it is clear that only she could have been meant, as she was the only 16' 4' LWL keel boat that had been contracted for in the 1900-1901 time period.]" (Source: Rudder, March 1904, p. 162.)

"The Hollis-Burgess Yacht Agency, of Boston, has sold the Herreshoff knock-about Little Robin, owned by Mr. Charles S. Eaton, of Boston, to Mr. Phillip M. Reynolds , of the same city, who will use her at North Haven, Me.; ..." (Source: Anon. "Yachts Change Hands." New York Herald, June 13, 1911, p. 13.)

"BOSTON, Mass., Friday. --- Mr. John Philip Reynolds has bought Mr. Charles S. Eaton's Herreshoff knockabout Little Robin and will use it at North Haven, his summer home." (Source: Anon. "Yacht Movements." New York Herald, June 24, 1911, p. 12.)

"No. 10937 --- For Sale --- A dandy little Herreshoff knockabout; 26 ft o. a., 16 ft. 4 in. w. l., 6 ft. 9 in. beam, 4 ft. 6 in. draught, 1,500 lb outside lead ballast. Small cabin with enough headroom to sit up in with full length transoms. Built in the usual high grade Herreshoff manner with cedar planking and brass screw fastenings. Watertight cockpit. Canvas deck. This smart little craft was built in 1901 and has always had the finest care. Ideal boat for a boy or girl to learn to sail in as she is absolutely uncapsizable and unsinkable. Handles to perfection. Price $500. Can be seen in Boston by applying to Hollis Burgess Yacht Agency, 15 Exchange Street, Boston, Mass. [Although Little Robin was not explicitly identified in the accompanying advertisement text, it is clear that only she could have been meant, as she was the only 16' 4' LWL keel boat that had been contracted for in the 1900-1901 time period.]" (Source: Anon. "For Sale." Rudder, March 1914, p. 153.)

"H. Wilmer Hanan has purchased the Herreshoff 17 foot knockabout Little Robin, which was owned formerly by Philip Reynolds of Boston. The knock-about will be used on the Sound. The transfer was made through the office of John G. Alden..." (Source: Anon. "Hanan Buys Little Robin." Brooklyn Daily Eagle, May 31, 1914, p. 7.)

"... In the mixed class, Addison G. Hanan sailed with his family aboard the Little Robin, but all the sailing was done by his two small sons, Leonard and Richard, while Mrs Hanan helped to trim sheet, and Mr. Hanan merely looked on and coached his young hopefuls. ..." (Source: Anon. "Close Finishes the Rule in Indian Harbor Y.C.'s Annual Regatta, in Which Fifty Craft Are Started." New York Herald, July 26, 1914, p. 2.)

"... The 17-foot waterline Herreshoff knockabout Little Robin has been sold by H. W. Hanan to John W. Christiansen of New York ... through the agency of John G. Alden. ..." (Source: Anon. "Notes From The Week's Log." Boston Globe, November 26, 1916, p. 57.)

"[Item Description:] Two sets of penciled pantograph hull sections titled '# 503 to 509 inclusive [Buzzards Bay 15 class: #503s, #504s, #505s, #506s, #507s, #508s, #509s]. 15ft one design class. Dec[ember] 4, [19]98'. One set simply marked '1st Trial' with no further notes or calculations. The other marked '2nd [trial]' and with calculations arriving at a displacement of 2438lbs with 'Note, for finishing model have deducted 2% of disp[lacement] ...'. Also with rating-related calculations marked 'Dec[ember] 1901. Hyslop rule'. Also special displacement calculations for #559 [LITTLE ROBIN] (50cuft = 3200lbs body part) and specially marked waterline for this boat and a note 'sheer raised 4in in #559'." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Pantograph Hull Sections. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE04_04770. Folder [no #]. 1898-12-04.)
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"[Item Description:] Penciled pantograph lead sections titled 'Lead Keel for # s 503 to 509 inclusive [Buzzards Bay 15 class: #503s, #504s, #505s, #506s, #507s, #508s, #509s]. Dec[ember] 25, [18]98. Scale 1/4in'. With calculations requiring two trials to arrive at a final result of 995lbs lead at 8.6ft aft of w.l. (unclear if this includes the centerboard slot which is subsequently calculated). With separate calculations for '#559 [LITTLE ROBIN (deep draft cruiser)]. June 22, 1901'" (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Pantograph Lead Sections. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE04_09160. Folder [no #]. 1898-12-25.)
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"N/A"

"[Item Transcription:] I have not had a good opportunity to try out the 'LITTLE ROBIN' [#559s] until this morning. It blew quite hard and was quite puffy. We put one reef in the mainsail and used number two jib.
I found her to be a most excellent sea boat, very dry and exceedingly well balanced, even better than the 'COCK ROBIN' [#461s], which seems hardly possible. With the wind a beam or close hauled when puffs struck her, although she has a tendency to come into the wind, yet she can be thrown broad off very easily. She is under perfect control at all times. I could not ask for a better boat for my boys, and I want to thank you again for the interest you took in making for me such a good boat for them." (Source: Eaton, C.S. Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_00200. Correspondence, Folder 1_14, formerly (84). 1901-08-07.)
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"[Item Transcription:] [Penciled table:]
EDITH [#456s] 456 - 1150,- 1400
VIERO [#459s] 459 - 1050,- 1300
L[ITTLE] R[OBIN] [#559s] 559 - 985,- 1150
[The first numbers show hull numbers, the second numbers dollar prices as recorded in the Construction Record, the third numbers may be adjusted prices to reflect higher costs at some later time.] [Undated, 1901 or later given mention of LITTLE ROBIN. Given that this paper was filed together with other R.W. Emmons correspondence leading to the new Buzzards Bay 21 class, particularly the first letter which is believed to be from September 21, 1903 and specifically mentions EDITH as a possible role model, one might be inclined to believe that NGH wrote these notes in response to Emmons' inquiry as to the possible cost of the new BB21 boats.] " (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Note. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_39160. Correspondence, Folder 79, formerly 71. No date (1903-09-23 or later ?).)
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Note: This list of archival documents contains in an unedited form any and all which mention #559s Little Robin even if just in a cursory way. Permission to digitize, transcribe and display is gratefully acknowledged.

• Cheever, David. "The Herreshoff Fifteens." The Log of Mystic Seaport, v. 24, No. 2., Summer 1972, p. 38-44. (106 kB)
  Document is copyrighted: Yes. Short class history, detailed vessel description and appreciation and a thrilling account of a typical race of Buzzards Bay 15 at the Beverly Yacht Club. Special focus on #554s Fiddler ex-Nora, now in the collection of Mystic Seaport Museum.
• Brainerd, Alec with Bernard H. Gustin and Steven K. Nagy. "The Herreshoff 15 is Alive and Well." In: Herreshoff Marine Museum (Publisher). Proceedings. The Classic Yacht Symposium 2010. Bristol, R.I. 2010. (5,834 kB)
  Document is copyrighted: Yes. Copyright holder: Alec Brainerd, Bernard H. Gustin, Steven K. Nagy / Herreshoff Marine Museum. Class history, construction and restoration comments, building and sailing a replica, detailed class register (including replicas). Photos, drawings.
• van der Linde, Claas. "Herreshoff 15-Footers: Building Dates and Model Variations." December 7, 2021. (380 kB)
  Document is copyrighted: Yes, used with permission. Copyright holder: Claas van der Linde. Tabular summary of Herreshoff 15-footer construction dates and model variations. Together with information of BB15 sail numbers, boat names and boat owners from various year books of the Beverly Yacht Club.

• Little Robin (HMCo-made index card)
• Little Robin (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: Little Robin
Type: J & M
Length: 16'4"
Owner: Eaton, C. S.

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

• Little Robin
• 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: Little Robin
Type: 16' sloop
Owner: C. S. Eaton
Year: 1902
Row No.: 375

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: Apr [sic, i.e. Jun]
Day: 5 [sic, i.e. 11]
Year: 1901
E/P/S: S
No.: 0559
Name: Little Robin
LW: 16' 4"
B: 6' 9"
D: 4' 2 3/4" ?
Rig: J & M
K: y
Ballast: Lead O.
Amount: 985.00
Notes Constr. Record: Moulds 503. Sheer raised 4" flush deck W.T. cockpit
Notes Bray: PTV: Not sure of 3/4" in depth
Last Name: Eaton
First Name: C. S.

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.

"Regular Buzzards Bay 15s had a 15-foot waterline, 6' 9" beam, 2' 3" draft plus a centerboard, gaff rig, and a coaming that curves around the front of the cockpit." (Source: Nagy, Steve. June 1, 2008.)

"Little Robin was a modified Buzzards Bay 15 with a small deckhouse, no centerboard and a deeper draft of 4' 3" and a raised sheer of 4" as per the Construction Record and her special construction plan HH.5.05490 (076-031): Construction Plans - Sail Boats: Jib & Mainsail cruising boat 16ft-4in." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. April 19, 2014.)

"Built in 44 days (contract to launch; equivalent to $22/day, 83 lbs displacement/day)." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. January 16, 2024.)

"Sail area (jib 77 1/2, mainsail 268sq ft) from sail plan 130 062_HH.5.10365." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. April 19, 2014.)

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