HMCo #617s Cock Robin II

"[1904-01-14] Thu 14: Very fine [with] fresh SW [breeze]. Mr. Eaton here from Boston and ordered 38' wl cruiser [Cock Robin II #617] in place of one now building (30' wl #610) [Mimosa III].
[1906-04-17] Tue 17: Cock Robin [#617s] launched.
[1913-09-21] Sun 21: L[igh]t & rain. ... Cock Robin [#617s] arrived to haul out. ..." (Source: Herreshoff, Nathanael G. Diary, 1904 to 1913. Manuscript (excerpts). Diary access courtesy of Halsey C. Herreshoff.)

"Another interesting yacht of his design that was kept at Marblehead for some time was the 'Cock Robin II' built in 1904 for Mr. C. S. Eaton, who had had several Herreshoff sailboats built, including the twenty-one-footers 'Cock Robin' and 'Cockatoo,' and the 'Little Robin' and 'Mimosa III.' The 'Cock Robin II' was designed to be just a good sailboat and not fit any particular rule. It is a good example of a model about halfway between the Universal Rule boats, with their short quarter beam and rather large displacement, and the older types, with long lines to sail on and no pot belly. There was another yacht built on the same molds but longer --- 'Suzetta III' --- which went to Blue Hill, Maine. These two boats were somewhat under-rigged but fast sailers on a reach in strong wind." (Source: Herreshoff, L. Francis. The Wizard of Bristol. The Life and Achievements of Nathanael Greene Herreshoff, together with An Account of Some of the Yachts he Designed. New York, 1953, p. 274-275.)

"... C.S. Eaton has cancelled his order with Herreshoffs or a 30-foot knock-about [#610s Mimosa III], and in its place has given the same builders an order for a 40-footer [#617s Cock Robin II]. ..." (Source: Anon. "Knots, Bends and Splices." Boston Globe, February 28, 1904, p. ?.)

"A pole-mast sloop named Cock Robin was launched at Herreshoffs Saturday [April 23, 1904] afternoon. The boat is 35 feet on the waterline, and is a handsome keel craft. She was built for a Marblehead yachtsman." (Source: Anon. "Bristol and Vicinity." Bristol Phoenix, April 26, 1904, p. 2.)

"[License issued to vessel under 20 tons. Pos. 52:]
Cock Robin, sloop yacht, of Bristol.
Built at Bristol, 1904.
13.67 tons; 45 ft. x 12.4 ft. x 6.1 ft. [Register length x breadth x depth.]
No specifications shown.
Lic[ensed] ([as] yacht) Apr. 29, 1904. Owner: Herreshoff Manufacturing Company of Bristol. Master: N. G. Herreshoff, Bristol.
Surrendered [license] June 9. 1906 at New Haven, Conn. ([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. Cock Robin.)

"A racing sloop [#610s Mimosa III] some 30 feet in length on the waterline was built at the Herreshoff shops several months ago for C. S. Eaton. The craft was built on the molds of the Onward [#487s], owned by Designer A. S. Chesebrough until last season, when he sold the craft. The boat ordered by Mr. Eaton is 47 feet over all and 30 feet long on the waterline. The craft has been bought by T. L. Park of New York, for whom she is now being fitted out at the Herreshoff shops. Mr. Eaton, desiring a larger craft, had the Cockrobin [#617s], with a thirty-nine-foot waterline, built at the Herreshoff shops this year, the company taking the thirty-footer in trade for the Cockrobin. Mr. Park has named his thirty-footer Mimosa III. She will be in racing condition soon.
The Herreshoff shops are very quiet and will-be until the fall orders begin to come in, and as these may include one for a new cup defender, there is a bright side to present conditions for the mechanics at the boat shops. ..." (Source: Anon. "Yachts and Yachtsmen." New York Times, July 4, 1904, p. 7.)

"[For sale] No. 20510 --- This fine keel cutter yacht is offered for sale at reasonable figure; designed and built by Herreshoff Mfg. Co. 1904; length o. a., 56 ft. 5 in., w.l., 40 ft., breadth 12 ft. 4 in., draught 8 ft.; complete suit of sails; yellow pine planking, white oak frames, copper and brass fastenings; has large cabin with two berths on each side, and transoms can also be made into berths on each side, so as to accommodate 6 people, if desired; 8 tons of lead on keel; interior finish of the cabin is white, with mahogany trimmings; boat completely equipped; over 6 ft. headroom; good sized toilet room and lazarette; lighted by acetylene gas contained in storage tank; two anchors, and one 12-ft. and one 10-ft. tender; boat is a smart sailer and in excellent condition. For permit to inspect and further details, apply William Gardner, 1 Broadway, N. Y. C. [Though not explicitly identified, the photo is elsewhere clearly identified as Cock Robin #617.]" (Source: Rudder, March 1906, p. 247.)

"A large number of boats have been overhauled at Herreshoff marine yards, Walker's Cove, and Malcolm McNaught's boat yards, preparatory to being put in commission for the summer season.
Among the boats overhauled are the Steam Yacht Florence [#208p], owned by A. W. Aiken [sic, i.e. A. H. Alker] of New York; Steam Yacht Tramp [#211p], owned bv William O. Gay of Boston; Steam Yacht Augusta [#146p], owned by J. B. Herreshoff; the 30-footer Alera [#626s], owned by A. W. Aiken; the 40-footer Cock Robin [#617s], owned by Mr. Eaton of Long Island; ..." (Source: Anon. "Boats Overhauled for the Season." Bristol Phoenix, April 13, 1906, p. 1.)

"Bristol, R.I. May 15 [1909]. - ... The sloop Cock Robin, owned by John P. Elton[sic], was fitted out here the first of the week and sailed Wednesday for Thimble Islands, Conn., where Mr. Elton has a summer residence. ..." (Source: Anon. "Bristol Notes." Boston Globe, May 16, 1909, p. 41.)

"No. 11149 --- For Sale --- Keel cruiser, 56 ft. o. a., 39 ft. w. l., 12 1/2 ft. beam, 8 ft. draught. Designed and built by Herreshoff, 1904. Lead keel. A-1 construction; double planking. Copper and bronze fastenings. Cabin berths six. Headroom 6 ft. Galley. Foc'sle with two berths. Completely fitted including new sails 1910. Exceedingly attractive and smart sailer available at very low price. Apply to the Agents, Seaman & Huntington, 220 Broadway, New York City. [Though not explicitly identified, the accompanying image is elsewhere identified as Cock Robin II.]" (Source: Anon. "For Sale." Rudder, March 1911, p. 188.)

"[C. S.] Eaton had owned nine Herreshoff boats, including the first Cock Robin [#461s], before ordering this, his last one. According to the designer's son L. Francis, Cock Robin II was to be just a good, wholesome boat, not influenced by any racing rule. Although by today's standards her freeboard appears low and her ends long, she is in model far less extreme than her contemporaries built to the Length-and-Sail-Area Rule. In fact, to encourage more useful sailing yachts like Cock Robin II, NGH had, around the time of her building, devised a new and improved measurement rule which was rapidly gaining acceptance (as the Universal Rule) among the influential yacht clubs --- a rule which would, in the years to follow, produce some of the most graceful sailboats ever designed. The scowlike forms of the New York 70s and Reliance would soon be things of the past.
Below deck, boats like Cock Robin II were arranged for the formal yachting customs of the Edwardian era. There was always a paid hand whose quarters were in the fo'c's'le where he had convenient access to the adjacent, rather spartan, galley. On the port side, opposite the galley, and under the forward end of the trunk cabin (for standing headroom), was the enclosed toilet room. The paid hand was generally expected to stay in his quarters or on deck when the owner and his party were aboard, except when cooking or mixing drinks or serving. In lieu of a toilet, the paid hand used a bucket. Most of the 'midship space under the trunk cabin was an open main saloon for the owner, arranged for sitting and dining by day and sleeping by night. ..." (Source: Bray, Maynard and Carlton Pinheiro. Herreshoff of Bristol. Brooklin, Maine, 1989, p. 76.)

"N/A"

"[Item Description:] Penciled pantograph hull sections and displacement curves titled 'No. 617 [#617s COCK ROBIN]. 39ft w.l. cruising yacht. Finish model. 1/16th. Jan[uary] 24 1904'. With calculations arriving at a displacement of 523.8cuft = 33520lbs, and a c.g. at .546 of w.l." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Pantograph Hull Sections. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE04_03950. Folder [no #]. 1904-01-24.)
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"[Item Description:] Penciled pantograph lead sections titled 'No. 617 [#617s COCK ROBIN II]. 37ft wl cruiser. Scale 18th. Jan[uary] 25, [19]04'. With calculations and note 'Weight of lead required 15370lbs with c.g. at 59.5% of waterline.' and calculations to determine weight of outside and inside [trim] lead. Also calculations and note 'Dec[ember 4] 1904. No. 634 [#634s SUZETTA III]. Lead keel to be dropped 6 3/4in deeper and 3 3/8in added to top of lead. ... Calculated[?] original w[ei]g[h]t 15100[lsb]. Wgt for 634 [#634s] calculated[?] 17220[lbs]. Mean wgt of #617 & 621 [#621s MARGARET] 14790[lbs]. Calculated addition 2120[lbs]. [Sum] 16918[lbs]'. Also note 'Dec[ember] 20 1904. No 641 [#641s ALICE II] Lead keel to be same as #634 but with 9[?] added to bottom of pattern = 4220lbs. Calculated wgt for #634 17220[lbs]. [Sum] 21440[lbs]'. [Note: Unexplained discrepancy: Compare weight of lead 17220lbs for #641s ALICE II with pantograph lead sections dated February 11, 1905 which require 29000lbs.]" (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Pantograph Lead Sections. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE04_08050. Folder [no #]. 1904-01-25.)
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"[Item Description:] Handwritten notebook. This booklet had two lives: In 1907-1908, 1908-1909 and 1909-1910 it was used for winter storage records, listing name of boat, owner, storage location, billed amount, and dates of storage. Listed were for the winter of 1907/1908: #235p MIST, ORIANA, #571s LARIKIN, EAGLET, #453s VAQUERO II, #580s TRIVIA, #663s ISTALENA, COSSACK, #666s AVENGER, #220p ATALA (for sale), #207p MIRAGE, #224p EUGENIA, #146p AUGUSTA, #247p SEA URCHIN, #105p COSETTE, ARLINE, #213p FLORENCE, #208p FLORETTE, #249p SISILINA, #591s IROLITA, #481s SPALPEEN, DUCHESS, #669s ELEANOR, #460s KILDEE, #647s CAPRICE, #408s PELICAN, #243p SWIFTSURE, #617s COCK ROBIN, #177p VANISH, #446s ALERION, and #591s IROLITA I, for the winter of 1908/1909: #666s AVENGER, #663s ISTALENA, #481s SPALPEEN, #580s TRIVIA, #617s COCK ROBIN, COSSACK, #177p VANISH, #242p #242, #243p SWIFTSURE, SKIP, #446s ALERION, CHEWINK II, DUCHESS, #571s LARIKIN, #460s KILDEE, #679s PEPITA, EAGLET, #408s PELICAN, #453s VAQUERO, #146p AUGUSTA, #224p EUGENIA, COYOTE, #264p SARAH WEBB, #207p MIRAGE, ARLINE, #213p FLORENCE, #208p FLORETTE, #249p SISILINA, #591s IROLITA I, CASSANDRA 27ft Launch, and #263p CASSANDRA 34ft Launch, and for the winter of 1909/1910: #252p WANECHE (no further boats were listed). At some later time, the same book was turned upside down and inscribed with a new title in ink '200Ft Submarine Destroyer [#191802ep Unbuilt 200ft Submarine Chaser]. Data + Calculation Book. Herreshoff Mfg Co.' on its now-new front cover (formerly its back cover), followed by weight data estimates and calculations for this submarine destroyer." (Source: Herreshoff Manufacturing Co. (creator). Notebook. MIT Museum, Hart Nautical Collections, Haffenreffer-Herreshoff Collection Item HH.6.087. Box HAFH.6.2B, Folder Submarine Destroyer 200-Footer. 1907-1908, 1908-1909, 1909-1910, 1918-06.)
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"[Item Description:] Four handwritten (in ink) pages with tabulated data listing 'Shop No', 'Name', '[Tons] Gross' and '[Tons] Net' for a total of 100 HMCo-built boats and classes. Tonnage data is usually precise to two digits behind the decimal. Random comparisons suggest source of tonnage data to be official Custom House data. Boats mentioned are: #664s, #663s, #625s, #665s, #634s, #658s, #657s, #646s, #641s, #617s, #626s Class, #624s, #621s, #616s, #619s, #590s, #591s, #586s, #592 Class, #618s, #605s, #578s, #560s Class, #580s, #553s, #551s, #552s, #546s, #541s, #545s, #538s, #534s, #533s, #532s, #529s, #534s, #530s, #531s, #435s, #437s, #452s, #499s, #429s, #426s, #424s, #481s, #422s, #417s, #414s, #451s, #215p, #213p, #222p, #235p, #230p, #229p, #236p, #224p, #244p, #247p, #249p, #231p, #232p, #228p, #252p, #250p, #251p, #248p, #168p, #164p, #118p, #142p, #174p, #173p, #194p, #189p, #193p, #183p, #178p, #179p, #181p, #182p, #175p, #163p, #148p, #149p, #172p, #155p, #170p, #186p, #188p, #206p, #207p, #205p, #208p, #209p, #210p, #211p, #212p, #216p. Undated (the latest boat listed, WINSOME, was launched in 1907)." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (?) (creator). Handwritten List. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE06_00220. Folder [no #]. No date (1907 or later).)
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"[Item Description:] Penciled table titled '38ft Class (N)' listing Universal Rule-related dimensions 'O.a., w.l., q.b.l., Beam, B, d, cube-rt(D), D, sq-rt(S), S, Rating, sq-rt(D)/wl and Dollar Prices' for DORELLO [George Owen design], COCK ROBIN [#617s], NEITH [#665s] and COUNTESS (SPASM) [#538s] as well as for another six unnamed designs of between 38ft and 40ft LWL. Undated, NEITH, the newest of the listed boats, was built 1906/1907." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Penciled Table. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE03_02030. Folder [no #]. No date (1907 or later).)
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"[Item Description:] Ledger of HMCo actual costs vs contract price for #617s COCK ROBIN, #621s MARGARET, #665s NEITH, #685s ADVENTURESS, #711s Class NY50 footers, 25% shop overhead, 15% profit" (Source: Herreshoff Manufacturing Co. (?) (creator). Cost Accounting. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_58550. Subject Files, Folder 83, formerly 134. No date (ca1913 ?).)
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"[Item Description:] Handwritten (in ink) rating rule-related table on two pages with dimensions LOA, LWL, overhang fore & aft, mean length, freeboard fore & center & aft, breadth deck & w.l., draft, cube-root (displacement), 1st mast mean length, 1st to 2nd mast, J, P1, H1, B1, G1, V1, T1, P2, P2a, H2, B2, Q2, Y2,T2, sail area, sqrt(SA), sqrt(SA - NYYC Rule) for #605s RELIANCE, #499s COLUMBIA, #725s RESOLUTE, #529s MINEOLA, #663s ISTALENA, #666s AVENGER, New York 50s (#711s, #712s, #713s, #714s, #715s, #716s, #717s, #720s, #721s), #411s GLORIANA, #685s ADVENTURESS, #617s COCK ROBIN II, #586s NELLIE, #709s JOYANT, #708s CORINTHIAN, #670s SENECA, Bar Harbor 31s (#592s, #593s, #594s, #595s, #596s, #597s, #598s, #599s, #600s, #601s, #602s, #603s, #604s), New York 30s (#626s, #627s, #628s, #629s, #630s, #631s, #632s, #633s, #635s, #636s, #637s, #638s, #639s, #640s, #642s, #643s, #647s, #648s), Newport 29s (#727s, #728s, #737s), #691s MORE JOY, #446s ALERION II, Buzzards Bay 550s (#733s, #734s, #736s, #738s, #741s), #617s COCK ROBIN II, #493s JILT, #732s SADIE, #460s KILDEE, Buzzards Bay 15s (#503s Class), Buzzards Bay 12 1/2s (#744s Class), #703s FLYING CLOUD, #669s ELEANOR, #722s KATOURA, #692s WESTWARD, #657s QUEEN, #719s VAGRANT II, #698s VAGRANT, #663s ISTALENA, and #743s HASWELL. With penciled note 'Measurements in ft & inches. Results in ft & decimals'. Undated (the youngest boat on this list is from 1914/1915 and this was probably prepared in preparation for NGH's sail area rating rule of 1914/1915)." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Handwritten Table. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE15_00100. Folder [no #]. No date (1914 / 1915 ?).)
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Note: This list of archival documents contains in an unedited form any and all which mention #617s Cock Robin II even if just in a cursory way. Permission to digitize, transcribe and display is gratefully acknowledged.

• Cock Robin II (HMCo-made index card)
• Cock Robin II (MIT Museum-made index card)
• Note: The vessel index cards comprise two sets of a total of some 3200 cards about vessels built by HMCo, with dimensions and information regarding drawings, later or former vessel names, and owners. They were compiled from HMCo's early days until 1920 and added to in later decades, apparently by Hart Nautical curator William A. Baker and his successors. While HMCo seems to have used only one set of index cards, all sorted by name and, where no name was available, by number, later users at MIT apparently divided them into two sets of cards, one sorted by vessel name, the other by vessel number and greatly expanded the number of cards. Original HMCo cards are usually lined and almost always punched with a hole at bottom center while later cards usually have no hole, are unlined, and often carry substantially less information. All cards are held by the Francis Russell Hart Nautical Collections of the MIT Museum in Cambridge, Mass.

Name: Cock Robin
Type: J & M
Length: 39'
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.

• Cock Robin II
• Note: The L. Francis Herreshoff index cards comprise a set of some 1200 cards about vessels built by HMCo, with dimensions and / or ownership information. Apparently compiled in the early 1930s, for later HMCo-built boats like the Fishers Island 23s or the Northeast Harbor 30s are not included. Added to in later decades, apparently by L. F. Herreshoff as well as his long-time secretary Muriel Vaughn and others. Also 46 cards of L. F. Herreshoff-designed vessels. The original set of index cards is held by the Herreshoff Marine Museum and permission to display is gratefully acknowledged.

Name: Cock Robin II
Type: 40' cutter
Owner: Charles S. Eaton
Year: 1904
Row No.: 123

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: Jan
Day: 19
Year: 1904
E/P/S: S
No.: 0617
Name: Cock Robin
LW: 39'
B: 12' 6"
D: 7' 11"
Rig: J & M
K: y
Ballast: Lead O.
Amount: 10900.00
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.

"Apparently changed to marconi (or sliding gunter) yawl in 1924 as per plan HH.5.10444 (130-134) Sail Plan for Cock Robin (1924-07-28)." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. November 12, 2019.)

"Built in 95 days (contract to launch; equivalent to $115/day, 353 lbs displacement/day)." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. January 16, 2024.)

"Mainsail 1250 [sqft]. S[tay]sail 325. Jib 262. [Total] 1737 [sqft].
[Mainsail with] 3 reefs 605. # 2 jib 166. [Total] 771 [sqft].
Trisail 437 [sqft]." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G.? Penciled note on sailplan 130-092 (HH.5.10397) "Sail Plan of the Cock Robin", dated January 1904. Hart Nautical Collections, MIT Museum, Cambridge, MA.)

"Sail area 1874 sqft listed on an untitled two-page rating-rule-related table handwritten (in ink) by N. G. Herreshoff with multiple dimensions for the most important Herreshoff-designed yachts. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum. MRDE15, Folder [no #]. Undated (the most recent boat dates 1914/1915 and the table was probably prepared in preparation for NGH's sail area rating rule of 1914/1915)." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. September 16, 2020.)

"Displacement 524 cu.ft. [= 33,536 lbs] from untitled two-page rating-rule-related table handwritten (in ink) by N. G. Herreshoff with multiple dimensions for the most important Herreshoff-designed yachts. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum. MRDE15, Folder [no #]. Undated (the most recent boat dates 1914/1915 and the table was probably prepared in preparation for NGH's sail area rating rule of 1914/1915)." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. September 16, 2020.)

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