HMCo #618s Chewink IV

"Nos. 618 [#618s Chewink IV] - 619 [#619s Wasaka].
(Mass[achusetts] 30' Cruising Class.)
Frame spaces 10".
Keel not less than 4" deep and not less than 36sqin for 5' each side of mast, ends not less than 30sqin.
Frames minimum each 3sqin.
In making moulds deduct for timbers 1 5/8" at head, increasing 1/16" per foot, full length.
Planking 1".
Timbers sided 1 7/8".
Sheerline is to upper side of deck. Deck 7/8" covered with canvas.
Top of lead level 1.11.0 above base line." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. [Penciled note in Offset Booklet HH.4.145.] No date (ca. February 1904). Haffenreffer-Herreshoff Collection, MIT Museum, Cambridge, MA.)

"In 1904, just before the New York Thirties, Captain Nat designed two Thirties for a rule then in use at Marblehead. These yachts were the 'Wasaka' and 'Chewink IV,' the latter with Mike Into, the man who invented the Into hook, as captain winning the championship in the class. These boats were quite wide and had a deep keel, and proved capable of being driven very fast in strong breezes. They were among the last boats that Captain Nat designed for the length-on-water-line and sail-area rules although he did continue to design Buzzards Bay twenty-one-footers for a few years more." (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.)

"The building of new crafts and the preparation of stored boats to go overboard makes busy times these days at the Herreshoffs shops and yards. Two new 30 foot racing sloops [apparently sister ships #618s Chewink IV and #619s Wasaka] are being constructed in the south shop, and another [probably #616s Bambino] is in frame in the boat shop at the corner of Burnside and Hope streets. ..." (Source: Anon. "Busy at Herreshoff's." Bristol Phoenix, May 3, 1904, p. 3.)

"[License issued to vessel under 20 tons. Pos. 49:]
Chewink IV, sloop yacht, of Bristol.
Built at Bristol, 1904.
8.85 tons; 29.4 ft. x 11.1 ft. x 4.8 ft. [Register length x breadth x depth.]
No specifications shown.
Lic[ensed] ([as] yacht) May 17, 1904. Owner: Herreshoff Manufacturing Company of Bristol. Master: N. G. Herreshoff, Bristol.
Surrendered [license] June 7, 1904 at Marblehead. ([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. Chewink IV.)

"The Chewink IV, a 30-foot racing sloop, built under a new rule of measurement, is being fitted for launching on the Herreshoff marine railway at Walker's Cove." (Source: Anon. "Bristol and Vicinity." Bristol Phoenix, May 20, 1904, p. 2.)

"The new racing schooner [sic, i.e. sloop] Chewink IV, launched several days ago at Herreshoffs, is a thirty-footer of considerable power, and though proving a trifle stiff in a trial, she will be perfectly balanced before being sent away. The past few days the boat has been on the marine railway at Walker's Cove, where her weights have been changed. The ballast was a trifle heavy. The boat is a keel craft, with a deep draught and moderate overhangs, full stem, and moderately slender bows. Her underbody was covered over with canvas while she was on the railway." (Source: Anon. "Yachts and Yachtsmen." New York Times, May 25, 1904, p. 9.)

"... The Chewink IV, a 30ft. racing sloop built under new rules of measurement, was launched at the Herreshoffs' Bristol, this week. She is a keel boat, with full, handsome stern, and slender bows, and with moderate overhangs. Considerable secrecy was observed at the shop as to her lines, as her underbody was concealed with canvas while the was building, and also when she was hauled out on the railway a day or two after launching. She was designed by Mr. N. G. Herreshoff. ..." (Source: Young, F. H. "Rhode Island Letter." Forest and Stream, May 28, 1904, p. 445.)

"One of the most exciting yacht races of the season was held in the outer bay on Sunday afternoon between Edgar T. Scott's Bat [#596s] and Frank G. Macomber's Chewink IV of Marblehead. The Chewink IV is a 30-footer of a somewhat different type than the Bar Harbor class, and built more for racing than for a hard weather boat. It was interesting to compare the two boats in speed, as the weather was essentially favorable to the visiting boat. Mr. Scott won the race, thus giving the Bar Harbor class a clean slate over all the boats that have raced against it in this year. The course was No. 3 from the startine line to Cod ledge and return. The course lay south half by west while the wind was almost due south when the boats went out. The Chewink IV fouled the Bat as the boats were jockeying for the start, but Mr. Scott waved the protest and the race was sailed. In the beat to windward the Bat got a lead of over two minutes. Coming back thé wind died out, but for a time there was a head wind. Just a few minutes before the boats got to the finish line the Chewink got a little puff that brought her up like a shot, and had the line been 100 yards further off, the result might easily have been in her favor. As it was she lost to the Bat which drifted across the line fifty seconds in the lead. ..." (Source: Anon. "Yacht Race." Bar Harbor Record, September 7, 1904, p. 1.)

"No. 1097 --- For Sale --- Crack Herreshoff 30-footer, designed by N. G. Herreshoff and built by the Herreshoff Mfg. Co., at Bristol, R. I., in 1904; 47 ft. 10 in. o. a., 30 ft. w. l., 11 ft. 4 in. beam, 7 ft. draught. 7,000 lb lead ballast on keel. Comfortable cabin with good headroom; 1,250 sq. ft. of sail. This sloop yacht is designed to be a comfortable, solidly built and able cruising craft, and has considerable speed. Good cruising outfit complete in every respect. Apply to Hollis Burgess Yacht Agency, 15 Exchange Street, Boston, Mass. [#618s Chewink IV can be clearly identified from the accompanying photo by her sail number D-1 which also appears on other, identified, photos of her. She was also built in 1904, as described in the advertisement, even though her actual dimensions differed somewhat from those in the ad.]" (Source: Anon. "For Sale." Rudder, March 1910, p. 309.)

"The Hollis Burgess yacht agency has made the following recent yacht sales: ... Herreshoff 30-foot sloop Chewink IV, owned by Frank Gair Macomber, Jr., of Boston, to P. W. and Joseph B. Jacobs, of Boston." (Source: Anon. "Yachts Change Hands." Forest and Stream, November 18, 1911, p. 749.)

"No. 8611 --- For Sale --- Crack Herreshoft 30-ft. w. l. sloop; 49 ft. 6 in. o. a., 11 ft. beam, 6 ft. 9 in. draught. A splendid boat for cruising- and extremely fast. Steers with the greatest ease and having canvas deck and house, can be run without a paid hand. This boat has always had the best of care, is not strained in the slightest degree, and does not leak. New toilet and new green corduroy cushions in 1912. 4 tons outside lead on keel. Full cruising outfit, including tender, three anchors and cables, three jibs, trysail, light sails, etc. Sleeps four persons very comfortably in cabin and there are two pipe berths forward. Galley, watertight cockpit, plow steel rigging, bronze fittings, etc., everything of the best. This yacht was built in 1904 and is just as good as the day she was built, but can be purchased for one-third of her original cost. Anyone desiring to purchase a high-grade Herreshoff-built, speedy cruiser should not overlook this bargain. Apply to Hollis Burgess Yacht Agency, 15 Exchange Street, Boston, Mass. [Note: Only two Herreshoff-built yachts fit this description: #618s Chewink IV and #619s Wasaka. The above advertisement could describe either of these two vessels. The accompanying photo, however, can be identified as Stebbins photo 17057, which strongly implies that Chewink IV was described in the advertisement.]" (Source: Rudder, March 1913, p. 156.)

"[Note: Chewink IV of the Grosse Pointe Yacht Club was reported to have won the class of modern cruisers of the Interlake Yachting Association's 23rd annual regatta.]" (Source: Anon. "Put-In-Bay Regatta Prizes Distributed." July 22, 1915, p. 4.)

"N/A"

"[Item Description:] Penciled pantograph lead sections and calculations titled 'Nos 618 & 619 [#618s CHEWINK IV and #619s WASAKA]' and annotated 'Required 7250lbs with centre 6ft aft of no. 32 frame. 7250/.411 = 17650cuin lead. With top lead level at 1.11.0 - wgt = 7280 and cg 4.3in aft no 32 frame. Note: Disp of boat has been decreased about 150lbs by reducing thickness of keel since measurements were taken off'. Undated (contracts had been recorded January 28, 1904)." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Pantograph Lead Sections. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Acc. 2004.0001.0617. WRDT08, Folder 46. No date (ca 1904-02).)
① ② ③

"[Item Description:] Penciled pantograph hull sections with displacement curve titled 'Mass[achusetts] 30ft Cruising Y.A. # s 618 & 619 [the latter with a question mark] [#618s CHEWINK IV and #619s WASAKA]. 1904'. With displacement calculations showing a total of 287.5cuft or 18400lbs. CHEWINK and WASAKA were both contracted for on January 28, 1904, suggesting February 1904 to be the month NGH prepared this." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Pantograph Hull Sections. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE04_00470. Folder [no #]. 1904(-02 ?).)
①

"[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

Note: This list of archival documents contains in an unedited form any and all which mention #618s Chewink IV even if just in a cursory way. Permission to digitize, transcribe and display is gratefully acknowledged.

• Chewink IV (HMCo-made index card)
• Chewink IV (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.

• Chewink IV
• 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: Chewink IV
Type: 29' 5" sloop
Owner: F. G. Macomber
Year: 1904
Row No.: 112

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: 28
Year: 1904
E/P/S: S
No.: 0618
Name: Chewink IV
LW: 30'
B: 11' 9"
D: 7'
Rig: J & M
K: y
Ballast: Lead O.
Amount: 3500.00
Last Name: Macomber
First Name: F. G.

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.

"Date this vessel was finished was estimated as May 17, 1904, the date this boat was measured by the U.S. Custom House inspector as per the 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." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. February 9, 2020.)

"Built in 110 days (contract to finished; equivalent to $32/day, 167 lbs displacement/day)." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. January 16, 2024.)

"N/A"

"[Displacement 18,400lbs.]" (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. Penciled note on pantograph hull sections taken for #618s CHEWINK IV and #619s WASAKA 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.