HMCo #681s Au Revoir

"[1908-11-12] Thu 12: Launched #681 'Au Revoir'.
[1908-11-14] Sat 14: Made trial of Au Revoir [#681] under sail and power.
[1908-11-20] Fri 20: ... Au Revoir [#681] left this AM." (Source: Herreshoff, Nathanael G. Diary, 1908. Manuscript (excerpts). Diary access courtesy of Halsey C. Herreshoff.)

"Sept[ember] 4, 1908.
No. 681 [#681s]
38ft w.l. c[enter] b[oard] aux[iliary] knockabout.
Frame spaces 13".
In laying down cross sections use scale 12 1/2" long for 1ft and longitudinal measurements are for 12 2/3" frame spaces which are to be increased to 13" in the boat = 13 / (12 2/3) or equal to scale 12 1/3" long for 1ft very nearly.
Stem siding 4 1/4" - (5" at head).
Keel plank 3 3/4" - 1 1/4" below rabbate [this line apparently crossed out].
Timbers at head 1 1/2 x 1 3/4 sided.
Timbers at heel 2 1/2 x 1 3/4 sided.
Taper of timers.
Planking 1 1/8 + thick.
Deck, above sheerheight 1 1/8 thick.
Notes: Keel has been changed to 3 1/2" thick with upper surface flush with inside of planking, i.e. projecting 1 3/8" below rabbate.
Make the half breadths of upper surface of deadwood which fayes to keel 3/8" less than half breadth of rabbate.
Run sectional lines of deadwood straight to halfbreadth give[?] at bottom." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. [Penciled note in Offset Booklet HH.4.162.] September 4, 1908. Haffenreffer-Herreshoff Collection, MIT Museum, Cambridge, MA.)

"AU REVOIR C.b. - 1908
From original calculations:
Oa 50ft 0in
Wl 38ft
Beam 14ft 0in
Breadth w.l. 12ft 10[in]
Freeboard 4ft 0 3.4[in] - 2ft 7 1.2in - 2ft 7 1/4in
Displ[acement] 433cuft = 7.56^3 = 27800lbs
7.56 / 39 = .195
Outside lead 10500 lbs
Sail area 1352sqft
Note: Yacht was 1 1/2in deep in water when equipped - indicating hull & aux. power was heavier than estimated (about 40cuft = 2560lbs)." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. Undated penciled note (ca. 1923?). Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum, MRDE04.)

"May 28, 1924
Trial of 'Au Revoir'
with the old Stilson motor driving one propeller through a reduction gear with 1 1/2 to 1 reduction; 2 bl[ade] propeller 24in x 24in.
Upper 1/2 mi[le] course, wind light N.W.
[Followed by tabulated trial run data with best average speed being 8.49mph (= 7.38kn)]." (Source: Herreshoff, N. G. Handwritten note in Experiments Booklet '1911 Trial Trips and Experiments' under date of May 28, 1924. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum.)

"... The Herreshoff boat shops, which have been closed since June, will probably start up soon, as an order has been received from a New York man for a 40-foot auxiliary sloop [#681s Au Revoir]." (Source: Anon. "Bristol Notes." Boston Globe, September 13, 1908, p. 46.)

"[Abstract of register or enrollment. Pos. 87:]
Au Revoir, sloop yacht, of Bristol.
Built at Bristol, 1908.
21 tons; 38.6 ft. x 14.2 ft. x 5.2 ft. [Register length x breadth x depth.]
One deck, one mast, overhanging head [bow].
Enr[olled] and Lic[ensed] ([as] yacht) Oct. 13, 1908. Owner: Herreshoff Manufacturing Company of Bristol. Master: N. G. Herreshoff, Bristol.
Surrendered [license] Jan. 4, 1909 at Philadelphia. ([Record at:] N[ational] A[rchives, Washington])." (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. Au Revoir.)

"FOR SALE --- No. 493 --- Herreshoff sloop. Shallow draught, knockabout rig. Dimensions 50 ft. x 38 ft. x 14 ft. x 3 ft. 9 in. Built 1908. Has very large cockpit (about 13 ft. long) and saloon about 15 ft. long. Four large berths. Over 6 ft. headroom. Enclosed toilet room. Good galley. 6 cyl. Stilson engine with reduction gear, installed under cockpit. Beautifully built. Bright decks. Teak finish outside, white mahogany inside. Sails as good as new, include spinnaker and balooner. Herreshoff tender. All in perfect condition. Apply Rigg's Yacht Agency, 350 Madison Ave. (at 45th), New York. [With photo. Though not identified by name, her particulars clearly identify her as #681s Au Revoir.]" (Source: Anon [Rigg's Yacht Agency]. "For Sale." Rudder, February 1923, p. 67.)

"Besides the preliminary work on the cup defender to be built for the syndicate of the New York Yacht Club members, headed by Commodore E Walter Clark, there is considerable work in progress on smaller boats at the Herreshoff shops. Many yachts are being stored in the Walker's Cove yards and alongside the North Shop. ... At the Walker's Cove Yards the yawl Gee Whiz [#1002s], schooner yacht Dolphin [built by John P. Kirk in 1915], the sloop yacht Luanna [#681s ex-Au Revoir] from Westerly are already under cover." (Source: Anon. "Busy Times At Herreshoff Boat Shops." Bristol Phoenix, October 4, 1929, p. 4.)

"Few people in this boat-buying era expect to buy a boat that will last for 50 years. A boat could be built to last that long, given proper care, but the fast wear and tear of these times precludes buyers from thinking in terms of half-century boats. But today, in St. Petersburg, a boat will be 50 years old.
Back in 1908, the great Nathanael Greene Herreshoff designed and built at his yard is Bristol, R.I. a 60-foot sloop that was to be christened the Au Revoir. She was equipped with twin engines, though she was a husky new sailing craft that had 1.600 square feet of canvas.
The twin screw arrangement featured a chain drive with folding propellers, reportedly the first time introduced to the boating trade.
This same boat, now known as the Luanha, is berthed at Slip No 10, Vinoy Yacht Basin. She's 50 years old today and there will be two celebrations. It so happens that Bill Faelten, the present owner and a man who has had the Luanha for the past 20 years, is also having a birthday.
He's a hand spike's length more than 50, to be sure, but more than anyone else he's the man responsible for keeping Luanha going in topnotch condition. He happens to love the boat, so does his wife, Lee.
Luanha is the boat that survived the 1954 Hurricane Carol in Marion, Mass. Did it pretty much on her own. She parted her anchor line, sailed out of the harbor in winds up to 100 m.p h., cleared a stonewall and then sailed for a half mile or so down a street that is the equivalent of St. Petersburg's Beach Drive.
She eventually tacked into a driveway of a private resident, leaned up against a tree and called it a day, a rough day, at that. Not a single soul was aboard and people in Marion still talk about the true ghost that was Luanha sailing down Front Street. [A photo in the collection of the Sippican Historical Society suggests this event to have taken place during the hurricane of 1938 rather than 1954.]
There have been some changes over the years. She was originally gaff rigged. In 1923 she was brought back to the Herreshoff yard for changes ordered by her second owner. (In all, Luanha has had only three owners.) The marconi rig was installed and the mast was reduced to the present height of 60 feet.
It's still quite a stick. The canvas has been cut down. First it was reduced to 1.400 square feet and now there's some 720 square left, plenty for all Bill and Lee care to handle.
She has a raised deck forward now. The original design didn't allow for the sloop's downwind drive and she had a tendency to bury her nose.
She was a well known boat along the New England coast. She did her bit during World War II. She was used for night patrol off Scituate, Mass., a rugged bit of water, but Luanha took it all, fair and foul.
It was Hurricane Carol that was responsible for Luanha coming to St. Petersburg. Luanha survived that blow and so did the well traveled powerboat, Sea Scribe, then of Bradenton and now on charter duty at Fisher's Pier, Pass-a-Grille.
Not long after Sea Scribe returned to the south (riding out hurricanes Edna and Hazel on the heels of Carol), the Faeltens took up the hook and headed for St. Petersburg.
The journey to the south probably marks the last long cruise for the Luanha, but Skipper Faelten plans some coastal cruises. He keeps the boat in good condition and the boat keeps him in good condition.
That's a fair exchange, something you might expect between old friends, both of whom have birthdays today.
[Illustration caption:] Celebrates 50th Birthday. ...celebration time today aboard the 60-foot sloop Luanha berthed at Slip No. 10, Vinoy Basin. She was launched 50 years ago, designed by Nathanael Herreshoff and is owned by W. C. Faelten of St Petersburg." (Source: Marston, Red. "Luanha Celebrates Here Today." St. Petersburg Times, June 2, 1958, p. 7C.)

"N/A"

"[Item Description:] Penciled pantograph hull sections with notes titled '#681 [AU REVOIR]. Sept[ember] 13, 1908. 50ft o.a. 38[ft] w.l. 14ft beam. Aux knockabout'. With calculations arriving at a displacement of 405cuft [25920lbs] '(hull part)'." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Pantograph Hull Sections. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE04_01450. Folder [no #]. 1908-09-13.)
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"[Item Description:] Penciled pantograph lead sections titled 'No 681 [#681s AU REVOIR]. Scale, lengths 1/12, sections 1/4 size. Sept[ember] 15 1908'. With calculations and note 'Required 11000lbs lead with c.g. [at] .525 of w.l. ...' and concluding with note 'Result ... 10900lbs with c.g. at 24.6 frame space or .526 of w.l'." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Pantograph Lead Sections. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE04_08810. Folder [no #]. 1908-09-15.)
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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:
§95: Work Order [For] #681s. [When wanted] Latter part of Oct. Rigging [2 pages] (1908-09-17)
§97: Work Order [For] #681s. [When wanted] Latter part of Oct. Blocks (1908-09-18)." (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 Transcription:] [Penciled note on verso of a trade card by Engineering News Record, advertising the 171-page book Accounting and Business Methods for Contractors:] NYYC 40 footers [#773s, #774s, #775s, #776s, #777s, #778s, #779s, #780s, #781s, #782s, #783s, #804s] as changed 1916-17
OA. 58ft [0]in
Wl 40.76[ft]
Qbl 37[ft]
Beam 14ft 2 3/4in
Breadth w.l. 13ft 0 3/4in
Draft 8ft 3 1/4in
Freeboard 6ft 4in - 3ft 6in - 3ft 5 1/2in
Displ[acement] 811cuft = 9.33^3 = 51900lbs
Sail area actual 2074sqft
Sail area by rule 2155[sqft]
9.33 / 40.76 = .229
---
AU REVOIR [#681s] C.b. - 1908
From original calculations:
Oa 50ft 0in
Wl 38ft
Beam 14ft 0in
Breadth w.l. 12ft 10[in]
Freeboard 4ft 0 3.4[in] - 2ft 7 1.2in - 2ft 7 1/4in
Displ[acement] 433cuft = 7.56^3 = 27800lbs
7.56 / 39 = .195
Outside lead 10500 lbs
Sail area 1352sqft
Note: Yacht was 1 1/2in deep in water when equipped - indicating hull & aux. power was heavier than estimated (about 40cuft = 2560lbs) [Undated (research shows the advertised book on the trade card to have been first published in 1923 and followed by a longer version in 1931)." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Penciled Note. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE04_06980. Folder [no #]. No date (ca 1923 ?).)
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"[Item Transcription:] Handwritten (in ink) trials booklet titled '1911. Trial Trips and Experiments'. Relevant contents:
§54: #681s AU REVOIR Trial Run best speed 8.49mph [= 7.38kn] (1924-05-28)." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator) and Herreshoff, A. Sidney deW. (creator). Trials Booklet. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE07_04280. Folder [no #]. 1911-06 to 1926-05.)
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
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Note: This list of archival documents contains in an unedited form any and all which mention #681s Au Revoir even if just in a cursory way. Permission to digitize, transcribe and display is gratefully acknowledged.

• Au Revoir (HMCo-made index card)
• Au Revoir (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: Au Revoir
Type: Cutter
Length: 38'
Owner: Scott, L. A.

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

• Au Revoir
• Luanha ex-Au Revoir
• 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: Au Revoir
Type: 38' aux. cutter
Owner: L. A. Scott
Year: 1908
Row No.: 63

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: Sep
Day: 3
Year: 1908
E/P/S: S
No.: 0681
Name: Au Revoir
LW: 38'
B: 14'
D: 3' 9"
Rig: J & M
CB: y
Ballast: Lead O.
Amount: 11350.00
Notes Constr. Record: Auxiliary Stillman (?) Motor.
Last Name: Scott
First Name: L. A.

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.

"Changed to leg o' mutton rig in 1929." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. September 14, 2008.)

"Received a raised foredeck to alleviate tendency to nose-dive sometime between 1935 and 1938. It is interesting to observe that the other two boats to be built from Au Revoir's model, #867s Ventura and #1226s Yawlcat, were both built with raised foredecks to begin with." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. October 22, 2015.)

"Au Revoir was fitted with a folding propeller of Herreshoff design. The oldest plan for a folding propeller in the Haffenreffer-Herreshoff Collection of the M.I.T. Museum is the one for Au Revoir's propeller. N. G. Herreshoff is sometimes said to have been the inventor of the folding propeller. It is interesting to speculate if Au Revoir was history's first yacht to have been fitted with a folding propeller." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. November 23, 2015.)

"Built in 70 days (contract to launch; equivalent to $162/day, 397 lbs displacement/day)." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. January 16, 2024.)

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