HMCo #826s Xiphias

"[1919-05-28] Wed 28: Have 16 footer [#826s Xiphias] for Mr. [F. Gilbert] Hinsdale afloat and trying out.
[1919-05-31] Sat 31: Mr. Hinsdale took his boat [#826s Xiphias] away. ..." (Source: Herreshoff, Nathanael G. Diary, 1919. Manuscript (excerpts). Diary access courtesy of Halsey C. Herreshoff.)

"The first 16 footers were designed and built by N. G. Herreshoff in 1916 for the Seawanhaka Corinthian Yacht Club of Oyster Bay, Long Island. ... A single boat, Xiphias, was built in 1919. Xiphias did not join the Seawanhaka fleet, but instead went to Mattapoisett, Ma. The sale price was $1700. This boat is believed to be the first Fish with a moulded oak sheerstrake as well as the last to be gaff rigged." (Source: Meyer, Richard. "Herreshoff 16 Foot Class History." (History written on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the Fish Class.) Norwell, Massachusetts, January, 1991. In: http://www.herreshoffregistry.org/doc/Fish_History_Meyer.pdf, retrieved August 19, 2010.)

"In 1926 the Seawanahaka [Fish Class] fleet began to shift to Mattapoisett Ma. About eleven boats in total were owned at Mattapoisett between 1926 and 1938. The names of the eleven were: Cockle [#820s], Eel [#811s], Morrhue, Nautilus, Pompano [#797s], Sculpin [#816s], Shark [not #791s], Skate [#808s], Tarpon [#942s], Wahoo, and Xiphias [#826s]. Although many of the names appear to be the same as those listed in the Herreshoff shop records, it is known that some, such as Shark, were given these names upon arrival in Mattapoisett. Many of the boats were converted to marconi rig for the 1930 season. Three boats which were not converted were Skate, Tarpon, and Xiphias. By 1938, many of the Mattapoisett fleet had been sold and migrated away. About four boats appeared in Padanaram between 1930 and 1963. Their names were Harbinger, Hope, Xiphias [#826s] (later called Green Duck), and a fourth as yet unidentified.
The hurricane of Sept. 21, 1938 effectively ended the Fish boat activity in Mattapoisett. All of the remaining four boats are thought to have been wrecked. It is not known if any of the wrecked boats may have been repaired. The Padanaram Harbinger was totally destroyed in a boat yard fire and not repaired. The information pertaining to Mattapoisett was graciously provided by Edward Wood, Jr., author of The Early Days Of Sailing In Mattapoisett, and former Fish sailor. The Fish activities in Padanaram have become known through the help of Norman Fortier, marine photographer, the New Bedford Whaling Museum, the New Bedford Yacht Club, and Llewellyn Howland Jr. Llewellyn is a former Fish sailor, having owned Harbinger from 1933 until about 1937." (History written on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the Fish Class.) Norwell, Massachusetts, January, 1991. In: http://www.herreshoffregistry.org/doc/Fish_History_Meyer.pdf, retrieved August 19, 2010.)

• Xiphias (HMCo-made index card)
• Xiphias (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: Xiphias
Type: J & M
Length: 16'
Owner: Hinsdale, F. G.

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

• Xiphias
• 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: Xiphies [sic, i.e. Xiphias]
Type: 16' J & M
Owner: F. G. Hinsdale
Row No.: 769

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: 30
Year: 1919
E/P/S: S
No.: 0826
Name: Xiphias
OA: 21'
LW: 16'
B: 7' 1"
D: 3' 1"
Rig: J & M
K: y
Ballast: Lead
Amount: 1700.00
Last Name: Hinsdale
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.

"Built in 118 days (contract to launch; equivalent to $14/day, 25 lbs displacement/day)." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. January 16, 2024.)

"Sail area actual 271.2. By NYYC rule 285.7." (Source: Herreshoff, N. G. "Fish Class. 788 Class." Design and construction notes, dated Jan. 1916.) Also: "262 feet of sail area in a gaff mainsail and club jib" (Source: Parkinson, John, Jr. The Seawanhaka Corinthian Yacht Club. The Early Twentieth Century. 1897-1940. New York, 1965, p. 105-106.)

"Displ. 46.5 cuft. = 2975lbs." (Source: Herreshoff, N. G. "Fish Class. 788 Class." Design and construction notes, dated Jan. 1916.)

"Ownership info from Steve Nagy's Herreshoff Registry." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. November 18, 2009.)

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