HMCo #982s Limited

"No. 982.
The Limited.
Class of light draft boats.
Limited to 20' 6" overall,
18' 0" w.l.,
1' 6" draft.
Frame spaces 8"
In making moulds deduct for planking 1/2", for timbers 7/8".
Sheer height is to under side of deck.
Keel plank, 1 3/8" thick, and bottom 3/8" below rabbate.
Stem 1 7/8" thick.
...
Outside lead extends from # 8 1/2 to # 25 frame space.
Centre board slot 1 5/8" wide extends from # 13 to 4 1/2: aft of # 20 frame space - 4' 4 1/2" long.
Both keel and c.b. slot should be got out 3/8" wider than figures at mid length of c.b. slot, to allow for swelling of planking pushing in. lead casting should be wedged open in slot to correspond to keel." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. [Penciled note in Offset Booklet HH.4.193.] Undated, ca. October 1925. Haffenreffer-Herreshoff Collection, MIT Museum, Cambridge, MA.)

"P.O. Box 116. Coconut Grove. Fl. N. G. Herreshoff Bristol, R. I. Nov. 16 1928. {1928/11/16} Dear Francis, ... Are getting our house in order and will begin on my little boat Water Lily in a few days. ... - Your affect Father." (Source: Mystic Seaport Museum, L. Francis Herreshoff Collection, Box 17, Folder 4: Letter from N. G. Herreshoff to L. F. Herreshoff.)

"Coconut Grove Fla. Box 116. N. G. Herreshoff Bristol, R. I. Dec 7 1928 {1928/12/07} Dear Francis - ... We are [p4] having very nice warm weather, and I have my little boat in good order, but have not done much sailing yet. ... Your - affect Father - " (Source: Mystic Seaport Museum, L. Francis Herreshoff Collection, Box 17, Folder 4: Letter from N. G. Herreshoff to L. F. Herreshoff.)

"Sunday morning Mch. 10 1929. {1929/03/10} N. G. Herreshoff Coconut Grove Miami, Florida Dear Francis - Yesterday afternoon was very fine with gentle SSE wind ( about 8 to 10 mi). The 2 Development boats were out and raced with the 14 footers - and I went out to look on, course a [drawing] of about [formula] 1st to windward Low tide, so only 3 1/2' to 5' anywhere. Water Lily started even with them to left of line and immediately worked out to windwards of Goulds' "Whet Smack" which was the 1st over line, and apparently sailed very well by C Albertson, a native who has sailed much in the 14 footers, - with Gould stretched out on weather was board, and leg outside, just enough to hold her at best angle with freshest of breeze. I was between 1 1/4 & 1 1/2 min ahead at weather mark, and Whet Smack slowly gained [p2] on the two reaches, so I finished about 1 min. ahead, and about 4 1/2 m. ahead of 1st 14 footer. Ludington's suicide did not have a good start and not so well sailed, and came in about 2 1/2 min behind me. In the 2nd race over same course, I started after the fleet about a minute, and turned the weather mark close behind Whet Smack, and finished about 1/4 m. astern. ... Your affect. Father." (Source: Mystic Seaport Museum, L. Francis Herreshoff Collection, Box 17, Folder 5: Letter from N. G. Herreshoff to L. F. Herreshoff.)

"Sunday Morning, Mch. 17 `29 {1929/03/17} N. G. Herreshoff Coconut Grove Miami, Florida Dear Francis, After an interview with the Headmaster of the School here, - who conducts the racing of sail boats here, I laid out a good 3 mi course going e.s.e 3/4 mi., n.n.e. 3/4 mi. then return ssw & w.n.w. I entered do to make 2 classes. - Water Lily, a Star class & the 2 Suicides. 1st clan, Then the 14 footers and several sneek boxes 2nd class. There was a stiff breeze and puffy - from s to sw, and I had single reef, - all the others except sneek boxes all sail. In close reach Water Lily was a little better than Star and about even with Suicide. Down wind [p2] both ran away from us. Beating back Water Lily soon took the lead, and finish 2 1/2 min ahead of Star, and 4 1/4 ahead of the suicide, in first race and in second, about 2m & 3 1/2m respectivly. In the puffs the suicide would plane off very fast down wind. To windward she w'ld neighbor point on foot, but stood up well because the upper part of sail swang off. I don't think she was any better than the 14 footers on the wind. Quite an interesting sail. ... Your - Father." (Source: Mystic Seaport Museum, L. Francis Herreshoff Collection, Box 17, Folder 5: Letter from N. G. Herreshoff to L. F. Herreshoff.)

"March 24th,, 1929. {1929/03/24} N. G. Herreshoff Coconut Grove Miami, Florida Dear Francis. ... We had another race yesterday with just a a nice S.S.E. breeze, so the 1st leg and 3rd legs of the 3 mi course - of ESE - nne - ssw & w.n.w. In my class was a Star, (#280), the two developments, - Ludingtons & Goulds. I started just behind them in both races. Ludington had his sail in good shape and sailed [p2] his boat better than before "Getting to know his boat", and gave me a good race. I turned the 1st mark about 150' ahead, making the gain by being a little closer winded and also in footing, on the reach with quatering wind we ran just alike. The other two boats fell far astern on the 1st leg by overstanding to south, and into shallow water. On the 3rd leg to windward in which I almost laid my course, I increased my lead, and at finish I was 1m - 33s ahead of Ludington, 2m 3s ahead of Star and 5m 40s ahead of Gould. The breeze was very steady & true, about 15 mi. a comfortable breeze. We made the race in about 40 min. (a little under I think, and the corner mark was not correctly [p3] placed, so the course was about 3 1/4 sea miles. In the 2nd race the wind had increased to about a whole sail breeze, - (18 or 19 mi.) I turned and from the same direction. I turned the 1st mark about 300' ahead of Ludington and he gained about 100' on the reach. The 2nd turn to windward, with the fresher breeze and a little sea I gained fast both in pointing & footing - so I finished 2m 50s ahead of Ludington, 3-28 of Star and 4-12 ahead of Gould. By measuring 1/3 of over hang the boats measure aproximatly - [Chart of Water Lily, Star and Developments] So I won over them by length measurment. [p4] In aproximating l.w.l. [length at waterline] I have considered the crew on board, which is of course the proper thing to do to make fair comparisons. If sailing under length & sail area (The old Seawanaka Rule. Water Lily w'ld have to allow the Developments between 3 & 4 min - which she could not do - Now compare by Universal Rule, [Chart of Water Lily and Development] WaterLily [Formula] Devel [Formula] Allowance - [Formula] Which is just about what is shown, provided the boats are equally well sailed. You ask about Water Lily. She [p5] is 20' 6" over all - 18' water line. 6' 8" beam.,, 5'11" wide at w.l. 2' 3 3/4" depth of hull with 10" below w.l. (as designed, with out crew). Draft to bottom of lead 18", Star & stern are nearly plumb, but stem rounds under to w.l. and Keel is fair curve from w.l. forward to stern, about 1" out (as designed.) Has about 900 lbs outside lead & 200 inside. Rudder is pendant, of bronze, as in the old fin-keelers. Her water line forward is quite full - so has a good length at builge. Except being rather wet in small seas, is a most satisfactory little sailing boat." (Source: Mystic Seaport Museum, L. Francis Herreshoff Collection, Box 17, Folder 5: Letter from N. G. Herreshoff to L. F. Herreshoff.)

"Sunday, Mch. 31 1929. {1929/03/31} N. G. Herreshoff Coconut Grove Miami, Florida Dear Francis, ... In the race yesterday ... I only had the Star to run against. The wind was moderate, and flattening out to light air at end of 2nd race - S.E. all the time. As I had 3 with me the boat was not in racing trim exactly. The 1st leg E.S.E. was to windward, and I got a lead of 100 yards each time. On the reaching & running the Star gradually gained, and ended, 1st race neck & neck, and in the 2nd, with the light air on last leg, running, came [p3] in 45 sec ahead. From what I could observe, the Star should have held me on the wind if correctly sailed, and it does not really seem that she should have beat me easily, - having 283 (square)' sail to Water Lily 225 (square)'. We were sailing on corrected mean length, (w.l. + 1/3 over hangs) so Water Lily had to give her 25 sec and therefor the Star won. I have 4 1st to Stars 2 firsts now, and it appears that I can only win in strong wind." (Source: Mystic Seaport Museum, L. Francis Herreshoff Collection, Box 17, Folder 5: Letter from N. G. Herreshoff to L. F. Herreshoff.)

"N. G. Herreshoff Coconut Grove Miami, Florida April 21 1929. {1929/04/21} Dear Francis, ... Gould and a local 'marine expert' worked on the rig of his Suicide boat 'Wet Smack' to try to make the sail set properly, but without success. They had brought the boat here and have [p3] been working on her in Com. Munroes' shop so I have had an oppotunity to look on. There was the rig of one of the 14 footers in the shop, and I suggested fitting it in the 'Wet Smack', which they have done, and they asked me to go out in 'Water Lily' to gauge her, which I did yesterday p.m. There was a moderate breeze S.E., at times nearly a whole sail breeze, then moderating so we stood nearly upright. We first went on an ENE leg 5/8 mi. & back. Water Lily in close reach ran out ahead 75 yards about, and in the broad reach returning Wet Smack just caught us. In the light part we ran alike both ways, and when stronger I made the gain in close reach, and Wet Smack the gain in broad reach - when she began [p4] to plane. We then went around a mark 3/4 mile to windward - doing it twice. Water Lily gained quite a bit to windward, - noticably when the wind freshened. There was little difference before the wind with jibs winged, First time we finished 1m 2s ahead and 2nd time 1' 57" due to stronger wind in beating. My observations are the boat is quite as faster or a little faster with the 14 footers' sails, with an actual measurment of 121 (square)', against the Wet Smacks mate in which they worked over till it (the sails) set fairly well, and measures 131 (square)', but the head swung off in a breeze so she w'ld stand up better than did the Wet Smack yesterday. Apparently Water Lily would just about save her time if sailing [p5] under - the Seawanaka Rule - (Length & sail area) if 1/3 over hang is measured and the crew on board." (Source: Mystic Seaport Museum, L. Francis Herreshoff Collection, Box 17, Folder 5: Letter from N. G. Herreshoff to L. F. Herreshoff.)

"My Own Boats. Except a few that will be mentioned as half-owner. ...
29
1928 WATER LILY #982 - After selling PLEASURE, I still had a longing to sail. In the fall of 1928, I bought the boat LIMITED from the Herreshoff Manufacturing Company that I designed a few years before for a proposed class for Biscayne Bay and this boat built as a sample; but the class did not mature. I made many changes in LIMITED, renamed to WATER LILY, so she could be entirely handled without getting out of the cockpit (except to hook on the mooring after sailing). I always made it a rule to lower the jib before coming to the mooring or dock. I used this boat at Coconut Grove in [the] winters of 1928 and 1929. In the following fall, I was not reliable on my feet and decided to give up using boats entirely, so I turned over WATER LILY to Miss Pattie Munroe, who still has her." (P. 121; Source: Herreshoff, N. G. "My Own Boats. Except a few that Will be Mentioned as Half-Owner." Bristol, (originally compiled 1892 with additions in) 1929. In: Pinheiro, Carlton J. (ed.). Recollections and Other Writings by Nathanael G. Herreshoff. Bristol, 1998.)

"N. G. Herreshoff Coconut Grove Miami, Florida Dec 8th 1929. {1929/12/08} Dear Francis, ... Not feeling equal to handling a boat alone any more, and realizing how much the Munroe family are constantly doing for our us, I have made Pattie Munroe a present of the Water Lily. She has been brought up in boats, and is generally first in the little races here, so will probably make good use of her. ... Later - Pattie M. came in and wanted us to take a sail and meet a young couple who are neighbors. As the two suicide boats were going out I was interested to see them under sail, so went. As the wind was very light and we were 5 in the Water Lily I supposed they w'ld sail away from us, but I was mistaken, for Water Lily got away from them on all courses. ... - Your affect - Father. " (Source: Mystic Seaport Museum, L. Francis Herreshoff Collection, Box 17, Folder 5: Letter from N. G. Herreshoff to L. F. Herreshoff.)

"I ... fitted out a small craft, WATER LILY, in which I could handle her from inside the cockpit and she proved a good boat for Biscayne Bay.
In 1929, I ... gave up sailing in home waters, and the following winter was the last of my sailing days, for at eighty-two, it was becoming a dangerous recreation with increasing awkwardness in all facilities. So I turned the WATER LILY over to Pattie Monroe (now Mrs. Catlow) and ended my sailing hobby after about seventy-three years at it." (Source: Herreshoff, N. G. "Some of the Boats I Have Sailed In." Written 1934. In: Pinheiro, Carlton J. (ed.). Recollections and Other Writings by Nathanael G. Herreshoff. Bristol, 1998, p. 74-75.)

"February 13, 1937
Dear Mr. Stephens -
... The last little boat that I had and used after it became apparent it was not safe for me to climb over-deck had a good coaming around the cockpit (or "stern-sheets," as always called in the old days), and all ropes -including mooring were arranged to be controlled from this cockpit. The sails lowered into lazy-jacks. There was no bowsprit or boom-kin. Only jib & gunter-yard mainsail of 226 sq. ft. total on a hull 20 1/2 ft. over all & 19 1/2 w.l. - 17" draft, including a 1050 lb. lead keel, centreboard, of course, and with pendant brass rudder. This made a very safe boat for an old man to sail single-handed in. Could reef without leaving the cockpit, and do it quickly, and the jib, if not furled and stopped, will do no harm. I also had a tent that covered the whole cockpit, around mast & over furled sail with boom on rather high crutch, giving a very dry and comfortable shelter that I had little occasion to use; but the present couple that own her have cruised down among the Florida Keys - sleeping on board - very comfortably and doing their own cooking. The boat is quite fast, beside being easy to handle, but I gave up this boat when only 82, and after handling boats for only 74 years. ...
With kindest regards,
Sincerely,
Nathanael G. Herreshoff" (Source: Letter 25. From N. G. Herreshoff to W. P. Stephens, dated February 13, 1937. In: Herreshoff, Nathanael Greene and William Picard Stephens. "Their Last Letters 1930-1938." Annotated by John W. Streeter. Bristol, R. I., ca. 1999, p. 155-159.)

"1928 'Water Lily'
After selling 'Pleasure' I still had a longing to sail. In the fall of 1928 I bought the boat 'Limited' from the H. M. Co. that I designed a few years before for a proposed class for Biscayne Bay and had this boat built as a sample, but the class did not mature. I made many changes in 'Limited,' renamed to 'Water Lily,' and so she could be entirely handled without getting out of the cockpit (except to hook on the mooring after sailing). I always made it a rule to lower jib before coming to the mooring or dock. I used this boat at Coconut Grove in winters of 1928 and 1929. In the following fall I was not reliable on my feet and decided to give up using boats entirely. So I turned over 'Water Lily' to Miss Pattie Munroe who still has her." (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. 318-319.)

"Soon after he had the urge to sail again so he sent to Florida the small half-decked sailboat 'Water Lily' which he used at Coconut Grove in the winters of 1928 and 1929. This was his last boat." (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. 123.)

"... I haven't caught Uncle Nat [Herreshoff] in a breeze yet, and really haven't tried to, because when it blows he has troubles of his own which are about all his waning patience will stand, for it would be no fun to me at all. His new boat [#982s Water Lily], while wonderfully fast under moderate conditions apparently cuts up didos when it overblows, about which he doesn't confide in me further than to remark displeasure, and furthermore she slings water outrageously, which he suspected before she left Bristol, and had, as he supposed, partially remedied, but now admits that Biscayne seas have circumvented and treat him shamefully, as he frequently comes home soaked, and Mrs. H[erreshoff] only goes with him in picked weather. However, we will probably fall together some day when I can't be accused of 'malice aforethought'. His boat is for sale, all the same, and he has a new model cut. He has been so generously thoughtful of me in so many ways that I really care little as to beating him in a boat-race, anyway. We simply differ considerably on some points of modeling that can only be approximately proven by actual sailing tests, but we are both too old to get 'het up' over it, and know it. ..." (Source: Munroe, Ralph M. [Letter to Vincent Gilpin.] University of Miami Collection. February 18, 1928.)

"... This breeze caught us returning from the chowder-party at Key Biscayne. S.W. squall with rain just as we were within a few hundred yards of the moorings, and gave us both all. Herreshoff in Water Lily, single reefed and Sunset whole sail. It struck just as we were within a few hundred yards of the mooring, and gave us both all we wanted to pick them up, being low tide. Herreshoff nearly going on the beach, and I nearly grounding on the offshore flat. My two-masted rig made it more easy than for him; no harm except to our store duds. ..." (Source: Munroe, Ralph M. [Letter to Vincent Gilpin.] University of Miami Collection. February 24, 1929.)

"MEMORIES OF CAPTAIN NAT
by Patty Munroe Catlow
... Later Captain Nat designed the sloop WATER LILY and brought her south for the winters of 1928 and 29. Frequently he loaned the WATER LILY to me for a sailing school that I conducted for young girls. Often Captain Nat came along on the trips. While one of us taught knots, the other would coach the girls at the tiller. Needless to say it was quite a thrill for some of the girls to be taught to sail by Captain Nat Herreshoff.
When the Herreshoffs stopped coming to Florida, Captain Nat gave me the WATER LILY. She no longer exists but it has been my pleasure to donate the WATER LILY's tender [#192701es WATER BUG] to the Herreshoff Marine Museum where she is on display." (Source: Herreshoff Marine Museum Chronicle, Spring 1980, p. 4.)

"Water Lily at Coconut Grove, Florida, about 1930
Water Lily was NGH'S last boat, brought to Florida for the 1927-1928 season as a replacement for Pleasure [#907s].
According to his son Sidney, NGH designed Water Lily as a sample boat for a rating rule he had devised in the mid-1920s. Although she was round-bottomed and fitted with a pendant-type inboard rudder, Water Lily bore a strong resemblance to the Biscayne Bay 14-foot class of sailing skiffs...
For some reason, the so-called '17-foot Limited class' didn't take, and Water Lily was still at the Herreshoff Mfg. Co., unsold, in the fall of 1927. NGH purchased her for use in Florida, but before she was shipped south, he had some singlehanding-for-the-elderly modifications made. A reduced-area sliding gunter rig was substituted for the Marconi one, allowing the shorter spars to be stored within the boat's hull for shipping. For comfort, the cockpit was widened so that bench seating could be installed (the original idea was to sit on the floorboards in light air, and on the side deck as live ballast when it was windy). Lazyjacks were rigged to keep the mainsail and its sprit under control when being raised and lowered, and the mast was moved 8 inches aft and a filler piece added ahead of the shallow lead ballast keel; the latter alterations were made, perhaps that a reasonable weather helm could be maintained with the shorter rig.
Soon, even Water Lily became too much for NGH, and in the early 1930s he turned the boat over to Commodore Munroe's daughter, Patty, and gave up traveling south in the wintertime. As he put it, he had become 'awkward in all facilities,' and, with obvious sadness, he 'ended a sailing hobby after about seventy-three years at it.' " (Source: Bray, Maynard and Carlton Pinheiro. Herreshoff of Bristol. Brooklin, Maine, 1989, p. 216.)

"N/A"

"[Item Description:] Penciled pantograph lead sections and lead profile titled 'Lead for The Limited [#982s]. Required 1050lbs with C at 17.3 frame' and marked 'No 982. Nov[ember] 1, 1925' in lower right corner. With calculations arriving at 940lbs lead and a note 'With one person of 110lbs sitting at tiller --- should be at w. l.'." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Pantograph Lead Sections. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE04_03560. Folder [no #]. 1925-11-01.)
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"[Item Description:] Two sets of penciled pantograph hull sections on sans-serif 'Herreshoff Manufacturing Company, Bristol, R.I.' stationery. Titled 'The Limited Class [#982s]. Design Oct[ober] 30, 1925. 20ft 6in overall. 18ft w.l. 18in draft. 8in frames spaces. Scale 1in. Refitted as WATER LILY. Oct[ober] 1926'. One set marked 'Sections at every 3rd frame space of 8in each'. The other set with calculations showing a displacement of 329cuft = 2120lbs and a total displacement of 2230lbs." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Pantograph Hull Sections. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE04_03310. Folder [no #]. 1926-10-30.)
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"[Item Description:] #15548. Aug 11th, 1927. Changes to #982 to be done to account of N. G. Herreshoff and under his general supervision. [Three handwritten draft pages of detailed work instructions by NGH to modify the former #982s LIMITED now WATER LILY for his own use in Florida.]" (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Work Instructions. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_29320. Subject Files, Folder 22. 1927-08-11.)
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"[Item Transcription:] Herreshoff Mfg. Co., Bristol. R. I., August 11th, 1927
Shop Order No. 15548. To Mr Alder.
For Mr. N. G. Herreshoff - Limited Class Boat
#982. [Two typed pages of detailed work instructions by NGH to modify the former #982s LIMITED now WATER LILY for his own use in Florida.]" (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Work Order. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_29300. Subject Files, Folder 22. 1927-08-11.)
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"[Item Description:] Penciled sailplan and calculations for righting moment and sail area (225sqft) titled 'No 982 [#982s WATER LILY]. Limited Class boat Changed for N.G. Herreshoff's use. Aug 19 1927'." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Penciled Sailplan. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE02_06970. Folder [no #]. 1927-08-19.)
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"[Item Description:] [On 'R.M. Munroe, Box 116, Coconut Grove, Florida' stationery:] Your letter of the 18th just re[ceive]d, but letters have crossed as usual. I am writing again however to say that dinghies are scarce[?] as heres[?] bulb[?]. So many were smashed up, stolen or otherwise lost. i have the makings of a small dory that could be fixed up and really make a good job but I would suggest a knock down dory which Craft or most any decent carpenter could assemble. Crated, it would cost little freight. Try some of your numerous builders of such craft. We are getting more rain now than wanted. It was real cool this am 74deg but we have had fine sleeping nights all summer. Good reports from the family in N.C. Mrs M[unroe] took an auto ride of 60 miles the other day without any inconveniences resulting. Will be glad when times comes for you both to get underweigh for C[oconut] G[rove] again. [No year. Choice of stationery and topic (dinghy for what appears to be #982s WATER LILY) suggest this letter to have been written in 1927 (even though it was filed with 1923/1924 Munroe correspondence).]" (Source: Munroe, R.M. Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_41710. Correspondence, Folder 87, formerly 121. (1927 ??)-09-22.)
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"[Item Transcription:] [On 'Coconut Grove, Fla., P.O. Box 116' stationery:] Yours about shipping boat to this R[ail] R[oad] Station O.K. and we will attend to it all with Pleasure (Didn't mean the last word in the same sense that some folks might). Bill her also to me.
We have been having whacking breezes with rain squalls from E.N.E. to N.N.E. for over a week cutting off communication with Nassau completely until yesterday. Kemps[?] got out to day & brought home a good catch of fish. I wrote you about tender for the new boat & mailed it same day your request came. Expect you have it. If not, I suggested a knock down dory, or that craft could cut down an old one slightly damaged, but as you are going to ship the sail boat by rail, by all means build a new one that will carry inside the larger boat, there should be no extra charge on such an arrangement. If this is true you might stick in a few light spruce poles just squared up suitable for the 14fters [Biscayne Bay Fourteen Foot Skiffs] & also your boat. Always useful. [No year. Mention of the Biscayne Bay 14-footers and shipping a dinghy in a boat by rail suggests that this letter was written in 1927 when #982s WATER LILY was sent by rail to Miami together with her skiff tender #192701es WATER BUG.] " (Source: Munroe, R.M. Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_41690. Correspondence, Folder 87, formerly 121. (1927 ?)-09-28.)
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"[Item Description:] Invoice from HMCo to NGH for 'Yacht WATER LILY [#982s] and Owners', 'Order No. 15548', for 'Charges from Aug 11 to Oct 18 1927' for 'Get into shop. Change Hull, Spars and Rigging, as Directed. Put Overboard', 'Recut Sails. Make Cover. Make Awning. Pickling', 'Painting', and 'Make Cradle and Spping on Cars'. Detailed itemized listing of materials and hours." (Source: Herreshoff Manufacturing Co. Correspondence (invoice) to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_28980. Subject Files, Folder 20. 1927-10-20.)
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"[Item Description:] Invoice from HMCo to NGH for 'Tender [#192701es WATER BUG] for WATER LILY [#982s]', 'Order No. 15690', for 'Charges from Sept 28 to Oct 5 1927' for 'Build Special Tender'. Detailed itemized listing of materials and hours." (Source: Herreshoff Manufacturing Co. Correspondence (invoice) to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_29000. Subject Files, Folder 20. 1927-10-20.)
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"[Item Transcription:] [Yellow sheet with hand-written calculations in ink:] Mr. NGH Credit 3600
WATER LILY #982 $1250
Alterations & Shipping $323.63
Small rowboat [#192701es WATER BUG] 73.92
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1647.55
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1952.45 [Note: On May 13, 1927 NGH had sold #907s PLEASURE to HMCo for $3600. Apparently, this sheet shows a calculation offsetting the $3600 due to NGH with the amount invoiced to NGH for acquiring, altering and shipping WATER LILY and her dinghy WATER BUG.]" (Source: Herreshoff Manufacturing Co. (?) (creator). Calculations. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_28970. Subject Files, Folder 20. No date (ca1927-10-20).)
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"[Item Description:] Sends 4 photos (included in file) of Florida waterfront scenes, incl Coconut Grove with Biscayne Bay 14 and steam yacht WARRIOR, taken during sail NGH took him with [NGH took the Winslows for a sail in in #982s WATER LILYy up the Miami waterfront on April 13, 1928]" (Source: Winslow, W. H.[?]. Letter / Photographs to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_06330. Correspondence, Folder 23, formerly 207. 1928-05-03.)
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"[Item Description:] Yours of the 10th posted on the steamer [S.S. CHEROKEE from Florida to N.Y.] duly re[ceive]d. Sorry it was so disagreeably cold going up. We have had another N.E. blow, a little harder than the former but since then first of S.E. weather enabling me to get nearly all the railway piling connected. Another smooth day will finish that job. Wirth has arrived [at] Santiago & bu this time should be well on his way to Cienfuegos with good trades behind him. No unpleasant incidents so far. Erwin has his boat almost ready to step mast & bend sails. This morning's paper relates a series of mishaps to a lot of coast wise steamers in a fog in lower N.Y. Harbor & S. Channel. Collision in every case, one quite serious, Old Dominion & Clyde [steamline ships] in which the MOHAWK had to be beached opposite the Highlands no lives lost. A Porto Rican passenger vessel inward bound rather badly rammed a N. German Lloyd ship bound out. Altogether some six vessels came to grief in about the same place & time. Good for wreckers, admiralty lawyers & others. Worse than the Florida reefs after a hurricane altho I once counted 9 ashore between Hillsborough & Sombrero. Had a handsome present from W.J. Matheson a few days ago. 32 very fine pictures of the goings on at the Picnic [on the] 22nd bound in leather and one of the three first Commodores of the [Biscayne Bay Yacht] Club marching with the band to taste the Chowder. Patty and her friends are off today in SUNSET. Fine breeze S.E. Had to reprimand WATER LILLY [#982s] for wiggling to much on her blocking, jealousy I expect. It sure is too quiet around the water front nowadays. Hardly know whether this will catch you at Bermuda or Bristol. All send love. [No year. Reference to NGH letter posted 'on the steamer', NGH being in Bermuda, and S.S. MOHAWK beaching near Sea Bright all indicates this letter to have been written in 1928.]" (Source: Munroe, R.M. Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_06270. Correspondence, Folder 23, formerly 207. (1928)-05-20.)
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"[Item Transcription:] I just experienced a conflicting mix of up of hurricanes a little different from any we can remember of which kept the Weather Bureau and ourselves pretty darn busy from early yesterday until a few hours ago. Not that any great danger was apprehended, but we didn't want to feel foolish afterwards if failing to take all precautions. Last week one of the twisters came up from the Windward Islands passed just west of Nassau & struck this coast about Fort Pierce. Not much damage until it reached the Carolinas tho giving everyone a scare. About the same time another one was reported nearly at the same source but not of much intensity, but we kept it in mind all the same & finally it was detected last Sat. trying to sneak in past Jamaica. At their usual rate of progress, we leisurely prepared, and Sunday a.m. thought that there would be nothing doing of consequence before the following night but persuaded Wirth & Patty & their party to give up an intended sail in Melody to the banks. Bob Irwin however had a stag party for ARLEGA and promising not to go far started with wind E.S.E. under power & sail while I went aboard SUNSET to snug her up and had just knotted the last lashing when I had to dive into the cabin out of a squall that until the slack of the mooring took up, hove the little boat down to her plank sheer & held her there. Irwin had gotten about a mile outside the beacon when struck by the same wind and had a lively time getting his sail in & then rather foolishly anchored instead of getting back to his moorings soon as possible. When he did there was some fun getting there but he finally accomplished it. It rained blowing a two reef breeze the rest of the day with some violent squalls but as the glass remained nearly at 30 with only .12 fall til long after dark & no shift of wind or moderating, gave it up & turned in. Just after midnight we got a phone message from a friend in Miami stating that the Weather Bureau had issued a storm notice that the Jamaica storm had passed south of Isle of Pines & was on its way to Yucatan but that another twister had been spotted 40 miles S.E. of Key West bound N.W. & up the Fla. West Coats. This explained the apparent odd behaviour of what we took for the Jamaica breeze jumping over Cuba which was quite out of order. Since morning the wind has been slowly hauling & the rain & wind squalls moderating, so I expect we can resume work on the Barnacle tomorrow morning. Your account of the THISTLE [#1078s] trial trip was interesting and no wonder you feel got up over the ocean races. Nothing further from 'ROFFA' [sic, i.e. #933s ROFA]. Guess she got run down. Saw a stern view of THISTLE, think it was in N.Y. Times, noticed what appeared to be an adaptation of my double mizzen boom rig. (Tell Nystrom he needn't send a check.) Should like to have been along on the trial. [Annotated sketch showing Cuba and Florida coast and track of hurricanes.]
We originated a hurricane some years ago back of Miami in the Everglades and were very proud of it tho careful not to give it too much impetus until it got out of the State.
WATER LILLY's [#982s] cover seems to be in good shape. She held up the cottage very nicely last night.
Yours with good wishes to all, ... [No year. Reference to ROFA sinking indicates this letter to have been written in 1928.]" (Source: Munroe, R.M. Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_42250. Correspondence, Folder 88, formerly 121. (1928)-08-(18 ?).)
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"[Item Description:] Penciled table titled '[Time] Allowances of A-Fl [Adirondack-Florida] School Races, Spring 1929'. With tabulated data for 'Name', 'Length o.a', 'Length w.l., with crew', 'Mean length', 'Sal area', 'Rating Boston Y.C. Rule', 'Rating Seawanhaka Rule' and various allowance scenarios for four boats: '14 footers [Biscayne Bay 14 Class: #924s, #925s, #926s, #927s, #928s, #929s, #935s, #936s, #937s, #938s, #946s, #947s, #950s, #951s]', 'Development Class [probably Atkin-designed Suicide boats]', 'Star Class' and 'WATER LILY [#982s]'. With calculations. On both sides of envelope from Cruising Club of America to NGH in Bristol that had been forwarded to him to Coconut Grove, FL, postmarked Mar[ch] 2 [1929]." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. (creator). Penciled Table. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE15_01310. Folder [no #]. 1929-03.)
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"[Item Transcription:] Thank you for your letters of 23rd & 24th [September 1929] and the Huntington Y.C. Development Class Rules, also photo of the Atkin designed boat. The rules or restrictions do not have much good reasoning and i believe ours are much more to the point to develop a good class.
One thing I omitted was that boats be provided with suitable eyes for lifting out and hanging from davits.
There were two of Atkins designed boat[s] at Coconut Grove, Fl. last spring and I had the opportunity of seeing and also sailing against one of them. As they came they were very poorly rigged but we fitted into one of them the rig of a 14ft class [Biscayne Bay 14-footer] I designed, having 121 sqft. Jib & mainsail. With this she sailed very well. In a breeze faster than my 18 1/2ft w.l. outside ballasted boat [#982s WATER LILY ex-LIMITED] in broad reaching & running, but not at all in it when turning to windward.
I am pleased that you will try out the three masted rig in the two boats [#1148s Development Class for Junius Morgan and #1149s PIG IN A BAG], but I am wondering if it would not be interesting to you to also try out the jib & mainsail rig also. I would propose that you have both boats fitted with, what I may call, the standard rig. --- The Sharpie rig I first proposed then as extras. 1 - three masted rig and 1 jib & mainsail rig. --- Either rig will be fitted to either boat.
They are ready to begin planking the 1st boat [#1148s Development Class for Junius Morgan] this afternoon.
With kind regards ..." (Source: Herreshoff, N.G. Letter to Morgan, Junius S. Herreshoff Marine Museum Collection Acc. 98.45. Correspondence, Folder 32, formerly 181. 1929-09-25.)
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"[Item Transcription:] We have no fault to find with the weather sharps for they struck a hard job in trying to locate this last twister and only by recent accidents caught an air from a vessel off Andros which posted us in plenty of time, tho we had our storm shutters on the buildings three days before it let loose from N.N.E. quickly hauling to N.E. and then taking fully 24 hrs to do it, reached S.W. with wind force at near 60 & in squalls probably 75. The center passed just after dark Sat[urday] eve[ning] in a series of whirlwinds one of which tore up Mary[?] St., leveling several small houses and then blew all to pieces a large two story grocery and no one seriously hurt. We heard it go by sounding like a heavy truck. MELODY and SUNSET both rode it out without a scratch. AR LEGA whose owners are generally so cocksure about their boat affairs, forgot to blow up that old concrete pier of Gardiners, and when too late on Friday last, came with dynamite. Even then, so long as the gale lasted she never would have fouled it but with the tide falling and wind likewise and no one looking after her, that iron pipe bilged her and down she went. No trouble in pumping her out, but lots of stuff damaged and shaft & wheel bent.
They had just overhauled the motor & painted. Austen;s boat parted your old chain just after dark on the night of the beginning of the breeze and drifted straight into Swetlands East basin. Wirth & Patterson just happened t see her, ran over with a spare anchor & warp, caught her & made fast before any damage & there she rode the next two days & nights without further harm. The university boys boat foundered at her moorings from back lash of the sea from Swetlands storm walls. The beautiful lot of bananas back of your cottage completely destroyed except 3 bunches. The water rose about 3in over the floors but as you seemed to put everything over that height there is apparently no damage. Will look see again. Your S. piazza came near going, and the gold fish never left word as to what they intended doing. The water nearly rose over the boat house floor, stripped the weather boarding of the lower part & something got under the inner end of pier & pulled its long & deep driven piling nearly up. If it had not been such a long drawn affair and such a downpour of rain we might have found some fun in it but it was very tiresome when it ran along past the second day especially when our lights gave out and also the Electric refrigerator and having storm shutters in most of the windows it was sure dismal like.
Your reference to setting a day for starting South made us sit right up at attention. Next time I go down the path will slip in along side of 'WATER LILLY' [#982s] and whisper the good news under her cover, and Mrs H[erreshoff] is tooling her horse and four through Bristol town. One of Wirth's suicide craft is nearly complete but no prospects of spars yet. The gale will effect one good move anyway. Just got a wire from the madam to look for her next week. Best wishes to you all, as ever R.M. Munroe." (Source: Munroe, R.M. Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_42090. Correspondence, Folder 88, formerly 121. 1929-09-30.)
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"[Item Description:] thank you very for your long and interesting letter of the 7th about the 14 foot dinghies and the rule you have gotten up, will publish this, discussion of [Manfred] Curry race, #982s WATER LILY" (Source: Stone, Herbert L. Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_37160. Correspondence, Folder 72, formerly 55. 1933-04-10.)
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"[Item Description:] Handwritten notebook titled on outer cover 'Droughting Room. Blue Prints Record' providing a list of drawings with information in columns titled 'Issued To', 'For Job', 'Date', 'Date Returned', '[Date] Destroyed', and 'Remarks'. Vessels mentioned are #1266s BELISARIUS, #1267 FROSTFISH, #395p Owner Launch for St.Y. VIKING, #1265s NITRAMON, #1204s SILVERHEELS, #1233s RAINBOW, #1276s PRIM, #1275s MITENA, #907s PLEASURE, #931s NASSAU, #711s VENTURA, #900s IRIS, #982s WATER LILY, #891s WILDFIRE, #1147s WEETAMOE, #954s MARY ROSE, #880s JOSEPHINE, #788s MANATEE, #1146s ENTERPRISE, #1212s TRONDA, #1282s 12 1/2 for H. V. Reed, #1302s Amphicraft for N. F. Ayer, #1304s Amphicraft for Charles A. Welch, #1286s 12 1/2 for Mr. Maitland Alexander, #1311s Amphicraft for Dr. Seth M. Milliken, #1313s Dinghy for #663s RAMALLAH ex-ISTALENA, #1314s HMCo Yard Skiff, #408s PELICAN, #1315s BRENDA, #396p Power Tender for FONTINALIS, #397p Power Tender for FONTINALIS, #329p CAROLA, #1318s Sailing Dinghy for Henry S. Morgan; #1316s NOVA, #1319s Tech Dinghy, #1317s MANDOO II, #405p Surfboat, #1379s Fish Class for H. M. Lautmann (MERRY HELL), #1385s TINKER TOO, and #1384s AVANTI. 23 pages were used. Undated, the dates range from October 1934 to September 1936." (Source: Herreshoff Manufacturing Co. (creator). Notebook. MIT Museum, Hart Nautical Collections, Haffenreffer-Herreshoff Collection Item HH.6.106. Box HAFH.6.3B, Folder Blue Print Record Book. No date (1934-10 to 1936-09).)
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Note: This list of archival documents contains in an unedited form any and all which mention #982s Limited even if just in a cursory way. Permission to digitize, transcribe and display is gratefully acknowledged.

• Herreshoff, Nathanael G. [Diary Excerpts regarding #982s Water Lily.] Diary, 1927 to 1930. Manuscript (excerpts). Access courtesy of Halsey C. Herreshoff. (129 kB)
  Document is copyrighted: Yes, used with permission. Copyright holder: Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum. Excerpts from N. G. Herreshoff's diary regarding #982s Water Lily.

• Limited (MIT Museum-made index card)
• Water Lily (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.

Year: 1925
E/P/S: S
No.: 0982
OA: 20' 6"
LW: 18' 0"
B: 6' 5"
D: 1' 6"
Rig: J & M
CB: y
Ballast: Some outside lead
Notes Constr. Record: 17ft "Limited Class"
Last Name: Stock. Sold to N.G. Herreshoff Aug./27

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.