HMCo #1059s Chance

"During these years the class that is usually spoken of as the Fishers Island thirty-one-footers was slowly developing, but as there were not many of them built at once and because there was some variation in them, I do not speak of them as a one-design class. The first of them were straight sailboats with a gaff rig but the later ones were usually auxiliary with leg-o'-mutton rig.
While these yachts were not first designed for racing they have often done well in some of the ocean races and are well-built little ships that have been particularly liked by their owners; and some were built up to about 1935." (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. 306.)

"Fisher's Island Sound O.D. Class.
[#1054s] F.I. 1, Cyrilla IV, W. Barklie Henry
[#1055s] F.I. 2, Shantey, Eben Knowlton
[#1059s] F.I. 3, Chance, Arthur E. Whitney
[#1060s] F.I. 4, Mameena, George E. Watson" (Source: Anon. "Racing Numbers Long Island Sound Yacht Racing Association." Rudder, August 1928, p. 103.)

"John G. Alden reports the sale of Arthur E. Whitney's 31-foot Fishers Island sloop Chance to James W. Hubbell of New York ..." (Souce: Anon. "From the Week's Log.) Boston Globe, February 7, 1935, p. A25.)

"The Fishers Island Sound 31
The first keelboat class at Fishers was the graceful Herreshoff-designed and -built Fishers Island Sound 31, or FIS-31. The number refers to waterline length, considered the best indicator of a boat's speed. The class originated with a sailor at Watch Hill Yacht Club, W. Barklie Henry, which explains its name referring to local waters. In the Herreshoff yard's promotional materials, however, 'Sound' was deleted and the boats were called the 'Fishers Island One Design.' Obviously Fishers Island had a certain cachet among yachtsmen, or at least among yacht salesmen, for its name also was applied to two other boats, the Bullseye (called the 'Fishers Island Bullseye') and the Herreshoff 23 (the 'Fishers Island 23').
The FIS-31 is A. Sidney DeWolf Herreshoff's slightly larger version of one of his father's most successful pre-World War I boats, the Newport 29, one of which, the long-successful Dolphin [#727s], still sails in the Sound. Priced at $13,000 (the equivalent of about $130,000 today), the 31 was complete with everything needed to cruise, including china. By modern standards, accommodations are extremely skimpy, with only two cabins and a total of three bunks. This was a typical layout in a cruising boat of that era. The two bunks aft are for the owner's party, with their own enclosed head. Up in the bow was a tiny cabin, called the forepeak, with a single bunk and small toilet. That was the residence of the professional sailor in khaki uniform. He (it was always a he) scrubbed the decks, polished the brass, kept up the brightwork, washed the salt off all surfaces, and cooked the meals in a dark, narrow forward galley.
Beginning in 1929, six FIS-31S sailed out of Fishers Island: the Maxwell family's Kelpie [#1157s], Elisha H. Cooper's Surprise [#1156s], Arthur Whitney's Chance [#1059s], Mrs. Henry J. Fuller's Canuck [#1054s], Joseph H. Holmes's Qutee [#1154s], Pierre S. du Pont Ill's Aldebaran [#1060s], and Thomas W. Russell's Savage [#1153s] (now called Torch and on display at the Herreshoff Marine Museum). Kelpie was still raced hard after 50 years, and Surprise (renamed Patapsco) sailed around the world in the 1960s, reportedly with the loss only of a running backstay." (Source: Rousmaniere, John. Sailing at Fishers. Mystic, CT, 2004, p. 56.)

"Although the Fishers Island Yacht Club was involved with the Fishers Island 31-footers by virtue of a few of its members owning them, that class does not appear to have been Club-sponsored. One should think of the letters 'FIS' on the sails of these boats as standing for Fishers Island Sound, the body of water in which the boats usually sailed. W. Barklie Henry, of the nearby Watch Hill Yacht Club, originated the idea for such a boat and ordered the first one, Cyrilla IV [#1054s], late in 1926. Three of his friends, thinking that his idea was sound, also ordered boats for 1927 delivery. Except for two others which were built in 1929 and sold elsewhere, the four original boats had things pretty much to themselves for the first three seasons. Then, in 1930, five more boats, some owned in Fishers Island and some in Watch Hill, joined the racing. Cirrus, then Kelpie [#1157s], was the last boat of this second batch and wasn't delivered until late August. ...
The Fishers Island 31-footers, although based on the Newport 29­footers and presumed to have been basically laid down from their offsets, (a blow-up, incidentally, of those for Alerion, had some rather significant changes made from the original model. It is likely that the new profile (longer ends, deeper keel, more raking sternpost, straighter sheer) und deck line to match were established by means of a scale drawing. However, the fairing of the lines to these new end points, according to Sidney Herreshoff, was done right on the mold loft floor - full size. Sidney was a most modest man, reluctant to take complete credit for much of what he did, but he did admit (on a taped interview) that his father was in Florida for the winter while this work was going on and that he, Sidney, was in charge of executing the needed changes. I'd say he did well!" (Source: Bray, Maynard. "A Look at the Class." Woodenboat #34, May/June 1980, p. 34.)

"[Item Transcription:] [Printed circular, two sheets of paper:] New York Yacht Club The Cruise 1927
Additional Racing Instructions Run From Huntington To New London—16Th August
In case of no wind at Huntington at the proposed time of the Start on the 16th August, the following signals will be made by the Flagship: etc. ... [Plus printed circular:] New York Yacht Club
List of yachts, measurement certificates of which were on file with the Race Committee on August 1, 1927, which will be valid for the Cruise.
SCHOONERS: C Class
C 2 OHONKARA [#827s]
C 7 VAGRANT [#719s]
C 3 VANITIE
D Class: D 25 ADVANCE
D 7 CONSTANCE
D 22 WILDFIRE [#891s]
D 5 LYNX
E Class: E 4 AURELIA
E 9 QUEEN MAB [#698s]
E16 SHAWNA
F Class: F3 CURLEW
F 4 MARY ROSE [#954s]
F 1 PLEIONE [#714s]
F 11 CACHALOT
G Class: S.C. 11 CLYTIE
S.C. 12 NADJI
S.C. 9 NOKOMIS
S.C. 6 SEVEN SEAS
G 1 WANDERER IX
G 7 MALABAR VII
H Class: H 3 FLYING FISH
H 2 ADVENTURER
KETCH: H 7 ANGELICA
SLOOPS
J Class: J 1 KATOURA [#1050s]
L.0. Class: L.0. 1 GEORGIA
L.0. 4 GREY DAWN
L.0. 5 MIRAGE
L.0. 3 NIMBUS
M Class: M 5 CAROLINA [#721s]
M 3 CHIORA [#713s ex-IROQUOIS II]
M 38 DOLLY
M 4 IBIS [#715s ex-GRAYLING]
M 1 PRESTIGE [#1058s]
M 6 SPARTAN [#712s]
10 Meter Class: 10M 9 BLAZING STAR
10M 7 BRANTA
10M 4 CYTHERA
10M 11 DRAGON
10M 8 ESQUILA
10M 6 NARCISSUS
10M 14 NAUTILUS
10M 10 RAEBURN
10M 12 REDHEAD
10M 10 REVENGE
10M 13 SHAWARA
10M 3 SYNTHETIC
10M 1 TWILIGHT
10M 5 VALENCIA
N Class: N 2 ALICE
P Class: P 1 BUTTERFLY [#586s ex-NELLIE]
50 Class: N. Y. Y. C. 52 ANDIAMO [#716s ex-SAMURI]
40 Class: N. Y. Y. C. 42 COCKATOO [#775s ex-DOLLY BOWEN]
N. Y. Y. C. 50 MARILEE [#955s]
N. Y. Y. C. 46 MISTRAL [#774s]
N. Y. Y. C. 47 PAMPERO [#781s ex-PAMPARO]
N. Y. Y. C. 45 TYPHOON [#773s ex-MAISIE]
N. Y. Y. C. 49 ROWDY* [#776s]
30 Class: N. Y. 1 ALERA [#626s]
N. Y. 7 ALICE [#632s ex-TABASCO]
N. Y. 9 AMORITA [#635s ex-ADELAIDE II]
N. Y. 15 BANZAI [#640s]
N. Y. 4 INTERLUDE [#629s ex-MAID OF MEUDON]
N. Y. 5 LENA [#630s ex-PINTAIL]
N. Y. 11 ORIOLE [#637s]
N. Y. 13 PHANTOM [#648s ex-MINX]
N. Y. 17 PHRYNE (Rig changed to jib-headed mainsail.) [#643s]
Q Class: F. I. S. 3 CHANCE [#1059s]
F. I. S. 1 CYRILLA II [#1054s]
F. I. S. 2 JUDY [#1055s]
F. I. S. 4 MAMEENA [#1060s]
YAWLS M Class: N. Y. 51 REVERY [#720s ex-ACUSHLA]
M 1 RUGOSA II [#983s]
... August 1, 1827. [Compared to the equivalent list from 1924 the number of boats has increased from 49 to 73, while the number of Herreshoff-built yachts has shrunk from 37 to 32 or 44%.] [Incl envelope from Race Committee NYYC to NGH, labeled in red 'Rating & allowance' and postmarked August 4, 1927.]" (Source: NYYC. Correspondence (circular) to Members. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_73330. Measuring and Measurement Rules (Box 2), Folder B2F07, formerly MRDE15. 1927-08-01.)
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"[Item Transcription:] Four-page advertisement brochure titled 'Herreshoff Herreshoff Fishers Island Thirty-one Footers' showing woodcut of a Fishers Island 31 with sail number FIS 1 [#1054s CYRILLA IV] on its title page. With marconi rig sail plan, deck plan, section and profile, particulars, and short description 'These boats are the result of years of careful study to develop a model which is exceptionally sturdy and seaworthy and dry in rough going, without sacrificing the element of speed which is so much to be desired in a sail boat. The forward section is sharp enough to prevent pounding under any condition, and is sufficiently flaring to prevent the boat from throwing water even when being driven hard to windward in rough weather. They are large enough to give head room and elbow room and plenty of storage space for cruising equipment and accommodation, and yet are rigged with a conservative sail plan so that one man can get the boat under way and put it up under any weather conditions without it being a hardship.
The sail plan is large enough to make the boat fast in anything above a drifting breeze, it being considered that in calm and very light airs the boats will normally be under power. If no power had been provided, the boats would have been given a little more sail, but in that case it would have been necessary to reef them in
all strong breezes. In order to prevent the necessity of reefing fine racing sails the boats are provided with a trysail about two-thirds the size of the mainsail, and a storm jib. The trysail is provided with reef points so that in case of real storm conditions it can be reefed down to a real storm sail. In a moderate breeze the boat goes very well indeed under the full trysail and storm jib, thus making it possible to sail many times in windy and rainy weather when one would not wish to expose the racing sails under adverse conditions. These storm sails are expected to provide opportunity to use the boats many times when they would otherwise be kept at their moorings.
While every care and precaution has been taken to make these boats as able, seaworthy and pleasant handling as is possible under bad weather conditions, equal provision has been made to prevent loss of speed under sail. Their performances in the New York Yacht Club runs and in the 1929 Gibson Island race have clearly demonstrated their ability.
The Herreshoff Manufacturing Company is planning to have one or more of their Fishers Island Thirty-one Footers ready for quick delivery at all times.
Prices and complete information on request.' See otherwise identical brochure with photo of #1059s CHANCE on title which is believed to have been created somewhat later. With slightly altered layout also used in promotional booklet 'Herreshoff Yachts' of 1931." (Source: Herreshoff Manufacturing Co. (creator). Advertisement Brochure. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE02_04540. Folder [no #]. No date (1930 ?).)
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"[Item Transcription:] Four-page advertisement brochure titled 'Herreshoff Herreshoff Fishers Island Thirty-one Footers' showing a photo of ##1059s CHANCE on its title page. With marconi rig sail plan, deck plan, section and profile, particulars, and short description 'These boats are the result of years of careful study to develop a model which is exceptionally sturdy and seaworthy and dry in rough going, without sacrificing the element of speed which is so much to be desired in a sail boat. The forward section is sharp enough to prevent pounding under any condition, and is sufficiently flaring to prevent the boat from throwing water even when being driven hard to windward in rough weather. They are large enough to give head room and elbow room and plenty of storage space for cruising equipment and accommodation, and yet are rigged with a conservative sail plan so that one man can get the boat under way and put it up under any weather conditions without it being a hardship.
The sail plan is large enough to make the boat fast in anything above a drifting breeze, it being considered that in calm and very light airs the boats will normally be under power. If no power had been provided, the boats would have been given a little more sail, but in that case it would have been necessary to reef them in
all strong breezes. In order to prevent the necessity of reefing fine racing sails the boats are provided with a trysail about two-thirds the size of the mainsail, and a storm jib. The trysail is provided with reef points so that in case of real storm conditions it can be reefed down to a real storm sail. In a moderate breeze the boat goes very well indeed under the full trysail and storm jib, thus making it possible to sail many times in windy and rainy weather when one would not wish to expose the racing sails under adverse conditions. These storm sails are expected to provide opportunity to use the boats many times when they would otherwise be kept at their moorings.
While every care and precaution has been taken to make these boats as able, seaworthy and pleasant handling as is possible under bad weather conditions, equal provision has been made to prevent loss of speed under sail. Their performances in the New York Yacht Club runs and in the 1929 Gibson Island race have clearly demonstrated their ability.
The Herreshoff Manufacturing Company is planning to have one or more of their Fishers Island Thirty-one Footers ready for quick delivery at all times.
Prices and complete information on request.' See otherwise identical brochure with woodcut of a Fishers Island 31 with sail number FIS 1 [#1054s CYRILLA IV] on title which is believed to have been created somewhat later. With slightly altered layout also used in promotional booklet 'Herreshoff Yachts' of 1931." (Source: Herreshoff Manufacturing Co. (creator). Advertisement Brochure. MIT Museum, Hart Nautical Collections, Haffenreffer-Herreshoff Collection Item HH.6.057. Box HAFH.6.2B, Folder Fisher's Island 31 Foot. No date (1931 ?).)
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Note: This list of archival documents contains in an unedited form any and all which mention #1059s Chance even if just in a cursory way. Permission to digitize, transcribe and display is gratefully acknowledged.

• Anon. "The Fisher's Island Sound One-Design Class." Yachting, April 1928, p. 96. (686 kB)
  Document is copyrighted: Yes. Fishers Island 31 class description.
• Anon. "Herreshoff Fisher's Island 31-Footers." Rudder, September 1931, p. 57. (800 kB)
  Document is copyrighted: Yes. Fishers Island 31 class description.
• Bray, Maynard. "A Look at the Class." Wooden Boat #34, May/June 1980, p. 42-48. (409 kB)
  Document is copyrighted: Yes, used with permission. Copyright holder: Maynard Bray (text).

• Chance (MIT Museum-made index card)
• Chance and other FI31 class (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: Chance
Type: J & M
Length: 31'6"
Owner: Whitney, Arthur E.

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

• Chance
• Capella ex-Chance
• 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: Chance
Type: 31' 8" aux. sloop
Owner: Arthur E. Whitney
Year: 1927
Row No.: 110

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: Mar
Day: 3
Year: 1927
E/P/S: S
No.: 1059
Name: Chance
OA: 43' 3"
LW: 31' 6"
B: 10' 8"
D: 6' 0"
Rig: J & M
K: y
Ballast: Outside Lead
Notes Constr. Record: 1st boat of 1059 class
Last Name: Whitney
First Name: Arthur E.

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.

"Sail number F.I.S. 3 in 1927 as per New York Yacht Club: List of yachts, measurement certificates of which were on file with the Race Committee on August 1, 1927, which will be valid for the Cruise." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. January 5, 2017.)

"In the absence of better available data displacement was estimated by using the figure for Net Register Tons (9) from the 1967 Lloyd's Register of American Yachts (Gross Register Tons were reported as 11) and converting to lbs by dividing through 2000 (short tons). Note that this figure can only be a rough estimate because register tons as reported in Yacht Registers correlate only loosely with actual displacement figures." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. March 17, 2015.)

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