HMCo #1226s Yawlcat

"[1932-03-25] Fri 25: Very fine. Clear sky [but] a bit smokey. L[igh]t W to NW [wind in] a.m. Calm [at] noon & l[igh]t SW in p.m. White frost this morning. The shop has order for 40 ft aux[iliary] like Ventura [#1226s Yawlcat for Edw. Mallinckrodt]; also another Fishers Is[land] 23 ft [#1222s Tigress for A. G. Pendleton]. [These two boats, plus the Frostbiter #1220s Kid-Pleurisy were the only orders during the first three quarters of 1932.]
[1932-04-09] Sat 9: [Thermometer] 50 - 40 - 42 [degrees]. Overcast & l[igh]t r]ain]. L[igh]t variable [wind] & calm. ... Mr. Mallinckrodt [the future owner of #1226s Yawlcat] called with Nystrom in p.m. ...
[1932-07-08] Fri 8: [Thermometer] 70 - 63 - 68 [degrees]. Overcast till mid p.m. then clear & fine. Mod[erate] SSW [wind] ch[anging] to W & calm in evening. ... Sid made trial of new aux[iliary] cruiser [#1226sYawlcat] built by shop for Mallinckrodt.
[1932-07-09] Sat 9: [Thermometer] 77 - 63 - 70 [degrees]. Very fine & clear. Mod[erate] WSW [wind] early ch[anging] to W & NW in forenoon. Very hard in afternoon at times (35 to 40 m[ph]). Went aboard the new yawl Yawlcat [#1226s] in forenoon at wharf.
[1932-07-10] Sun 10: [Thermometer] 79 - 69 - 72 [degrees]. Very fine, clear & warm. L[igh]t NW [wind in] a.m. L[igh]t to mod[erate] SW [wind in] p.m. Was invited to take a sail in Yawl Cat [#1226s] after they made a power run with max[imum] near 10 mph. Under sail was a better than a 31 ft F[ishers] I[sland] yacht in l[igh]t wind.
[1932-07-12] Tue 12: [Thermometer] 80 - 64 - 71 [degrees]. Very fine. Mod[erate] NW [wind] till mid p.m. then l[igh]t N [wind]. The new yawl 'Yawl Cat' [#1226s] left at noon. ..." (Source: Herreshoff, Nathanael G. Diary, 1932. Manuscript (excerpts). Diary access courtesy of Halsey C. Herreshoff.)

"In spite of the exigencies of the times, hammers are clattering, saws are buzzing and brushes are busy at the Herreshoff Yard at Bristol, Rhode Island, getting old and new yachts and equipment in ship-shape for the coming boating season. ...
In another construction shed is a new 60 ft auxiliary yawl [#1226s Yawlcat] which is being constructed for Mr. Edward Mallinckrodt of St. Louis. A crew of about fifteen men are busily engaged double planking the inverted hull, while cabinet makers and joiners are building the deck housing hatches etc. in the Cabinet Shop on the floor above. She is scheduled to be delivered on or about July 1st for use on and around Cape Cod and up the coast of Maine. ..." (Source: Anon. "Herreshoff Shops Hum with Boating Season Activities." Bristol Phoenix, May 17, 1932, p. 1.)

"The 41-foot auxiliary yawl that has been under construction at Herreshoff since early in the Spring for Edmund T. Mallinckrott of St Louis has been delivered to the owner for use at North Haven, Me. In hull below the water-line she is a reproduction on a smaller scale of George F. Baker's well known Ventura [#867s], but there the resemblance stops. Where the Ventura has a raised deck forward and a trunk cabin house with the top at the raised deck level, the new boat's sides have been carried up for her entire length with a flush deck. This makes her look very high sided and more or less chunky, but gives her considerable more room in the cabins." (Source: Anon. "Notes From The Week's Log." Boston Globe, July 17, 1932, p. A40.)

"715. YAWLCAT, gas yacht auxiliary yawl, of Providence. Built at Bristol, 1932. 18 tons; 48.1 ft. x 14.6 ft. x 6.9 ft. 0ne deck, two masts, plain-head.
Lic. (yacht) July 7, 1932.
Owner: The Herreshoff Manufacturing Company of Bristol.
Master: T.P. Brightman. Surrendered July 22, 1932 at Rockland, Maine. (C.H.)" (Source: Survey of Federal Archives (U.S.). "Licenses Issued to Vessels Under 20 Tons." In: Ship registers and enrollments of Providence, vol 2. Providence, R.I., National Archives Project, 1941, p. 137.)

"Herreshoff's 'Yawl Cat'
'Yawl Cat', Herreshoff Manufacturing Company's Hull #1226 was built during the height of the depression for Edward E. Mallinckrodt Jr, of the St. Louis, Missouri Chemical and Pharmaceutical giant bearing his family name. Mallinckrodt was at this time already a client, owning a 27' Yawl, Gee Whiz, and a 35' gasoline Yacht Pollyanna. Yawl Cat was built to Captain Nat's half model made for L.A. Scott's Au Revoir, Hull #681, in 1908. The same model was used as well, for George F. Baker Jr's. (founder of Citibank, and the namesake of Harvard Business School), Ventura, (HMCo Hull #867, 1922), 'the antithesis of a New York 50', to be a shooting platform and floating lodge for Baker and his guests in the shallow haunts of southern waterfowl.
Ventura is a federally-documented National Landmark sailing vessel and is still in service as a charter vessel in New York City. 'Ventura Charters.'
The Yawl Cat was intended for the Mallinckrodt son, who never claimed her. She sat impatiently on her launching cradle. Young Mallinckrodt was killed in an untimely airplane accident that same year.
During the 1930-1935 period the wood shavings were flying at the Bristol yard. With its most ambitious efforts yet, building among other craft the legendary J sloops the Weetamoe, Rainbow, Whirlwind and the eventual America's Cup Defender Enterprise. The latter will be recalled as outstanding winner of the cup in late summer 1930, in the spectacular four races with Sir Thomas Lipton's graceful Challenger 'Shamrock V'.
Readied on a cradle she sat unnoticed in the middle of the busy yard, awaiting launching, and an Owner-Skipper to replaced lamented young Mallinckrodt. After 5 years of neglect on dry land, the Cat was bought by a Mr. Bailey, a Cadillac dealer from Baltimore.
The sun baked Yawl Cat was finally launched in 1937 and promptly sank beneath the Bristol Harbor waters. But all the emersion could not keep a Captain Nat wood hull submerged and after her planks swelled, she rose like a 'dipper duck' and the Baileys sailed her away to her new home on the Chesapeake Bay.
After cruising and racing on the Chesapeake Bay for seven years the yacht was sold to Mr. Otto N Frezel, then Chairman of the Board of Merchants National Bank, who owned her for 20 years.
World War II followed the catastrophic 1938 New England hurricane that devastated the Herreshoff yard at Bristol. The 1939 war events eclipsed America's Cup events and the name of Herreshoff became a memory, except where their boats survived. The War ended and aging Mr Frenzel sailed the wood boat (still enjoying it's nine lives) to Florida. It dropped its anchor at Miami Sunday, August 5, 1962, the gift of Otto N. Frenzel to the University of Miami, Dept of Oceanography. The Yawl Cat was rechristened Gypsy for its Southern Florida research wanderings. The University eventually sold the Herreshoff to an airline pilot named Ronald S. Hamelin who did not like the name of 'Gypsy' after taking delivery of his 'dream boat' at Biscayne Bay, Hamelin rechristened the still proud classic yacht,'Sea Piper' During one of its racing periods Hamelin took the liberty of writing L. Francis hershoff , Nat's son, suggesting that her unique Cat Yawl sail plan of the designer might be improved. 'Sacrilege!' was the horrified reply from L. Francis . His letter continues: 'In those sail changes you will have ruined a Stradivarius (violin) by trying to make a flying trapeze out of it!!!' 'I have designed sailboats all my life and lapping jibs are out'.
The stormy waters of Lake Superior beckoned Hamelin's 'Sea Piper' northward and she navigated toward the Great Lakes. It's not clear how long her tenure lasted at on the great lakes but she eventually returned to Miami where she was purchased by Margo and Carl Boehle and moved to Clearwater Bay Municiple Marina, where she would become the home of Margo and Carl for over ten years.
After Carl's death 'Sea Piper' was sold to Harriet 'Hank' Scarbury, of St. Petersburg, FL April 14, 1990. 'Hank' owned the boat until 1993 and sold it to her friend Pete who owned the boat for about a year. He in turn sold it to Cpt. Geoff McNett, a Tugboat Captain in Duneden, FL in November of 1994.
Geoff changed the name back to 'Yawl Cat', (It is believed that the yacht was named by Nat, himself, for her yawl rig, and unique forward steped main mast similar to a cat boat rig. It is also believed that this custom built yacht was the only rigging and sail plan of it's design ever produced by Herreshoff.) Geoff enjoyed sailing her on Clearwater bay and had plans of restoring her to her original grandeur. By the time he got her she was in need of a great deal of work. His schedule as a professional sailor kept him at sea for extended periods of time. In October of 1999 the 'Curatorship' of this fine and Historic Vessel was passed on to Peter Evert and Richard Piatt. She was towed down Clearwater Bay from Duneden and hauled at Clearwater Bay Marina, put on a truck and shipped to M.E.A Boatyard outside Charlotte, NC where her restoration has started.
She is 55'0" L.O.A. 43'0" W.L. 14'6" Beam and drafts 4'3" with the board up. She carries a sail plan of Sqft, 25 gross tons and 18 tons net.
Krush Bothers Marine Transportation made the task of moving the giant lady and her near 80' main mast over land a breeze. They were the most accommodating professional and friendly transportation company we have ever dealt with. We would highly recommend them to anyone that needs to move a boat, and we will always use them in the future.
Her restoration has begun on the hard. It will be a long and expensive proposition to bring her back to her 'Bristol' condition when she left Narragansett Bay, nearly three quarters of a century ago, but it will be worth it. There never will be another built like her. The craftmanship and skill that went into the Yawl Cat and other vessels like her is a dying art and an important part of history, that needs to be preserved for the next millenium, and for future generations. The Herreshoff Owners list is a Who's Who of 19th and 20th century Business and History in America." (Source: http://yawlcat.home.att.net/hist.html, accessed September 25, 2008.)

"YAWLCAT HMCo #1226
Built 1932
LOA 55 ft LWL 42 ft Beam 14 ft Draft (Bd up) 4 ft Sail Area 1380
#1226, YAWLCAT, is a shallow draft wooden keel/centerboard Marconi-rigged yawl built in 1932 for Mr. Edward E. Malinckrodt Jr. of Rockland, ME. Auxiliary power was provided by a 6 cylinder Chrysler gas engine. Following WWII her new owner Mr. Otto N. Frenzel moved her to Lake Michigan. In 1963 she was sold or donated to the University of Miami and renamed SARDA sailing out of Coral Gables. For the next 10 20 years she sailed out of the Fort Lauderdale/Miami area for several owners under the names of GYPSY and later SEA PIPER. By 1990 she was afloat in St. Petersburg, FL but in a deteriorated condition. In 1999 still afloat she was offered for sale for the taking and when last heard from in 2007 YAWLCAT was on the hard in Thomasville, NC still hoping to sail again under a new owner. " (Source: Herreshoff Marine Museum. http://herreshoff.org/store/product76.html, accessed September 22, 2014.)

"[Item Description:] Specifications for an Auxiliary, Shallow-Draft Cruising Yacht, having a Leg-O-Mutton or so-called Marconi Yawl Rig' [#1226s YAWLCAT]. " (Source: Herreshoff Manufacturing Co. (creator). Specifications. MIT Museum, Hart Nautical Collections, Haffenreffer-Herreshoff Collection Item HH.6.038. Box HAFH.6.1B, Folder Hull No. 1226s. No date (1932-03-22).)
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"[Item Description:] HMCo 1932 status report, eleven FI-23 for use at Fishers Island, Marblehead and other, #1226s YAWLCAT, VANITIE, WEETAMOE, #1227s TSANA, #1229s LONE STAR, #1228s BETSY, #721s CAROLINA II, 12 1/2-footers, S-boats, frostbiters, repair work, plant improvement in the absence of other profitable work and to keep employees, Walker's Cove property was purchased" (Source: Haffenreffer, C.W. Letter to Herreshoff Manufacturing Co. Stockholders. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_51670. Subject Files, Folder [no #]. 1933-02-03.)
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"[Item Description:] Labor and material estimate form filled out for insurance and repair purposes for #1226s YAWLCAT after incurring damages during the September 9, 1938 hurricane. " (Source: Thomspon (Chubb & Sons, creator?). Repair Estimates. MIT Museum, Hart Nautical Collections, Haffenreffer-Herreshoff Collection Item HH.6.038. Box HAFH.6.1B, Folder Hull No. 1226s. 1938-10-10.)
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"[Item Transcription:] We respectfully submit our quotation to restore the YAWLCAT [#1226s] to as near her condition prior to the storm of September 21st, 1938 as possible, in accordance to the survey made by Mr. Thompson of the Chubb and Sons, and the Herreshoff Mfg. Co. for the sum not to exceed three thousand dollars ($3,000,00).
Owing to the heavy expense that we have been under since the hurricane we would appreciate it if you could arrange with your Insurance Company for payments in the following manner:
1. One quarter with authority to proceed with the work.
2. One quarter when work is 50% complete.
3. One quarter when work is complete.
4. One quarter within 30 days after completion.
We assure you that if we are instructed to go ahead with this work we will give it prompt attention.
Very truly yours, ...
[Page 2] Survey of work to be done on the YAWLCAT as surveyed by Mr. John A. Thompson of Chubb and Sons, and the Herreshoff Mfg. Co.
Renew piece on rudder and resmooth.
Renew about two feet of shoe on skeg.
Renew ten portlights.
Renew two transom planks.
Renew about 250 running feet of planking on starboard side.
Renew about 125 running feet of planking on Port side.
Dress stem head.
Smooth lead keel.
Renew taff rail and about 18 ft. toe rail Port and starboard quarter.
Renew transom covering board.
Renew four stanchions and about 40 ft. 3/8 wire.
Clean and paint bilge.
Renew linoleum.
Renew 12 ft. toe rail forward port side.
Clean topside and repaint." (Source: Newman, Herbert F. (Herreshoff Manufacturing Co.). Letter to Mallinckrodt, E. E. MIT Museum, Hart Nautical Collections, Haffenreffer-Herreshoff Collection Item HH.6.038. Box HAFH.6.1B, Folder Hull No. 1226s. 1938-11-07.)
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"[Item Transcription:] Penciled note: 'YAWLCAT [#1226s].
Renew piece on rudder and resmooth.
Renew about two feet of shoe on skeg.
Renew ten portlights.
Renew two transom planks.
Renew about 250 running feet of planking on starboard side.
Renew about 125 running feet of planking on Port side.
Dress stem head.
Smooth lead keel.
Renew taff rail and about 18 ft. toe rail P[ort] and S[tarboard] quarter.
Renew transom covering board.
Renew four stanchions and about 40ft-3/8 wire.
Clean and paint bilge.
Renew linoleum.
Renew 12ft toe rail forward port side.
Clean topside and repaint.
Sand and paint bottom.
Refinish five spars.
Quoted price not to exceed $3000.00.'" (Source: Herreshoff Manufacturing Co. (creator). Repair Estimates. MIT Museum, Hart Nautical Collections, Haffenreffer-Herreshoff Collection Item HH.6.038. Box HAFH.6.1B, Folder Hull No. 1226s. No date (ca1938-11-07).)
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"[Item Description:] Spreadsheet listing original contracts (from 1923 to 1940) by HMCo in the collection of HMM (apparently from the gift of Everett Pearson). Listed boats are: #380p, #381p, #388p, #389p, #391p, #392p, #393p, #395p, #886s, #933s, #934s, #954s, #955s, #962s, #983s, #999s, #1002s, #1017s, #1054s, #1055s, #1057s, #1074s, #1078s, #1122s, #1125s, #1130s, #1131s, #1147s, #1152s, #1153s, #1154s, #1156s, #1157s, #1164s, #1170s, #1173s, #1174s, #1175s, #1175s, #1176s, #1177s, #1179s, #1180s, #1191s, #1192s, #1193s, #1195s, #1196s, #1198s, #1199s, #1200s, #1201s, #1202s, #1203s, #1206s, #1207s, #1208s, #1209s, #1210s, #1211s, #1212s, #1213s, #1214s, #1215s, #1216s, #1217s, #1218s, #1219s, #1220s, #1222s, #1224s, #1236s, #1226s, #1227s, #1228s, #1230s, #1232s, #1234s, #1237s, #1238s, #1240s, #1241s, #1243s, #1244s, #1245s, #1246s, #1247s, #1248s, #1249s, #1250s, #1251s, #1252s, #1253s, #1254s, #1255s, #1256s, #1257s, #1258s, #1259s, #1260s, #1261s, #1262s, #1263s, #1264s, #1265s, #1274s, #1275s, #1277s, #1279s, #1280s, #1281s, #1282s, #1283s, #1284s, #1285s, #1286s, #1287s, #1302s, #1303s, #1315s, #1508s." (Source: Rickson, Norene (creator). Table. Herreshoff Marine Museum Collection Item LIB_4220. HMM Library Rare Books Room (HMCo Contracts), Folder [no #]. No date (2010s ?).)
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Note: This list of archival documents contains in an unedited form any and all which mention #1226s Yawlcat even if just in a cursory way. Permission to digitize, transcribe and display is gratefully acknowledged.

• Herreshoff Manufacturing Company. [Contract and for #1226s Yawlcat, yawl (including specifications).] Herreshoff Marine Museum Collection. Bristol, RI, March 22, 1932. (2,207 kB)
  Document is copyrighted: Yes. Copyright holder: Herreshoff Marine Museum. Original building/sales contract. Vessel description, scantlings, payment terms, delivery date.

• Yawlcat (MIT Museum-made index card)
• Yawlcat (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.

• Yawlcat
• 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: Yawlcat
Type: 40' 6" aux. yawl
Owner: E. E. Mallinckrodt, Jr.
Year: 1932
Row No.: 773

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: 22
Year: 1932
E/P/S: S
No.: 1226
Name: Yawlcat
LW: 42
B: 14
Rig: Yawl
K: y
CB: y
Ballast: Lead
Amount: 23,000.00
Last Name: Mallinckrodt
First Name: 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.

"[See also:] Specifications for an auxiliary shallow draft cruising yacht - Correspondence (11/7/1938) - Repair estimates (10/11/1938). In: Technical and Business Records pertaining to the Herreshoff Manufacturing Company, Series VI, Folder HH.6.38 (Hull No. 1226), Box HAFH.6.1B." (Source: Hasselbalch, Kurt and Frances Overcash and Angela Reddin: Guide to The Haffenreffer-Herreshoff Collection. Francis Russell Hart Nautical Collections, MIT Museum, Cambridge, Mass., 1997, p. 63-79.)

"Dimensions 54-6 x 40-6 x 14-6 x 4-0 from 1935 Lloyd's Register. Note that these differ from those in the Construction Record (LWL 40 x Beam 14)." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. November 11, 2010.)

"Date of delivery 'on or about July 1st, 1932' from original contract in collection of Herreshoff Marine Museum." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. January 15, 2015.)

"Built in 101 days (contract to delivered; equivalent to $228/day, 356 lbs displacement/day)." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. January 16, 2024.)

"In the absence of better available data displacement was estimated by using the figure for Net Register Tons (18) from the 1933 List of Merchant Vessels of the U.S. (Gross Register Tons were reported as 25) 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.)

"Damaged by fire in 2009 while awaiting restoration. Subsequently stripped of most of her hardware by thieves, later (unclear which exact year) ordered scrapped by her last owner Richard Piatt of Thomasville, NC." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. August 24, 2021 as per private Email from Jim Reineck.)

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