HMCo #1233s Rainbow

"[1934-05-09] Wed 9: ... Mast for Rainbow [#1233s] arrived.
[1934-05-14] Mon 14: ... Visted Yacht Rainbow [#1233s] ready for launching.
[1934-05-15] Tue 15: ... Rainbow [#1233s] launched this a.m. between 8 & 9 & mast stepped before 12.
[1934-05-18] Fri 18: ... Rainbow [#1233s] made her first sail. ...
[1934-05-19] Sat 19: ... Rainbow [#1233s] & Vanitie off for sail in p.m. ...
[1934-05-20] Sun 20: ... All yachts left this a.m. for Newport --- Rainbow [#1233s], Vara [#385p], Vanitie, [schooner] Atlantic & others. ...
[1934-05-25] Fri 25: ... Rainbow [#1233s] & H[arold] V[anderbilt's Vara [#385p] left for Newport.
[1934-06-11] Mon 11: ... Vanitie hauled [in] a.m. & Rainbow [#1233s] & Weetamoe [#1147s] arrived in p.m. & Rainbow hauled out.
[1934-06-16] Sat 16: ... Weetamoe [#1147s] left at 9 a.m. in tow for afternoon races. Rainbow [#1233s] was 1st, Weetamoe 2nd, Vanitie last.
[1934-07-04] Wed 4: ... Rainbow [#1233s] & Weetamoe [#1147s] arrived[?] in p.m. ...
[1934-07-08] Sun 8: ... [Shop is] working on Weetamoe's [#1147s] & Rainbow's [#1233s] c[enter] b[oards] all day.
[1934-07-09] Mon 9: ... Rainbow [#1233s] left [in the] p.m. & Weetamoe [#1147s] left [in the] a.m. & back [in the] p.m.
[1934-08-05] Sun 5: ... Weetamoe [#1147s] [was] launched in p.m. & Rainbow [#1233s] arrived.
[1934-08-06] Mon 6: ... Weetamoe's [#1147s] mast & c[enter]b[oard] placed. Rainbow [#1233s] hauled out.
[1934-08-08] Wed 8: ... Rainbow [#1233s] left in p.m. with new flexible boom.
[1934-08-16] Thu 16: ... Astor Cup race won by Rainbow [#1233s].
[1934-08-22] Wed 22: ... In [their] first trial race today, Rainbow [#1233s] won, beating Weetamoe [#1147s] [by] about 4 m[inutes].
[1934-08-23] Thu 23: ... Yankee beat Rainbow [#1233s] in light airs.
[1934-08-31] Fri 31: ... Rainbow [#1233s] chosen to defend [the America's] Cup.
[1934-09-01] Sat 1: ... Rainbow [#1233s] selected for defender confirmed.
[1934-09-04] Tue 4: ... Rainbow [#1233s] arrived in a.m., in tow, & Vita in p.m.
[1934-09-11] Tue 11: ... Endeavour hauled out this a.m. Bottom paint more or less blistered. Rainbow [#1233s] hauled out in evening.
[1934-09-13] Thu 13: ... Rainbow [#1233s] & Endeavour launched & left.
[1934-09-15] Sat 15: ... Griswold & Henrietta arrived [at] 10-30. Clarence at 7-a.m. Griswold took Ann, Aunt Grace, Henrietta & me to Newport in p.m. to view the International Race between Endeavour & Rainbow [#1233s] [which was] called off at time limit with Rainbow ahead.
[1934-09-17] Mon 17: ... The first International race was won by Endeavour in fair breeze & somewhat rough sea. Windward half [was] very close and [in] returning Rainbow [#1233s] lost over 2 m[inutes] by tacking to leeward.
[1934-09-20] Thu 20: ... Rainbow [#1233s] won 3[rd] race today by 3 m[inutes] after trailing 6 m[inutes] at leeward mark. ...
[1934-09-22] Sat 22: ... Rainbow [#1233s] won 4th race. Triangular but Endeavour has set letter B. ...
[1934-09-23] Sun 23: ... Rainbow [#1233s] & Endeavour here to haul out & clean [bottoms] for tomorrow. ... Yachts all left at night.
[1934-09-25] Tue 25: ... The sixth race today was won by Rainbow [#1233s] but both yachts [were] flying protest flags, so more [races] may be had. If not, Rainbow wins and the Cup is retained.
[1934-09-27] Thu 27: ... Rainbow [#1233s] arrived in p.m.
[1936-06-03] Wed 3: ... Rainbow [#1233s] launched in evening.
[1936-06-04] Thu 4: ... Rainbow [#1233s] towed away early by Vara [#385p]. ...
[1936-06-19] Fri 19: ... Rainbow [#1233s] & Vara [#385p] arrived.
[1936-06-23] Tue 23: ... Rainbow [#1233s] back here in p.m.
[1936-07-07] Tue 7: ... Rainbow [#1233s] & Vara [#385p] left in forenoon. ...
[1936-07-16] Thu 16: ... Rainbow [#1233s] & Vara [#385p] arrived in p.m. ...
[1936-07-27] Mon 27: ... Yankee & Rainbow [#1233s] arrived in a.m. ...
[1936-08-01] Sat 1: ... Rainbow [#1233s] left in a.m. Becky towed Velita [#193301es] to Newport & won [the] race. ...
[1936-08-25] Tue 25: ... Rainbow [#1233s] here to lay up; also Weetamoe [#1147s]. 4 span trusses up on new shed.
[1936-09-02] Wed 2: ... Rainbow [#1233s] was towed to Bath, ME, by Vita last night and this ends the last of the Cup defenders building at Bristol [from] the period 1892 to 1935 [sic, 1934 with launching of Rainbow]." (Source: Herreshoff, Nathanael G. Diary, 1934 to 1936. Manuscript (excerpts). Diary access courtesy of Halsey C. Herreshoff.)

"... With only one new yacht in prospect to defend the America's Cup next Fall against T. O. M. Sopwith's challenger, the Endeavour, no order has yet been given for that sloop. Harold S. Vanderbilt, manager of the proposed syndicate, yesterday was making plans to leave for his Winter home at Lantana, Fla., below Palm Beach.
Mr. Vanderbilt plans to be gone until after the first of the year. It was said the completion of the syndicate would await his return about Jan. 2.
After the receipt of the challenge, Mr. Vanderbilt, who was skipper of the defender Enterprise [#1146s] in 1930, undertook the formation of a syndicate to build a defense yacht from plans he had Burgess and Donaldson draw in 1931. This was after the rules governing the cup boats were changed.
Mr. Vanderbilt was to manage as well as sail the new yacht. Winthrop W. Aldrich was manager of the Enterprise syndicate.
The Herreshoff Manufacturing Company of Bristol, R. I., where all the cup defenders for forty years have been built, was consulted regarding the construction of the yacht. The time was considered short.
It was six months after the construction of the Enterprise was started that she was launched. It took a like period to turn out the Weetamoe [#1147s]. Mr. Vanderbilt expressed hope of having the new racer overboard in April." (Source: Macauley, Thurston. "Work on Cup Challenger's Sails Under Way, With Mainsail of Special Fabric Being Cut." New York Times, December 14, 1933, p. 30.)

"Although the syndicate has not been formed to build a new America's Cup yacht for the defense next Fall against T. O. M. Sopwith's new challenger, Endeavour, work of constructing the big racer will be started this week at the Herreshoff yard in Bristol, R. I., where all the cup defenders since 1893 have been built.
The lead for the keel of the yacht was received there yesterday, steel was hurriedly ordered, and the work of bending the frames will be started on Tuesday [December 26, 1933.]. The lead will be poured for the keel in the first few days of the new year.
One difficulty encountered was the problem of obtaining good pine for the yacht's deck. That finally was accomplished. ...
The new yacht which is about to be constructed is the one arranged for by Harold S. Vanderbilt, skipper of the Enterprise, after the challenge for the Endeavour was received last Fall. ...
Drew Two Sets of Flans.
When the new rules were made after the last international match, Mr. Vanderbilt commissioned W. Starling Burgess, who designed the Enterprise [#1146s], to design a prospective defender. Mr. Burgess drew two sets of plans, had models built and tried them out in a tank.
One model proved far better than the other. The plans of that one were kept until the time a challenge might be received. When the bid arrived, the plans were dusted off for use.
Mr. Vanderbilt set about to form a syndicate. He undertook the management as well as the role of skipper. The plan was to raise $400,000 by subscriptions of $40,000 each. The Enterprise cost more than $600,000 to build and race. It was hoped to save the difference by economies.
Movable parts of Enterprise, which is lying propped up on the beach at Bristol, were to be used. They included her centreboard, rudder, steering gear, after-cockpit, some of her winches, rigging and sails.
But while a number of the wealthy members of the New York Yacht Club were expected to contribute and be included on the list of syndicate prospects, subscriptions were not forthcoming.
Decided on Smaller Shares.
There was another cut ten ways, and this time $40,000 shares were split into $4,000 ones. Still the donations lagged, and word was passed around that contributions of $500 would be acceptable.
Mr. Vanderbilt took an initial share, as did J. P. Morgan. The Morgan family has been interested in cup defense since the last century.
Others understood to have made major subscriptions are Winthrop W. Aldrich, who was manager of the Enterprise syndicate; Frederick W. Vanderbilt and Gerard B. Lambert, who owns the Vanitie. Mr. Morgan and Mr. Lambert were members of the original Weetamoe syndicate.
Plans for the racer were given by Mr. Vanderbilt to the Herreshoff firm, and they were laid down in the mold loft at Bristol. There work stopped pending an order for the new yacht, which was not given either to the designing firm of Burgess & Donaldson or the building yard. Two weeks ago a carload of lumber was ordered sent to Bristol and the wood frame was made for casting the lead keel.
That was the situation when Mr. Vanderbilt went to Lantana, Fla., to spend the holidays at his Winter home there. He is expected back after New Year's.
No word as to anything in connection with the building of the yacht has come from him since the challenge was received and he decided to form a syndicate for defense. Neither has the appointed cup committee of the New York Yacht Club made any statement of plans.
Silence on their part, with certain work quietly going on and yachtsmen generally putting two and two together, led to the projected boat being referred to as the 'mystery yacht.'
The situation has been far different from that of the Fall of 1929, when four defense sloops were laid down and work was started quickly on them, with syndicates formed.
Mr. Vanderbilt hoped originally to have the new yacht launched in April. The Endeavour will slide off the ways late in March. Unless a night shift of workmen should be put on her, it appears doubtful that the new defense creation can be put overboard before the end of May or the first of June.
No prospect of a second new defense yacht is in sight, and from all indications this will be the first time since 1903 that only one boat has been built to meet an America's Cup challenge. ..." (Source: Robbins, James. "Work On Cup Yacht To Start Tuesday. Frames of New Defense Boat Will Be Bent This Week at Herreshoff Yard. Vanderbilt Proceeding With Plans to Form America's Cup Syndicate." New York Times, December 24, 1933, p. S1.)

"Bristol, R. I., Jan, 6 [1934] --- A keel was made here today upon which will turn the hopes of the country's yachtsmen to retain the most prized of all blue-water trophies --- the America's Cup.
Nearly ninety tons of molten lead were poured into a sand-banked wooden form to fashion the keel of the yacht which Harold S. Vanderbilt and his associates are building to meet the challenge of T. O. M. Sopwith, British sportsman, and his new J Class sloop Endeavor.
To avoid handling, the keel was poured on the ways from which the new defender will be launched. Four years ago her predecessor, the Enterprise [#1146s], stood there while building. Enterprise [#1146s], with Vanderbilt at the wheel, subsequently turned back the late Sir Thomas Lipton's last challenger, Shamrock V, but the Vanderbilt syndicate has found it impracticable to try to make her conform to new rules for the international contest. ...
Burgess Oversees Pouring.
The scene today in the big Herreshoff shed was reminiscent of a similar occasion, when Enterprise's keel was poured. W. Starling Burgess designed Enterprise and he watched over her throughout her construction. He was on hand again today to watch the molten metal flow, with hopes and fears that only the designer of a racing yacht can know. ... With Burgess was his recent bride, the former Mrs. Edward M. Biddle, of Philadelphia.
Many of the men who worked on the discarded queen of four years ago, stored near by and still as gracefully beautiful as ever, were busy today with the new favorite's keel. Others were bending long pieces of steel for the usurper's frame. Her hull will be bronze below the water line and her topsides of steel.
Mechanical Devices Out
Many of the mechanical devices which facilitated the handling of the Enterprise will be absent aboard her successor, having since been ruled out. ..." (Source: Anon. "Keel Is Poured For Cup Yacht." New York Sun, January 7, 1934, p. S4.)

"BRISTOL, R. I., April 21 [1934]. ---The last plank in the pine deck of the Harold S. Vanderbilt syndicate's America's Jup yacht Rainbow was made fast today and the hull was all but finished.
Only a small plate by the bow, which is being kept out for the fitting of a headstay sheave, was not in place; otherwise the last rivet had been driven. Woodworkers now are busy on the interior, laying the cabin sole floor. When this is finished, two crews will be put to work erecting the interior bulkheads.
The caulking of the deck is expected to be completed next week, according to C. W. Haffenreffer, general manager of the Herreshoff Manufacturing Company, where the work is being done.
Painters will begin wielding their brushes over the topsides of high-tension steel next week, while other men start cleaning the underbody, which is of bronze. The rudder will be hung in place during the next ten days.
Deck Fittings Almost Ready.
Hatches, companionways, skylights and other deck fittings are virtually completed in the joiner shop and will be in place soon. The chainplates are on already and the stem fittings are being attached.
All in all, the building of the new queen of the seas is up to schedule and, if progress continues at the same rate, she will be ready to go overboard from the South Shop here early next month.
No definite word has been received yet by the Herreshoff Company as to when the towering duralumin mast may be expected from the Glenn Martin plant near Baltimore and the launching of Rainbow hinges to a large extent upon the delivery date. ..." (Source: Anon. "Hull Is Finished On The Rainbow." New York Times, April 22, 1934, p. S2.)

"BRISTOL, R. I., May 15 [1934]. --- Above the music of the mauls, abanging in rhythm, a new America's Cup yacht was set up in her cradle at the Herreshoff ship yard this morning. She began sliding down the greased ways to her launching. Then the infant ship of sail crept out of her cradle and floated in her element.
The yacht was the Rainbow, so christened by Mrs. Harold S. Vanderbilt, wife of her skipper-to-be. Tonight the new nautical creation lay in a slip, her great mast stepped and rigged ready for her to sail.
She might have been taken out under canvas late this afternoon but for lack of breeze and drab weather conditions. That would have been an all-time record, from hull in building shed to winged flight in one day. ... Mrs. Vanderbilt took one strike with a cloth-covered bottle of champagne. Then she swung a second time for a base hit. Rainbow was christened. But the yacht slid down out of the shed only until the tip of her lead bulb keel was an inch above the water. There she stopped. A connecting rod had broken in the motor unwinding the drum. There was a wait of half an hour until the rod could be replaced. Then the Rainbow went on.
... The building of the yacht had been merry work for breadwinners, some of whom had suffered idleness for the greater part of four years. Among them were veterans who helped build the Reliance thirty-one years ago.#
... The great duralumin mast, 165 feet long and weighing 5,685 pounds, was rolled out on the pier to be hoisted in slings from a lattice-steel derrick and placed in the yacht. Charles G. Nystrom of the Herreshoff firm, John Parkinson of Boston, who will be one of the yacht's afterguard, and Captain George Monsell, professional master of the racer, each placed a quarter down in the mast step for luck. They were careful to note that none of the coins was of 1929 date, the year the depression started.
Rope Stops Are Cut.
It was slow and careful work handling the heavy and unwieldy mast. Shortly after noon, however, it had been set in the step. The shrouds, headstay and backstays were set up and the mast secured. ..." (Source: Robbins, James. "Rainbow Launched At Bristol Yard." New York Times, May 16, 1934, p. 24.)

"[Report on Raindow.]" (Source: The Rudder, October 1934, p. 14.)

"Chandler Hovey's Rainbow, successful defender of America's Cup in 1934 arrived at the Herreshoff plant at 10 o'clock yesterday morning from Bath, Me to be groomed for the cup defence trials in May.
Formerly owned by Harold S Vanderbilt, the Rainbow will sail against the former's newly constructed Ranger in the trials. Also likely to enter the eliminations will be Gerald Lambert's Yankee and Mr Hovey' s Weetamoe [#1147s].
Sailed by Mr Vanderbilt, the Rainbow in the last cup races defeated T O M Sopwith's Endeavour. The cup series this year is scheduled to start off Newport on Aug. 21." (Source: Anon. "Rainbow Arrives In Bristol To Be Groomed For Cup Races." Bristol Phoenix, March 30, 1937, p. 1.)

"RAINBOW
1934
If the Watson-designed Shamrock II (1901) was the first boat to be designed following numerous towing-tank tests that were performed with a view to competing in the America's Cup, then the Burgess-designed Rainbow was the first J boat to be conceived according to the same principle. After a 33-year interval, the approach adopted by the American designer was barely more convincing than that of the Scottish naval architect, especially when one considers the performance of the 1934 defender.
The Herreshoff Company pulled off the feat of building the defender in metal in less than 100 days. Once the lead ballast keel had been removed from its mould, the steel keel was laid to receive sixty-six 3 x 2-inch frames, which included nine web-frames. The skeg of the keel was fixed to the ballast by bolts 8 inches in diameter and was placed between frame 29 and frame 48. The web frames were 9-1/2 inches high and were fixed to floors 18-1/2 inches in height. Some of the deck beams were supported by steel pillars with diameters of 2-1/4 inches. The hull below the waterline was shell-plated with Tobin bronze and the upper works with steel, and both were longitudinally clincher-built: five clincher plates in all. The mast-step was shipped between frames 27 and 34. The rudder was mahogany with a fine bronze plating. The oval-section mast was formed of duralumin plates 1/3-inch thick at the heel of the mast and 1/6-inch thick at the truck; the plates were riveted together. The base of the mast measured 18 inches by 30 inches. It was held laterally by two steel rods that played the role of shrouds. The wooden boom was similar to the one of Velsheda for a time. Rainbow was launched on 15 May 1934.
To comply with the 1934 rules, 7 tons of interior fittings were required. These included, among other things, the cabins, skylights, hatches, cabin floors, and. bulkheads. The Americans interpreted this rather narrowly and the equipment fitted was symbolic, in order to bring the weight as low as possible - an act denounced by the English. After the challenge, Rainbow was laid up in dry dock for 2 years, then refitted by Vanderbilt. She was sold to Chandler Hovey in 1937 and contended for defence of the Cup. Ranger made short work of her. Rainbow was laid up at Bristol, then sold for scrap in 1940." (Source: Chevalier, Francois and Jacques Taglang. J Class, London, 2002, p. 291-292.)

"From keel laying to launching on May 15 [1934] the job of building Rainbow took just one hundred days. Three days after she took to the water, Rainbow began sailing. Owned by Harold Vanderbilt and designed by W. Starling Burgess --- key members of the Enterprise team of 1930 --- Rainbow was the only American J-boat built in America for the 1934 challenge.
The J-boats of 1934 had to comply with new requirements for mast weight and accommodations (earlier J-boats had no accommodations). Rainbow, therefore, was designed with below-deck living quarters that had skylights on the deck above...
Rainbow would end the era of Herreshoff built America's Cup defenders, a tradition unbroken since Vigilant [#437s] of 1893." (Source: Bray, Maynard and Carlton Pinheiro. Herreshoff of Bristol. Brooklin, Maine, 1989, p. 208.)

"RAINBOW, A J-CLASS SLOOP OF 1934
126' 7" x 21' 0"
Burgess's next foray into America's Cup designing was with Rainbow, the only new boat for the 1934 challenge --- again with Harold Vanderbilt as managing owner. Once again, Herreshoff Mfg. Co. was selected as builder. Rainbow's shape has great appeal --- especially the modeling of her bow, which is not only longer and sleeker than Enterprise's, but has some marvelously subtle flare as well. Rainbow didn't live up to her good looks, however. In spite of being well-sailed, she could never demonstrate a clear superiority over the reconfigured, four-year-old Yankee, and, although ultimately selected as the 1934 defender, came close to losing the Cup to England's Endeavour. As with the Enterprise drawings, those for Rainbow are numerous and very complete. Although neither boat's hull form was superior in terms of performance, the drawings, many of which were prepared in Burgess's temporary office at Herreshoff's, indicate Burgess's thorough understanding of metal hull construction and rigging. The proportioning of every piece results in maximum strength for the lightest weight, taking into account practical factors such as ease of construction. In this, Starling Burgess was a worthy successor to N.G. Herreshoff. And in producing winners, albeit winners by narrow margins, the Burgess family tradition in defending the America's Cup was upheld." (Source: Bray, Anne and Maynard. Boat Plans at Mystic Seaport. Mystic, CT, 2000, p. 13.)

"[Item Description:] Tentative block list for America's Cup defense sloop from Merriman Brothers [filed with Hart Nautical Collections note: Documents were removed from Drawer 150 near HH.5.12353 [Folder "Plans Relating to Hulls #1146 & #1233 [ENTERPRISE & RAINBOW]", Plan "100 gal. Drinking Water Tank".]." (Source: Merriman Brothers inc (creator). Block List. MIT Museum, Hart Nautical Collections, Haffenreffer-Herreshoff Collection Item HH.6.030. Box HAFH.6.1B, Folder Hull No. 1146s. 1930-01-06.)
① ② ③

"[Item Transcription:] [Holiday Greeting telegram from Point Natal, South Africa:] Best wishes Xmas New Year. Davis. [Incl NGH penciled draft reply dated December 31, 1933:] We thank you kindly for your Xmas telegram and in return send you our sincere wish for a Happy New Year and success in all your undertakings.
We are all fairly well here. My son Sidney who was married soon after you were here now has two boys --- two & two thirds and one-third years old. My active days are about over, but take interest in things going on.
The Herreshoff Mfg Co. is just starting construction on a new America's Cup Defender [#1233s RAINBOW] from Starling Burgess' design. There appears to be but little interest in large yacht racing, and there is much difficulty in getting capital to build this one boat when formerly several were built.
I didn't see detail acc[oun]ts of WESTWARD's [#692s] sailing the last two years, but hope she did well for a quarter century old craft." (Source: Davis, Thomas B.F. (incl NGH reply). Telegram to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_32590. Subject Files, Folder 34, formerly 17-20. 1933-12-(24 ?).)
① ②

"[Item Description:] List of fittings and running rigging [filed with Hart Nautical Collections note: Documents were removed from Drawer 150 near HH.5.12353 [Folder "Plans Relating to Hulls #1146 & #1233 [ENTERPRISE & RAINBOW]", Plan "100 gal. Drinking Water Tank", suggesting this could relate to either #1146s ENTERPRISE from 1930 or #1233s RAINBOW from 1934 (both designed by W.S. Burgess). Undated, but frequent references to used gear from ENTERPRISE suggest this document to relate to RAINBOW rather than ENTERPRISE.]." (Source: MIT Museum, Hart Nautical Collections, Haffenreffer-Herreshoff Collection Item HH.6.030. List of Fittings. Box HAFH.6.1B, Folder Hull No. 1146s. No date (1934 ?).)
① ② ③

"[Item Description:] #1233s RAINBOW and ENDEAVOUR, numerous prints and negatives of construction and work." (Source: Herreshoff Marine Museum Collection Item LIB_2520. Photographs. HMM Library Rare Books Room (Box 1), Folder [no #]. 1934.)
① ② ③ ④

"[Item Description:] Detailed itemized estimated weights of cabin fittings for #1233s RAINBOW. Sum incl. battery not to exceed 14,000 lbs." (Source: MIT Museum, Hart Nautical Collections, Haffenreffer-Herreshoff Collection Item HH.6.040. Weight Estimates. Box HAFH.6.1B, Folder Hull No. 1233s. 1934-01-13.)
① ②

"[Item Transcription:] WEETAMOE [#1147s], unlike the new boat [#1233s RAINBOW], is to have twin headstays, and for this reason two jumper struts similar to the ones she had last year, instead of the one which Burgess is planning for the new boat. Burgess' office is supposed to make the plan for these twin jumper struts. I should like to have the Herreshoff Company make plans for the attachment of the twin headstays at the stem. Bearing in mind that each one of these headstays will be at least as strong as 7/8 airplane wire, consequently the attachment should be strong enough to break this wire. In order to stand a pull of 30,000 lbs. on the topmost backstays, it will be necessary to move these attachments further forward on the hull. We will adopt here the same rig which they are using on the new boat but will require that the attachments on WEETAMOE be sufficient to stand the strain. On account of the changed shroud rigging, new chain plates will be necessary. I should like to approve these in design before they are actually attached to the boat. I imagine here I can use practically what they plan for the new boat, but as the boats will undoubtedly be differently constructed at the rail, some modification in design may be necessary.
I am sailing for Europe on Saturday and would like you to have these matters in mind in my absence. WEETAMOE will also need a new pair of winches to handle these new backstays.
Very truly yours, ..." (Source: Crane, Clinton H. Letter to Nystrom, Charles G. (Herreshoff Manufacturing Co.). MIT Museum, Hart Nautical Collections, Haffenreffer-Herreshoff Collection Item HH.6.031. Box HAFH.6.1B, Folder Hull No. 1147s. 1934-01-19.)
①

"[Item Description:] HMCo 1933 status report, scarcity of work which only recently picked up, improvement in Walkers Cove sheds, new contract for #1233s RAINBOW, catamaran #1232s AMARYLLIS II, no bidding for government contracts in anticipation of further America's Cup work" (Source: Haffenreffer, C.W. Correspondence (voting proxy) to Herreshoff Manufacturing Co. Stockholders. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_51720. Subject Files, Folder [no #]. 1934-02-22.)
① ② ③ ④

"[Item Description:] #1233s RAINBOW, Starling Burgess worksheets for mast and sails" (Source: Burgess, W. Starling (creator). Sketch / Calculations. Herreshoff Marine Museum Collection Item LIB_1300. HMM Library Rare Books Room (Box 1), Folder [no #]. 1934-03-07.)
① ② ③ ④ ⑤ ⑥ ⑦ ⑧ ⑨ ⑩

"[Item Transcription:] [Typewritten Letter on 'American Brass Company' stationery:] I have your letter in reference to the few extra untinned fittings which you would like. I have arranged to have those sent to you at once together with a small length of the untinned tube. They will be sent directly to your house without any charge.
You are correct in assuming that a Sil-Fos soldered joint is as strong as the fitting itself. Tests made on pipes (not tubes) joined with Sil-Fos couplings have shown that the fittings break while neither the tube nor the soldered joint is affected. The strength required to break the fittings is something in the neighborhood of 55,000 pounds per square inch.
Sil-Fos soldered joints do not require the bearing for solder contact that the tin-antimony solder requires, therefore it will be quite satisfactory for you to make the offset fittings as you explained to me.
Mrs. Herreshoff told me that you would probably be sitting at an upper window in your house watching the launching [apparently of #1233s RAINBOW which had been launched two days before]. It was undoubtedly best for you because it was a miserable day even if it did not rain too hard. I have an [p. 2] idea that if you could have come to the launching without having flashlights popped at you and without other fuss you would have come.
I took a few photographs with the new films they have for rainy days and all the negatives are good ones. The present state of photography is some different than when you had those photographs taken of the catamaran [apparently #187704es TARANTELLA] and had to fix it even on a sunshiny day. You will soon hear from me and I hope to enclose one or two of the prints
With best wishes, I am
Yours very truly ..." (Source: Smith, Frank G. (Sales Engineer American Brass Company). Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE02_03260. Folder [no #]. 1934-05-17.)
① ②

"[Item Description:] Printed circular titled '1934 Race Chart' and providing a summary of the dates and results of the trial races in June, July, and August of 1934 between RAINBOW [#1233s], VANITIE, WEETAMOE [#1147s], YANKEE and the America's Cup Races in September 1934 between RAINBOW and ENDEAVOR." (Source: New York Yacht Club (?) (creator). Printed Circular. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MRDE06_00770. Folder [no #]. No date (1934-0 or later).)
①

"[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).)
① ② ③ ④ ⑤ ⑥ ⑦ ⑧ ⑨ ⑩ ⑪ ⑫ ⑬ ⑭ ⑮ ⑯ ⑰ ⑱

"[Item Transcription:] [Handwritten (in ink) letter on 'Thomas B. F. Davis. British East and South Africa' stationery:]
My dear Mr. Herreshoff
I have your letter of 27th with enclosures about WHIRLWIND.
Certain business I have on hand first[?] now preclude me from purchasing an American built boat but somehow I would not like to take the risk of buying WHIRLWIND whereas anything that you would design would sure to be right.
You mentioned our fore topsail [for #692s WESTWARD], not being on hoops to keep it close to the topmast. I found that I could not drill or men into dipping the tack &[?] sheet so I have two topsails which goes up on two stays, one stay goes seso[?] feet about the cap and this pulls the sail to the mast and as we [p. 2] draught our sails for this method of setting the topsails act very well. In the photo you[?] will[?] on the sheet is not home by two or three feet and the tack is not closer owing to the wind being free and quite strong but it does not look right and it takes a photo to show up the mistake. We can get our fore topsail as flat as a board because the halyard & tack are on capstans and the sheet on a tackle.
We are making four jib topsails, one Yankee jib topsail, one topmast staysail and a big jib so this will keep my two me fairly busy this winter besides overhauling the other sails.
With kind regards to Mrs. Herreshoff & self from[?] in which Mrs. Davis joins
Yours V[ery] sincerely ...
[Incl. NGH draft reply:] I have the little model of WESTWARD finished and am sending it to Mr. Benzie as you requested by parcel post.
I wrote Mr Benzie the model is intended for you and when he is thru to send it to you to address you give. In the letter to Mr. Benzie I am sending him a pencil sketch of WESTWARD's profile & deck line and a set of templates I used in making the little model --- all at scale of 1/8 per ft. With these he will only need the model to look at and it will not be necessary to dismount it from the back board as all he w[ou]ld need on[?] working the form[?] for[?] silver smith.
I thank you kindly for your cablegram and two letters gilleamge[?], one of which containing a photo of the Gold Cup.
I am interested what you say about using duplicate fore gaff topsails for port & starboard tacks. I may be wrong, but it is my impression the extra windage of duplicate gear all around, and loss of efficiency of sail due to gap between mast & sail handicaps it entirely[?], and may as well be not used at all. The photo also reveals the leaches of the sails are a little hard and I am wondering if your sailmakers narrow seam the sails at each seam when sewing up the cloths. We found this necessary and had various battens with curved edges to mark the variation from the [p. 2] regular sewing seam. It is of course gradual --- the marking beginning only about 6ft in on a sail the size of WESTWARD's mainsail and may not be over 3/16in per seam at leach, but depends on the stretchiness of the canvass.
Referring to your comments about the protests in the America Cup Race, perhaps you have gained a wrong impression from the press reports. I have seen and talked with some of the afterguard on RAINBOW [#1233s] and also with others who were in position to see plainly the relative position of the two and it is quite positive RAINBOW had gained an overlap before Sopwith luffed, and the[?] was too late in the attempt to head RAINBOW off. Sopwith attempted something he had no right to do, morally or by the rules. Due no doubt, to attempting to sail such big boats single handed when he should have the help of the so called 'afterguard'." (Source: Davis, Thomas B.F. (incl NGH reply). Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_32770. Subject Files, Folder 35, formerly 17-20. 1934-10-04.)
① ② ③ ④

"[Item Description:] photo of half models for #907s PLEASURE, #1002s AIDA ex-GEE WHIZ, NY50, #1233s RAINBOW, BB15, and #1106s COMET signed by Henry C. White" (Source: Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_36810. Photograph. Subject Files, Folder [no #]. 1937-09.)
① ② ③

Note: This list of archival documents contains in an unedited form any and all which mention #1233s Rainbow even if just in a cursory way. Permission to digitize, transcribe and display is gratefully acknowledged.

• Chevalier, Francois and Jacques Taglang. America's Cup Yacht Designs 1851-1986. Paris, 1987.
  Vessel biographies, large-scale sail and lines plans.
• Chevalier, Francois and Jacques Taglang. J Class. London, 2002.
  Vessel biographies, large-scale sail and lines plans.

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

Month: Jan.
Day: 15
Year: 1934
E/P/S: S
No.: 1233
Name: Rainbow
OA: 127'
LW: 82'
D: 15'
Rig: Sloop
K: y
CB: y
Ballast: Outside lead
Amount: Cost plus
Notes Constr. Record: America Cup Class J Sloop.
Last Name: Vanderbilt Syndicate
First Name: H. S.

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:] Estimated weights of cabin fittings (1/13/1934). In: Technical and Business Records pertaining to the Herreshoff Manufacturing Company, Series VI, Folder HH.6.40 (Hull No. 1233), 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.)

"See also: Burgess-Donaldson Collection, Coll. 11, Daniel S. Gregory Ships Plans Library, Mystic Seaport Museum, Inc. 11.115. RAINBOW; 126.58 ft. J boat. Designer, Burgess & Donaldson, Inc.; Design #66; Builder, Herreshoff Manufacturing Co.; 1934." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. August 13, 2010.)

"Built in 120 days (contract to launch; equivalent to 2590 lbs displacement/day)." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. January 16, 2024.)

Sail area from Chapelle, Howard. National Watercraft Collection. Washington, 1960, p. 96.

"[Displacement (141 tons).]" (Source: Chevalier, Francois and Jacques Taglang, J Class, London, 2002, p.437.)

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