HMCo #1264s Ankle Deep

"The new one-design Frostbite dinghy, the result of the designing competition recently held by The Rudder, is being hailed with enthusiasm by yachtsmen all over the country. The plans of the little craft were published on these pages in the August 1934 issue and met with almost instant response. The original design has been slightly modified in that the dinghy will be the usual lapstreak planking instead of the smooth, canvas covered, as specified. The mast is also going to be lengthened about six inches and the boom shortened by about an equal amount. All dinghies built to the class will be exactly alike and arrangements are being made to have a number of accredited measurers to make sure that the idea is followed out.
At the present time the Herreshoff Manufacturing Company of Bristol, Rhode Island, is building twenty-four [sic, i.e. twenty-one after some cancellations] of these new one-design dinghies most of which have been ordered by Eastern yachtsmen. Twelve of them will go to Larchmont, six to Manhasset Bay and the rest will be scattered around the Sound and at Boston. ...
The following men have already ordered the new one-design dinghies and more names are being added to the list all the time: Egbert Moxham [#1245s], Egbert Moxham, Jr. [#1245s], Chandler Hovey [#1250s], Cornelius Shields [#1244s], Paul V. Shields [#1258s], Drake H. Sparkman [#1256s], William L. Inslee [#1251s], R. W. Perkins [#1253s], Charles Stuart [#1254s], Robert W. Fraser [#1248s], O. H. Chalkley [#1247s], S. L. Vanderveer [#1255s], William J. Griffin [#1249s], W. G. McCullough [#1252s], Samuel Register [#1257s], Frank Campbell [#1260s], Nicholas Potter [#1261s], George Ratsey [#?s], T. L. Leeming [#1259s] and Clair Farrand [#1262s]. At present the dinghies are being built by the Skaneateles Boat & Canoe Company and the Herreshoff Manufacturing Company and anyone desiring further information on the class may secure it by writing to the editor of this magazine." (Source: Anon. "One-Design Frostbite Class Building." Rudder, November 1934, p. 23.)

"Fifty-five years ago, Frostbite dinghy racing was all the rage, very popular and quite competitive, particularly on the East Coast. Everyone was doing it, and a lot of big names were involved both in the designing and the racing of these little boats. But what had begun in the early 1930s as a loosely organized, devil-may-care, saltwater sport using utility yacht tenders, soon became expensive, hell-for-leather racing in custom machines. In an effort to bring order to chaos on the race-course, the pre-eminent yachting publication of the day --- The Rudder --- sponsored a design contest in 1934 to produce a one-design Frostbite dinghy that could race under strict rules [see Rudder August 1934, p. 34].
The competition was conducted not unlike a 'blind' wine-lasting, wherein the entries are judged solely on their merits, with no names attached which might predispose the judges. That the entry submitted by the firm of Potter & Strawbridge was, in this regard, the unanimous choice of The Rudder's blue-ribbon selection committee, underscores the achievement of this winning design. After minor changes were made to the Potter plans, the boats of this class were clinker-built of cedar on oak, with hackmatack knees, and Honduras mahogany for transom, centerboard, sheerstrake, thwarts, and trim. Spruce spars, brass hardware, and stainless-steel rigging completed these craft. Frostbite dinghy racing has declined in recent years, but fiberglass versions of the Potter design still actively race at the Newport Harbor (California) Yacht Club, where Nick Potter was a member.
Particulars
Length 11 '6"
Beam 4'8"
Sail area 72 sq ft
Weight 150 lbs
[Photo caption:] Puller B-class One-Design Frostbite dinghies under construction at Herreshoff Manufacturing Co., 1934. As soon as the Potter entry was declared the winner of The Rudder's design competition, 24 of these boats were ordered from Herreshoff by prominent East Coast yachtsmen. Other boats were constructed (also in multiples) in the mid-1930s at shops in New York, Connecticut, Florida, Texas, and California." (Source: Skahill, Thomas G. "A Winning Frostbite One-Design." WoodenBoat Magazine, No. 83, July/August 1988, p. 42.)

"[Owned by the son of the original owner, Charles G. Moody, in 1992.]" (Source: Herreshoff Marine Museum Chronicle, 1992, p. 1.)

"The years and one-family owner have been kind to little Ankle Deep.
The freshly built Class B Frostbite Dinghy emerged from the Herreshoff Mfg. shop in Bristol on Dec. 3, 1934.
And this month, 79 years later, it returned in the back of a box truck after a 1,700-mile trip from Oklahoma just in time for the museum’s Feb. 8 Frost Biter’s Bash. Those there to greet the 11.5-footer were floored.
'Amazing, absolutely amazing,' said Dyer Jones, the museum’s chief executive officer and the man who drove Ankle Deep back home. 'You just don’t see boats so old in such original, pristine condition.' The hull structure is original, 'original canvas, original boat cover, even all of the original paperwork.'
It’s like those television shows where someone stumbles upon a classic car 'tucked away in the back of a barn somewhere and they blow on the dust and find something remarkable,' Mr. Jones said.
The late Charles Moody of Cambridge, Mass., was Ankle Deep’s first owner. He’d framed the bill of sale; $325 for his Frostbite Dinghy, plus another $23 for the special paint job.
'That’s with everything included --- ready to go sailing,' Mr. Jones said.
Mr. Moody was a good friend of the Herreshoff Museum and America’s Cup Hall of Fame. Before his death a few years ago, he donated his nautical library to the museum.
Mr. Jones was chatting with Mr. Moody’s son, Charles Moody II, awhile back and asked him what had become of his dad’s old Frostbite Dinghy.
The family had moved to Oklahoma, Mr. Moody said, and taken Ankle Deep with them. They’d sailed it on a lake there some but it had spent much of the time sitting in a garage.
'He sent some photos and I couldn’t believe it,' Mr. Jones said. 'Just beautiful, so lovingly cared for.'
The museum has two Frostbite Dinghies in its collection, castoffs from Mystic Seaport that are in 'pretty terrible shape.' This boat would fill a gap in the Herreshoff collection, Mr. Jones said, and Mr. Moody said that he’d be willing to donate it: 'You just have to come and get it.'
So a few weeks ago, Mr. Jones did just that.
He took a flight out to Oklahoma (his daughter first said she might like to go, then thought better of it), rented a box truck and they loaded the boat in --- upside down with plenty of padding.
Ankle Deep comes to Herreshoff fully loaded. There’s a scrapbook with meticulously maintained pictures and boat maintenance details.
Two original sails are still with the boat. One is in outstanding condition --- #1 Wamsutta cotton, 'soft enough to sleep in' --- and there’s a new one too.
Fresh paint and varnish have been applied over the years and the rig has a few modern Harken blocks --- 'but the owner made sure to keep the originals which we will put back.' During one small floorboard repair, the owner even saved the old board and all of the old screws --- they’ll be put back too.
Surprisingly, the original painted Ankle Deep name on the stern had been covered over and replaced with too-big plastic letters. They’ll remove those, of course, and hope to find the outlines of the original letters.
A frame piece and a few of the floorboards are cracked --- they’ll be left as is --- 'but you could put that boat in the harbor right now and, (after time for swelling) go for a nice sail.'
Ankle Deep won’t be sailing on Bristol Harbor though.
After an unveiling and welcome at the museum’s Feb. 8 Frost Biter’s Bash, the boat will take its place among the museum’s prizes in the main exhibition hall.
These dinghies date back to the early days of frostbiting as sailors sought an off-season outlet while their summer boats were hauled for the winter.
At first, any dinghy or tender could compete in club races, but to even the playing field, Rudder magazine sponsored a contest for a new one-design class. Yacht designer Nicolas Potter and yachtsman Bill Strawbridge won with the lapstrake boat that would become the Class B racing dinghy --- it came to be known the BO dinghy (the ‘O’ is for one-design).
The first 21 boats were built by Herreshoff Mfg. in late 1934; the rest were built at Fairfield Boat Works in Connecticut.
The boats had a reputation for being fast, great fun to sail and dryer than others of similar size due in part to their generous freeboard and sheer. They could be flipped though and a class requirement was two attached pieces of canvas-covered balsa wood ‘flotation’ inside.
[Image caption:] Dyer Jones with the 79-year-old mint-condition dinghy back at the museum. It will be welcomed at this weekend's Frostbiter's Bash." (Source: Burdet, Bruce "Fabulous Frostbiter: Herreshoff Gem Returns Home Ready To Party." EastBay RI, January 30, 2014. http://www.eastbayri.com/news/fabulous-frostbiter-herreshoff-gem-returns-home-ready-to-party/, retrieved May 8, 2014.)

"[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 #1264s Ankle Deep even if just in a cursory way. Permission to digitize, transcribe and display is gratefully acknowledged.

• Anon. "Winner Announced in Dinghy Competition. Potter & Strawbridge's Design Chosen by Jurors from Twenty-seven Designs Submitted." Rudder Magazine, August 1934, p. 34-35. (1,129 kB)
  Document is copyrighted: Yes. Design description of the winner of the Rudder contest for a frostbite dinghy. Profile, lines, construction plan. Twenty-six boats of this design were subsequently built by HMCo.
• Anon. "One-Design Frostbite Class Building." Rudder Magazine, November 1934, p. 23 (939 kB)
  Document is copyrighted: Yes. Construction progress report. Owner names. Photo. Sailplan.

Year: 1934
E/P/S: S
No.: 1264
Name: Ankle Deep
OA: 11' 6"
Amount: 325.00
Last Name: Moody
First Name: Chas.

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.

"Dimensions (11 feet 5 3/4 inches by 11 feet 3 1/4 inches, by 4 feet 7 1/2 inches and a draft of 7 1/4 inches) from Anon. 'One-Design Frostbite Class Building.' Rudder, November 1934, p. 23." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. June 12, 2014.)

"[Sail area 72sqft.]" (Source: Rudder Magazine, November 1934, p. 23.)

"[Displacement (150lbs).]" (Source: Skahill, Thomas. "A Winning Frostbite Design." WoodenBoat, July / August 1988, p. 42.)

"Donated to the Herreshoff Marine Museum in 2013 in memory of the original owner the late Charles Moody by his children." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. May 8, 2014.)

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