HMCo #1384s Avanti

Particulars

Construction_Record_Title.jpgName: Avanti
Later Name(s): CGR-3042 (1942), Avanti (1942-)
Type: Aux. Yawl
Designed by: Sparkman & Stephens
Contract: 1935 ?
Launch: 1936-4-11
LOA: 55' 6" (16.92m)
LWL: 40' 0" (12.19m)
Beam: 12' 6" (3.81m)
Draft: 7' 8" (2.34m)
Rig: Yawl
Displ.: 32,000 lbs (14,515 kg)
Built for: Rothschild, Walter N.
Amount: $19,500.00
Note(s) in HMCo Construction Record: Designed by Sparkman & Stephens. No. 235890 (official)
Last year in existence: 1954 (aged 18)
Final disposition: Lost in 1954 hurricane in Padanaram.

Note: Particulars are primarily but not exclusively from the HMCo Construction Record. Supplementary information not from the Construction Record appears elsewhere in this record with a complete citation.

Drawings

Explore all drawings relating to this boat.

List of drawings:
   Drawings believed to have been first drawn for, or being first referenced to
   HMCo #1384s Avanti are listed in bold.
   Click on Dwg number for preview, on HH number to see at M.I.T. Museum.
  1. Dwg 068-037 (HH.5.04841); Stand for Steering Wheel and Compass # 546 (1900-09-07)
  2. Dwg 114-064 (HH.5.09563); Davits (1904-03-19)
  3. Dwg 068-092 (HH.5.04898): 28" Dia. Steering Wheel for # 720 (1913-03-22)
  4. Dwg 025-207 (HH.5.01965): Casting List (1936-09 ?)
  5. Dwg 068-135 (HH.5.04945): Steering Quadrant and Bracket (1936-10-13)
  6. Dwg 065-075 (HH.5.04672): Rudder Stock and Bearing (1936-11-23)
  7. Dwg 093-126 (HH.5.07727): Swinging Type Table (1936-11-30)
  8. Dwg 006-118 (HH.5.00624): Folding Propeller for 1 1/4" Shaft, 19" Diam., 14" Pitch, Fits Hub (6-111) (1936-12-03)
  9. Dwg 058-089 (HH.5.04160): Propeller Strut for "Avanti" (1936-12-18)
  10. Dwg 077-116 (HH.5.05715): Stay Attachments (1937-01-22)
  11. Dwg 084-129 (HH.5.06583): Skylight Lifter for "Avanti" (1937-02-16)
  12. Dwg 085-106 (N/A): Rail Stanchions for 'Avanti' (1937-03-16 ?)
  13. Dwg 134-124 (HH.5.10964): Avanti # 1384 Engine Controls (1937-03-23)
Source: Francis Russell Hart Nautical Collections, MIT Museum, Cambridge, Mass. Haffenreffer-Herreshoff Collection. Together with: Hasselbalch, Kurt with Frances Overcash and Angela Reddin. Guide to The Haffenreffer-Herreshoff Collection. Francis Russell Hart Nautical Collections, MIT Museum, Cambridge, Mass., 1997. Together with: Numerous additions and corrections by Claas van der Linde.
Note: The Haffenreffer-Herreshoff Collection is copyrighted by the Francis Russell Hart Nautical Collections of the MIT Museum in Cambridge, Mass. Permission to incorporate information from it in the Herreshoff Catalogue Raisonné is gratefully acknowledged. The use of this information is permitted solely for research purposes. No part of it is to be published in any form whatsoever.

Documents

Nathanael G. Herreshoff

"N. G. HERRESHOFF 6 WALLEY STREET BRISTOL, RHODE ISLAND April 20, 1936. 7? {1937/04/20} Dear Francis, ... The shops launched the Stephens designed yawl Saturday week ago [April 11, 1936] & tried Sunday. ... Your affect - Father. " (Source: Mystic Seaport Museum, L. Francis Herreshoff Collection, Box 17, Folder 13: Letter from N. G. Herreshoff to L. F. Herreshoff.)

Other Contemporary Text Source(s)

"Two launchings of interest will take place tomorrow. At Baltimore ..., while at the Herreshoff Yard at Bristol W. N. Rothschilds new Avanti, a 56-foot yawl, a development of Stormy Weather, will go overboard. Both these creations are from the board of Olin Stephens, young co-designer of the new cup yacht, Ranger. They will be seen on Long Island Sound during the season." (Source: Ramsay, Jack. "Sails, Spars and Gadgets." Brooklyn Daily Eagle, April 9, 1937, p. 23.)

Other Modern Text Source(s)

"1937. ... Herreshoff was building the 45-foot yawl Avanti [#1384s] for a Brooklyn yachtsman, the 54-foot yawl Evening Star [#1386s] for a Detroiter, an S boat [probably #1385s Tinker Too] for a Newport yachtsman, and a fleet of 20 of the 12 1/2-foot waterline Bullseyes. ..." (Source: Davis, Jeff. Yachting in Narragansett Bay. Providence, 1946, p. 81.)

"The auxilliary yacht Avanti, which for five years collected ocean sailing trophies before serving with the Coast Guard on submarine patrol during World War II, is about to return to Government service --- as a seamanship training vessel for midshipmen.
Walter Rothschild, who had her built in 1937 and raced her, and who loaned her to the Coast Guard for war service, has now given her to the Navy for use at the Naval Academy, Annapolis, Md. At present in Hempstead Harbor, her transfer to the Navy was arranged for Mr. Rothschild by Admiral Richard L. Conolly (U. S. N., retired), president of Long Island University.
Built the year Mr. Rothschild became president of Abraham & Straus, her builder was the Herreshoff Manufacturing Co. of Bristol, R. I., which 30 years before had built his grandfather's 157-foot steam yacht, Wana [#230p]. Sparkman & Stephens designed her.
Carries Much Canvas
Avanti is 55 feet eight inches over all, 40 feet at the waterline. Her beam is 12 feet four inches, and her draft seven feet eight inches. Exclusive of light canvas spinnakers, genoa jibs, ballooners and staysails, she carries 1,354 square feet of sail in her yewl rig.
As a picket boat during World War II, she was part of a fleet of sailboats assigned by the Eastern Sea Frontier to patrol against enemy aircraft and submarines at harbor entrances. She spent 8,404 hours on patrol, both winter and summer, and sighted two German submarines.
For her services, Avanti was awarded a Coast Guard commendation." (Source: Anon. "Avanti, Coast Guard Veteran, To Train Middies at Academy." Brooklyn Daily Eagle, April 11, 1954, p. 11.)

"Avanti - Design 85
LOA: 55'8"
DWL: 40'
Beam: 12'5"
Draft: 7'9"
Sail area: 1,354 sq.ft.
In the all-conquering way of the best S&S yachts, those designed primarily for cruising also brought home more than their share of silver trophies. Perhaps the best example of this was the gorgeous, light gray yawl crafted for Walter Rothschild in 1935. Her name, Avanti, means 'Forward!' in Italian --- and that's exactly how she went.
Although Mr. Rothschild had requested that the sail plan be slightly smaller than might be expected for a yawl of this size, and although she was built somewhat heavier than expected in order to ensure easy motion at sea, she could not be slowed down. She won the highly competitive Gibson Island Race as easily as if she'd been designed to do nothing but win.
Of particular interest in her cabin layout is the vast after stateroom and the galley forward, with oil-burning shipmate range. Above the table in the conveniently located navigator's station (where today one would find electronic gear) were cleverly designed chart stowage and signal flag lockers. Sad to say, all this careful planning and beautifully polished execution came to a sad, crashing end during the New England hurricane of 1938 [sic, i.e. the hurricane of 1954].
One of this book's authors remembers Avanti lying on her beam ends, high above the tideline of Padanaram Harbor (Massachusetts), smashed but somehow still beautiful. Despite this tragic destiny, Avanti lives on in another sense, for she served as a guideline boat or 'parent form' (in Olin's terminology) for many subsequent yachts, notably Blitzen." (Source: Kinney, Francis S. and Russel Bourne. The Best of the Best. The Yacht Designs of Sparkman & Stephens. New York, 1996, p. 54.)

"Racing Yawl Avanti of 1957 by Sparkman & Stephens
LOA 55'8"
LWL 40'0"
Beam 12'5"
Draft 7'9"
Sail Area 1,300 sq.ft.
Source [Rudder] May 1937, p. 48
Sparkman & Stephens yawls evolved as the sailing yacht of choice for many owners during this era, and it's easy to see why. Not only were they extraordinarily graceful, but they had what it took to win races as well. Like Tioga Too, ... Avanti featured an aft cabin for the owner. The main saloon's wrap-around settee to port, and another straight settee opposite to starboard, allowed comfortable seating for a sizeable crowd at mealtime. There's a nav station adjacent to the companionway ladder, with a nearby head --- two welcome conveniences for offshore sailing. Avanti was beautifully built by Herreshoff Mfg. Co., her hull constructed upside down as was that yard's custom." (Source: Designs to Inspire. From the Rudder 1897-1942. Brooklin, Maine, 2000, p. 58.)

"Designed by Sparkman & Stephens and built by Herreshoff in Bristol in 1937, the 55-foot yawl AVANTI joined the New Bedford Yacht Club fleet soon thereafter. Fast, able, and handsome, she was always a favorite of area sailors. It had been her owner's intention to present AVANTI to the U.S. Naval Academy for its sail-training program-and indeed the gift had been accepted by Annapolis just before the end of the 1954 summer sailing season. But Hurricane Carol had other plans for AVANTI. By noon of 31 August 1954 what remained of her lay on the rock-strewn west shore of Padanaram Harbor." (Source: Anon (New Bedford Whaling Museum). Caption accompanying Norman Fortier photo of Avanti reaching under spinnaker, main, jigger, and mizzen staysail in a fresh breeze. http://www.flickr.com/photos/nbwm/2990483052/in/set-72157607419088949/, retrieved December 11, 2008.)

Archival Documents

"[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 Description:] Paint specifications for #1384s AVANTI. With penciled note 'Brown' in upper margin. 2 pages." (Source: MIT Museum, Hart Nautical Collections, Haffenreffer-Herreshoff Collection Item HH.6.042. Paint Specifications. Box HAFH.6.1B, Folder Hull No. 1384s. 1936-10-06.)
① ②

Note: This list of archival documents contains in an unedited form any and all which mention #1384s Avanti even if just in a cursory way. Permission to digitize, transcribe and display is gratefully acknowledged.

Further Reading
  • Smith, Rufus G. Avanti Goes To War. No place (Privately Printed), (May 1947). (6,027 kB)
    Document is copyrighted: Yes. Account of yacht's war service as part of the American Coast Guard's anti-submarine 'picket line'. With an introduction by William H. Taylor and tipped-in photographs.

Images

Registers

1940 Lloyd's Register of American Yachts (#520)
Name: Avanti
Owner: Walter Rothschild; Port: New York
Official no. 235890; Building Material Wood; Type & Rig K[eel], FD [Flush Deck], Aux Ywl
Tons Gross 19; Tons Net 16; LOA 55-8; LWL 40-0; Extr. Beam 12-7; Depth 7-3; Draught 7-8
Sailmaker Wilson; Sails made in [19]38, [19]39; Sail Area 1354
Builder Herreshoff Mfg. Co.; Designer Sparkman & Stephens, Inc.; Built where Bristol, R.I.; Built when 1937

1947 Lloyd's Register of American Yachts (#470)
Name: Avanti
Owner: Walter Rothschild; Port: New York
Official no. 235890; Building Material Wood; Type & Rig K[eel], FD [Flush Deck], Aux Ywl
Tons Gross 19; Tons Net 16; LOA 55-8; LWL 40-0; Extr. Beam 12-7; Depth 7-3; Draught 7-8
Sailmaker Wilson; Sails made in [19]38, [19]39, [19]46; Sail Area 1354
Builder Herreshoff Mfg. Co.; Designer Sparkman & Stephens, Inc.; Built where Bristol, R.I.; Built when 1937
Engine Gas Eng. 4 Cyc. 6 Cyl. 3 5/16 x 4 3/8. 1947; Maker Gray

1950 Lloyd's Register of American Yachts (#492)
Name: Avanti
Owner: Walter Rothschild; Port: New York
Official no. 235890; Building Material Wood; Type & Rig K[eel], FD [Flush Deck], Aux Ywl
Tons Gross 19; Tons Net 16; LOA 55-8; LWL 40-0; Extr. Beam 12-7; Depth 7-3; Draught 7-8
Sailmaker Wilson - Ratsey - Valentine; Sails made in [19]39, [19]41, [19]46, [19]47, [19]49; Sail Area 1354
Builder Herreshoff Mfg. Co.; Designer Sparkman & Stephens, Inc.; Built where Bristol, R.I.; Built when 1937
Engine Gas Eng. 4 Cyc. 6 Cyl. 3 5/16 x 4 3/8. 1947; Maker Gray

Source: Various Yacht Lists and Registers. For complete biographical information see the Herreshoff Catalogue Raisonné under Data Sources. Note that this section shows only snapshots in time and should not be considered a provenance, although it can help creating one.

Supplement

From the 1920 and earlier HMCo Index Cards at the MIT Museum
  • 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.
From the 2000 (ca.) Transcription of the HMCo Construction Record by Vermilya/Bray

Year: 1936
E/P/S: S
No.: 1384
Name: Avanti
OA: 55' 6"
LW: 40'
B: 12' 6"
D: 7' 8"
Rig: Yawl
Amount: 19500.00
Notes Constr. Record: Designed by Sparkmen & Stephens
Last Name: Rothschild
First Name: Walter N.

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.

Research Note(s)

"Sparkman & Stephens design no. 85; see The Rudder May 1937, p. 48." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. May 2, 2008.)

"[See also:] Specifications (10/6/1936). In: Technical and Business Records pertaining to the Herreshoff Manufacturing Company, Series VI, Folder HH.6.42 (Hull No. 1384), 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.)

"The book 'Avanti goes to War' by Rufus G. Smith mentions that #1384s Avanti's owner Walter Rothschild was the grand-child of the owner of #230p Wana." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. May 10, 2012.)

"[Was loaned by her owner to the U.S. Coast guard and performed submarine search duty as a Coast Guard Coastal Picket Patrol in 1942 with the registration number CGR-3042.]" (Source: Wilbur, John. Private Email Communication with Evelyn Ansel, Curator Herreshoff Marine Museum, January 2022.)

"Launched 1936-04-11; see The Rudder May 1937, p. 48." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. May 2, 2008.)

"In the absence of better available data displacement was estimated by using the figure for Net Register Tons (16) from the 1940 Lloyd's Register of American Yachts (Gross Register Tons were reported as 19) 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.

Note

Copyright considerations prevented the reproduction of some text and/or images. If you have a valid research interest and do not have access to the cited original source(s), you may contact us by using the link below for assistance in obtaining more complete information.

We are always interested in learning more about this vessel. If you want to discuss it or can share any additional information or images or to discuss a copyright concern, please do not hesitate to send an Email to the link below!


Herreshoff Catalogue Raisonné.
All rights reserved. No reproduction, adaptation, or distribution of any part of this document or any information contained herein by any means whatsoever is permitted without prior written permission. For the full terms of copyright for this document please click here. Last revision 2024-01-16.
© 2024,

Citation: HMCo #1384s Avanti. Herreshoff Catalogue Raisonné. https://herreshoff.info/Docs/S01384_Avanti.htm.