Herreshoff Museum

[Tim R.]

I spent Saturday at the Herreshoff Museum in Bristol, RI this weekend. It is a great place to visit and has some extraordinary boats and information about the Herreshoff brothers and how they have influenced boat building well beyond their deaths.

Some facts I found fascinating:

- They invented sail track in 1887 so they could hoist sails beyond the standing rigging.
- Their wooden masts were hollow to increase strength at half the weight.
- They were the first to use diagonal steel bracing on their wooded boats so they could be built lighter.
- They designed the first sea plane to cross the Atlantic.
- They built torpedo boats for the American, British and Spanish navys.

Their most famous design was the Reliance which had a bronze covering on her wooden hull, steel ribs and an aluminum deck. The boat was a giant battery and did not last long. The boom was 115ft, the spinaker pole was 84 ft. and the mainsail weighed over 2 tons. It only took 7kts of wind to put her rail in the water with over 16,000 sq. ft. of sail area.

The Herreshoffs defended 9 America's Cups with 8 boats.

If you are in the area, I highly recommend it. Here are some photos of a beautiful restoration in the museum.

 

[Rich Stidger]

Tim,

Thanks for sharing. My home mooring is in Bristol and although I've been there five years, I haven't yet taken the time to go to the museum.

It looks like I need to get it on the list.

Will you be in the Bristol / Newport area over this coming Thursday-Sunday? My Power Squadron is having a rendezvous there and if you are around I'd like to see if we could meet.

 

[Tim R.]

Sorry Rich. This was a surprise birthday present from my wife and she was waiting for a rainy weekend to take me. We are back in Maine waiting for the rain to stop so we can go sailing.

Unfortunately the drive from Maine takes years off my life so it may be a while before we return to RI unless we take the train.

Nice idea though and drop me a line if you every make it to Portland.

 

[zeehag]

was there a gaff rigged 36 footer named eleanor there???
i understand she is in a r i museum but i donot know which one....built 1903 by cpt nate designed by designer of schooner america----purrty boat--last heard was also on a trailor....

 

[Joseph Shirley]

From my remembrance about the Reliance, she was a 154 foot scow with more sail on one mast than any boat before or since her time. Also Herreshoff invented the teardrop cross sectioned mast and the pivoting mast a long time ago. When I lived in Groton CT, I remember an H 23 (Waterline) racing sloop made by him that had dry fit strakes that you could see daylight through at the end of the storage season. After much hosing down and sitting on the railway in the water for several tides she would make up and never leak a drop. Just outstanding craftsmanship.

Just for info

Joe S

 

[Rich Stidger]

Sorry Rich. This was a surprise birthday present from my wife and she was waiting for a rainy weekend to take me. We are back in Maine waiting for the rain to stop so we can go sailing.

Nice idea though and drop me a line if you every make it to Portland.

Waiting for a rainy weekend? I guess you've had your choice.....

Waiting for the rain to stop so we can go sailing? Good luck with that.

I've been to my boat six times this year to do nothing but work. It's rained every time.

We cruise to Maine every odd year. This year we are skipping because our daughter is providing another grand-daughter in about a week or so. Maybe we will do our Maine thing next year. I would certainly like to met you, Maine Sail and other northern rag-snappers.

 

[Tim R.]

was there a gaff rigged 36 footer named eleanor there???
i understand she is in a r i museum but i donot know which one....built 1903 by cpt nate designed by designer of schooner america----purrty boat--last heard was also on a trailor....

I do not recall seeing "Eleanor" in the museum although Cap. Nate designed and built a boat name Eleanor in 1907.

 

[zeehag]

I do not recall seeing "Eleanor" in the museum although Cap. Nate designed and built a boat name Eleanor in 1907.

the eleanor i know was commissioned in 1903 by a reynolds and built by nate and is a national registered historic treasure--was last owned by philip schuyler egan from claverack ny...until 1998, when he passed away at age 95....36 ft gaff rigged rascing sloop one of a pair --reynolds wanted to race them...one sank and eleanor was remaining intact and my uncle got her for not much money...right place right time...he taught us to sail on her--was a coool sloop

 

[Soundbounder]

The museum is on my "to do" list.