Herresshoff Marine Museum

[J. Dillon]

There was a 45 min. film at the museum detailing the life of Nat and John H. John was blind and took care of the business, leaving Nat free to apply his genius to design. Later in life they broke up in a business dispute and John died a few months later

One design had a hollow rudder. The idea was to pump air into to lighten it and reduce weather helm so they said.

All of Nat's designs were from models he would carve. The lines were taken off and the vessel built from that.

One very interesting model in a locked inaccessible room preventing me to get a good look at it, was a conventional hull. For propulsion there was a gallows affair maybe in scale 8'above the stern. It supported a long shaft extending from it to the stem and then into the water well ahead of the boat. On the aft end of the shaft was an air type propeller. On the bow end was a conventional 3 bladed marine screw. I asked the "curator" about it . Sadly he knew nothing.


Images I took at this museum.

http://img504.imageshack.us/img504/8247/herresoffdetailshrowdselv7.jpg

Shroud seizing on a 12 1/2

http://img254.imageshack.us/img254/6793/herresoffmaststeppm5.jpg

View of mast step , notice how deep it is

http://img50.imageshack.us/img50/2671/herrsoffcenterbleveraw4.jpg

Centerboard lever

http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/4066/herrsoffcenterboarddetaig7.jpg

Centerboard cleat details

http://img48.imageshack.us/img48/4477/herrsoffmizzenmastrc9.jpg

Mizzen mast details

http://img252.imageshack.us/img252/1724/herrsoffrudderdetail2xn5.jpg

Rudder line details

http://img509.imageshack.us/img509/4352/herrsoffsheet2iv7.jpg

Main sheet details

http://img404.imageshack.us/img404/6616/herrsoffsheetdetailty1.jpg

Another view of main sheet

http://img58.imageshack.us/img58/3162/herrsoffsteamenginets9.jpg

Steam engine

http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/9584/hersoffhollowmastgp7.jpg


BBM ( Before birds mouth) Early hollow masts

http://img49.imageshack.us/img49/7911/hersoffstrappingsl3.jpg

outside ballast strapping

http://img502.imageshack.us/img502/4313/hersoffwinchgy9.jpg

Sheet winch

JD

[Russ Manheimer]

Thanks JD. The seizing seems to be a covering for the wire eye splice. I like the paired thumb cleats on the top of the C/B case. Was there a toggle that fit in the cleats? Nice and simple.

Russ

[Doug Wood]

That "BBM" cross section is art.

[J. Dillon]

Russ, I didn't see one but it would make sense . The system allows the board to be all the way up to partially down depending on the relative wind.

There was a 45 min. film at the museum detailing the life of Nat and John H. John was blind and took care of the business, leaving Nat free to apply his genius to design. Later in life they broke up in a business dispute and John died a few months later

One design had a hollow rudder. The idea was to pump air into to lighten it and reduce weather helm so they said.

All of Nat's designs were from models he would carve. The lines were taken off and the vessel built from that.

One very interesting model in a locked inaccessible room preventing me to get a good look at it, was a conventional hull. For propulsion there was a gallows affair maybe in scale 8'above the stern. It supported a long shaft extending from it to the stem and then into the water well ahead of the boat. On the aft end of the shaft was an air type propeller. On the bow end was a conventional 3 bladed marine screw. I asked the "curator" about it . Sadly he knew nothing.

JD

[Jay Greer]

Thanks for posting the pictures JD,
The wind mill boat was an unsuccessful attempt at creating a wind driven screw. I belive that Cousteau came up with a more practical system.
Although Halsey Herreshoff has visited us here in California and we have our steam boiler on display there, I have yet to visit the museum.
Thanks for the great peek!
Jay

[RodB]

I have many pics of Alerion, Pleasure and the S-boat in the museum...if anyone is interested.... some wide shots inside .

Rod

[Vince Brennan]

Yes, please....

[adam96]

The windward driving propeller boat displayed in the NGH model room of the museum does indeed work....in the right wind conditions.

[Bill Perkins]

Thanks for the pics . I'm looking at the rudder lines ( on Coquina I think ). Maybe we've talked about this before. Where the sheet terminates at the becket of the block on the rudder ,I would try a snap hook connection . In light air the hook would be unsnapped and come to bear on the transom block as a stopper . This would give less powerful but significantly more responsive helm control . If it breezed up and you needed more power , just snap the end back on the rudder block .

[RodB]

Heres some of the pics I have...I have many more of Alerion both here and at Mystic... and some nice S-boat shots at the Herreshoff Rendezvous 2006 sailing. I have some pics of the larger Alerion, "Pleasure" but will have to locate them later... enjoy.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/p3aa4c3a3f7949e5d2feada0e5adc7a08/e842d5ee.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/p6238048ed9338e977f934cef17ff7f27/e842d5e0.jpg


And the wonderful "S" Boat....
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/pc64d7bf6f0468d428f17f2c3671f1ef8/e842d5f2.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/p5855a0aae75eacdc08570b565a7ef84d/e842d5d9.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/pdb0ad62caa0396c9d2f76a0db12c6e22/e842d5d7.jpg

RodB

[rbgarr]

JD- Your last photo is one of their 'standard size' anchor winch. The chain gypsy is a giveaway and in Rod's picture of the S boat you can just make one out on the foredeck of Indian,the unrestored Bar Harbor Thirty in the upper left corner. A set of four being readied for installation on the Buzzards Bay Thirties at French & Webb are shown in the photo gallery here: http://www.frenchwebb.com/restorations.shtm#_self

The winch could also be used for raising the sails if necessary, but somehow I don't think they were.

[J. Dillon]

The windward driving propeller boat displayed in the NGH model room of the museum does indeed work....in the right wind conditions.

It's a shame this idea hasn't been developed to a greater extent with the modern materials and technology we have today.

JD

[Paul Pless]

There's an article in WoodenBoat #88 about a modern day built windmill boat. Also Bolger in his book 101 Sailing Rigs describes a windmill boat.

[Jay Greer]

Really nice to see these pictures! Being built for skinny water, the "Alerion" proved to be not a very sparkling performer in light airs when I sailed an exact replica here on the West Coast. And, there is absolutely no way to scull the boat with the rudder when docking. It is extremely slow in stays as well needing to be sailed around in a large arc when coming about. However, it is a great family boat and posseses a tremendous amount of stability. Also, the helm is so neutral as to be unnerving. The boat is so well set up that there is nothing to do but smell the air, listen to the water, eat sandwiches and drink beer when out for a sail.
Jay

[Michael s/v Sannyasin]

JD, you might enjoy the book The Wizard of Bristol if you haven't read it, written by L.Francis about Nat. It was too bad about the tiff with his brother, but it came after a long long and very successful collaboration.

[CarlZog]

Great museum. I got married there. Ceremony on the dock and a reception in the Hall of Boats....

Carl