I have read a bit about the Herreshoff 12 1/2 and got a chance to look a few when I was at the Herreshoff Museum last month. Something about the design speaks to me, so I have been doing a little more research on it.
Here is 1924 HMCo Hull Number 905 ZEPHYR, previously known as CINCH. She was for sale as of October 2019 if anyone is interested.
I checked with the Herreshoff Marine Museum in Bristol, CT with a few questions about the 12 1/2. They said she was designed as a keelboat trainer for youth at the Beverly Yacht Club to use on Buzzards Bay, and one of her first monikers was the Buzzards Bay Boys Boat. So in essence a trainer. She had a gaff rig, 750 pound keel and a self tending jib. The early boats came in around 1500 pounds.
LWL: 12' 6" (3.81m)
Beam: 5' 10" (1.78m)
Draft: 2' 5" (0.74m)
Rig: Gaff Sloop
Sail Area: 140sq ft (13.0sq m)
Later design variations had varied names, sometimes based on who the new variant was designed for. Marconi rigs, fiberglass, centerboard variants and combinations therof appeared. Bullseye, Fishers Island, Cape Cod Bullseye, Doughdish, Haven 12 1/2. New boats can be purchased from Cape Cod Shipbuilding Company in either fiberglass or wood, with gaff or marconi rigs.
Herreshoff Marine Museum has a fleet of 12 1/2s in their sailing school, they can either be sent out with an instructor for lessons, the cheapest way to mess about for just a few times, or set up as rentals if an entire season is planned. Normally scheduled 9-2 during the season. They also have 1-2 boats available for purchase. The report is that the boat is easy to sail, maybe not so easy to launch from a keelboat trailer and weighing in at 1500 pounds. Stable, predictable. Classic design.
23 Oct 19:
There are several good articles that I just came across in WoodenBoat, one on John Brook's Somes Sound centerboard design that compared the different hull shape differences (WB 217:48)
To read more you can purchase the single issue, digital or paper for around $7. I bought 50 issues in block, lots more 12 1/2 information spread throughout the years.
WoodenBoat Magazine Online Index
WoodenBoat Store for digital or print issues
FMI:
Cape Cod Shipbuilding Company est. 1899
H Class Association
Herrshoff Catalogue
Herreshoff Marine Museum and America's Cup Hall of Fame
wikipedia
Though the Herreshoff 12 1/2 design has appeared with several names, rigs, and modes of construction, the Haven 12 1/2 is a centerboard design by Joel White, evoking NGH's original keel boat. https://www.woodenboatstore.com/products/16-haven-12-1-2-class Other new designs evoking the 12 1/2 are by Chuck Paine https://www.chuckpaine.com/blog/?p=1924 Phil Bolger https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7h8coelivjQ John Brooks http://www.brooksboatsdesigns.com/Somes%20Sound%20main/SomesSoundmain.html and others.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the info Peter. There are several good articles that I just came across in WoodenBoat, one on John Brook's Somes Sound centerboard design that compared the different hull shape differences (WB 217:48)
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