Registration is Now Open! Click HERE to register online or call the Museum at 401.253.5000
A CENTENARY EVENT - 28 April 2012
The Classic Yacht Symposium is held biennially by the Herreshoff Marine Museum / America’s Cup Hall of Fame. The 2012 program celebrates the centennial of two significant developments in yachting history: the development of the big racing schooners and the design of Herreshoff’s iconic ALERION. The program brings together as many as 200 owners, builders, designers, enthusiasts, and technical specialists for a presentation of papers and panel discussions, and culminates with the publication of the Proceedings brochure and DVD. It is your opportunity to meet and exchange views on Classic Yachts with an international group of experts. Additional ALERION papers, not included in the presentations, will be on the DVD. These are distributed to all who attend the Symposium and will be sold through the Herreshoff Marine Museum website and Museum Store.
Morning Program - A Century and More of the Big Schooners
Moderator: Halsey C. Herreshoff, Herreshoff Designs Inc.
ELENA on sail trials off Spain 2009
At the turn-of-the-century the big racing schooners were the technical marvels of the day. On lengths of 130 ft and carrying 12,000 sq. ft. of sail, European royalty and American yachtsmen of the robber-baron era competed for international fame. Today in Europe new replicas are being built and raced. Yacht designer and America’s Cup sailor, Halsey Herreshoff, provides new insights into the original vessels, the most successful of which were designed by his grandfather, Nat Herreshoff. The builders, owners and captains of the modern replicas, including ELEONORA, ELENA, ATLANTIC, INGOMAR, tell their first hand experiences in building and racing in international competition today. In contrast with the light-scantling, metal–hulled racing schooners, the restoration of the last of the classic Victorian schooner, CORONET is a starting point to illustrate where schooners fit into the quest to create new designs and materials to sail faster and higher to weather; a quest that continues today with sleds and canting keels.
Papers Presented:
A Perspective: Origins and Rebirth of Herreshoff’s Big Steel Schooners
Halsey C. Herreshoff
Perspectives on the grandeur and lessons of the large and great Herreshoff steel schooners of a century ago and their replication today.
Recreating Large Sailing Yachts of the Past: The Defining Choices and Results
John Lammerts van Bueren & Ed Kastelein
The men who started a new era in classic yachting by showing the world that large classic racing schooners could be built and raced successfully. Their explanation of the choices to be made in creating a vessel true to the original is illustrated with results from four projects- including building the new INGOMAR.
ELENA (Re)Creating a Legend
Steve M. McLaren
The decision making process employed and the challenges overcome to bring the 100 year old drawings of the 1910 ELENA to life and successfully achieve the desired end result- a yacht that is efficiently crewed, competitive on a racecourse, and enticing to charter.
Great Schooner CORONET: Her Place in the History of Sailing Development
Robert G. McNeil & Jeffrey Rutherford
The evolution of sailing vessels over the past 125 years to sail to weather; higher and faster. Where the Victorian schooner CORONET stands in that development plus a report on her restoration.
Afternoon Program - The ALERION Revolution: What Nat Herreshoff Started in 1912 – Moderator: John Palmieri, Curator, The Herreshoff Marine Museum/ America’s Cup Hall of Fame
ALERION and the men who built her
In 1912 Nat Herreshoff at age 63 carved a half- model of a daysailer with a new form that inspires to this day. Museum Curator, John Palmieri, develops the history of the design from Nat’s own records. Bringing ALERION forward, marine historian and WoodenBoat Technical Editor, Maynard Bray, describes her rebirth in 1969 at Mystic Seaport to become the jewel of the revitalized small boat exhibit. Inspired by Maynard’s work, well-known boat builders, designers and owners describe their work in the US and France to bring new ALERIONs, including modern derivatives of the original, to grace the waters with their beauty and winning performance.
Papers Presented:
The ALERION Revolution: What Nat Herreshoff Started in 1912
John Palmieri
The Herreshoff Manufacturing Company in 1911-15, the Herreshoff brothers partnership, the “Wizard of Bristol” Nat Herreshoff and the design, building, and first years of ALERION III and SADIE.
ALERION at Mystic Seaport
Maynard Bray
When Maynard arrived at Mystic Seaport in 1969 he found ALERION in the corner of an open-sided spar storage shed, off limits to visitors. This is his story of ALERION’s acquisition, her refurbishing, and some of the yarns connected with her.
The Building of THETIS: A Plank on Frame Replica of ALERION III
Bill Sauerbrey
Alden Brewster’s ALERION is a replica in all respects. Original materials and methods have been followed from lofting and molding, framing and planking, to decking, finish work, spars, rigging, and hardware. Tricks of the trade that have been learned are highlighted.
Building a Replica of ALERION in France
Eric Ogden
Some 136 years after Nat Herreshoff built RIVIERA in Nice, a replica of his ALERION was launched in Brittany. This is the story of the author’s research; the decision to build the hull in Brittany using the strip planking with vacuum bagged diagonal plies and the result which like the original is judged to be “a very satisfactory boat’.
The Evolution of Nat Herreshoff’s ALERION: From Carvel Planked Gaff Rig to Cold Molded Sloop
Brion Reiff
The evolution of the 1912 gunter-rigged, plank-on-frame ALERION to the modern cold molded, fixed keel Alerion 26; basically a scaled down Newport 29 with taller Marconi rig and roller furling jib.
Additional Programming
Meet wooden boat builders and restorers during an informal get-together at the Bristol Boat Company, located across the street from the Museum. Dan Shea, boat builder and owner of the Bristol Boat Company, will open his doors after the formal program to Symposium participants to provide an opportunity for those who build and restore ALERIONs and her modern derivatives to meet with Symposium attendees and discuss their work.
Then Symposium attendees are invited to an after-hours reception hosted by Herreshoff Designs, Inc. Refreshments will be provided. The reception will provide attendees additional exposure to the Herreshoff lore and an opportunity for symposium participants to interact for information, help and fun.
Those who wish to attend may join symposium participants for dinner. Dinner will be offered at the DeWolf Tavern in Bristol (not included in the registration fee).
In addition, participants are invited to the Museum on Sunday morning for a special guided tour of the NG Herreshoff Model Room. There, the original design models of the famous Herreshoff yachts can be inspected first hand along with the instruments that made the half model method viable. Finally, Participants are welcome to attend the Museum’s opening day exhibits commencing at noon.
Click Here to download a Menu from DeWolf Tavern. Contact Beth at DeWolf Tavern to make your dinner reservation: beth@bristolharborinn.com (401)254-2005 ext.106
Please note: the symposium was originally scheduled for April 21st.
For information on the 2010 4th Classic Yacht Symposium including authors, presenters, and details on their papers, click here.
