HMCo #1125s Barracuda V

"... in some ways the most interesting product of 1919 was the one-design class of 'S' boats, which came out early that spring.
While there were few of them built the first year, perhaps twenty, the company continued building them off and on for the next eight or nine years so that eventually there were perhaps a hundred and fifty or more of them, and besides being good little cruisers they have furnished active racing up to the present time in widely separated districts. If I remember right these little yachts cost less than two thousand dollars the first few years, so they have been a good investment for some owners for they were built well enough to last for years if handled carefully. Perhaps the 'S' boats would even have been more popular if they had been a little better looking but that defect should not be wholly blamed on Captain Nat for it was the request of the original sponsors of the class that they have short overhangs and full bows and sterns. This feature has made them rather queer-looking Universal Rule boats, and consequently they are not particularly fast for their rating. But there have been few all-around better boats for afternoon sailing, cruising, and racing, and perhaps also the last one-design class that was somewhat comfortable." (Source: Herreshoff, L. Francis. The Wizard of Bristol. The Life and Achievements of Nathanael Greene Herreshoff, together with An Account of Some of the Yachts he Designed. New York, 1953, p. 306.)

"S Class will have an active fleet of 21 this season, though Livingston Davis' Friskie [#845s] was sold in the past week to a New York yachtsman and John R. C. McBeath's Kotick [unidentified, not #1018s] passed on to Edwin S. Webster of Chestnut Hill for racing by his daughter in the Quissett fleet. The loss of these two knockabouts has been more than replaced, by new additions to the fleet in the boats building at Bristol for John R. C, McBeath [#1126s Alpha], Lawrence F. Percival Jr [#1125s Barracuda V] and Hamilton Brown [#1123s Nightmare]. ..." (Source: Anon. "S Class Association." Boston Globe, April 28, 1929, p. B21.)

"... Of the dozen or so knockabouts built by Herreshoff this last Winter, three are to come to Marblehead, two as replacements and the other bringing a new skipper to the class. The replacements are Alpha [#1126s], by John R. C. McBeath, and Barracuda V [#1125s], by Lawrence F. Percival Jr, while Hamilton Brown's Nightmare [#1123s] will be the newcomer. Also Fondec II [sic, i.e. #1019s Fandec?], raced last year by H. L. Chailfoux only during mid-Summer Week, this year is to be a steady competitor throughout the season. " (Source: Anon. "Yachts and Yachtsmen." Boston Globe, June 2, 1929, p. B15, B16.)

"... Two of the new Herreshoff's 'S' knockabouts, Lawrence F. Percival Jr's Barracuda V [#1125s] and John R. C. McBeath's Alpha [#1126s], arrived at Marblehead last Wednesday [June 5, 1929] afternoon. Both of the knockabouts were brought around from Bristol under sail. A brother of Thomas P. Brightman, manager of Herreshoff's yard, with Mrs Brightman as crew, were in the Barracuda, both reporting a very pleasant sail while 'Jack" Mc-Beath and Everett C. Quiner were aboard the Alpha. Both racers, the latest in the class, are finished with teak trim and all metal work of chrome nickel, the same as automobiles of this year's models. ..." (Source: Fowle, Leonard M. "Resolute And Vanitie Enter Seventh Season of Racing." Boston Globe, June 9, 1929, p. B21.)

"... The class S boat Barracuda V [#1125s] has been sold through the same office [of William Lee Howard] from Lawrence Percival to Charles Kelly, Jr., of New Bedford. The Barracuda will be raced off Buzzards Bay. ..." (Source: Earle Ed.. "Bits of Oakum." Boston Herald, February 1, 1931, p. 19.)

"HERRESHOFF S-BOAT #1125. Very original including hardware, varnished teak trim, new deck canvas, dacron sails. Needs refinishing. Cradle included. Located Maine. $8,000 firm. Maynard Bray, 207-359-8593. [With photo.]" (Source: Anon. [Classified Ad.] Wooden Boat #46, May / June 1982, p. 161.)

"[Item Description:] Spreadsheet listing original contracts (from 1923 to 1940) by HMCo in the collection of HMM (apparently from the gift of Everett Pearson). Listed boats are: #380p, #381p, #388p, #389p, #391p, #392p, #393p, #395p, #886s, #933s, #934s, #954s, #955s, #962s, #983s, #999s, #1002s, #1017s, #1054s, #1055s, #1057s, #1074s, #1078s, #1122s, #1125s, #1130s, #1131s, #1147s, #1152s, #1153s, #1154s, #1156s, #1157s, #1164s, #1170s, #1173s, #1174s, #1175s, #1175s, #1176s, #1177s, #1179s, #1180s, #1191s, #1192s, #1193s, #1195s, #1196s, #1198s, #1199s, #1200s, #1201s, #1202s, #1203s, #1206s, #1207s, #1208s, #1209s, #1210s, #1211s, #1212s, #1213s, #1214s, #1215s, #1216s, #1217s, #1218s, #1219s, #1220s, #1222s, #1224s, #1236s, #1226s, #1227s, #1228s, #1230s, #1232s, #1234s, #1237s, #1238s, #1240s, #1241s, #1243s, #1244s, #1245s, #1246s, #1247s, #1248s, #1249s, #1250s, #1251s, #1252s, #1253s, #1254s, #1255s, #1256s, #1257s, #1258s, #1259s, #1260s, #1261s, #1262s, #1263s, #1264s, #1265s, #1274s, #1275s, #1277s, #1279s, #1280s, #1281s, #1282s, #1283s, #1284s, #1285s, #1286s, #1287s, #1302s, #1303s, #1315s, #1508s." (Source: Rickson, Norene (creator). Table. Herreshoff Marine Museum Collection Item LIB_4220. HMM Library Rare Books Room (HMCo Contracts), Folder [no #]. No date (2010s ?).)
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Note: This list of archival documents contains in an unedited form any and all which mention #1125s Barracuda V even if just in a cursory way. Permission to digitize, transcribe and display is gratefully acknowledged.

• Benfield, James W. "Reviving the 'S' Class." Yachting, May 1945, p. 56-57, 104. (3,516 kB)
  Document is copyrighted: Yes. How the Western Long Island Sound S-class fleet was built with a deliberate strategy.
• Upham, Kenneth B. History and Register of the S-Boat. Privately printed, no place, 1994. (13,553 kB)
  Document is copyrighted: Yes, used with permission. The definitive source of info on the S-class, but unfortunately current only up to its date of publication in 1994. History of the class and its various fleets, technical comments, detailed vessel-by-vessel provenance, owner and name indices.
• Bray, Maynard and Claas van der Linde. "The Origins of the S-Boat. A Remarkable Herreshoff One-Design." Wooden Boat #267, March/April 2019, p. 74-79. (1,201 kB)
  Document is copyrighted: Yes. A short history of how the S-Class came about, including new insights from recent research of original Herreshoff documents. With photos and reproductions of the original construction and sail plans.
• Silken, Alan (text). Silken, Cory (photos). "Setting Sail in America. The Remarkable Story of Herreshoff S Class Sailboats." Seapoint Books, Brooklin, ME.
  Appreciation of the S-Class, history of the design and local fleets, portraits of surviving S-boats and a catalogue of all S-boats
• Silken, Alan (text). Silken, Cory (photos). "A Century of S-Boats. The Enduring Appeal of a Classic Herreshoff One-Design." Wooden Boat #267, March/April 2019, p. 80-85. (1,510 kB)
  Document is copyrighted: Yes. Appreciation of the S-Class and a history of the fleets in Narragansett Bay, Quisset and Long Island and a summary of the leading S-boat restorers.
• van der Linde, Claas. [No title. Note about S-Class Weight Discrepancies.] March 11, 2022. (11 kB)
  Document is copyrighted: Yes, used with permission. Copyright holder: Claas van der Linde. Note about discrepancies in published and unpublished sources of displacement of S-class boats and why 6030lbs is currently assumed to be the correct weight.
• Herreshoff Manufacturing Company. [Contract for #1125s Barracuda V, S-Class (including specifications).] Herreshoff Marine Museum Collection. Bristol, RI, March 30, 1929. (1,197 kB)
  Document is copyrighted: Yes. Copyright holder: Herreshoff Marine Museum. Original building/sales contract. Vessel description, scantlings, payment terms, delivery date. Includes detailed vessel specifications.

Type: J & M S
Length: 20'6"
Owner: Percival, Lawrence F.

Source: Herreshoff Manufacturing Company. "A Partial List of Herreshoff Clients." In: Herreshoff Manufacturing Company. Herreshoff Yachts. Bristol, Rhode Island, ca. 1931.

• Barracuda V
• Note: The L. Francis Herreshoff index cards comprise a set of some 1200 cards about vessels built by HMCo, with dimensions and / or ownership information. Apparently compiled in the early 1930s, for later HMCo-built boats like the Fishers Island 23s or the Northeast Harbor 30s are not included. Added to in later decades, apparently by L. F. Herreshoff as well as his long-time secretary Muriel Vaughn and others. Also 46 cards of L. F. Herreshoff-designed vessels. The original set of index cards is held by the Herreshoff Marine Museum and permission to display is gratefully acknowledged.

Name: Barracuda
Type: "S" boat
Owner: Lawrence F. Percival
Row No.: 853

Source: Herreshoff, L. Francis. "Partial List of Herreshoff-Built Boats." In: Herreshoff, L. Francis. Capt. Nat Herreshoff. The Wizard of Bristol. New York, 1953, p. 325-343.

Month: Mar.
Day: 30
Year: 1929
E/P/S: S
No.: 1125
OA: 27.5
LW: 20.5
B: 7' 2"
D: 4' 9"
Rig: J & M
K: y
Ballast: Lead
Amount: 4200.00
Notes Constr. Record: S Boat. Teak fin. Chromium plate. Sails ordered 4/5/29. Sail #6 del. 6/1/29. May 15/29.
Notes Bray: S#75 (so annotated in O.A. field)
Last Name: Percival
First Name: Lawrence F.

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.

"Sail numbers 6 and 1." (Source: Upham, Kenneth B. History and Register of the S-Boat. No place, 1994, p. 95.)

"Owned in 1945 by Albert Russell Pierce, Jr. who bought her to replace his hurricane-damaged Skip #914." (Source: van der Linde, Claas, quoting Llewellyn Howland III. May 2, 2008.)

"Herreshoff S Class HMC Hull #1125, launched in June of 1929. Originally named Barracuda, she was renamed Hurricane the morning after the great storm of 1938. According to legend - though dismasted - she was one of two boats to surivive on their moorings in Padanaram Harbour. She was in the Padanaram area from 1929 until the late 70's when she was sold to a staff member at Mystic. She homeported there for several years before he moved her to Maine. At some point in the mid to late 80's she was sold to a fellow here in RI. I purchased her in 1994 and began a close to 2 year professional rebuild. New floortimbers, mostly new frames, new quarter knees, deck, sheerstrakes and some planking." (Source: Javor, Tom. http://www.toolworks.com/cdsoa/board/viewtopic.php?t=23095, retrieved July 5, 2008."

"Date of contract '30th day of March, 1920' confirmed by original contract in collection of Herreshoff Marine Museum. Date of delivery from note in Construction Record." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. January 15, 2015.)

"Built in 63 days (order to build to delivered; equivalent to $67/day, 96 lbs displacement/day)." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. January 16, 2024.)

"Sail area approximately 425 square feet, measured." (Source: Herreshoff Manufacturing Company. Yachts by Herreshoff. The Herreshoff Manufacturing Company: Designers and Builders of Sailing and Power Craft since 1861. Bristol, Rhode Island, 1937.)

"See note about about weight discrepancies in published and unpublished sources under 'Further Reading' heading." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. March 11, 2022.)

Note: Research notes contain information about a vessel that is often random and unedited but has been deemed useful for future research.