I’m currently caulking the opposite side of the 12 1/2 daysailer. I’ve already written about that, so I thought I’d start highlighting some projects, past and present, to give a bit more info and/or history of the boats, and what work was performed on them. Since I’m working on the 12 1/2, I’ll start with that.
The Herreshoff 12 1/2 was designed in 1914 as a safe kids boat for the choppy Buzzards Bay waters. I believe it was initially named the Buzzards Bay Boy’s Boat. The original cost was less than $500. Times sure have changed! Herreshoff was something of a boat design genius of the time, and I don’t thing he designed a bad looking boat. I’ve read that he vacationed in the Bahamas, and that this design reflects some of the local small boats in that area. Don’t know if that’s true, but wherever the inspiration came from, it’s a beautiful little boat.
The boat weighs about 1500 lbs with about half that weight lead ballast, and combined with a relatively low rig, it makes for a very stable boat. Most are gaff rigged, but there are some Marconi rigs out there (the 12 1/2 in my shop is one). It also has a decently high freeboard, so it’s somewhat dry as well. Even though this was a ‘production’ boat, it has some very classy appointments. From the custom designed bronze hardware to the molded sheerstrake, and a healthy dose of brightwork, this boat definitely belies it’s budget price. The wooden boats were originally built by the Herreshoff Manufacturing Company until their demise, and then were licensed to Quincy Adams yacht yard, and finally Cape Cod Shipbuilding.
Apparently, some of the early boats are still sailed by the original families that commissioned them. There are quite a few fleets of this 100+ year old design on the east coast. There are even glass versions that sail along side the older wooden boats (gasp!). Why are these boats so well liked? I can’t speak for anyone else, but for me, I think it’s really the looks and proportions of the vessel. It’s as if you took the cumulative talent and experience of one of the worlds foremost classic yacht designers and distilled it into this one little boat. Add to this the good sailing qualities and practical size, and you have an enduring design that shows no sign of going away anytime soon.
The 12 1/2 in our shop has received new frames, new garboard planks, caulking, and will have a new paint job, hardware, and various other improvements. It was built in the ’40’s, so hopefully, we can help this old girl make it another 70 years or so!
