LFH International Four(?)

[richincident]

My neighbor has a lovely old boat built of plywood. He last sailed her in the 80's or so, and at that time she was a racer. He has all of her sails and rigging, and apparently possesses the skills to restore her, but she is presently in need of major work.

Here's his story. This boat was built here in Hingham sometime in the late 40's. He has been told she is an LFH design. There were only apparently 14 of these botas built--he has number 4. He has been told that the boat was designed by LFH to compete with Ray Hunt's 210 design of the same era. I dropped a note the the Herreshoff museum and learned that no such boat is in the list of LFH designs.

The boat has a canoe stern, a very Herreshoff cuddy design, and lots of curves, which probably made her difficult to produce for most home builders. The design never caught on, but there were two of them racing here in the 80's. Whatever they were.

Ideas? Clearly NOT built by HMCO but still an interesting design.

He is looking to sell this boat, and the mast, boom, and gaff along with canvas sails for another Herreshoff boat.

Couldn't get the photos to upload properly. Here's a link to photobucket:

http://i716.photobucket.com/albums/ww161/Richincident/p_00141.jpg

[Adam]

Hmmmm... First we grow up in the same area now we are neighbors.....small world.

Certainly the Cabin is very LFH - looks like a Roz. The pics you show look very much like an LFH design he used as an "example" in his "The Common Sense of Yacht Design". See pg 119 figure 336, of the 1966 second edition (it would be Vol. II of the First Edition) - chapter "The Sailing Machine". In this design he used a "Swinging Keel" - but take away the "swing" and it's your friends boat......

[richincident]

I will take a look. How about that--we ARE neighbors. I was actually from Pittsburgh--my family summered on Fire Island for years in Saltaire. It was a great place to learn how to sail. These days I am sailing a Soverel 28 out of Hingham and crewing on a J-109 for racing. My boat has very traditional lines and is quite lovely--but nowhere near as elegant as the Herreshoff designs.

I have always loved the Herreshoff boats and I make pilgrimages to Bristol periodically to admire the boats--and of course, I have many books about the Herreshoff family and their designs. I keep wishing for a computer generated race between Reliance and the modern cup boats.

Thanks for your help--I am confident that Ellen was R-4, so she must have been SPRY. Was she an NGH design? I guess we have to wait for your friend with the R-Boat expertise to get a history on SPRY.

[Adam]

Hi Rich - another avenue for your Neighbor - Mystic is the keeper of Murial Vaughn and LFH's papers (Including Designs). I was looking at the inventory and Under "Muriel Vaughn business and personal correspondence 1947-1985, Box  Folder  14, # 3" is  a design drawing "Business correspondence, pencil drawing of swinging keel boat; 1968- 1981 (5 pieces)"

I'd bet this was the boat used for "Common Sense"....Just a guess.

[richincident]

I will go down and measure the boat and see what the length is. The more I think about the way she was built and the hardware the more I think that she was built by a yard, not a home builder. The hull doesn't really look like plywood to me, and the keel is a LARGE fin keel.

On the other hand my other thread led away from HMC0 and perhaps this one will as well. I suppose there are no bad questions--one way or another this is a lovely boat!

I have Sensible Cruising Designs here with me, but I don't see a boat quite like that one in it. I don't think she IS a "sensible cruising design." More of a racer, as you said, a boat to sail FAST with a tiny cuddy for shelter.